matty40s

When I told a couple that my engine was built in 1943, they looked at me and said "was it your Dads?" I said, no, it was from a Liverpool docks crane. They said"Did he nick it then?"

There is a 14 foot hotel boat been through there and a 13 1/2 foot widebeam moored at Calcutt which has also been through both.

Unfortunately, those people are still there dictating the anti widebeam, anti livaboard anti everything that stops their pleasure cruises in August. They are so far removed from the initial IWA values and still seek to be CRT'S minder for future initiatives in ridding the waterways of scruffy boaters, wide boats, liveaboards, CC-ers who don't cover the entire system in 3 months etc They are massively irrelevant and if just one of the local IWA groups declared indipendance, it would be a catalyst for change long overdue.

The upper echelons of the IWA have no need for chandlery and other stuff, they expect to moor on rings at 5pm outside their favourite pub on August bank holiday without having to purchase mooring pins or other normal equipment. This is not a joke, this was stated at a CRT meeting by one of the IWA national exec.

There are more and more people taking up the lifestyle, whether to livaboard, spend 6 months a year cruising or just weekend boating in the Summers. Boat Sales reflect this. I did go to the Northampton festival(and got very wet), there were more boaty type stalls than Watford, but it was still a bit flat, the band in the tent so loud that you couldn't chat in there anyway.

I did Ivinghoe to Stowe Hill in mid December, and counted 67. I was moving a widebeam..... Which is now in the London area.

It has been an absolute pleasure meeting you over the last few years, and getting a tad jealous at some of the places you have managed to get to. (Although glad there are a very few little stretches that we have done which you still havnt) I am sure Whio will sell quickly and that someone else will enjoy it as much as you have. Look forward to hearing of your next adventures. Matty and Kathy.

Yes, paint repairs still holding up remarkably well. It's out most weekends around here. Anyhow, here's one that quite a few will not have seen yet, Hampton after its major cabin works at Warwickshire Flyboats. Splendid job.

I didn't say it looks like Owl, I said it looks like Jim

Probably one of the Hatton locks, before the narrow locks would have been turned into wier eventually. Not sure but I think it's Koukavagia Jim steering.. ..

The IWA will love that, gross indeed.☺

I know lots of local IWA people who do magnificent jobs especially when they adopt certain stretches and support local initiatives. I have also witnessed some of the top leveI IWA 'I know better than you' blokes come out with some astoundingly incorrect facts, totally selfish comments and downright boorishness because you are not in their club. The IW@ as it stands now is irrelevant as to its initial movement aims, and increasingly marginalised by better organised restoration groups and charities. It also doesn't appear to be able to cope with the changing way that the canals are used, trying to influence CRT with 'clever ideas' on stopping it, rather than adapting and moving forward. I saw the Watford debacle, smaller local events still work well, and Crick seems to be moving back to a more relevant show. I have yet to see any input from the IWA into the slow deterioration of our canals and infrastructure, when I do, I might be interested in them again.

It's all the rage on the Grand Union.

It's all in water there behimd the chopped willow screen, and used for fishing.

I seem to think the stream filters into the back end of the marina....exiting via a sluice wier...although might be completely wrong.... 1965....slight change

....and you just know that CRT 'S master plan will be to place NO MOORING signs on this section after one or two widebeam owners complain about scratched paint because those nasty narrowboaters were moored there.

Is it as pink effulgent colour as well as the outside of the boat too..... ??

There is a 70 ft by 13 foot boat moored in the lower Calcutt locks pound, the owners don't take it out often as they get the feeling that other boaters don't think they should be on the canals!! The first section from Napton junction towards Braunston is almost too narrow for 2 narrowboats to pass, never mind a boat of that size. Even more worrying is the North Kilworth new marina having wide beam size dry and wet docks being built, and plans for widebeam berths when it opens. CRT could and SHOULD do something. They wont though, especially if they can get their widebeam increased licence fee through. I did witness a fully loaded pair almost take the back off a newly launched widebeam where the owners didnt have a clue how to steer and the steering wheel controls had been fitted back to front.

This must be a sitting on a wooden fence moment for you.

I used to go through 2 x 13kg gas a year on my own, gas hob, cooker. Present indications are that Kathy and I will probably increase this to 3 a year cos I'm a one pan man and Kathy likes to make sure all rings work.

Most narrowboat corrosion comes from boats being stuck in marinas for 8 months or more on landlines and not being adequately protected. Most hire fleets are used for 8 months plus a year and never on landlines. Virtually all hire boat hull thickness diminishing is down to abrasion and dents, not pitting or rusting.

....the Yul Brunner look. ( unless you shave in the shower)

They have gone to separate homes.

Mountbatten and Jellico are now back servicing the Welshies on a regular basis. Is Mark on Callisto back delivering again?? I tried a bag of Winterblaze (£8.50) 3 years ago and have used it ever since as Taybrite and Excel at the time were producing vast amounts of ash and clinker. 10 bags being delivered tomorrow courtesy of Ryan on Southern Cross part of Jules Fuels who do a splendid job keeping the top end of the GU well supplied.