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End of season withdrawal symptoms


Ben69

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My yoghurt pot has just been hibernated (I.e raised and winterised) and I feel the loss already.

How does one fill the time ? :(

 

It's my first season boating so went for the safe option this time. Hopefully I will have the knowledge to keep my plastic boat ship shape throughout the winter next year as it seems a total waste to hibernate for so long. I love the idea of frosty mornings cruising on the cut <3

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We fill our time by carrying on with the rest of the journey.

 

But I understand how you feel. Before we moved onboard we used to visit the boat and stay onboard even if we go anywhere. One weekend, a foul weather weekend, we entered the boat and didn't come out again until it was time to leave. We didn't have dogs so no need to surface.

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To most of us who are lucky enough, it is commin up the the best part of the year!

 

I like the thought that wherever i go i can get a good mooring, take my time as there are no que's.

 

I am in Birmingham on a 14 day mooring with spaces galore everywhere!

 

I'll then mosey on down Coventry way then maybe pop up to Stone for the shear pleasure of it!

 

Yes, I really miss the summer! icecream.gif

 

Nipper

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keep your boat in the water next year and use it.

Currently heading very slowly down the Thames towards the K&A for winter. Autumn colours are really good this year and there is almost no flow on the Thames so can stay in relaxed canal mode.

 

...............Dave

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Our yoghurt pot is staying in until after Christmas this year. Then it will be lifted for a month or so in January.

 

Will keep it mobile by not winterising as such but filling the important areas with tube heaters and oil filled rads to keep the frost off.

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I agree, but I'm in a well insulated Narrowboat with a good solid fuel stove, an Eberspacher, a big alternator supplying my batteries and an electric blanket!

We are in a warm plastic boat with a Webasto, an alternator supplying our batteries and an electric blanket.

 

We also have the slow cooker to cobble together some fantastic winter meals. Yesterdays offering was slow cooked Moroccan lamb served with sweet potato, parsnip, carrot and onion mash and green beans.

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In the 80s we used to shout at Waterways whenever they referred to The Boating Season.

 

They used the expression to warrant closing sections and dragging out maintenance, suggesting we shouldn't be out boating anyway.

There was even a counter move to claim we shouldn’t be paying for an all year licence if BWB thought there was a season when we shouldn't be out there.

 

I love Christmas and New year on board ..... and any spare time I have in November, or January and February if it comes to it.

 

zenataomm

ps March isn't bad either.

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I've spent two entire winters living aboard my boat, but that was on a mooring with an electric hook-up. This will be the first winter I will be spending cruising and I'm really looking forward to it.

 

I have a plan to slalom around the Leicester Ring, clockwise, avoiding the stoppages.

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My yoghurt pot has just been hibernated (I.e raised and winterised) and I feel the loss already.

How does one fill the time ? sad.png

 

It's my first season boating so went for the safe option this time. Hopefully I will have the knowledge to keep my plastic boat ship shape throughout the winter next year as it seems a total waste to hibernate for so long. I love the idea of frosty mornings cruising on the cut <3

 

 

There is no season.

 

Tim

 

 

First thing i thought. never has been a season for me either. If you need warmth for when in use then fit a heater, well worth it, even a £600 layout, you wont regret the cost of it.

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We stay in the marina for all of the winter but we do venture out for the occasional days cruising. I'd love to CC but the wife won't have it, and living aboard it's not like I can leave her at home.

 

But this year I'm determined we go out for longer periods, even a few days would be nice. I think if we had a trad it would be better, especially one with a back cabin and stove and would motivate me, and even the wife, to be more willing to venture out, but being a cruiser stern it does get a bit exposed on the back sad.png .

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Shouldn't need motivating to cruise in the winter months. Without doubt far more enjoyable than busy summer months. Imagine, a cold,dry crisp day, well well wrapped up Sterling the boat under clear skies.

 

Regarding your wife's reluctance. Just go, she may not realise you're on the move.

 

Martyn

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We stay in the marina for all of the winter but we do venture out for the occasional days cruising. I'd love to CC but the wife won't have it, and living aboard it's not like I can leave her at home.

 

But this year I'm determined we go out for longer periods, even a few days would be nice. I think if we had a trad it would be better, especially one with a back cabin and stove and would motivate me, and even the wife, to be more willing to venture out, but being a cruiser stern it does get a bit exposed on the back sad.png .

What difference does it make being on the boat in a marina or being on the boat by the towpath?

 

You are still on the same boat!

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We are in a warm plastic boat with a Webasto, an alternator supplying our batteries and an electric blanket.

 

 

Your 'plasic boat' (or 'yoghurt pot' as you described it in your earlier post) is hardly comparable to most glass fibre canal cruisers though, is it.

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When we first bought our boat we spent from October till December moving her nearer to us. I was taken aback to see a notice tacked to a bulletin board at the top of a lock flight telling us Christmas was only 5 weeks away and it really was time to put our boat away as the boating season was over.

 

We had some amazing days autumn and winter cruising. The water's clearer, the air is crisper and there's a certain magic to cruise normally busy waterways and not seeing another boat all day. It reminded me of my upbringing in a seaside resort - when the summer tourists had all gone home it briefly belonged to those that lived there all year round and the few that chose to visit out of season.

 

And ... no queues at the locks!

 

Edited for misplaced worms

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I'm getting end of season withdrawal symptoms and I don't even own a boat! It's 17 days since my last trip (March to Denham as crew for hackenbush) ended, and that's the longest I haven't been on a boat since June.

 

The trouble is, because people don't move boats much in winter they don't need crew much. I need someone to discover the need to get a boat from A to B soon and not have crew of their own available. Meanwhile I'll just have to press on with all the boring things I need to do upon or in my house.

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What difference does it make being on the boat in a marina or being on the boat by the towpath?

 

You are still on the same boat!

 

Not a lot IMO and in the main I agree with you, but the wife likes being hooked up to the landline and being able to run all the appliances, having the car handy for popping to places and seeing the grandkids, and being amongst/close to friends. She enjoys cruising in the summer though and we go away for months.

 

My own reasons are being cold when cruising along which of course are solvable by wrapping up well, and not being assertive enough with the wife about going out winter cruising on the boat smile.png.

 

You're all right of course, especially when it's a nice sunny crisp day, and that's why in my previous thread I said I was determined to go out more this winter, and as Nightwatch says, my wife may not even notice, or if she does it would be too late as I've have already cast off and be on the move! If we do it a few times and she may even begin to like it wink.png .

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What about getting involved with a canal restoration team (Wilts & Berks Canal Trust perhaps, if your "Caversham" location means you're round there. Or suss out the groups who are out and about on the canals through the Winter. A huge amount of amazing work is done and it will certainly get you out on a frosty morning! Go on a WRG Camp. Look at volunteering work on the CRT website.

 

None of it boating, I know, but since the others have covered that bit, I thought I'd throw in the bankside possibilities.

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