CHRI5 Blessed

dunno... but the engine in james loader still runs sweetly last i handled it and went boating with it! (only back in 09 but i have seen and heard since then) the only downer with james is the dynamo is not working... hand start only i'm afraid!!!

yeah, we left staines that morning but by the time we got to windsor the red boards were going up! and coming up to black potts railway bridge i was deliberately inching across the river too, to try and find some form of void in the flow... i found the left hand side (although i am not supposed to but with little choice) not as bad as the right hand side or the centre!!! i'm also greatful that no other boats were coming down at that point in time and yes having a tiller makes a hell of a difference in feeling the water and knoing where to go and being able to see what you need to do based on the water coming at you!!!

which one??? 2 i can think of! going up to ricky fest, got to wide water lock, and i only tied off with the centre rope under the bridge (stupidly) the force from the lock caught the bow pulled on the centre and nearly rolled my boat!!! or a week later, going up the thames, thames goes into flood, just getting through windsor great park (the royals bit) get to the 2nd road bridge and the narrowboat infront of me just stops!!! in the middle of the bridge at full RPM!!! (think it was about 2500) i've seen this and dumped my throttle to everything my poor little thumper will give me!!! inch by inch making my way up to the railway bridge hoping and praying that my boat will hold strong enough to make it to the lock, just passing through the railway bridge and the water was running so fast it hit the railway bridge pillar raised a foot and dropped 2 foot as it passed around the pillar!!!! i was s*****g and brick!!! and about 100 yards after the railway bridge my boat launches off like a polaris missile!!!

I'm not opposed to burning my cousin... or are we talking about something else???

when i fell in (before i owned a boat) i had to get myself out... as my "captain" was too busy wetting himself laughing to give me any form of useful assistance!!! thankfully there was a gap between the boat and the bank that the boat wasn't going to get into but i wasn't overly that damaged... what if i clonked me noggin???

thanks mikey!!! just the info i wanted!!!

it depends on what i am doing as to whether i have someone cycling ahead for me... if i am towing and on a working run then yes i will more often than not have a cyclist ahead of me (i only send 1 lock ahead at a time) it makes it a hell of a lot easier with towing boats and yes i expect to get people hating me for sending someone ahead... but if it is A. not a working run. B. not towing boats then you do not have to give right of way. (am i assuming that towing boats have priority at bridge 'oles and locks or is that a myth?)

ya know that leap of faith people talk about??? applied to real life being single crewed 99% of the time you get used to doing all the jobs possible!!! (even when i had a girl with me they were more often better off in the cabin making the tea than steering the boat!!!) no i am not insulting female steering the circumstances are purely based on the individuals!!! and i have seen some fantastic women steerers!!! but when i have crew of 3 i send 1 ahead to the next lock, keep one with me and me steering, the one with me works the lock i am on which works a treat when in a hurry to get somewhere!!!

like mine but thats for security reasons at the moment

i live on a 30 footer... as soon as i can i will be refitting it for the best layout to live comfortably... the swim on mine is that similar to a 70 footer (cos they had great ideas behind it) for a short sod, she don't wonder that much!!! but once i have refitted my boat, i want to get a 30ft butty built to tow around as "the other half" makes everything by far more fun with an extra 10 ton on the wrong side

yes in many cases Richard... that is why I love the rain... not many others are as insane as me to go boating in heavy rain bordering on hail stones just to get a peaceful cruise once in a while lol

i wish i had that luxury of someone to work a lock for me... (that i don't have to pay a the end of the day)

being fair to hirers there are different kinds of hirers... primarily 2 I believe. 1. knows everything about everything and will refuse any advice or assistance from anyone and naturally screw it up themselves. 2. is willing to learn what is what on the canals and will accept advice and assistance from more experienced individuals thus causing less chaos to make everyone's time on the canal by far more enjoyable!!! kind 2 I get along with the most as listening to others is just as important as having fun!!! by the sounds of it Burgiesburnin... you are kind 2... so you will always be welcome again!

cor... sounds great to have a shallow draught boat... mine seems to be best part of 3 ft!!!

ahh crud... i can't get there... i would have loved to but i am busy the whole weekend maybe next year... maybe next year i will get the chance to take my boat there...

glad to hear you're up and running!!!

well.. that was a good weekend at the grindstone!!! I've not heard anything since Thursday night, got a text from my ex G/F's cousin saying "plz answer ur phne we dnt talk to her anymore and just wnt to knw if we cn have r bro bk plzzz" but quite honestly this one pissed me off by ditching me with 61 locks still to go before being back on home turf... anyway everyone else have a good weekend?

nah i lost the plot years ago!!!

yeah you can see the dilema though... if i don't go i get hounded and have to move away... if i do go i get chased and probably killed... hmmm... catch 22.... well i'm gonna put the extra digit into that and make 23... i wonder if i could do a 4 move check-mate???

the simple fact is if i go to the police then i will get murdered the police know what her family is like. she hopefully will get bored and leave me alone for someone else!

woooh.... that was close last night!!!

yeah thats what i'm thinking of doing, hide in the forest to cover my tree!!!

young enough to get into silly and stupid situations and old enough to know when to walk away from things i shouldn't be involved in. see i don't trust the police either not after what they have done to my mum and dad

yeah all i want to do is get on with my 4 jobs, get my dad out of her majesty's hotel, and get work done to my boat that needs doing... its not that much to ask for... is it?

ffffffffflip.... (only cos as i was thinking this i relised i should not swear online!) she found my boat while i was not there... with no time to deal with moving and the next day i was not there... yesterday she had someone with her and they cut a rope on the boat that i was tied onto... it is now a dilema... if i do nothing they won't stop... if i go to the police she will go to prison (as she is already on a suspended sentence) and she will get the rest of her family on me... and more than likely i'd either be dead anyway or have a rather burnt boat... i have spoken with someone who will see her today (the vicar of my church) and get him to talk sense into her. (if that is possible) if the vicar can't then i have no other choice but to go to the police and not just get her but a lot of other people busted aswell, but does that resolve things for the long run... advise???