Newbie solo; experience needed?

[system 4-50]

5 hours ago, MrsM said:

We had walkie talkies when we started (old kids' set) until o'h dropped one in a lock. Our old deck boards were very rattly so it was quite hard for the steerer to hear someone speaking any distance away. We soon developed hand signals which work well for us. Now have very quiet deck boards but we still use hand signals. 

When I boated, I noticed that many of the people on the boats that passed me used hand signals...

[manxmike]

We had walkie talkies, I thought it might be handy to ask for a cup of coffee, sadly the steel hull blocked the signals so I had to resort to bellowing through the doorway.

Regarding dropping mobile phones into the cut, I make sure I have a PAYG sim in a really old mobile phone - the phone costs next to nothing, the sim might have £5 or £10 on it, but that can be transferred.

When I was looking to buy my boat I travelled up and down the country looking at a wide variety of boats in an interesting variety of places. I usually travelled by motorbike, which could be problematic in the winter, but which was always fun. Sometimes, when I found something I quite liked the look of I would bring my other half, she had a better eye than me for niggles and potential problems and would veto my daydream style hopes.

Eventually we did find the boat we both loved and bought it. Always bear in mind, however, that work on a narrow boat is never completed, the next job will need to be done, but maybe not until tomorrow.

[Victor Vectis]

On 23/08/2022 at 21:02, Wanderer Vagabond said:

's funny but after watering up at probably the slowest water point on the system at the Hope and Anchor at Syston, I was clearing my hose away whilst being watched by two lads enjoying their spliff on the towpath, one of whom said to me,"Tell us mate, what's the worst thing about living on a boat?". I thought for a bit and then said,"I'll have to get back to you on that" because I couldn't think of much that bothers me on the canals. At a pinch it'd be emptying the Elsan's but after 9 years of doing so it isn't really a concern, and lumping them around keeps you fit.

 

How would others answer the question?

Leaving the boat when we go home after a trip.

[Laurie Booth]

15 hours ago, Goliath said:

Have you still got your sonic screwdriver?

Funny you should say that, I was at a Dr Who thing when I was locked out of the green room with Tom Baker and Sylvester McCoy, neither of who had a sonic screwdriver with them! William Nicholas Stone Courtney let us in

[rusty69]

3 hours ago, Laurie Booth said:

Funny you should say that, I was at a Dr Who thing when I was locked out of the green room with Tom Baker and Sylvester McCoy, neither of who had a sonic screwdriver with them! William Nicholas Stone Courtney let us in

Could have been worse. You could have been stuck in a Booth with nothing to eat but jelly babies.