eightacre

"Cruising the Cut" recently posted a video in which he spent a day with a single lady who had a small GRP cruiser:

Should be no problem for two couples. You might find CanalPlan helps to work out your overnight stops, and to avoid having to rush on the last day! https://canalplan.uk/

We had no problem mooring at the "tuning fork" last year (see photo). We also moored at Sale without difficulty.

We came through Bevere last week and it was open all day, despite what the notice says. My advice is give the lock-keeper a call (01905 640275) before you leave the canal.

We spent a few days at Fettlers last summer, and found it a very friendly community. The management is somewhat shambolic - but in a nice way! Visited St Mary's for fuel, and they were very friendly and helpful too. Adjacent railway station (Ormskirk-Preston line) is a bonus.

We have a similar set-up. Replaced our aging Mikuni with a EBERSPÄCHER HYDRONIC S3 two years ago. Quiet and economical.

The Bridge is open, and sign says there will be food from Monday......

We have the same engine and twin alternator arrangement that you have. The VSR has never given any trouble in the 11 years we have owned the boat, so I see no reason to change anything.

Moorings above Hyde lock The "Hollybush" in Stourport Don't forget you need a "handcuff" key on some locks around Kidderminster.

I usually go to Tayna https://www.tayna.co.uk/

I know the feeling. The modern 4-band 1/8w resistors usually cause me to check with meter, which is probably good practice anyway.

I'm also a railwayman - engineering, so the pay is not bad. We couldn't contemplate owning a boat until the mortgage was paid off and our daughter had left home. Then the other obstacle appears - that is free time. I could see little sense in owning a boat that spends most of its time in a marina, so we bought a share in a boat, giving us 4 weeks of boating per year. Once I had moved to part-time working, we were able to buy a boat and now divide our year between house and boat.

There is also a wealth of information on Github: https://github.com/topics/arduino Whatever project you are thinking of, there is usually someone else attempting something similar.

My "go-to" Arduino book is "Programming Arduino - Next Steps" by Simon Monk. He also has an entry level book "Programming Arduino - Getting Started with Sketches". https://www.amazon.co.uk/Programming-Arduino-Next-Steps-Sketches-ebook/dp/B07J1DNF5V/ref=sr_1_6?crid=22WMD3TIW6IBZ&dchild=1&keywords=simon+monk+arduino&qid=1612383623&sprefix=Simon+Monk%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-6

Thanks for the heads up on this. Most of my projects use the Nano or the Pro mini, but I have also moved onto the ESP. I would be keen to see how the Teensy compares.