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Nope. Couldn't care less about whether someone else has a license or not, or how long they stay in one place, or what their boat looks like. I file these thoughts under 'None of my business' and get on with my life.

I better apologise in advance. If i want to moor my 70ft boat up after a 12hrs day boating and the only place is a stretch of moorings where everybody has left a 'privacy gap', then I'll be knocking on the boat and politely asking people to close up the gaps. If you're not on the boat I'll move it myself, carefully.

You shouldn't think like that about people in a hurry. Some people, myself included, simply don't have the luxury of time to be able to spend weeks or months pottering around the system, due to other commitments. We still enjoy the canals nonetheless and want to see as much as we can in the little time we do have, so sometimes we have to get a move on. This is why it irritates me when leisurely private boaters frown upon hirers who are 'doing' the four counties ring in the week.

I find the best way to avoid mosquito bites is to sit about 2 ft from my wife, don't know why but any visiting mosquito will go for her 95% of the time.

why would anyone want to have a generator running on gas in order to power an oven running on electricity , when u can just have a gas oven ????? Sounds bonkers ....

Yes, but it will only cause arguments on here. I am rapidly getting fed up free loaders spoiling it for those who pay their dues and try to abide by the "rules".

Because this happens so often, right?

All the CC'er's need to do is join the NBTA,it means that they will never have the pleasure of cruising on their Boat again but they will still be on the Waterways.

And so they should in my view - or else be seeking the involvement of other relevant authorities. These requirements aren't just red tape, they're part of a duty of care for the tenant for those choosing to hire or rent out a boat, static or otherwise. There have been far too many deaths in the much less risky domain of land based holiday accommodation due to similar cavalier behaviour for this to be subject to a Nelsonian eye by the relevant authorities. That's before we account for the effects of such black market operations on legitimate businesses such as Rose Narrowboats (as highlighted earlier) or whether the income is being declared. If we think the lack of insurance is small beer, how about if the sinking had resulted in serious injury to the hirers or other third parties? In this case, her personal risk is one thing; the risk she exposed others to is quite another. Will I be contributing to the crowd funding? Err, no. That would feel like sponsoring, or at least condoning, wreckless endangerment or even potentially criminal activity to me.

Don't assume that a boat displaying an out of date licence or no licence at all is unlicenced. My attitude is that if Canal and River trust can't be bothered to send me a licence, then I can't be bothered to use my printer, ink and paper to print one. I am a law abiding boating but if CRT can pay their top level managers and CEO such huge saleries, they should be able to send each boater a licence when they renew.

Surely some mistake here ...

Or... tell OH to stop worrying about nothing and stick it on with Marineflex. I read a phrase recently, "Don't borrow trouble".

It does not have a diaphragm - it has a rubber impeller accessed by undoing the three screws in the brass end plate. If the plate is worn note the markings on it and reverse it. Any decent chandlers should have the impellers. If it runs dry it will ruin the impeller so should always be used with a push button that turns it off as soon as you stop pushing.

You could use a threaded insert nut. This screws into the ply and you can then turn the coach bolt by hand with a bit of thread lock, or if you want it tight then you could use a stainless socket screw. As they are about 13mm deep, you can drill a blind hole from above into the ply and then screw these in. Invisible from inside the boat. http://www.screwfix.com/p/insert-nuts-type-d-m6-x-13mm-50-pack/59937 http://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-button-head-socket-screws-a2-stainless-steel-m6-x-12mm-50-pack/1361t Added - changed link for screw, these are a better length

Marineflex will hold it securely. Wedge the ply in place while it sets.

I used polyurethane adhesive from toolstation - get it on your hands and wipe off immediately otherwise you have to wait for it to wear off - but I also put 4 coach bolts through the hatch - one in each corner. Being slightly domed and without any slots or sockets they look (I think) just fine. Probably not actually needed, as the adhesive is strong. Adhesive I used was https://www.toolstation.com/search?searchstr=69243 60981 77137

Drop the sudo-legal language and remove the chip from your shoulder. If the rental part of the marina is leased by Marine Services, Chirk, as you state above, then they and only they are responsible for the condition of the pontoons. The other 2 "parties" are immaterial. If you are that concerned then get on to the local H & S Inspectorate and get them to deal with it.

It is my understanding that you are allowed to stop on the Thames towpath to enbarck or disembark from the towpath even if it privately owned which in this case it might be. In which case you would need to remain stationary. I would test this if I had a boat on the Thames. I am afraid this is another case where residential boats without a home mooring are ruining our rivers and canals by the abuse of the system which reflects on all boaters ,the majority, who do their best to treat the system fairly and reasonably and causes the navigation authorities to flood the system with inforcement notices and penalties.

Not flies, but here is the sign I put up after repainting the stern deck in a vain attempt to avoid paw prints.

basically -YES. I have just typed out about 1000 words explaining it all, what to do, when to do it and what licences to buy - and its just 'vanished' So you'll just have to take yes as the answer.

It could very well be the thermocouple. Or possibly more likely, the position of the thermocouple. Is it still in the flame when the flame reduces in size?

I would suggest the problem is of your own making; You should not have cancelled the previous owners licence - had you not done, then, when they (rightly) called to cancel THEIR licence C&RT had only one licence on the boat and thus cancelled it. I guess you could have a 'slight' argument in that C&RT should not have let you cancel a licence that is not in your name. I would suggest that you go 'cap-in-hand' to C&RT and apologise for causing them the problem, but would they please re-instate it.

Three lock keepers on duty at Hurlston four locks today. One was a dead ringer for Bill Oddie. Excellent service. Pity that the Elsan there is bust and the tap has been removed at Barbridge together with the padlocked rubbish bins there. Is this back on track enough or just a mild and bitter whinge?

Ive never fitted out a boat & so the follwing opinion is not based on such experience but I would suggest that you are asking for trouble sooner or later . Probably sooner .....& later ! Electric oven on a boat is , for me at least , just a recipe for trouble . Gas ovens ....expensive ? If so then why not second hand ? They just make more sense . Do you really want to set up the generator each time you fancy a fried egg sandwich ? Its noisy & a PITA id imagine . But then i dont own a genny as i just don t want or need one . If youre fitting out a boat then id think long and hard about fitting gas piping etc now and biting whatever costs involved . Im sure you could organise a gas oven that doesn t cost a mint . Just an opinion , but i think an electric oven running off a genny will soon become a wearying , expensive & noisy chore cheers

Here’s a article on sound insulation; https://www.nkgroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Marine-Soundproofing-YM-article.pdf Here’s a previous topic on the subject. The main thing is that noise comes from exhaust, engine and drivetrain. Each one needs to be tackled differently.

seems good to me. I hope all boats end up jamming London up that means all the nice places to go will have plenty of space for me.

If you assume that: CaRT has decided not to try to change the legislation that defines their powers and responsibilities CaRT would like to have the ability to manage mooring duration and perhaps other mooring-related matters Letting London's canals fill up is probably the best plan they have. It's not their responsibility, so they can't be criticized, and it will become "somebody else's problem" soon enough. This way whoever is most unhappy and has the ability to take action will have to do all the "heavy lifting" and take the inevitable political hit, and CaRT will get what they want. In the meantime all they need to do is keep enough temporary moorings available for genuine navigators who want to spend a few days in London and the majority of their customers will be happy.

Depending on how far you have come you may have passed my boat which would have been displaying no licence and has been moored against the same piece of towpath for four weeks. So I am apparently unlicensed and overstaying. Except I'm neither. Yes there's is an issue but be careful about what you assume and if you really want people's views on it search the forum. You shouldn't be surprised to find they are divided. JP

Take my time, I love the water, I love the smell of diesel, piloting a boat is fun and I seem to be a natural, I can handle situations like loss of reverse without freezing up, the tools we built to hook on to the bank for solo worked, a 20ft is too small for us, Most GRP we saw on the canal (at least 20 passed us during that time) were petrol, canal convoys are fun and the community is fun, enjoyed sleeping on a boat, enjoyed cooking bacon and eggs, our cool bag worked fine, waking up at 5am and seeing hares/rabbits playing on the canal path was beautiful. I love locks. Paola can get on a boat, Paola can deal with the movement, A toilet I can pull my pants up in without stepping outside into the cabin would be a bonus, I enjoy mooring. But as for how to avoid it again, pay abit more than 4k for a boat :), find a marina with a boat yard and recommended people who know boats, buy a boat with a warranty, take my time, research.

Just remember to put the lug on after you’ve threaded the cable through!

Never had much to do with Enfield legs, but it sounds to me like the fore and aft gear selector which would be located behind a gearbox side plate where the lever is which the control cable is attached to. These selector plates are usually removable. Once removed there would be some kind of ball and spring loaded gear interlocks which would click in 3 positions for fore gear, neutral and astern, these interlocks click in to hold the gear selected by the operator and to stop it slipping out of gear of its own accord. It seems like the fore gear interlock seized, stuck perhaps with goo or rust from lack of regular servicing (oil changes) or actually has overridden its correct fore gear position and stuck. A similar problem did and sometimes does still happen on vehicle manual gearboxes. If the selector plate is removable the trouble might easily be sorted.

Already a great read, thanks for blogging the build! If spray foam insulation can be done so carelessly by the boat builder, how easy is it to do the job yourself, I wonder. Or is it better (somehow) to just spend days repairing their work? Also Peppers: I'm in London most days, if that's where the boat is, would gladly come by and give you a hand for an afternoon. In all seriousness!

Two points strike me about this notice, the first being, since it is clearly intended to discourage mooring, why is it called Ryepeck Moorings? The second point is that the line about 'remaining stationary at this site ' must be pretty well unenforceable since I can only commit trespass by attaching myself to the relevant land (anchor or mooring line), I cannot be trespassing by floating above the relevant piece of land even if they are the riparian owners, otherwise I will be spending my whole day whilst travelling on rivers trespassing above somebody's land

So glad to hear you have your boat back, your money back and a clear way ahead. Well done you for being so pragmatic - your blood pressure will be all the better for it! From the state you found your boat in, it seems there are plenty of reasons to avoid this particular painter other than just the false promises and poor time keeping that forced you to pull out. Your experience has certainly left me a little wary as we consider our options for paintwork.

I blame the trend for composting loos....

Thanks Alan - It was very remiss of me to forget to update the other thread, so thank you for prompting me to do so.

Yes, I should have qualified that it does depend on how busy the mooring site is, or is likely to get. If in any doubt I would moor up close.

Why not just let him go by rather than being antagonistic?

But is that as a result of the increase in 'boats primarily for housing' rather than 'boats for boating' ?

I ask the person to move up, did it on the oxford a few weeks back, if there is nobody there and i need to moor i will move it. I do wonder if all these people that say dont touch my boat would have the same opinion if their boat had come untied, or should we just leave alone and bump past it. I have no problem with someone moving my boat as long as they tie it back up safely and do not put it in a place that could be seen as a hazard.

I would have thought, the three boats could see you were on the junction, blocking the turn they wanted to use so should have really eased off and waved you through the bridge, thats what i would have done, got you out the way so i could turn.

Speaking strictly for myself and my 70', deep drafted boat - when I was "new to the canals" I would have got annoyed and wondered afterwards if I should have done something else. Now, 40+ years later I just take the rough with the smooth and let the shortsighted, the unthinking and the idiots get on with it. Either tie up until they have gone or, better, use the various "obstructions" to practice your boat handling skills. In any case, chill, the canals can be the last refuge of the calm and collected - on your boat (and mine) if not on all of them. It's starting to get nasty out there but we don't have to join in! Frank.

I agree. For me it's perfectly possible to have some sympathy for someone who has undoubtedly been stupid, so I find it odd that some people insist on taking such a polarised view - one way or the other. It's a matter of holding two different concepts in one's head at the same time - which seems surprisingly difficult for a lot of people! I have some sympathy for her loss, but at the same time I can't help thinking that if she really loved her boat that much and it was that important to her, then she shouldn't have rented it out for short-term gain, to someone she didn't know and who obviously didn't know what they were doing.

What should be remembered is - if the dues are paid, it is financing the maintenance. How each boater makes use of the canal, within what is possible, is a matter of personal choice. It is not subject to anyone else's idea of what is 'proper' boating. One regulating authority is enough.

My view. Someone who opens a paddle in a lock without first checking with the person in control of the boat should be removed from working locks forever, banned, end of. It's a simple rule that even as newbies we perfected. Anything could happen.

Because it's full of water Is that my coat? Richard

Personally, I don't think you'll find a definitive answer here. The letter of the law says one thing, CRT says another, and you will possibly find yourself hassled by CRT's enforcement brigade (or whatever they're called this week) or even in court if you rely on the former while fairly obviously being aware that you are bending the spirit of the rules. So it really comes down to whether you're up for the fight, which, as the law is rarely on the side of an individual as opposed to large important organisations, you might well lose - thus dropping a load of other people who try to live on the fuzzy edges into the mire with you... Anything that CRT has ever said about "range" or "place" is just a guideline and has no legal validity, so you can't rely on that either, it's just advice, and they can change that any time they like. as, of course, they have. But while your marina may not be residential, they may be happy for you to spend a night a fortnight on your boat there, in which case you haven't a problem, because each time you go back to the marina (presumably for at least a day rather than just turning round and exiting again) the clock gets reset. That would be safer than having a home mooring oop north you never visit at all. In the end, it comes down to whether you want to pick a fight with CRT or not. Some do, and some win. Some don't. Some ought to have done and still don't - right, wrong, fairness and legality don't have a lot to do with it, mostly it comes down to who has the most money and appetite for the fight.

In t'old days, when we used to black t'boats with t'wallpaper paste and t'brown paper, it would take me 2 days to do our dad's 100' canal trawler - and I were only 7 and it were in t'winter when we only 'ad 3 hours o daylight cos o bloomin' Tory daylight restrictions! Our mam used to skelp me wi t'long shaft tellin' me if I were any slower, all t'village kids would die o rickets due to t'shortage of gudgeon while t'boat werent out trawling on t'huddersfield, which were much wider in them days. You tell the kids of today that...

Well said RichM - if the software would let me I'd award a Greenie

Hello All My first post! I have been "watching" the CWDF for a couple of years or so as a guest, having bought Ar Lass just over two years ago and have found many, many, of the threads informative, entertaining and sometimes thought provoking. Until this evening I have not felt the need, confidence or motivation to subscribe and given what seems to be happening it seems ironic somehow that today turns out to be the day..... Being moored in the Blisworth area and having the luxury, being retired (early) of spending weeks at a time on my boat, in the Marina or in the area I find that one of my dog's favourite walks is along the Northampton Arm and the Rothersthorpe Flight. The towpath is mostly gravelled and even in the wettest weather I am normally able to return to the boat with a relatively clean and mud free dog. Over the last couple of years I have bumped into "Leon" and chatted with him many times and feel the need to speak up. He is, in IMHO, a nice guy and to coin a phrase - there but for the grace of....., who has been handed the dirty end of the stick. He has acknowledged to me, many times, that he has an alcohol problem which often becomes exacerbated later in the day but he would love to be able to get it sorted. He can be a little eccentric at times and his dress code can be more than a little revealing on occasions. Yes, he does offer to help Boats up and down the flight, ideally for a few quid in return but often gets nothing despite the Boat Owner agreeing initially to pay. Some offer food, some offer alcohol, tobacco, whatever. He has many regular clients from the Middle Levels etc who ring him and book his services a few days ahead. He seems to me to be a guy who is at least trying to make his way in life and yes he has two homes - he was delighted to show me his new home a couple of weeks ago - a new tent he bought in the end of season sale from Tesco for £7.50 which would come in handy if No 1 Tent is damaged over the coming winter. It has been reported elsewhere that the CRT have obtained an ASBO to keep him away from the flight but I have been assured that this is not the case despite the three attempts CRT made to get it through the courts. I have heard via the proverbial "towpath telegraph" that he has allegedly intimidated some Owners into paying over the odds for his services - this may be true, but I echo the opinions of the majority of the earlier posters who have found him to be a real help in negotiating the flight. To summarise - he's a nice guy trying to earn a crust rather than sitting on his backside begging and if he's pissed then tell him to bugger off - surely you wont want to risk having a drunken guy helping you up/down 17 locks?