ValandPete

Totally agree with this^^^^^

Agree with all this. Important thing is to choose an address and stick with it, so bank, driving licence all have same address. Don't tell GP you don't all ways live in that area they will refuse to register you. You will not be cold if you have multi fuel stove and keep it in day and night. Val

Boat insurance know we CC and accept our correspondence address as do banks. They want a "street address" and will not accept a PO box address for example. We have no need of regular correspondence with the police. Regarding proof of identity I was making a general point. You may need to in the future. A passport is also very useful for this and is much easier to renew if you have a driving licence. If you want to register to vote you need to prove your identity. We used passport and driving licence. Val

We CC and don't have a car! Very useful when need to prove who we are, it needs to be the same as bank accounts then it's two forms of ID sorted. Val

We have the mail forwarding address on our driving licences. I checked it with DVLA and they are fine with it. As is TV licencing. Val

If you mean driving licence we don't either for driving! Have not had a car for 6 years, however I needed to drive my sons car once so a licence can be useful. I meant as a form of ID, it is the only other thing we have apart from bank statements that is proof of address. Val

Bear in mind you need an address you can use for banks, driving licence, they are the only way to prove your identity if needed in the future. They all need to match up. You will not be on the electoral roll in the conventional way, even if you register with no fixed address that lasts for only a year and will not have an address attached to your name. I use Boatmail because it provides an ordinary address that is acceptable to banks and DVLA and did not want to be reliant on family or friends. Think about what you may need such as mobile phone contract, new passport, bank account/s etc as these things are much easier to get while you have a fixed address. Val

We have been up and down the Wigan flight in the past few weeks. Coming down was really hard work, top gates leaking really badly. Some gates can't be opened by one person. Paddles and some handcuff locks not working. Will be writing to CRT. Used to enjoy doing this flight but not any more. They were always physically hard work but doable. I don't think my husband, altho older, has lost that much strength! Val

Windy or not I couldn't manage with only one gate! So routinely opened both going down, much easier. Got hung up on chain once, then pushed off the wall each time till danger passed. Only shared a couple of locks, thanks for the tip about using fenders to avoid the chains if you are. Really enjoyed the trip, one I hope to do again. Val

The owners have put the info on FB CWF page in the comments on the post that displays the stolen boat flyer. Val

We have multi fuel stove at the front and central heating from a Webasto. Keep the stove lit 24/7 and it is warm. We don't mind bedroom at the rear being colder. When it is very cold we use the central heating for an hour or so in the morning, I don't remember using it for heating for the last 2/3 years. Our first winter was 2010 when it snowed late November and we got frozen in a few times. You need a healthy obsession with outside temps and get to a water/Elsan point before canal freezes. It can happen surprisingly quickly. If you cruise remember days are much shorter and in my experience you need to be moored by 3pm at the latest and get the interior comfortably warm quickly, it can take ages to get a cold boat up to a comfortable temp. Then enjoy the peace and quiet that winter brings. Val

Birmingham is a lot easier to cruise and keep to the rules. It has lots of waterways and with research you can probably get to Uni from quite a wide range. If you can afford it a winter mooring would take the pressure off you from Nov to March as you can stay in one place. Plan to move out of the area as far as you can during any hols and that will help a lot with your cruising range. Not sure how viable it would be for Lancaster Uni as the canal is short and difficult to increase your range without doing the Ribble Link which is shut during the winter months. Not sure how accessible the Uni would be from either end of the canal. York is on a river so difficult to cruise and the York Ouse is very susceptible to flooding even in the summer months so I would not advise that. I think you would need to get a permanent mooring to make Nottingham viable, again there is a river at one end of the canal so cruising range is restricted. Keep doing research, I wish you best of luck. Val

Oh I really hope you are now able to fulfill your plans and buy another boat with the proceeds of your sale, or have the basis on which to plan for a future purchase. You have made an informed decision helped by the advice on this forum which will also inform others. You have not had an easy decision to make and I have welcomed your openness and willingness to discuss and share. Your decision deserves respect. I wish you well. Val

We have cruised the Calder and Hebble with no problems, 58' without lifting the fenders.

There are a few more however I can't remember where. Val

Totally agree with Chertsey. It's a shame there are not more role models to encourage female steerers. When there are two of you roles can become fixed. This probably means that your partner is not even on the boat as you struggle with the wind or an outflow and misjudge and grind your way down a bankside or bang your way into a lock. The paintwork on a narrowboat is designed to be rubbed and scored and made lovely again next time in the dry dock, unlike a car. The joy! Val

Thanks Tony, I've saved this info. Perhaps I will use it in the future! I read your posts with interest, rivers and tides fascinate me, your knowledge is awesome. When we were planning our trip I got the tide table and up to date river guides and prepared for the trip, planning times to leave Torksey and then the lock from the Chesterfield Canal to leave the river at Keadby. I enjoyed doing this, learning something new etc. However none of the lock keepers agreed with my timings and we were only allowed onto the river when they said we could go. The difference in time was hours. Of course I may have totally miscalculated however there was no opportunity for discussion so I could understand what was going on. The lock keepers were obviously in touch with each other and I do remember thinking at the time that we were boating to their timetable not ours. I will never have the confidence to challenge them of course, and now I doubt I will have the opportunity or courage to do so. Or perhaps I will?!? Val

Downstream into Keadby Lock is the most frightening experience I have ever had. Never, ever, ever again. I didn't touch the sides and had to steer between two narrowboats already in the lock,waiting on each side, at some speed, river full after lots of rain. Proud to have done it but I will never, ever do it again. Ever. Val

As Mayalld says above. I immediately thought of top of Bosley Locks. Val

Up at the top! Lot of movement today because of the problems with Poolstock Locks holding people up yesterday. Will be space here tomorrow as most will probably move on, we are. Don't know why people don't moor there either! Should be fine but I wouldn't leave the boat unattended tho. Have a good trip. Val

Thanks Bunny. Val

Very impressed Bunny, glad you enjoyed it. How long did it take? Val

nb The Puzzler took their boat over and spent three years in Ireland. Good people and good blog, search The Puzzler. Val

Thanks for this detailed info. Val