Jo_

Ahhhh. O.K. That is a better reading than mine.

I've been through it and was incensed at the first proposed amendment to the Ts&Cs. CRT are suggesting if you leave your home mooring you have to behave like a continuous cruiser - not popping out for the weekend down the canal and back! AND the next proposed amendment would presumably have every widebeams lifted out of Dunchurch Pools!!

Please please please take the advice that you're being given. You are new to the boat world and there are a number of red flags in your post that would have me walking backwards! Not least that the broker said everything was o.k. and the boat just needed blacking. Clearly not telling you the truth. That's enough to have me wondering what else could be wrong (or seriously wrong) with the boat that the surveyor hasn't covered. And the promise of the boat staying in the mooring sounds very very strange AND that the boat's price takes into account a mooring in a Marina?? Do let the Forum know where this all is geographically ... you'll get much better support and help. And maybe even someone would volunteer to go with you to have a look at the boat?

Original video had a May 2020 date on it. CRT stopped, locked and ashed Marple and Bosley flights from 28 April because of dry weather and preserving Toddbrook Reservoir levels.

Him on the tiller just shouts out nonsense with a heavy accent, tips a finger to his cap and smiles. Seems to make sense to all the boaters he passes - they shout back nonsense, tip a finger to their cap and smile back. I see we must have passed Loddon recently!

I'm a great advocate of the Go Windlass. I love mine - use it all the time.

We always moored down near the now-not-so-secret facilities at the beginning of the park. They're useful for the elsan drop. Showers never seemed to work but maybe they've been fixed now that CRT advertise the facilities! Absolutely fine - fair number of walkers and bicycles around but that was in B.L. days so I don't know now.

https://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/prop-mate-c9.html It is a superb tool. Slim, elegant, very tough, cuts through most things and doesn't stop you going in with arms, hands, gauntlets if needed. It's also astonishingly reasonably priced and is our go-to prezzie for boaters' Christmas Presents too (except that most of our friends are now equipped so we'll have to think of something else)!

What a great welcome!! I have to say it's typical of our community (even though there may be a grumpy old fart lurking every now and then!). Welcome to Mercia 😀 (there is no elbow bump emoticon yet, is there!)

Does it come with very up-market designer 'No Mooring' signs?

In my view it really depends on the standard of the facilities available and their proximity to your boat. And this, for me, is relevant whether in the marina or out cruising. Using a Marina's loos extends the cassette-emptying interval and using a Marina's showers saves drying down our on board shower/bath and it saves our water and our hot water. I use our own washing machine for 'smalls' and land-based ones if there are jeans, sweatshirts etc. queuing up. For me it's a matter of convenience and ease. If there are nearby decent alternatives to the boat, I'll use them. I would always rather be self-contained but being practical saves time and efforts sometimes!

My android phone automatically backs up photos on my PC through Google - well, doesn't back up so much as is synched so the information on my phone is also on the PC. Then there is a constant back up going on from my PC to an external hard drive. So the photos are backed up as part of that.

We've always had both Nicholson's and Pearson's. Pearson's is chattier and it's timings are spot on I find. He likes the detail of Nicholson's and it's on those maps I add my notes about moornings and other travel information. Also go and have a look at https://canalplan.uk/ It's the go-to for online journey planning! Well done on getting afloat. Nothing like it!

Does your collection have to be available to wear/show/drool over at all times? Or could it be sucky-bagged? Or part of it sucky-bagged. That would reduce the space needed enORMOUSLY, AND keep the clothes free of moisture.