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Goodbye Winter

honey ryder

By honey ryder
in General Boating

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honey ryder Community Regular

honey ryder

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So, finally it's goodbye to the winter. Kinda. Not counting the cold wind howling through the doorway today. but Hello BST.

I wrote a thing today answering four of the most asked questions, the same questions I was asked when I lived on my narrowboat and continue to get asked now, on a different kind of salty water boat. 

here is the thing: http://www.boogie-nights.org/2017/03/can-you-smell-that.html

the questions I attempt to answer are:

  1. Is it cold in winter? 
  2. What do you do in the evenings? 
  3. Aren't you scared ((when it gets stormy?)) walking down a dark tow path, being on your own, etc etc
  4. Don't you wish you were in a house?

I once got asked how do you live in such a tiny space, do you have to bend over all the time, as the person asking the question didn't realise that narrowboats actually go further down than the surface of the water. 

Another was, how do you move it?

has anyone else had some questions repeatedly asked of you on your narrowboats?

cheers

 

Jayne

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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

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22 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

"Your engine sounds great. Is it a Lister?"

 

I get that too - from people looking in through my open engine-room side door, with its 6" long brass "Gardner" badge.

Anyone who hasn't yet followed Jayne's link, do have a look, it's hilarious.

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Neil2 Veteran

Neil2

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I'm constantly amazed at the number of people we meet who think we sail the boat to and from the Scottish Highlands.  

Closely followed by those who think the boat is solar powered.      

  • Greenie 1
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honey ryder Community Regular

honey ryder

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1 hour ago, Rickent said:

How do you shower.  How do you cook your food. 

Do you have a washing machine and the old chestnut ,is it cold in winter.

I did have a washing/drying machine in my narrowboat. (it ran off the electrolux travel power on the engine) (the boat was designed by the previous/first owner to have a space for a machine) The thing that foxed people was not having a satellite dish/cable tv etc. a fair few people considered that as essential as having food. 
Some people asked where we plugged in to get the mains power. Which when I said that we didn't ever plug into mains power. That was too much for some people to handle. 

 

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MtB Veteran II

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On 27/03/2017 at 20:46, Rickent said:

How do you shower.  How do you cook your food. 

Do you have a washing machine and the old chestnut ,is it cold in winter.

 

Overheard outside my bote... "Ooo look, this one's even got a sink!". Then... "Hang on, they've got a whole KITCHEN!"

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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8 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Overheard outside my bote... "Ooo look, this one's even got a sink!". Then... "Hang on, they've got a whole KITCHEN!"

We had the opposite. When the boat was ashore a few years back we were placed right on the back row by the towpath.

Some ramblers were passing by just as I was washing some pots in a bowl in the cockpit. Their comments were along the lines of "Oh. That one is so small it doesn't even have a sink"

I didn't correct them :rolleyes:

2 minutes ago, BruceinSanity said:

"If you haven't got a telly, what do you do in the evening?"

Talk to each other.

Listen to music.

Go to the pub.

Any number of things other then gawp at a black box.

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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

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9 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Overheard outside my bote... "Ooo look, this one's even got a sink!". Then... "Hang on, they've got a whole KITCHEN!"

A variation on that was "It's like a little house". As that was said by an 11-year old girl in my class during a history outing to the Wey Navigation, I thought it was a perceptive comment.

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

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On Monday, March 27, 2017 at 09:22, Athy said:

I get that too - from people looking in through my open engine-room side door, with its 6" long brass "Gardner" badge.

I say yes, it's a Lister Gardner model.

What are the solar panels for?? KEEPS THE BOAT COOL.

 

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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Just now, Irob said:

Haha !  Doesnt it sink when you pull the plug out of the shower basin ? How fast can it go if you could change gear ? Gongoozlers make me proud I didnt pass my A levels.

We get asked how fast does it go on pretty much a daily basis when we are out and about :rolleyes:

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Ray T Veteran II

Ray TDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 3/28/2017 at 08:21, BruceinSanity said:

"If you haven't got a telly, what do you do in the evening?"

To quote Mike Humphris "We 'ad no telly in them days."

See below.

Harry Mercer and family at Black Jacks Lock, 1920.

Harry Mercer & Family Black Jacks Lock 1920.jpg

Edited by Ray T
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