owenk

Just to report back and say thanks to all contributors we had a great week. Mrs K said the locks and lock gear were fine. We loved the canal and Warwick. Saltisford Arm was a beautiful mooring and the Jambavan Indian restaurant in Warwick gets a huge reccommendation from us.

The Droitchwich marina is very very handy for the Rugby Club, not been there on a boat but I have been when Banbury have been playing rugby against them. Looks nice enough.

Yup did spot your boat again just outside Fenny. No sign of you so I assumed you were off the boat. Must catch up at some point to pick your brains on water/electricity management when you aren’t moving much since we don’t like to hurry but find we are driven on by the need for electricity and water.

Thanks. From memory it was mainly the cold so I’ll try a very weak bleach soak.

When we were last on the boat a couple of months ago the water in the bathroom sink had little white flakes in it. Nothing visible in other supplies I.e. the kitchen and the shower. this time when we went on and turned on the bathroom tap there was a pretty rank sulphurish smell and the water was initially discoloured. It cleared after running and I ran a lot t of hot water through. Not discernable flakes after this and the water smelled and looked OK. i shaves in it but cleaned my teeth in the kitchen erring on the side of caution. I drank water all week direct from the kitchen tap often unboiled in squash and am still here so that is presumably OK. on the bathroom supply i assume this is some sort of algae infestation so the question is do I need to get the piping stripped down and cleaned and/or replaced or does the hive-mind think it I near emptied the tank, made up a strongish Miltons solution, and drew enough up from r this to sit in the kitchen pipe for a week or so would this do the trick? just wondered if anyone else has experienced similar.

To complete this thread with so,e feedback we had a great week. Easily got to Warwick and back in the week, which included a day off the boat to celebrate some friends’ 30th wedding. My wife found the locks, if anything, easier than the Oxford, although were lucky enough to have company both ways on the Stockton flight which obviously makes it easier. We stayed as recommended in the Saltisfotd Arm which was lovely and welcoming. All in all a most enjoyable cruise. Thanks all for the advice!

It would be great to catch up with you whilst you are next door! Drop me a text and we’ll grab a beer. Equally if you’re by a road and need a left into the supermarket let me know.

We have done the Ashby Athy and it was very lovely but could we do it and back in 8 days?

Planning a trip in July and having been moored in or around Cropredy for many years have done the Oxford canal to death. Still love the stretch down past the Heyfords/Kirtlington etc but fancy a change next month. A sensible seeming distance to aim for would be to trun left at Napton, through the Stockton locks, turn in Leamington somewhere and back. However I don't know that stretch of canal at all and so was wondering what it is like? Like boating through peaceful deserted stretches of country side but don't mind the odd bit of town/industrial landscape at all. I read on another thread there aren't too many decent pubs, but we're not overly bothered by mooring by a pub every evening. Any thought, comments or suggestions for an alternative 8 day trip from Cropredy gratefully received. Normal cruising day about 5 hours but I don;t mind doing a bit longer. TIA

Except, of course, the wicket keeper is often (and should be) the gobbiest playe on the pitch keeping everyone else geed up.

We made the move to Cropredy Marina last autimn from Nightwatch's reccomendation of Forge Farm, for mainly practical reasons. Forge Farm was great and I would endorse Nightwatch's comments. On the marina itself I have to say we have been very impressed so far. It has the advantage for us of easier toilet emptying arrangements, showers and the ability to stay on the boat overnight without mocing it. The team there are helpful and friendly, and having never moored in a marina previously having water and electricity on hand has made things like staying the weekend to give the boat a good clean much easier. The walk to the village (specifically the Brasenose) is about 5-10 minutes and pretty level.

Exactly what II thought. Potentially burned hand on the chimmney (although I did that mowing at the cricket club when I used the exhaust on the Massey to pull myself out of the tractor seat ). Drowning hazard, no life-jackets. Weil's disease. Toes chopped off by prop. The list is almost infinite. Edit - meant this to quote the comment about the heath and safety police having a field day with this piocture but c@cked it up.

Agreed but I was wporking on the basis that the weekend before the event the canal at Cropredy itself would be pretty bunged up with festival goers.

Looking for realistic suggestions as to how far my son could take our boat starting from Cropredy Marina on a four day round trip with his mates. Probably a weekend eitehr side of Cropredy Festival weekend so I am guessing heading south might be a bit of a pain?

Equally off topic - good thanks Martyn. The oldies are ghetting to use the boat a lot more. Would be good to catch up with you for a pint soon.

I saw the biggest grass snake I have ever seen enjoying a leasurely swim on that straight just before the Claydon Flight and just after the winding hole. Must have been a good 3 foot.

Have some friends heading down for a few days on the Kennet and Avon. I have never been on this strech of canal but they have asked me where they might moor near Bradford on Avon with good access to pubs etc. Any suggestions gratefully received.

This has really made me want to go back to the Llangollen - had the most delightful week on it - really very very pleasant.

Of course if the car driver was in a real hurry, or a pleasant person they could get out of their car and help you with the bridge

Yup this is what we did and it worked fine along with communicating with people doing the same thing the otehr way around (if that makes ssense.)

A stag part on my boat? Not on your nelly!!!!!!!! Yes settled in the new moorings, but have not made it to the boat for a while as it is my busy time of year with tax returns and we have all been sufferring with seasonal sniffles. To be honest hadn;t logged into the forum for ages, but got this vague and broad request for my son so came seeking assistance.

Off topic, but police are required to attend any "unexpected death" which is when the deceased has not been receving tretement or seen their GP within an X time period. When my poor old mum died at 89, after having been catatonic with dementia for some years it was an unexpected death so 3 (THREE!) police men arrived at the nursing home to escort the funeral director removing her body. Puxzzled the hell out of us - were they expecting her to make a break for it? So sad to hear of this death of a boater and his dog - walk and boat down past tramway very very often and so muct have known his boat.

Couldn't agree more with all of this post. Just to add we have always been able to moor without much difficulty pretty near the centre of Oxford (usually in June) and there is tons to see. Jolly nice if like we have on three occassions now, you manage to get a mooring about 2 minutes walk from the Old Bookbinders in Jericho.

Which is exactly what flood lains are for and why daft-arsed politicians should stop buidling on them (which is exactly what they are doing with the new estate being thrown up in Banbury!)

I had a Perch about that size last summer whilst fly-fishing for Trout in a lake. Fly concerned must have been nearly as big as the Perch's head.