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Hotspur

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About Hotspur

  • Birthday April 20

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Northamptonshire
  • Interests
    Boats and the great outdoors.

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  1. Apologies for reviving an old thread; I find it better that creating a new thread that follows a similar question. .….. On this basis, do syndicates tend to keep minutes of their AGMs? Usually, but access to them is likely to be limited to owners. Also, what is the policy about letting family members etc use the boat? The syndicate agreement will often require users to be named on a schedule as authorised users. Some may also require the owner to be onboard at all times and/or authorised users to show evidence of their experience of handling narrowboat. When the boat is handed from one owner to the other, in the way hire car companies do, do shareholders tend to do a visual inspection and note down any defects etc they find, reporting them before the weeks cruising begins? It is usually expected that the previous user leaves the boat clean and tidy inside and out, fuelled, watered and pumped out. Minor repairs/paint touch up etc. are often undertaken by the owners. Defects should be noted. Managed schemes have handover/turn around forms for this purpose. I have been an owner with two managed syndicates and it has worked for me with 4+ weeks each year. You must however accept that personal items/bedding have to be transported to and from the boat each time. When considering a share think about when you would like your weeks. One per season or two weeks in the summer and then one in spring/autumn and one winter? Can you be flexible? Also consider how weeks are allocated each year, list/draw/fixed or other system. Each syndicate can be different even with a management co. involved. More details of managed schemes can be found on the BCBM, Carefree Cruising and other websites.
  2. The two gents on it were Dutch on this occasion. I chatted to them as they came through Watford Locks on Monday. They are indeed father and son and Dutch nationals. Interestingly, they are both commercial ship masters.
  3. I was at Watford Locks on the Leicester Line today. The flight is clear and the canal above went from 1/2” of ice all the way across to clear over 5 hours. There are still some patches still to clear on the canal but I expect these to be clear by Tuesday morning.
  4. Hotspur

    1985

    I hired from Bijou Line in Penkridge circa 1980 and still have and use one of their souvenir mugs.
  5. It has been written into legislation for decades now that where a price for goods or services is displayed or quoted to consumers then the price displayed/quoted must include VAT. In a business to business transaction stating plus the appropriate rate of VAT is allowed and is standard practice.
  6. A few boats managed to get through today, Friday. Fully open again on Saturday 5th as planned. March hours are open at 9.30; last boat 14.45. Flight locked at 15.30. Arrive well before 14.45 if you need to get through on the same day
  7. All seems to be on time for the Saturday 5th opening. I’ll be up there on Friday and will update the @WatfordLocks Twitter account first if it is likely to change.
  8. The worst case scenario at this time of year, if you were unlucky to arrive at the bottom just as the direction swaps in the staircase with a boat going up, the wait would be circa 60 - 90 minutes. Having said that few boats are moving in Feb compared to Easter onwards so any wait is likely to be a lot less. There could be extra traffic on the 26th Feb as the flight reopens after a winter stoppage. Stoppage notice
  9. Update 27/10/2021 16:33 Emergency works are required to repair the excessive wear to the bottom gate heel post at Lock 14. The navigation will on be closed on the 3rd of November, to allow the affected gate to be removed and repaired off site. The navigation will remain closed until the 10th of November when the gates will be re-installed. During lifting operations, the towpath may need to be closed temporarily for safety. Please follow the instructions of the on-site personnel. We apologise for any inconvenience.
  10. Reopened with assisted passage. Update on 19/10/2021: Please note the lock flight is only open to narrowboats as only one gate is operational. Please see details below. Widebeam passage will not be available until a permanent fix to the other gate. Update on 19/10/2021: UPDATE The lock flight at Stoke Bruerne is open from 10am todaymanaged by our team of volunteers. Please be patient as operations will be slower than normal to protect the temporary arrangement for the lower gates. Please follow the guidance from the Lock keeping team, helping to keep the flight operational. Update on 18/10/2021: UPDATE The gate has now been secured in a closed position, which means with care the lock is now functional for narrowboats until a more permanent repair can be implemented. To protect the gate the lock will be manned 10am-3pm to facilitate passage. Customers ascending the flight will need to be past lock 15 before 2.45pm. The lock remains under review as safety for all is paramount.
  11. Update on 16/10/2021: We have attempted an assisted passage through the lock with a trade boat known to the Trust this morning with a view of assessing whether or not it would be safe to continue offering assisted passage through the rest of the weekend but unfortunately it has been deemed not safe to do so. The condition of the heel post has deteriorated to the point where the water turbulence coming through the gate makes passage to dangerous. Our engineers are looking for a temporary fix solution and we expect a further update during Monday 25th October.
  12. Due to a failure (excessive wear on the heel behind the collar on the lower gates at the Top Lock 14) the Stoke Bruerne flight has been closed ufn. CRT Notice here
  13. There are a number of stoppages scheduled for the Leicester Line starting 8th November which could have a bearing on your decision. Foxton and Watford are currently open between 10am and 4pm (last boat entry at 3.15)
  14. The chargeback facility, as I posted above, is much simpler and free.
  15. Adventurer, As the broker has in effect cancelled the agreement and no longer wishes to deal with you then IMO you are entitled to a refund of your deposit. If the broker is unwilling to do this then I suggest you contact your debit card issuer and ask them to commence a chargeback for the transaction. This facility is time limited so best to start it ASAP if you’re unable to get the refund direct from the broker. Chargeback info link
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