captain rosie

Thank you for this thread, you guys just made my day http://www.tesco.com/direct/battery-powered-pump/626-3271.prd

Cheers Athy, will have a look. Finding it really hard to find much, will have to go out and do a re-con mission me-thinks

Hi All, I am thinking about selling the narrowboat I currently live on and buying a barge. Ideally I would like to live on the South Coast to be closer to friends and family. What I need to know is if I can get a mooring there. I have done a search and not really found anything helpful. So I turn to your brilliant minds to suggest and advise! Does anyone know of a place I could moor a barge on the South Coast????

Hi All, I have been working away from home for the last three weeks and just got back to the boat tonight. The ducks were sleeping on the cut, the sun was setting, all was calm on the tow path and it was comforting to feel the gentle rocking of the boat. Got the kettle on and surveyed the place around me. I love living on my boat. It is such a great way to live and I don't always appreciate it. Water pumps, battery charging, electrics, diesel, gas and water filling, frozen taps, loss of power, engine smoke, central heating, stern grease, bilges, rusting, rotten floorboards, leaks, stoves....... I could go on........ It all feels so worth it now. It's been 4 years on the boat and this is the first time I've felt really settled. I feel able to manage all the little annoyances and general up-keep that boat life demands with experience with ease. Thank you for letting me share that. Canal World Rules!

Sometimes it's the little victories that make boat life worth it. Nice one, am well chuffed for you.

I understand your point. I live on a yard which has off-shore, I'm one of two who don't have electric. The people round here don't want to live in boats, they have floating houses. Each to their own, but I quite enjoy the fact that i'm self sufficent, and can survive in the depths of winter with only an engine, stove, and gas bottle! One of the dudes on the boat yard here didn't understand what a stern grease was. He did'nt pump out the engine bay for half a year and was suprised to find his engine bay half flooded in water!!! Imagine not even checking your engine at least once a week!!!! Totally beyond my understanding!

Going back to eels. Does it really matter if we lose them completely? Are they important to the eco-system? I mean, nobody really needs or misses the do- do!

The hot water is the only thing that hasn't gone wrong! So, I guess it was time. I'm on the grand union in warwick, I'm okay, thanks for the offer though. Will get it sorted

You are a legend wriggle fingers! Have just checked my header tank! I think it may be two problems at once. I'm not sure if my hot water tank is connected to the backboiler, I think it might be. Pipes lead to it from the tank. I'll keep trying to suss it out.

I thought that may be the case. Yes it is the domestic pump that is constantly pumping. Will bleed the rads and see. The heat on the rads is in the corner where the pipe leads into them. Thanks for the quick response! You are a legend springy! I'm off to sort the rads, will post later with sucess (hopefully)!

Hi all, A bit of advice needed. I ran out of water on thursday, and switched the water pump off. I did not turn off the handle to the hot water tank. I have a squirrel stove that has a backboiler, which is connected to the rads in the boat. On friday night, the backburner started gargling trying to circulate water that obviously wasn't there. I have filled up with water today and the following results are; The rads are only hot on one corner. The water pump is constantly trying to pump. There is no hot water, it is just very tepid. The switch for the hot water is gargling. The diesel engine heats my hot water, which leads into a tank at the back of my boat. It is a black prince, ex-hire boat, about 15 years old. I've never had a problem with the hot water before. Can any of you lovely people help and offer me some advice? Many thanks! p.s I have tried the search facility.

Apparently. London is the coldest place on earth if you listen to the bbc!

Its my 4th winter living aboard and although this is the coldest winter it is no harder than any other year! I don't have a car, live in a fancy marina or have off-shore, and I cope very easily. Taps freeze and you run out of fuel and water,it's boat life! I'm not put off. It does make me chuckle that family & friends ask if I'm coping when my boat is warmer than some of their houses! Just off to add more wood to the stove! Stay warm people!