Graham Blott

Hear, hear.

As well as Stoke Golding (and the White Swan is very good - homely, friendly and with a varied menu), there are excellent moorings at the Battlefield site, at Shakerstone as well as just before asnd after the tunnel at the end. Market Bosworth is a bit of a walk (15 mins) but worth it for a range of small shops - butcher, greengrocer etc as well as a small Co-op - but nowhere for your clubcard I'm afraid It is a great little canal - particularly once past Hinkley. Enjoy.

It is currently moving to a new server and I believe should be up and running in the near future - but not sure of when.

North Kilworth - on the Leicester Arm of GU was 69p last Saturday

Most of the hire boats tend to go clockwise and so, if you decide to go anti-clockwise you should hopefully have less delays at locks.

The trouble with that on a 12' beam boat is that to look down one side you have to leave the tiller - unless there are two of you of course. OR you have arms as long as telegraph poles. Good point, hadn't thought that one through

Hi Janet, Leaving asides concerns over how you like your beer and your carp.............................. Suggestions: 1. Get divorced 2. If you want to do that grand tour de force it will take (according to my canal planner programme) 180 hours - that.s using Trent and Mersey, Coventry, North Oxford, Grand Union, Thames, South Oxford, North Oxford, Coverntry and Trent & Mersey again. You xcould avoid repeating canals by going back via Birmingham and round the Shroppie, Middlewich and then back down T & M to Stone. But even going direct it is 9 hours a day - every day. What are you, some sort of masochist? For me 4 hours is a long day. 3. Alternatively, Caldon canal and Maccalsfield and Upper Peak Forest are worth doing - particularly visiting Bugsworth on Upper Peak. Much less time cruising = more time for BBQs, pub visits etc. 4. If you haven't already found it http://www2.mihalis.net/canal/cgi-bin/canal.cgi is a good site for planning purposes.

Rather than keep moving from side to side, I line my boat up on one side of the lock, bridge or whatever and just watch that side. The other side of the boat looks after itself. Works well for me as long as the gap is slightly wider than my boat. Mind you, my beam is only 6 ft 10. Still should work for broad beam as well.

Hi Bewildered, welcome. I changed the name of my boat which I bought second hand, The pervious owner had given it a really "naff" name based on her and her daughter's first name (hope she isn't reading this...) As Chris has siad - no problem, just make sure that you quote the BWB number to them............ As for the superstition, I was told that the ill luck inevitable when changing a boat's name can be avoided by making a paper boat, giving it the name that you are changing from, setting light to it and letting it sail off down the cut - bit liek a Viking funeral. Not sure that it works, but a great excuse for opening a bottle or three to celebrate!!! Graham

Yes, but I believe that this was a 5star towpath, Carl.

Yes, but apparantly they id not sleep aboard, so that doesn't count does it.

Well, I was born in the South. Whilst I moor just north of Watford Gap (whether that be a geographical feature, a geological feature or a motorway service station, I frequently cruise south of it as well as the northern waters. And I moor in a Marina. Probably best I go and shove my head in a gas oven now then. Graham

Yes, thats the one Scotty but damn I got ripped off if they are that price. It works fine despite looking a bit plasticy. We don't live on and so have less washing to do. It catered for our needs well over a five week cruise this summer - although we wouldn't use it for bedding or other really large items. But it removed the need to find launderettes. Graham

We have one taht we bought from Midland Chandlers for about £85. It's a twin tub - the sort of thing that my mother had in the 1950's - but smaller. Does a 1.5 kilo load in about 30 mins from start to finish and I tun it off a 1000W alternator with hardly any appreciable drain on the batteries. I think it is rated at 150W (does that sound right?) but it is on the boat and (sadly) I am not so cannot check.Google for Midland Chandlers and look on their websiteGrahamI must learn to proof my postings. For "I tun it off a 1000W alternator" readd I run it off a 1000W inverterGraham

Did the Calden this summer and can confirm: a) there are no developments that affect the waterway. Stoke tunnel is completed and the only development is of an old building nect to Planet lock. Yes, the first six miles are a bit depressing, but the rest is wonderful. c) The Hollybush is alive and well. Moored up outside the front door both times that we passed it without any difficulty - but did tend to arrive early d) Didn't attempt the tunnel (far too high to get through) but teh moorings before the tunnel are OK - not as good as down the Uttoxeter branch though e) If you feel in need of exercise the walk to Foxt from Froghall is good and the pub there is excellent f) Leek branch is also definitely worth doing. g) The Black Lion pub at Consall Forge is quaint - but the staff can be a little wierd. Graham P.S. If you do go to the pub at Foxt tell the landlady that you come with the personal recommendation from the customer that she threw a pint of beer over!

Thanks Dave. Sounds like a minefield. Think I passed you on the Macci (or was it the Peak Forest) a couple of weeks ago.

Have just returned from a five week cruise. Had two "incidents" in all that time. 1. Was roundly abused by a fisherman who was fishing from a lock landing at the foot of a lock on the T&M because I had the effrontery to pull up to the lock landing in order to let my crew off. Apologised to him but was assured that I was the selfish git who single-handedly gave boaters a bad name and that I had ruined his entire day. Pity, next time I'll try and make it his entire life. 2. At Sutton Stop lock. As my wife started to open the bottom gate to let me in, another boater decided to raise the top paddles so that they could steal the lock. Apparantly they had come past all the moored boats on the North Oxford at Sutton Stop at some speed and then ignored the two boats waiting to come down the lock as well as us. Was this some inexperienced hirer who had obviosuly never had any tuition. No it damn well wasn't. A middle aged couple on a private boat. Personally I always try to acknowledge anyone (owner, hirer or angler) that I come across. And yes, I will offer advice where I see hirers obviously struggling - and if they tell me to pXXs off - so be it. But it hasn't happened yet. Unlike some of the forum members I am not above making the odd mistake myself - but I am still learning having only been associated with waterways for about 36 years. So, Kiwidad, let me apologise to you on behalf of the (minority) of boat owners who are intolerant and standoffish. We all ocassionally meet them. Best to just let them get on with it - they are probably happy in their own way.

Perhaps someone can clarify my thinking on this. I agree that the rebate on red diesel is going for use in pleasure boats (although we are not yet clear whether we will end up paying the same amount of duty as for road vehicles or the rather lesser amount demanded by our European masters - sorry, partners). However, red diesel, fully rebated, will still be available for heating, agricultural use etc. Therefore, surely, we will NOT still be putting red into our tanks as the authorities will not be able to ascertain whether we have bought it from a marina (paying full price) or from our friendly local farmer. In any case, given that the dye residue in my tank is likely to last several years, when the police or BW or whoever dips my tank they will still not be able to tell whether I have been buying red or white. Answers on the back of a postcard please addressed to Outer Mongolia.

Sighted Laplander heading north through Rugeley on the T&M last Wednesday early morning. A fantastic sight. I am so glad that a few of the old steamers are still going - but at 12 miles pere ton of coal it won't be me keeping them going I'm afraid - even when we all end up using white diesel.

Seriously, you will be fine. You won't get near to any rivers. Whilst the canals might have a bit more water in them than usual their should be no flow to worry about. The boat company will tell you if there are any special problem areas to avoid. From Alvechurch to Coventry will take you about 26 hours - easy going (apart from the Atherstone flight of locks). As an alternative you could turn onto the Ashby canal from Marston junction (just north of Bedworth) which is a very attractive rural canal taking you through the heart of the Bosworth battlefield (Richard III). May see you around as I am heading up that way - will be on the Ashby from Saturday to probably wednesday and then heading north. Give me a wave (look out for "Mayenne") and I'll buy you a beer. Have a great time Graham

Great. Enjoy. Who cares if it rains. Graham

Hi John & Anne Itdepends whether or not you want to do long days of cruising. The 4 counties will take about 53 hours (per Canalplan) and Llangollen and back about 54 hours. This is assuming an average cruising speed of 3 mph. Given that a week on a hire boat is actually little more than 6 days, this will involve you in doing 8-9 hours cruising a day. Great if that is what you want to do, not so great if you want to do some sightseeing as well. The 4 counties has varied and attractive scenery, the Harecastle tunnel (which is an experience) and takes you through the heart of the Potteries. However once you get to the point of no return (around Stoke) you just have to keep going. The Llangollen is beautiful and has lift bridges, staircase locks (at Grindley Brook) and the Pontycysylite (phew, managed it) Aquaduct which is one of the canal wonders. You can turn at trevor (just after the aquaduct) and save a few hours if time is getting tight. I always find that it takes less time to come back down the Llangollen than it takes to go (water flow) but the time saving won't amount to much. At least going in June nowhere will be too busy asd you are missing the school hols. Whatever you decide, enjoy! Graham

Sorry, I'm probably being exceptionally thick this morning, but isn't "moving frequently" inherently part of the definition of continuous crusing? Graham

I agree with carlt (well, it had to happen sooner or later!). Unless you can arrive early the tow path will be fiull all the way between Crick tunnel and Yelvertoft. Be prepared to walk a way. Worth it though. Graham

Hi Macc. Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the forum. Rust forms where air and water meet - i.e. the waterline. As the bottom plate should never be in the air it is probably not necessary to black it. Sides should be done regularly. I lift my boat out and do the sides thoroughly every second year- with towpath side top ups every so often. Only do the base plate every second or third lift out. Does anyone feel that programme is too much/insufficient? Graham