Onewheeler

A steel boat has welded joints. Why do you want to hide it?

You should be able to get something very nice for that. Look at the small ads on the DBA web site (you have to join, but if you're serious about boating on the mainland it's worth it even if only for the waterway guides which are updated by members). If you do decide to buy on the mainland, France is reputed to be much more expensive than the Netherlands.

There are plenty of CART checkers walking the Oxford canal close to the Thames junctions. Don't be tempted to try to avoid a licence there. On the Thames, some people avoid a licence, especially between the Oxford and the K&A, by moving the boat outside lock-keeper hours. It's surprising how many boats you see at night. There are EA boat patrols but few and far between. I've never noticed an EA checker on foot (other than the lockies who keep an eye on their moorings).

The DBA barges.org is a good place for advice on purchase. The torykip special policy might make VAT on movements complicated and I have no idea what the current position is. I've got a 1/6 share in a barge which works for me, but if buying, and especially for the summer months, I would go for something under 15 m and probably cruiser style rather than barge (although Piper do some lovely boats under 15 m). The reason is that moorings in marinas etc are becoming very much geared to boats under 15 m or 12 m - lots of finger pontoons. Fewer issues with width, pretty much all moorings will take something of 4 or 5 m. As far as trying is concerned, you won't learn much on a hotel boat. Plenty of hire options, Le Boat is everywhere. Don't forget that someone on board must have CEVNI, an ICC and VHF ticket if owning a boat in France. For hiring you just get in and go.

Good plan.

I bought one from Halfords. Probably cheaper elsewhere.

Is an 8mm to 6 mm compression not near enough for 5/16" pipe? It's only 62.5 micron difference.

We've got them on our bunkering tanker. I replaced one with a plastic pudding basin as a temporary job five years ago. It's still there. The self-tapping screws holding the vent on from the outsdie had rotted, and the sealant used appeared to be polyfiller. The others on the boat are good after putting some proper sealer around the rims. I think one can still buy them.

If you want to take it off soon, strip the carpet and use self-adhesive velcro to hold the panel on. Or a couple of screws.

The actual cabin is very short - maybe 20 ft or so? Quite a small space even for one person. It's not clear what's under the tarp at the stern. The centre steering is perhaps a bit unconventional (but not unheard of), I'd want someone experienced to check the arrangement as problems could be expensive. MIght be OK but the price asked seems a bit generous.

I prefer liquid PTFE for most applications: https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-ptfe-liquid-50g/5321j It's less fiddly than tape.

Actually, at DAB frequencies a typical window will be about the right size to act as a slot antenna / coupler. A bit small for band 2 FM. Portholes not much use. A wooden front door is the right size for FM coupling. It might be interesting to try connecting the two long sides of a window to a cable as a slot dipole.

The OP appears to want a portable radio, not a car radio.

If you are in a poor signal area it would be worth buying one with an external antenna socket. These are as rare as rocking horse poo. However, it is said that some have extendable aerials that are screwed into f-sockets. Might be interesting to go into a shop and see what unscrews.

Get rid of the gyproc while it's accessible and before it self-destructs. Space the fireboard from ply backing with offcuts if you have any. Fireboard up to deckhead level near the flue (depending on spacing it can be much narrower than the bits at the bottom). As said, don't forget under the gunwhales. Insulate around the deckhead penetration. Don't worry about beneath the stove, none of mine have got hot there. Tiles on ply are fine. Make provision to bolt the stove down. OVMD!

The Thames is user-friendly when single-handing (unless it's a bank holiday weekend). Lots of lockies and volunteers (of variable competence) to help. Be prepared to do an orthicological manouevre into a tree with a rope when tying up.

My inclination would be to put a stop end on a stub on the valve and fit a dip tube for the fuel line from as near the top of the tank as feasible. Easy to do using an Essex flange type fitting (in this context there might be a different name - someone help!). I did that to install a webasto in our boat.

About 900 x 600 x 400 high. Two vent outlets, could be teed together but it's better if you can arrange a through draft by keeping them apart. I could take a photo once I've shifted stuff around in the garage. With the recycling centre closed it's become full of rubbish!

There's a 200 L HDPE Leesan tank in my garage. Clean, with fittings, only used for a couple of years. Looking for a good home. One used to be able to buy spare Thetford 365 tanks. They were about ten quid more than a complete assembly.

I have an intense dislike for that sort of drain valve. The sealing washer has a habit of gluing itself in place when they get old, which means having to pull the innards out to make it drain. My preference is a ball valve (washing machine valve) as they're less prone to sticking.

Also worth remembering that the Avon locks are generally... err... characterful. Not a great place to start for a lock virgin. Single handing in a narrowboat I found one way of doing them (there are others) was to tie the stern line to a bollard towards the tail of the lock, and take the bow line forward to the gate where you can control the boat. Let the paddles up gently and concentrate on holding the boat in place with the bow line. The lock design is such that the usual technique of opening the paddles on the side next to the boat which should hold it to the wall doesn't (usually) work. And then there is Pershore lock, the deepest one, with the single side paddle. Not forgetting Wyre lock, diamond shaped, with some interesting cross-currents by the entrance. Another recommended technique is to hang around until you can share the locks with a boat with a competent crew.

There is a difference between what is feasible and what is enjoyable. I've single handed the Avon end to end in two pleasant days. Three would be nicer. I've also done Stratford to Kingswood in a day with a crew and we were utterly knackered. Two or three days is better. Single handed, the Wilmcote flight would be hard work. Two or three days onwards to Kilworth is fine. Hatton (indeed all of that part of the GU) has been surprisingly easy whenever I've done it, the locks work like they say in the books.

No-one's mentioned cable ties or silicone sealant yet. They hold the universe together.

I've been looking at them for a while with the intention of trying one when I am allowed more time on the boat. It's a straightforward thermosyphon. The advantage is that you don't have to cut into the tank, the plumbing may be easier and the hot goes straight into the top of the calorifier so is available quickly. The main requirement is for the top (hot) end to go as close to the top of the calorifier as possible - the cold feed can come from anywhere. I've not managed to find anyone who will supply one with a 1 kW 230 V element, which is what I want (to save running the noisy Webasto when we have shore power). It's important for marine use to use a dual 'stat element. I can't see any reason why it can't be used with a 12 V element.