ValandPete

Our first BSS is due in March this year. We have had it done in advance (passed with advice and support from Radiomariner - thank you!) and the BSS certificate is dated forward from the date the RCD was signed, not the date of launch or completion. Val

We walked up this morning and a BW bloke said they were on schedule to re-open this weekend. Val

We will be coming, booked in with BW and the marina. Will be there before it opens and leaving on the first Sunday. On a Liverpool Boat of course. Val

There are 5 lots of dates organised, however the best ones (which allow you the 5 days while the show is actually on) are already full. To my knowledge this has not been advertised anywhere. A poster on (john4647)here was not given this info when he rang on the 11th. At least the moorings are free - it costs visitors to Liverpool Marina £3.30 per metre! We posted our application yesterday hoping to be there when the show opens. We will probably go back at another time and stay the full 12 days.

I can recommend - 10 year Sealed Optical Smoke Alarm - Kidde - KEPE 910 We installed it in August 2009 and it has been activated only about 3 times, when husband is making poppadums and does not open the kitchen windows. It has never gone off when frying bacon etc. Val

According to the FAQs you can if there are any left. All start on 1st of the month so if one is still available you can buy on 31st Dec for an agreement that will run from 1st Jan until 31st March. You have to take any mooring until 31st March. Val

I agree with this, my preferred option. Go thro Ashton early and keep to the middle of the channel, I had lots of debris. My experience is that the locks in Manchester are the hazard: not well maintained and hard to operate - especially the one in Castlefield where there are lots of gongoozlers drinking at the pub watching the struggle to open and then keep open the lock gates. Stayed in Castlefield and Piccadilly, no problems. Have a good trip Val

Dave, please accept our sincere condolences too. Our thoughts are with you and your family. Val and Peter

I admire your motivation and hope you get some where. I find it disturbing I was advised to fill this form in by an official source (cant find the email now) when I had told them exactly what my circumstances would be, even tho I cannot fulfill the criteria for having a notional address. The 2000 Act is very specific, and if you fill the form in you will definately be categorised as homeless, there is no reference to "no fixed abode". I get the feeling we are not covered by the act but no-one wishes to inform us of this. I do not know if we would be on the electoral roll as homeless, but the act does say that returning officers have a duty to supply all the required info (what this is I have not discovered) Val Thanks, I am interested to know what they say. Val

Hi, newby myself, altho I have progressed from "new" to "junior"! Your signature is what appears at the bottom of the page when you post. If you want one click on edit signature, write what you want, then save it. You can change the size/colour of the font by clicking on the boxes at the top. If you then want to change it click on edit again. Have a look at other profiles to get an idea of what is what. The picture above your name when you post is an avatar - it has to be very small to be accepted. I googled avatar and there are a lot of sites that let you have them for free. Only use these sites if you know you have a good security system on your computer, I suspect that they harbour nasties. You follow the instructions to save it onto your computer then add it as your avatar. Sorry cant remember exactly what to do. The photo on your profile can be taken from any photos you have on your computer, but again they have to be small, I only had a couple that would do. The easiest way of doing both is to post your photos to a site like flickr or photobucket, I have not done this yet. There is a thread on here that tells you how to do this. There is also info on the index page for new posters you might find useful. It will eventually become clearer, I promise! Just keep having a try at stuff. Or keep asking your daughter I have tried asking my son but he gets so impatient that I have given up. Val

I have looked at some of the "declaration of local connection" forms available on the internet. They all have a box you can tick so that your name and address is not included on the edited register, however I cannot find any information about what appears on the full register. This is available for the purpose of credit checks. According to the Representation of the People Act 2000 you are declaring a "notional residence" and the declaration form has some form of wording about where you commonly spend a substantial part of your time (night or day) or the address nearest that place. I therefore do not see how a continuous cruiser can honestly complete this form. I have decided that because I may appear as homeless on the electoral register and I do not wish to fill in an official form dishonestly I will not be voting in a General Election for the first time ever. I consider myself to be disfranchised. Val

And me Val

I did not know that - thanks. I will do this from now on. I have been doing this for some time now - waiting for the other boat to move, when I am going up or down, before I move out of the lock. It saves time for both boats as neither has to pull over to the towpath side, and as has been said above both boats can line up for their lock easily. I was fed up with being the first out all the time and I started doing this on a windy day down a flight of locks when boats were being blown and pinned against the bank. It worked so well I now do it all the time, I also now wait in front of the closed gates behind me when going down while waiting for the next lock to be ready. I can control the boat more easily, and rarely need to pull over and hold her on a rope, which can be near impossible in a wind. (for me anyway in the absence of usefully positioned bollards! ) Val

Congratulations We will be joining you as continous cruisers from 1st May - see you around! Val

I think it could - this change is dependent on full consultation and legislation according to the info. I don't think it is likely tho'. Val

Nor me Val

In my opinion it is not possible to make any alterations to the stern of the boat you have decided to buy due to the design of the boat. You need a cruiser stern! Val