eightpot

Consider an inflatable Kayak or Canoe - then join Canoe England for about 38 quid and get a licence that'll cover you on CRT and EA waterways. Alos get a crap mag delievered through your door 6 times a year.

It is the internet and adding a smiley to an objectionable statement makes it immediately funny, thus: "I feed ducks a 2lb lump hammer on the top of their heads. They need the iron in their diet " Nah, didn't work.

Nice for who?

Just up the Paddington Arm are the Southall Visitor Moorings - except I've never seen any boat moored there. I wouldn't moor there due to amount of duck, goose and swan crap all over the towpath - interspersed with piles and piles of bread. Add to the mix the rat droppings and it truly is a fun place to be. I don't feed the ducks - they've got on just fine without my assistance. A "better" link? -->http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/channel/newsitem.asp?c=11&cate=__8055

I had a couple at Hertford ask with locks were needed anyway. Try explaining hills.

I've nearly finished my 2 week jaunt up the GU. Nothing much happened apart from running out of butter - so I'll have to saute the potatoes rather than mash then with horse radish. Oh and meeting the crack waterborne police team up at Cassiobury consisting of two bored coppers in an 8 foot inflatable and smokey Mariner outboard. And the dozy hirers who whacked open the paddles on a full lock at Stoke Bruerne while I was still tying up on the landing below, Newtonian Physics dictating that I should go down like a sack of spuds. It's been fun.

Seems the locals are complaining about the picking up the policing costs. It's not as though these world leaders, bankers and businessmen are short of a few bob to pay for their own security. I suppose the "enforcement" to moored boats might carry a bit more weight than CART could ever give.

Doubtful. I went through Fenny a couple of hours ago and got speaking to a guy outside the pub about the lock and bridge. He knew the dweller of the lock cottage by name.

The camera never lies. Giving it some berries when no-ones looking Maybe there is an opening in the market for a "Max Power" type canal mag. Innit.

Round these parts that counts as one of the more sophisticated chatup lines. You silver tongued cavalier.

Highly selective walk then.

I'm going through Fenny tomorrow. I'll keep the camera handy on video mode. Thanks for the heads up.

Past thru yesterday afternoon. Was rather nice, wasn't it:

Shared the Stoke Bruerne flight a few days ago with an Australian bloke who liked Packet Boat so much he moved to Milton Keynes and saved 5 grand in the process. He mentioned he wasn't an isolated case. I looked at PB when my mooring agreement was up for renewal at the beginning of the year. Briefly. Didn't get much further than the price list.

As a slight aside, anyone got an idea if one can use their boat to carry an advert for their business? The boat will not be used to trade from.

http://www.bukh-bremen.de/files/346/upload/Hersteller/ZF/Reparaturanleitung%20u%20Ersatzteilliste%20ZF3M%20bis%20ZF30M%20mechanisch.pdf I know it relates to the ZF10M but the oil requirements are the same. (Page 34 for the list) Repair the old box? Take the money...

Yup:

If you google "(make/model of electrical item) power jack size" you should find the dimensions of the socket required. (If it's for a Acer travelmate or Aspire one laptop, it'll be 5.5mm x 1.65mm)

They are second hand. On a similar thread on here I posted a link to a message board thread where the bimble panels were discussed. It turns out they were fitted in an application in Australia and then removed under warranty by the manufacturer due to a defect in construction. The backing plastic has yellowed due to the wrong additive being added which would have had issues under strong sunlight in their original location, but since I'm in a more temperate latitude I don't consider it a problem. The solar cells themselves do not have any latent faults. I took a chance on a panel as I considered it had been soak tested for an extended period prior to me buying it. So far, so good.

I had a Hurth HBW100 in mine originally. It slipped in forward then lost forward after it blew a hole in the bottom of the gear casing. The reconditioned ZF10M replacement lasted nearly an hour before it locked itself solid. That was fun - more fun was trying to get it repaired and eventually getting my money back from the supplier. I finally ended up with a brand new ZF10M from Lancing Marine and while it hasn't gone wrong like the last two, it is a piece of engineering that doesn't inspire confidence. Currently it makes a lovely crunching noise as I engage forward once warmed up. I spoke to an engineer about the 'box and he reckons in my application (35hp Kubota) that with the oil changes at the specified intervals it'll last about five years, stretching to about ten if I change the lube more often and don't stress it too much. I consider it as a disposable item, hewn from the finest block of cheese.

Cable specced for solar: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161017637286 I bought 20m of 6mm from the above for less than 23 quid. Sorted.

http://www.bimblesolar.com/offgrid/12v I bought one of these with the 20amp MPPT controller. Very pleased.