DaveP

Yes, my panels sit in the top of boxes made from scaff boards. My roof is fairly flat (50mm rise from edge to middle so they work better than, say, a Liverpool boat's, cabin top).

Similarly - the driver said he loved delivering to boaters because he got to go to lots of unusual places...

In order to enhance the enjoyment and utility of the towpath for users, all boats moored along the nearside must be equipped with the following; - rubbish bin for users to deposit waste. To include the mandatory sorting into the six waste streams before disposing of the full bags in a CRT facility. For the avoidance of doubt, dog poo must be accepted. - touristic guide dispenser, may be supplemented by personal interaction, and a bonus for each 'friend' recruited and retained for over 12 months will be paid as a discount on the boat licence.

15. 'No vessel shall be placed on the Charity's property without - i) written permission in the form as laid out in the Byelaws, ii) an undertaking by both the owner and master, in such form as prescribed in the Terms and Conditions, iii) a bond, secured by full payment in advance, to cover costs and damages that the vessel may potentially cause whilst on the Charity's property, and iv) an annual inspection, at a location of the Charity's choice, at the owner's expense, of the vessel, to fulfil the requirements set out in the documents available to view in the basement of the Newcastle-on-Tyne office, behind the door marked 'beware of the leopard'.

I've always worried about the attention that their boat 'Jimsonweed' garners from passing plods...

Received my mooring invoice today. Someone isn't concentrating. The invoice footer contains: 'Canal & River Trust Principle Office: Group Accounting, National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 4FW' D'oh!

Roof - Yes, the (320W 1m x 1.65m) panels are housed on boxes made out of scaf planks. There is an area of decking on the cabin top with space below to store two panels and one (dismantled) box. The other box becomes the roof veg garden fence on top of the decking. Induction hob - I have a 1800W inverter so I can't use it's full power (2200W) but the Lidl Silverline portable hob for £30 works fine. I did look at the camping dual hobs (Vango/Outdoor Revolution) but found they'd be too big. When I remodel the galley, I may install a (Sterling?) built-in one into a counter.

About 400kWh/yr In and out ~30kWh is genny/engine. 620W of solar panels in the summer, double that in winter, 4kWh of LiFePO4 battery. Usage in summer is 3x that in winter with fridge, induction hob and toaster.

There are winding holes below lock 40 (the broken one), above lock 53 (the old hire boat base), and in the terminal basin. The point is that we're trapped in a dead-end, with only the basin and next to the old hire boat base to moor in unless one wants to reverse up or down 11 locks....

The BBC put out a call on FB (London Boaters - 'cos the rest of the country doesn't exist?) for boaters to contact them if they would be interested in being interviewed about this. No underhand methods needed.

I have done; one winter I spotted that Tixall Wide was going to be isolated by works on all three locks around it. As did several others. The ranger turned up, took our numbers and commented "That's my job done for this year" and we all had a merry christmas and a happy new year....

Not on the North Oxford, but it appears that fatties are causing problems elsewhere... Avon Navigation Trust Restriction Notice 15/04/2025 Suspension of Provision of Short Term Visitor Licences for Wide Beam Barges From Tuesday 15th April 2025 until further notice Visiting Wide Beam Barges will not be able to purchase a visitor short term licence and therefore will not be able to navigate through Tewkesbury Lock or the River Avon Navigation. Significant damage to critical infrastructure was caused by a number of impacts from visiting Wide Beam Barges in 2024 which has led to Lock failures, major disruption and major cost.

Update on 10/04/2025: Our contractors are on site and they are on course to complete their temporary works, including; Installation of temporary dams, trackway, towpath closure, fencing, propping of the lock and scaffolding. Unfortunately, it has become clear that the work required is more involved than originally thought, including the replacement of the lock gates and the relocation of a local BT telegraph pole and this has extended the programmed completion. We understand the disruption this closure is having so we are accelerating the work as much as possible including weekend working. Our revised reopening is 16th June 2025.

I use a regulator - I bricked a B535-333 without, so am now cautious with the replacement; it's worked ok for a couple of years now.

If only! The cc'rs trapped south of Wilmcote Top lock on the South Stratford since January (and it's not expected to reopen until June) have all received overstay notices. Utter muppetry as usual from CRT.