ceilauren

Iit has been updated and now runs on both iPhone and iPad.

I've not received any email from RCR, just remembered something being said about it at Crick. I never sent any bank details to anyone. I just contacted ecanal direct and a very nice man there helped. As I said ecanal sent me a code to enter onto the iTunes site which gave me the Midlands Region Free. Kevin

If this is the e-canal app one region is free but to get it you need to email the developer in Braunston your RCR membership number. He will send you a code that allows you to load it onto your iPhone or iPad free of charge. I contacted them and they were very helpful. RCR were useless. Kevin

The couple we bought our boat off left very detailed instructions for draining ours. It is situated vertically in the bottom of the electrical cupboard at the back of a semitrad. Disconnect plastic speed fit connection on top of tank, place clear flexible pipe into tank, connect to drill powered pump, connect hose to pump, pump overboard. When empty re-connect speed fit connection. Worked for us over winter last year, even doing it for the first time it didn't take long at all. Kevin

Hi All I recently remembered RCR having a partnership with E-Canal, the developers of an Android and iPhone canal mapping app at Crick Boat Show. The offer was for one free region of the app per member. The iPhone version was a long time coming but appeared and I thought I would give it a go and downloaded a region at £5.99. I then remembered the RCR offer and so telephoned them, I was told to check their website and follow the instructions, not very helpful as I wanted the iPhone version, not available from their site. Just to give it a go I emailed the developer E-Canal and I must say found them to be very helpful. Mike Kelly replied very promptly and explained simply the procedure required to get either a refund for my existing region or for an additional region upon me supplying my RCR Membership Number. They are also vey keen to be informed of changes ''on the ground so they can keep the product relevant to the boater. The app is not the full Waterway mapping package but is useful and is still being developed with more functions promised. Check it out at www.canalmap.info/ Hope this helps Kevin '

Hi Ed at the below company may be able to give you some advice. FC marine Give him a call. Was very helpful sorting out an alternator on my Barrus Shire engine. Kevin

Hi Sooz As the instigator of your doubts I'd better come clean, the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal is not the same as the Kennet and Avon. There is no problem with moored boats, the canal is so wide even with moored boats both sides of the canal a' ship' can get through and sometimes does. There (to my knowledge) has recently been no water shortages as the canal is river fed from the Cotswolds and in fact overflows into the Severn. There are very few tight bends and you don't have to look for winding points, a reasonable length boat can just turn midstream. It is a very 'pretty' canal but in a completely different way, not as such the canal itself but the views from it and the countryside it passes through. From the historical architecture of Gloucester Docks to views of the Cotswolds, the Forest of Dean and the River Severn along it's length. Not far from the canal are excellent view points to watch the Severn Bore, tides permitting. If you like history then Sharpness has not only the docks but also the "Railway Bridge" that is no more and the Purton Wrecks. To answer some more of your questions: All the bridges are operated by CRT personnel so it can be a bit of a lazy canal, but the many walking and cycling routes leading from the canal more than make up for the slight inconvenience of being tied to the bridge opening hours. The stoppages just mean that for the first part of the winter you turn right out of the marina and the second part you turn left. There is enough to keep you busy over the winter without needing to go out onto the Severn to start with. In fact we've been here since March and haven't yet gone back out onto the river. The marina will get full over the winter because it is very very popular place for 'winter moorings', but spaces will open up again in March/April. Facilities:- Mooring at Sharpness Marina, Gloucester Docks (Victoria Basin), Saul Marina and other CRT moorings. Boat yards at Sharpness, Saul (R W Davis) and in Gloucester (A & D Marine) Fuel: Saul, Frampton on Severn and Sharpness I think Chandlery: Sharpness, Saul, Gloucester x 2 Tradesmen: For general work a very genuine man Gordon" Narrowboats ( Also makes top boxes) and a Carpenter Steve Potter. So most of your repairs and other works are covered. SWMBO loves the fact we can take a leisurely cruise from the marina, moor up in Gloucester Docks, walk to the Gloucester Quays Designer outlet, shop until her hearts content then maybe finish off with a meal in Nando's or the "Rusty Box" restaurant (locals know where I mean) and then cruise back! The best bet would be to pop up and have a look around the area, that's what we did. There is short stay and long stay parking run by CRT at Saul and at Purton. Parking is also available in Gloucester. If I'm about then you're more than welcome to visit at the marina just say. I'll leave it for now and let someone else tell you about the Dockers Club. Cotswoldsman is right for the brave you can still slip down the Severn to Portishead then up the Bristol Avon to the K & A if you must. The journey isn't as bad as it's made out if you prepare right according to a friend from church who has done it. Here are some links which may help: http://www.severn-boating.co.uk http://glos-sharpness.org.uk http://www.cotswoldcanals.com http://www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk Regards

Sooz To may be complicate your musings, have you considered mooring on the Gloucester Sharpness Canal? Mileage may be a little more but by staying on the motorways longer you could save time, for example Saul Marina is 5 minutes from the M5. We started in Northampton and moved to Saul in March much better. There are two reasons I tentatively suggest this: 1. One of the owners of the boat near us in the marina do exactly this, they live in Devon and moor here. 2. We looked at various marinas on the K & A and whilst probably fine for some we found Saul Marina to be the best. Good facilities, average price, excellent location and in both the marina and the surrounding area some fantastic people. Ok maybe a third reason The Stables Cafe, just across the bridge from the marina, their bowl of cheesy chips and bacon is just the way to recuperate from working on the boat :-) Good Luck with your choices Kevin

Try Ed Shiers of Four Counties Marine Details on his website. Very good work, he has just done an upgrade of my alternator. Kevin

Hi Eberspacher Owners A new boaters experience for your infomation. We purchased a 12 year old Stoke On Trent semi trad last October which having been wintered at Kingfisher Marine in Northamptonshire we recently moved to Saul Marina on the Gloucester Sharpness. During our eventful journey in March via the water challenged GU, the very narrow Stratford South, the wide River Avon and the even wider River Severn our Eberspacher D5W (The old one) developed a fault. Before any one starts, yes we do have a Morso Squirrel and yes we use it; the fault was more of a frustration than an end of the world situation. Symptoms: Turn on, fan starts, runs 5 seconds fan turns off and heater shuts down. Two days later tried again worked, next day didn't , three days later worked, next morning didn't Having settled in at Saul I had a look at it following Jelunga's advice on previous threads, I tried the usual things , battery voltage, fuse, fuel pump, overheat reset switch etc. All were fine and so I was a bit stumped. Enter Alan Stafford from SOS Boat Services - 07711 320522. A little bit worrying when he told me that he had lots of experience on Eberspachers, especially the newer ones but that the only time he had seen this model was in a museum display case at the Eberspacher Head Office on a training course He said "Don't worry we'll sort it" Followed same procedure as me; checked battery voltage, in line fuse, fuel, connections etc; no joy In addition to this however he opened up the Control Module box ( six small screw) and proceed to then check with a meter the old style ceramic bullet fuses hidden inside. Low and behold one 16 amp fuse, although on visual inspection appeared to be intact was not allowing any voltage to flow. Replaced and the heater then began to work fine. On close inspection the fuse had melted very slightly at it's point resulting in a reduction in the tightness of the fuse in the holder causing the intermittent connections. Apparently this is a known issue with this type of fuse. Something else to check but of course it just might be the answer to some one else's frustrating problem with their boiler, personally I can't afford to lose any more hair. Thanks to Alan, a very amiable guy who as well as sorting out the problem gave me as a newbie to boating some very practical advice for maintaining our boat. Would certainly recommend their services to anyone in the Gloucestershire area. Thanks again to you all for the massive amounts of information I have gleaned from numerous threads so far. Of course I have learn't that you shouldn't mention toilets, fenders, or heating so be gentile with this post. If you are I promise to post further information about our boat and our journeys. Kevin

Hi All A newbie trying to be of help, to justify the lurking over the last couple of months :-) Look in the IPhone App Store for Aerial Advisor Uk, for Freeview locations or Easy Sat for satellite signals. Not used them myself yet as in process of doing a couple of other things on the boat before getting the TV. Check the reviews first and make up your mind if they are worth a try at £1.99 or £2.99. Kevin