David Mack

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/0197f924-cb3a-7bbf-9870-c6b17b262359

Whether it's done "a jot of load carrying work" is irrelevant. We are just talking about corrosion here. And in this case it appears that the bottom has never been painted at all, let alone "half decently protected". Similarly the inside face of the baseplate probably had a rudimentary coating when the boat was new, but nothing since. Yes that is less than ideal. But there are loads of similar boats out there that are now 3 or 4 decades old which still have more than enough bottom plate to keep them afloat (and insurable) for a good few years yet.

That certainly looks like a good shove would get it back in the water. Indeed I'm slightly surprised that CRT haven't closed the canal and towpath until it is refloated due to the risk to passing boats and pedestrians.

An Oxford College Barge (with a punt in front) Seven still remaining according to https://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/2276/corpus-christi-barge. "Corpus Christi Barge is a steel-hulled barge built in 1930 by Salter Brothers Ltd in Oxford. She was the last Oxford College Barge to be built for the Oxford University Boat Club which had been formed in 1839. In that year six London Livery Barges were purchased to serve as changing rooms and viewing platforms for the rowers and their supporters. The first Oxford College Barge was commissioned in 1854, with its interior replicating that of a gentleman's club. The exterior design retained features of the Livery Barges, such as their 60-90 ft length, a large 'house' structure on a flat hull with shallow draft, an upper deck viewing platform, and grand doorcases and entrances. The first Corpus Christi Barge had a bench seat along both walls of the main saloon. Each barge was designed as a unique craft. Architectural decoration was used to identify ownership as 'a recognised language used to codify quality, prestige, and meaning.' Four of the barges had figureheads. Queen's had an eagle, Trinity a griffin, Jesus a dragon, and Corpus Christi a pelican. The Jesus, Queen's, and Corpus barge figureheads were pieces of heraldic carving, but the Trinity griffin was a piece of fairground bugaboo. In 1930, when Corpus Christi Barge was built, there were up to 26 barges moored along the Isis at Christ Church Meadow, serving as floating changing rooms, viewing platforms, and club houses. However, in the 1960s/70s the College Barges including Corpus Christi Barge fell into disrepair and became abandoned and neglected as new boathouses were built on Christ Church meadow. The colleges no longer prioritised the upkeep of the barges. Corpus Christi Barge is one of only seven surviving Oxford College Barges, three of which remain in Oxford, and all are owned privately or by small trusts. They continue to be used as club common rooms, crew changing rooms, and viewing platforms for rowing "

You need a BSS and insurance to get a licence. You could get a professional with trade plates to move it for you. Or you could just move it - its unlikely anyone will stop you. But note that if you are going to keep it moored on a CRT canal or in a connected marina which has a Network Access Agreement (most do), then it will need to be licenced anyway. No licence needed if it is on a mooring on a natural river, a non-NAA marina or out of the water.

You have the two batteries in parallel, albeit through separate isolators. So starting current will be drawn from both batteries, and excessive use of the domestic appliances could flatten the starter battery. Keep the positives of the starter and domestic circuits completely separate except for a VSR between them, as suggested earlier in the thread. It may just be the way the diagram is drawn, but when it comes to the actual wiring, the fuses should be placed as close to the battery as reasonably possible (but outside the battery box).

You should always disconnect the panels from the controller first, and then disconnect the controller from the battery. Reconnect the controller to the battery first, then reconnect the panels. If you have done it the other way round you may have confused the controller (if you are lucky) or damaged it (if you are not). Try disconnecting and reconnecting in the right order and see if that solves the problem.

Or it could simply mean 'Clarify the rules, so boaters and CRT staff know exactly what is and is not permitted'. For example, a more precise definition of 'place' so that once you have spent 14 days or such longer period as is reasonable in the circumstances in one 'place', the rules are crystal clear as to how far you then have to move to be in another 'place', and how much further your must travel or how many other 'places' you must visit before you can return to the first 'place'. And indeeed whether you are permitted to stay the full 14 days in every 'place' you visit, or whether boats without a home mooring should have a total number of days on which they can remain static (other than on a paid for mooring) which is significantly less than 365 per year, to ensure that the continuous cruising licence is used only by those who actually cruise for a lot of the time. This would require legislative change.

The notice announcing that work at Camp Hill Lock 2 was completed, but the flight remained closed due to water shortage was last updated on 8 July at 9.08. The announcement that Knowle to Camp Hill is now open is dated 9 July at 10.04, over 24 hours later. I don't see a contradiction here. If you do a search on the CRT website, only the latter notice appears.

Belfast was fitted with threaded pipe stubs welded to the hull, to which threaded plastic waste pipe fittings were attached. But over time, the waste water passing through the stub rusted the pipe from the inside, the outer threaded face rusted and the rust expansion split the plastic nut screwed onto it. When I dismantled these the threaded stubs were in a pretty sorry condition. I was recommended to replace them with proper brass skin fittings.

At the top of that notice it says "Repair works at Camp Hill Lock 2 have now been completed."

I can't see CRT announcing any relaxation of the rules, just being pragmatic with enforcement when boaters' movement is blocked by closures. There will inevitably be some marginal cases - boaters who claim they aren't available to move their boats at the limited lock opening times but would be available at other times, or those stuck on say a 20 mile length between stoppages who refuse to move within that 20 miles. But I imagine CRT will just deal with those individually on a case by case basis

How thick is the baseplate? At one time it was often only 6mm (or 1/4"), same as the hull sides. But most boats from the 80s onwards have thicker baseplates to give extra reserve against corrosion in an area which usually goes unpainted.

Yes there are theoretical arguments about which engine connection should go to which calorifier connection. But the difference in heating efficiency isn't huge, and if you are running your engine all day boating, you will have a calorifier full of hot water either way. But there may be issues of bleeding air from the system, or thermosyphoning when the engine is not running, which will chill the calorifier but keep the engine warm overnight. If you are plumbing with flexible hoses, make the hoses long enough that you can connect them either way round. Then if you do get problems it is easy enough to swap them over and try the other way.