David Mack

Having entered Belfast for the first time this year he was certainly reading out my history when we passed, and the description of Fulbourne sounded like the one I submitted a few years ago. For boats which have been there in previous years, perhaps they just use the information already on file and the updated version is ignored?

Aren't the commentaries simply read out from the information provided by boat owners when booking in?

There are photographs of just about every bridge, lock and other notable feature across the system in the gazetteer section of www.canalplan.eu .

Why the projecting bolts?

On my Android touchscreen phone the post number darkens if I touch the screen in the message text.

Not true. It must come with full RCD compliance when first placed on the EU market. There is no requirement for a second hand boat to have any RCD documentation whatever whether less than or more than 5 years old. But a good idea to ask for it nonetheless. At £80k, and needing a partial refit you may as well buy a new sailaway from Collingwood and fit it out the way you want.

Continuous Cruiser as a type of licence exists only on CRT waterways. Other navigation authorities have their own rules.

And if you get bored of looking at newish boats at Whilton this weekend you could always head a few miles west to Braunston to see a lot of old narrow boats (mine included).

Yes this is normal and there is no central register of boat ownership or finance. But you can ask the owner for evidence of ownership, such as a Bill of Sale when they bought the boat, or details of licence/insurance/moorings correspondence going back some years.

Oh joy! A game of musical boats!

It works out at less than £80k per flat, which given the price of housing in London, may very well be a cost-effective way of providing a better standard of accommodation than in the unimproved blocks (if you overlook the fact it caught fire).

We came across them on the Llangollen in the 1990s in what I think was their last year as hotel boats. The then owner told us he had to be very careful in handling them as there were a few weak spots below the water line, and he didn't want a boat sinking with guests aboard!

Autherley was still moored on the towpath in Hebden Bridge the last time I took a look.

"Clunk-click, every trip... You know it makes sense." From a Government public information film urging us to wear seat belts. Voiced by Jimmy Saville I think.

This is a known problem on the SR and some other Listers. The injectors and asociated pipework are inside the engine, so if you get a leak, fuel drains into the sump, and your oil level on the dipstick is apparently rising. You need to remove the side covers and search for the leak. There is more detailed advice on the forum if you can find it.