Mick Poyser

If you’ve a steel top drill and tap it to the Thead on the Terret. Then screw it in with a drop of thread lock on the thread and some PU sealant under the rim. Done this on Millbury and several friends boats with great success.

The green particularly is beginning to disappear, but I'm hoping for 20 years before a re-paint and that's on a wooden cabin.

Cheshire-rose's statement for example 2, that it looks very "worn in" is very true. It is now 17years old and a testament to using good profession paints and sign writers.

The cold start engine that was in the Tay was a Bolinder type 1051-11157-51310, serial number 1655-1167, with a BHP of 11.5. How do I know that? Because I've just read the label on the block. It is true that crank and head went of for a rebuild and the company went bust, in the process scrapping them, but the rest of the engine and the gearbox I purchased. They presently reside in my workshop.

They are supposed to be looking after our national heritage and want to have the same status are the National Trust. Can you imagine NT putting the same s--t up in a stately home and caving some poetry in the oak beams for good measure.

Yep treating their customers like children (boaters or not).That particular one makes my BLOOD BOIL.

That's why their dad (Bill) became captain of two motor boats and two Buttys at the same time, Jim being the oldest son was charge of the second pair (Cassiopeia and Toucan) up to 1960.

That would be Mick Humphris's cousin, Joe Chatten. Mick's sister (Jenny) was also there and went round on Cassiopeia, on the Saturday afternoon parade. Mick on the saturday handing back Cassiopeia's shovel which he had of the Hambridges.

There are two real boaters in the photo. I'll give you a clue, they are related.

That's it folks! I don't think it will will get posted for a couple of weeks as they've closed the site down to go boating.

This was a problem at Swarkestone in the 80's, it did't happen very often, but it was always on a Saturday night and funnily enough always when there was a fishing match Sunday morning in the pound below the lock. Some 30 years on It very unlikely to be the same people/person, but you never know.

The spirit level method needs two spirit levels, one tape measure, two people with a very steady hand and a boat with no cabin on it as you will be measuring over the gunnel. Even when you have all your measurements you still don't know if they are all in a straight line.

I measured her on Mills dock (Long Eaton) outside. Absolutely no wind that day. Positioned the edge of a brick which on the dock floor on the plumb bob hanging from the stem post, then positioned the lazer to the plumb line hanging down from the counter lower band. The bostocks at Mills are lengths of railway line on concrete blocks, so was able to point the lazer under them towards the brick. Checked it three timers and got the same result each time. Also checked her width at each knee across the top band whilst she was still in the water using two 1m spirit levels and a tape measure, but that's another story.

Cassiopeia is gauged at 71' 9" and several people said the gauge is wrong as GU boats are 71' 6", so whilst on dock last year I measured her using a laser and plumb lines. She is actually 71' 9 & 1/2". She passes through all the shorter BCN locks with no problem except Titford were she has to come down backwards.

Alan is correct when he says bow and stern shape will make difference. I've taken Millbury up and down the C & H several time over the 35yrs I've owned her. She is exactly 60' not including the rudder (measured with plumb line and laser). She has very fine bows and elliptical counter, which is an advantage, but her bows are deep in the water, which is a disadvantage as they will not go over the cill at low water level (the reason why some boat have to come down some locks backwards). Took Millbury up the C & H this year with James Woolcock (Marquis 54') and shared all but two locks, once Millbury was behind one gate Marquis came in beside her, it wasn't tight after the gates were closed and the locks were filled at a normal pace. The two locks that we decided it would be prudent to single out at was the top one and one about 6 down from the top, the latter has a wide walkway mounted on the bottom gates which is over the lock chamber when the gates are closed. The top one is definitely the shortest, we got Millbury lying on one side with the gate closed, but the counter was touching the bottom gate and with modern gate building practice of having bolts sticking out of all the fitting on the inside, we thought it best to move her bow to the centre of curved cill giving more room at the counter end.