David Mack

You're probably thinking of a Bolinder. The Swedish-built Bolinder semi-diesel* was probably the first internal combustion engine used successfully in narrow boats, and many motor boats were built with them from around 1920 , particularly in the fleet of Fellows Morton & Clayton. From the mid 1930s they were superseded by twin cylinder 'high speed' diesel engines, of which the National 2DM and Russell Newbery DM2 are the best known of the early models, being fitted to the new GUCCC fleet. *They were called semi diesels as they has a 'hot bulb' in the cylinder head which had to be preheated before starting by a blowtorch, and was then kept hot by the combustion. (Later 'full diesel' engines have a higher compression ratio and the diesel ignites as a result of the compression alone). 9hp and 15hp single cylinder Bolinders were typically fitted in narrow boats, but multi cylinder versions were also built. There is a 320hp 4 cylinder Bolinder in the Yavari on Lake Titicaca in Peru. The early Bolinders are two stroke engines and will run in either direction - indeed they are fitted with a clutch but no reversing gearbox, and the steerer has to reverse the whole engine to go astern (and the direction of rotating on first starting can be a bit random).

I think MAIB are more likely to get involved if there are lessons which can be learned and applied to other situations. If the incident is one of a known type, for which there is existing safety advice and guidance, then it doesn't usually warrant a full investigation. In this case their involvement may depend on the fate of the two airlifted to hospital. What was presumably either a gas or petrol explosion on a 22ft boat is likely to result in multiple casualties with severe burns, and severe burns can often be fatal even when the casualty is conscious and communicating when the emergency services first arrive.

It always used to be known as the Manchester Sh*t Canal!

I think it's purely decorative. Much like the 'intertwined snake' ironwork which used to be quite common on the front top bend on wooden narrow boats, but which is now virtually extinct.

Just to add to what others have said: Keep going to maintain steering. Don't stop. And whatever you do, don't suddenly slam the boat into reverse, as that will send you diagonally across the canal and ensure a collision. Be aware of the other boat and its actions. If when you see the other boat it looks as if you are going to pass in a narrow bit, such as alongside a moored boat or an overhanging tree, particularly if you think he hasn't seen you yet, consider slowing down (but not stopping) so that he reaches the obstruction first and you can then pass in the wider section. If you are passing through a bridge and see another boat coming towards you KEEP GOING and don't slow down, so that the boats pass each other away from the bridge and the other boat has space to get back into the middle and lined up for the bridge after passing you. If you slow down or stop leaving the other boat nowhere to go, you are as much responsible for the resulting collision as he is. If you dive all the way to the bank well before reaching the other boat, he has no need to move over so may keep going down the middle of the channel. This is sometimes interpreted as arrogance on his part, particularly if it is an ex working boat. It's not, it's simply a natural response to the situation on his part. If you had kept to the middle of the channel until you were a couple of lengths apart, he would have moved over at the same time as you, and both boats would have 'done the dance' and carried on unimpeded.

Its the only vollockie horror story I have. I haven't met them that often, but yes, most of them are fine (if not always adding much in terms of help compared with doing it all myself). But as with many other things in life, it is the bad ones you remember.

Single handing a 70 footer I arrived at Foxton top lock and was told by the vollie to stay on the boat and they would work me through. A couple of locks down I saw the vollie lift the bottom paddle and then disappear from sight. Being a full length boat, I had my bow against the bottom gate. As the lock started to empty I realised the bow had hung up on the gate, and only the stern was going down. I was standing on the back deck, between the wing walls of the lock above, so not immediately able to step off the boat, and shut the paddle. I shouted to the vollie, but he did not reappear. Shortly afterwards the bow fell off the gate and the boat was launched backwards, with the risk that the stern could land on the cill as the lock continued to empty. In the end no harm resulted, but I could easily have been stuck in a difficult position. The volunteer lock keeper had taken charge initially, but then failed to maintain that responsibility by keeping the boat in view. Had he done so he could easily have dropped the paddle when the hang-up occurred. He could also have remained within range of my shouts, but he didn't. Never again am I staying on board in a situation like this.

That's visible to us non-facebookers! And demonstrates only too clearly why it is impossible for the upstream boat to hold back for one coming downstream.

The antifouling will apparently last for 15-25 years. But if this boat is actually used, there will be an awful lot of scratches and scrapes, and areas of virtually bare (and rusty) steel in 15-25 years time if the boat doesn't get a repaint first!

I have always used the word 'cill' to describe the timber piece against which the bottom edge of both top and bottom gates seal (which is a slightly different usage compared with the 'shelf' across the upper end of a lock chamber that the inattentive may drop their stern on). They have 'found' three holes, not necessarily 'seen' them. Probing with a pole? Divers?

There are several on the National Rail network too. A forum discussion on the subject: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/119160-stations-with-the-same-name/

Came through there last week. The lock wouldn't fill completely. Someone had already wedged a wooden fence post through the handle on the top balance beam to give extra leverage to open the gate, but even so it took three of us (two boat crew and a local passer by) to manage to open the gate. The passer by said it had been like this for a while and over the previous few days he had helped several boat crews who couldn't open the gate unassisted.

Non participating boats arriving during one of the parades have two choices - either moor up and wait for the parade to finish, or join in. Mooring up can be difficult and you may end up temporarily occupying one of the moorings vacated by a boat in the parade (although nobody is going to mind if you do this, just that the manoeuvring can be 'fun'). Or you can simply wait for a convenient gap and take your place in the parade. As you are travelling from west to east this will involve turning into the marina at the main entrance, passing through the marina basins and exiting at the ladder bridge, closer to the bottom lock. During the parade you will be in full view of all the spectators. Having over the years witnessed many boats getting caught up in the parade like this, I have seen some who have enjoyed it immensely, and some who have hated it, gritting their teeth, avoiding eye contact and banter from spectators and other boaters and complaining about the delay to their trip. Only you can decide which of these would be you! In your position I would be minded to make an early start from the puddlebank and aim to be at the bottom lock before many of the historic boats start moving. If mooring space by the bottom lock is not available you could tie up temporarily to the outside of one of the historic boats just before the ladder bridge. The owners won't mind and will be happy for you and your guests to step across the boat(s) between yours and the towpath. And just to add, on your return to Braunston later in the day the beer tent in the marina will still be open (although the music can be a bit loud).

@Timx, what source(s) of 230V do you have on board? Shoreline? Inverter? Separate generator? If you turn all of these 230V sources off, do the unaltered lights on the other side of the boat still work? If so they are 12V, being supplied from the boat batteries. I think you have been misled by the 230V label on the fitting. That simply means the fitting is rated for use with 230V, and not that it is necessarily connected to a 230V ac power source. As others have said 12V leds can be obtained with E14 (small Edison screw) bases and can be used directly in the fittings without needing an adaptor.

But what if the boat travelling upstream was already within the pinch point before either boat could see the other? Not much opportunity for it to take avoiding action in that situation.

Now refloated. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cr4z3ep3e37o

So do sheep!

On a laptop? This is what I get on my phone

As a leisure boater, running the engine most days I am on board, it doesn't make so much difference for me, but liveboards who have made the change to lithium generally view it as a huge improvement, despite the initial cost. "Keep it simple/no other changes" does really mean giving up the sort of power hungry appliances that land dwellers use without a second thought.

He uses sand sprinkled onto wet paint then another coat of paint on the gunwales

You need to do a power audit. A number of posts about it on the forum.

He also wants £550 for a worn painted table by an unknown artist. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267266738427

A while back, in an attempt to pull the thread back on topic, I asked the OP what unanswered questions he still has about buying a boat and moorings. He has since made a number of further posts, none of which address that point...

Do you have a mooring with shore power? If not how are you going to generate the power you use? A decent quantity of solar will give you all the power you need over the summer months and make a useful contribution during Spring and Autumn. Why wait to get it fitted?

Survivors of the Scarecrow Trail?