Onewheeler

3kg of dried blood keeps for a very long time and makes a huge quantity of black pudding along with beef suet and pearl barley. I make it in dishes as it's a messy faff to put in casings.

Good stuff but not UV resistant. It should be overwrapped with insulating tape (ideally wrapped in the opposite direction to the self amalg). Those Belling-Lee tv connectors are extremely crap. Avoid as much as possible.

Chuck in random seeds, nuts, bits if cheese for a tasty change.

Nudge nudge

Depends how close you are to a pumpout point. We haven't been able to get off our mooring for four months and the nearest pumpout is a long trip in both directions.

Osney has certainly been on red boards since at least early November.

The water level in Oxford is going down quite fast. I suspect that the EA is flushing as much water downstream as they can as the upper reaches are heading towards normal. Not a lot of rain forecast for the next two weeks so. We may end up boating at Easter as Vietnam won't let us in for our planned trip.

Everything you need can be calculated using the spreadsheet at https://www.victronenergy.com/support-and-downloads/software (about 2/3 down, MPPT Calculator Excel sheet). Set up using custom modules (panels) of your choice if you're not using expensive Victron ones.

I found it easy. Forget to remove the spanner after adjusting the tappets and try to start the engine. Next job was to repair the pipework to the calorifier.

The pictures only show three bolt holes. Without knowing anything about the engine, can you try turning it a few degrees by hand (in both directions) to see if it will free the motor?

Beta Marine are based near the canal at Quedgeley. They are happy for customers to call for spares. Very helpful. Make sure you know the engine model and date, or serial number.

I usually tie up to a tree near the Swan. Might be dangerous getting back on the boat after a brewery visit... It often involves an ornithological move.

Has it got a mooring?

The pecking order is, I believe: Yoghurt pot; Jelly mould; Gin palace; Wedding cake (must have at least three tiers in white with a couple on top). The Thames has arguably the highest density of interesting-looking boats in the land. There'll be some lovely launches and steam boats out over Easter.

I put some on the bits at the bow and stern where one steps on and off. Purchased the self-adhesive tape (about 2 cm wide) from Lidl around 14 years ago as a special. It's still in perfect condition. The patches have been painted around a few times. Good stuff that German tape. I bought two rolls and still have one and three quarters left.

Runnymede isn't far, is pretty and has plenty of space, but a busy road in spitting distance. It's feasible to tie up in the bushes outside the Swan at Staines which gives one a minor sense of adventure and the pub is OK. Being Easter, if the weather is OK all the yoghurt pots from the marinas will be out so space to tie up might be limited. I find the stretch from Staines down to Hampton Court unuttterably dull with banks lined with suburbia. There are a few quite pleasant riverside pubs though, and Hampton to Teddington is nice.

Cookham should be easy in a day. Nice village, Stanley Spencer gallery if you like art, pubs. Goes through some of the finest scenery.

You'd be pushing it to get to Oxford and back from Windsor in four days.

Also the lockies expect you to turn off the engine as soon as the ropes are secure. Beware that some locks underlet water from the sides which can cause panic and consternation if not expected.

I've been wondering what the circular feature is above the baseplate on the starboard side. Skin fitting for raw water cooling?

What's one of them?

Is that Michael Gove in the dunny? I always thought of him as a number 2.

Or wondered why there are velcro shoe fasteners...

Me too. Used it mostly for carrying chairs, beer, wine etc to music festivals. Sturdy. Only issue is that the wheels clog easily with long grass and mud. We don't see much of that at uk festivals.

I suspect that in most installations a NRV is solving an imaginary problem. Our NB hasn't got one, and our shared oil tanker used to have one until I took it out. The latter enabled me to remove the expansion tank and repurpose some space in a cupboard.