Paying it forward and Kiva

I'm a great believer in 'Paying it forward'

I asked that my help to NB Dobbin be paid forward. I think the world would be a much happier and friendlier place if more people helped without regard of payment and that their efforts are magnified forward by the recipient. Pipe dream I know but it makes my conscience a little clearer if I can help others.

I'd like to plug KIVA as a excellent example of helping others. I like to give gift certificates as presents - when you explain it to people they are all very pleased to have their present paid forward in this way.

Take care

Nev

Serenity prayer

I recently posted about the cost of living aboard.. clickty My post was based around the cost to keep my car on the road for a year. A few days later and my other car (brought for one of my sons) needs a new clutch and some work on the brakes Cher-ching that'll be £400 quid please sir ! He reminded me it was not his car until he passed his test - thanks son.

There is no more obvious cost saving living (and cruising) aboard than loosing a car or cars. Well over a thousand pounds before depreciation kick in.

I really need to stop thinking about these things.....

Got me thinking of the Serenity Prayer,

God grant me the serenity;

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

This is the entire prayer:

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.

Not to sure about the second half but the first seven lines are very applicable to living afloat.

Interesting this prayer was adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous - say it all really, pass the gin please mother !

The benefits of BW moorings tenders

There have been a couple of boats moved on from our moorings. It would appear BW are operating a system of natural wastage for linear moorings as the boats have not been replaced (shame for BW as its income lost) The benefit for us is that the remaining boats are spreading out meaning we have more space around us (great for fishing)

Daft thing is is appears BW are offering linear moorings at Willington where the new 500 space marina has been built bit not here. As you might imagine we are not complaining.

Nev

Hip Hip Huraay for dredging

On the boat for a relaxing overnight and did a little fishing and caught a great Bream and Chubb. I'm sure now we have got rid of a foot or so of soft mud the fish will feed more on the bottom and therefore the fishing will improve. I still only catch big fish here - no boast just an observation. I have caught next to no small Chubb, Roach or any of the other species that you get regularly on the cut.

The fishing was so tempting I was up at 6.30 today Sunday (this post will appear on Monday) and was rewarded with another great Bream.

If there is downside to the dreadging is the boat moves a lot more when the speed merchants come through. Its raining hard outside at the moment (Sunday) and I think that 'encourages' people to speed.

No big issue I am relaxed........

Nev

3 is crap

Says it all really. I have had a three 3g modem since last october and it has never worked on my mooring - despite my moorings being within the area 3 advertise as having coverage. I have tried it in every position and location and its still crap. It sometimes gives me 3g then as I connect it drops and gives me super slow Orange GPRS.

It is the WORST bit of technology I own. DO NOT BUY A 3 3g MODEM

Phew I feel a little better for that

Nev

Oh and another thing - they do not have software for the Mac.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."--Chinese

Some while ago I posted about decluttering I am pleased to say I have been good.

Over the weekend I filled a skip - mainly garden stuff but there was stuff that went in that I had been 'saving'. My real proud point is I am holding firm on not buying stuff I really don't need. I thought I needed a 22 inch monitor but then would have a spare to get rid of (and 22 inch monitor would be too big for a boat)

I still wake up to my Ikea wind up alarm clock and it still makes me think about clutter every time I turn it off.

I'm being good just need to hold firm...........

Nev

Dreaming part II - making your boat live-a-boardable

Following on from my posting yesterday I started to ponder the changes I would need (?) to make to turn Waterlily into a live-a-boardable boat.

The reason being I was reading someones blog (sorry can't remember who it was) and they mentioned ironing. Now that's a definite thing we cannot do as our little inverter will only give us 150w . The next thing had to be some form of washing machine - therein would be our problem as we do not have space. Bruce on Sanity seems to wash regularly so it may be there are small or portable devices that we may be able to use - or we might just have to buy Sanity from Bruce when Sanity two is afloat !!

I cannot think of much else we would need, it all depends on what we would need rather what we would want, washing machine being a good point as when I was a kid my mum used the launderette, might be difficult to find but an option - that and hand washing with a mangle or spin dryer.

So its decided then, we'll either buy Sanity or use launderettes !

Nev

What does it cost to live afloat ?

I know this one must come up a lot but today I pondered this whilst walking the cut at Willington (in my lunch hour) today.


Last week I had a service and MOT on my car plus some other bits and got a whopping bill of just under £600 It got me thinking of how long this sort of sum would last some of you live-a-boards as I presume owning a car is one of the first things that go. In fact come to think of it I have just taxed it and insured it so that is the best part of a thousand pounds before I turn a wheel.

There is one of these for sale........ better still downsize, have no mortgage and give up one of the jobs........I think it may be better to just have a sandwich while at working at my computer rather than walking the canal !

RCR Wells style

On the way back from the Ashby we stopped off at Polesworth. The last time we came this way was when we brought Waterlily back after buying her and we saw NB Valerie (note to self add Valerie to my blogroll.

All of the moorings were full - this time we were the only boat.

When we woke up there was another small boat moored away from us. While getting ready to cruise one of the crew approached and asked about battery isolation. It turned out they had brought the boat the previous day from Whittington and were taking it back down south. Problem was their batteries were flat. It seemed the leisure was in series with the starter and had drained overnight. He was running an genny to try and charge the starter.

I said if he could not get it going to haul her up to Waterlily and we'd try a jump start.

Ten minutes later just as I was putting the tiller arm on he asked if he could take our offer up which I was happy to do. It turned out the batteries were both boiled dry, I gave him my distilled water to try and top up the batteries. We checked them with the hygrometer I have and they were in the red.

Much messing about with jump leads educated me to the fact of current drop as the leads were getting hot and the little boat would only slowly turn over and not start.


I bit the bullet and took my starter out and installed that which spun up straight away and started his boat. We disconnected and put on the best of the two batteries and shook hands and wished them the best.

Below is our mooring with our starter ready to go back

Dobbin was the boat name....... neither seems keen top have their photo taken after we had got her started (I hope it wasn't stolen) I have no doubt it was genuine as they were a nice couple.

I suggested joining the proper RCR asap !!

It's good to help, they kindly offered us money for a bottle of wine which we declined asking them to put it to their battery fund and pay forward the favour we had done them.

Nev

Quality boat name (bit rude)

I saw this on the way up the Ashby but didn't have my camera (no SD card) so I snapped it on the way back - nice sense of humour I say.

Nev

Ashby cruise

Well we did not make the skip a the end of the Ashby but that's a reason to come back to this lovely canal.

Sitting here at my office desk with the rain beating down outside, makes it hard to believe we were lashing on the suntan cream and living the dream just a few days ago.

So to make me feel better and to detail my excellent week aboard some photo's.......

Bridge 1 on the Ashby - new ground to us. For the record we can get to the Ashby with two days cruising with Polsworth being somewhere near the stop off from Hunts lock.

I did say the Ashby was like the Shroppie at the start - see what I mean. It reminded me of some of the cuttings we enjoyed a couple of years ago.

These fellows were on the battlefield moorings and were not at all scared of Leia (who was on a lead just in case)

That sky was with us all week - how lucky were we......
This was a beautifully well kept small marina on the Ashby called 'The Barge'

This made me chuckle - H&S in a field full of sheep !

There was so many of these little fellows about, we never tired of watching them. It is unfortunate that the drakes are still pursuing the females - just out of Atherstone there were 5 males trying to mate with one unfortunate female and she had 14 chicks - it was mayhem.

The weather was the highlight of the week as well as the lack of boats which compared to when we have cruised in the past (school holidays) was a real bonus.

Best part of it we didn't make the end so we have to come back soon !

Nev

Leia update....

I have posted this as I've just read that Bones has a dog.... I've also left the pic at the top of the blog as this seems the only way to enable people to click on them to get a better view (unless you know of a way around this?)

Its getting close to the anniversary of us taking Leia in, so we will have had her just a year. Bones new dog thinks she is a little chubby - I can assure you Bones, you will loose weight and gain a much healthier perspective on life - as well as talking to a whole load of new people..... enjoy your new doggie - they go so well with boats you know

The pic above is me with Leia at the Bosworth Battlefield site on the Ashby, below is how little she was when she first came to us.

I hope Boots gives you as much pleasure and companionship as Leia has for us,

Nev

Granny's three ducks

Andrew on Granny Buttons is seeking the holy grail of duck photos - three in a perfect line. I'd like to join in with this very poor effort .

Little or no composition as the boat was on its way down on the Atherstone flight - literally. At least I have a dog included !

Richard the third was on our boat.... ?

When we were recently on the Ashby (photo blog to follow) we moored for the night on the battlefield moorings which are to be recommended.

Just below the moorings is a stone to mark the place Richard the third fell during the Battle of Bosworth against Henry Tudor. As we came back to our boat after a late evening walk we visited the stone and 'paid our respects'.

Earlier in the day I had tried and failed to get our wind up radio to work - giving up assuming the battery was FUBAR'd

So at precisely 5.30 in the morning it came to life at full volume with white noise...... scared the bejesus out of me and Rachel, turned it off and then it would not restart......we recon Dick came aboard to give us a scare, damn Plantagenet kings I say.

Do you believe in ghosts...?

Dredging update

How nice it was to get back to our Hunts lock mooring and glide onto the armco without any incident, engine thrashing and a big slick of muddy canal water for the wildlife to contend with - our moorings had been dredged.
Phoebe had done her stuff with the help of a couple of BW workers. I just hope the nice clean canal bottom and the deeper water attract a few more fish to my mooring.....

Nev

Bloggers recently met on the cut

It is good to be able to add Andy from Khayamanzi to my bloggers met on the cut. I also met Ralph Freeman from Grey Nomad who sadly does not blog anymore - I used to enjoy reading his blog as he had a good perspective on living on the cut. I still have one of his photos in my lounge taken of Grey Nomad on a frosty Trent and Mersey early in the morning with smoke gently rising against a red sunrise - a fantastic photo.

Annoyingly I did not have my camera ready on either occasion so I have no photo's to display. Note to myself have camera with me at all times..... and when I do have a SD card with it !

Top tip - poo tank

While aboard last week our tank started to fill up after we had had the expensive (£20) pump out at Swan Line at Fradley.

When we were with Ownerships there was the ownerships toilet pyramid - you might be able to imagine what I am referring to ?

I inspected and identified a good thick layer of deposit in the tank. Previously with ownerships we stirred the tank with a likely stick from the hedgerow. This has its limitations and risks, little bend and opportunity to snap and leave a pump blocker in place.

I used me noodle and took off the very bendy last section of my whip (like a fishing pole but shorter - ideal for the canals)

The top section was quite long and plenty bendy enough top get at the stuff well stirred. The Streethay machine was working very hard as could be seen by the hose pulsating as it did its thing.......

This will now become the default action prior to any future pump outs. You can buy the whip for as little as a fiver from many tackle shops - get a few pole winders (floats with the hook weights and line already set up) and after a good clean the whip can be used for its intended purpose (just remember to buy a fishing license)

Nev

It pays to check

Going back a few days - to last Tuesday after the bank holiday we were aboard cleaning and I was in the engine hole checking bits. Last winter RCR had done a service and checked the alternator and advised I had a new fan belt - I had one 'in stock' and it was fitted.

I checked it last Tuesday ad it did not feel tight enough for me so I adjusted it. The green light that is the advarc battery monitoring system had been intermittently flashing and RCR previously had said it was an indication the advarc was not working correctly - he disconnected it and a few days later the starter battery was flat ! I reconnected it and the starter recovered but the green light did its thing again. After tightening the fan belt the green light stopped flashing - only to be on at low revs at start up - as to be expected. So my checks paid off. The belt was slipping and the alernatir not charging - now the batteries get upto charge quicker as well - a result.

I also checked the engine mounts and the hoses as last year we had a breakdown when a hose wore through after rubbing on the engine, so people make sure you get involved with your engine - its the life of the boat !

Battlefield moorings

It does not get a lot better than Tuesdays cruising. Perfect warm weather, few boats and a fantastic canal. We had a lazy start 9.45 and ambled up to the battlefield moorings (thanks to Andy's dad for the reccommendation - shouted over when we met briefly at Fradlet last week )on just before bridge 36. We arrived at just after 2 and ate slept and them walked. Going around the battlefield site at 5 was great as we were the only couple there.

We did a couple of geocaches trying out Geoscout on my phone - now I know how it works I would recommend it as it downloads the caches local to your position so you can geocache on the fly so to speak. This and my version of Memory map software means I'm well covered for walking and caching

The moorings are to be recommended as they are offside and very quite at night. I fished into the darkness with the bird singing slowly quietening down to nothing to be replaced by hooting owls - perfect end to the day.

We watched a DVD on the 19.99 sainburys DVD player I brought for the trip - no more messing about hooking laptops up to the tv.

As we are cruising every day we are ending the day with 100% on the battery monitor - using about 30 % each night for lights pumps and tv/freeview or DVD box. Now the alternator it working efficiently we get about 10% per hour into the batteries - all good to know !

Monday on the Ashby

Monday saw us ready for a longer day.

We got off to a good start being first on the Atherstone flight. These really are a nice flight of locks going through some lovely countryside and even when going through Atherstone itself still are very pleasant.

There was a hire boat with a willing crew behind us who were very helpful closing our lock gates as we left. We did the flight in two and a quarter hours - and moored up and went shopping in Atherstone at 11.15.

We rewarded our hard work with fish and chips before setting off for destination Ashby canal.

The first part of the afternoons cruise was great in fantastic weather just the one cloud in the sky – literally. The canal is very windey here as it goes around the quarries and spoil heaps between Atherstone and Nuneaton. Arriving in Nuneaton is the opposite to Atherstone – not bad but they have not embraced the canal at all. Before long we were swinging onto new waters for us – the Ashby and straight away we could see how pretty is is. The early cutting is very similar to the Shroppie

We moored up on a recommended mooring from a boater I spoke to at the top of the Atherstone flight – Twinkle, nice boat name - he was headed for Wales. Very rural and unusual in that I could get a good signal on my 3 dongle – now there a first ! However I was too tired to blog properly so I just dropped down a few notes to be published later (Today being Wednesday)

No pics today as on my reliable vodaphone gprs connection - 3 failes again it really is very poor.

On holiday and the kids are back at school

One of the few benefits of getting old is that your kids get old(er) with you. So our first holiday this year is being taken outside of the kids school holidays which is smashing.We eventually moved off the Fradley visitor moorings Saturday afternoon after a justified overstay (since Tuesday) and there were still three boats there that were there before we got there. All in all we were off our moorings for 18 days. I'm not sure if it was the fact we were a local moored boat that the yard knew was off its moorings because of the dredging that meant we did not get a notice. I fear the notices are not given out very often based on some of the other boats we noted were overstaying.

Anyhow we are off.........

We cruised down to just before Hopwas after leaving Fradley at 2. I only realised after moving off that Grey Nomad and Ralf Freeman was our neighbour, last time our paths crossed was 18 months ago when I helped him lock up junction lock while we were on our way to a four counties ring trip.

Having planned for a trip to the Ashby it was still the half term and we expected the canal to be busy so the first couple of days were to be slow .....

We moored up just after Hopwas wood bridge which took us three hours, we don't cruise quickly !

Next hop was to just below the Atherstone flight as we thought it would be busy - it turned out not to be the case but we still planned bigger hop on Monday. We moored up just before Atherstone bottom lock. We opted for the liveaboards strategy which was to move early and moor early - I have to say I like this way of cruising. We moored up at just after 2pm having left at 9ish and had a very lazy Sunday afternoon.

The pic is from my camera phone as guess who left the SD cards at home !

Rachel entering the first of the two Glascote locks.

York and proud of it

Not quite the name of the boater who came past on Monday while we were moored up on the Fradley visitor moorings, but I'm sure you get the idea.

He got the tit of the day award from me as he came past at what seemed like normal cruising speed. I was trying to top up my batteries at the time so you might imagine I popped up to look to see who had made the job a tad harder.

Anyhow by the time I had got out of the engine hole he was right up against the top gate on Keepers lock with his crew gesturing for him to back up as they could not open the top gate - even if they could as the lock was nothing like near full. There was plenty of white water from his prop plus some frantic pushing off the poor boat moored up on the non towpath side.

Quality entertainment.

I have no idea what he was thinking....... I doubt he was doing any thinking and that was his problem................

O dear two boater moans in a week. Positive blogs on the way - promise

Nev

Best laid plans

The grand plan was to move Waterlily up to Great Heywood in preparation for next weeks cruise to Froghall basin on the Caldon. As we were not on our mooring the necessary cleaning equipment was to be carted over to where Waterlily was moored for a spring clean. On waking Monday morning I had collected a nice cold which had flared up other conditions meaning I felt off it. So we reviewed options and decided a trip to the Ashby would be nice (about 60 locks less as well)


This meant we could have a more leisurely couple of days......

First day was with a good couple of hours fruitless fishing and reverse gongoozling. There were many more visitors to Fradley on Bank holiday Monday than boats. There were quite a few boats but nothing like the queues I have seen in the past.

Tuesday was a clean and fettle day. I'll blog about me fettle later, but the boat has had its spring clean and feels so much better for it. The day was completed with a pump out, diesel, gas and water - so all ready for my eldest to take advantage of our pre planning by being on board for a couple of days prior to our departure at the weekend.

£20 quid for a pump out at Swan Line was the low point of the weekend - anyone else been charged this for a pump out recently??

Contented with your boat....?

I recently blogged about looking around other boats at Mercia Marina The image of the Aqua Marine boat stayed with me until I got back on Waterlily. I realised how lucky we were to have such a nice comfortable boat.

We brought Waterlily because the layout and the right mix of equipment was aboard. Nothing too technical or complicated but enough to get me warm, dry, clean, rested and fed. I don't think in this life there are many other things you should really want.

When I re-evaluated what we had I realised how contented I was with Waterlily. Just made me wonder how happy others were with their boats? If not what would you change? I know Bruce on Sanity is changing the whole boat. I suppose until it is your home you do not fully appreciate the areas of limitation.

The only thing I would change if I could and I can't is to have a longer bow area to allow us both to sit out in, but then I'm being greedy as there is always the bank side to enjoy.

Nev

The only way is up.....

.....my favourite canal the Trent and Mersey. I know there are others but I like the T&M as it gives me so much enjoyment now and also fond memories of my dad when we used to go fishing together between Stenson and Swakestone. When he was younger him and my mum would ride their tandem to Shardlow from Derby and fish, even in winter. My mum tells me stories of them breaking the ice on the canal so he could fish.



This is my Dad with my eldest son Tom and our last dog Cindy. He died a bit after this was taken - my lad is now 21 !

I just know he would have loved being on my boat. Beer and fishing and a few roll ups would have been just perfect. I do think of him a lot when I am aboard.

The only way is up was to suggest where we will be heading over the next few weeks. Not sure how why or where but we want to get to the basin at Froghall at the end of the Caldon. We have got to get gas, pump out, diesel, water, spring clean, coal (if we need it) plus get my lad and his young lady on Waterlily for a few days, they just want so moored up quality time. Who knows he may get the urge to start cruising?

One point - I hope I did not offend all private boaters - I know the vast vast majority enjoy the canals and treat them with respect as well as other users of the cut - its just a small minority..... Now I am starting to get to be the person I feared most - the canal guy who moans about other boaters.............

Nev

Ignorant private boaters

That's be the boater who drained the pound between Junction and Keepers at Fradley on Friday night.

We went over to Waterlily to check on the progress of the dredging (slow - see Chris's comment) and stayed over.

We took Leia for a good walk to see how the dredging was going - good but slow) enjoyed a lovely meal and a few beers and then fell asleep while watching the TV. When I woke I stood up and then stumbled..... not the beer, but the boat was listing quite badly. Torch out showed the mud on the far side and the plastic cruisers were sitting on it. The pound must have been 18" to 2 foot down. I took Leia and a torch and found the berk who came through in fading light had left the paddles up on a leaky Keepers lock - result many boats straining their ropes. Thing was he had moored in the pound as well !! Just lazy - he could have walked back after mooring up and dropped the paddles.

Anyhow I nipped back to Waterlily and got a windlass and dropped them - I thought of flushing water into the pound but thought the pub goers might have thought me strange so I left the pound to recover which by morning it had.

I have no doubt private boaters leave more gates open, paddles up and speed past moored boats than the hire boats.

We had to leave on Saturday morning but I still got a lovely walk to Woodend lock in with Leia.

Sunday we relived our youth and met a group of like minded bike owners and did a 250 mile tour of the Cotswolds. We past Bancroft Basin (a large building site by all accounts) on route as well as going under the aqueduct at Wooten Waven (SP) so there was a little canal interaction

This weekend will be a spring clean of Waterlily i n preparation for a week on board after Easter. No more school holiday cruising for us - hurrah

Dredging

Some while ago I asked BW questions about dredging the moorings Waterlily is on. Sometimes getting on and off our moorings is 'fun' as it is very shallow and we get a silt bar build up - all no doubt due to being at the bottom of a very busy flight at Fradley.

At the time BW said Easter next year - I took this with a pinch of salt - but true to their word there was a sign on the locked gate to our moorings asking us to contact a number to get an update on the proposed works. Last week I got a text from BW saying they were to start on the 1st April and if I wanted Waterlily moorings dredged then to move my boat 'onside' before the 1st.

So last night after work I went up and moved Waterlily to the Fradley visitor moorings - being on the pins at Hunts lock would have possibly meant being pulled out as some boaters don't always go by on tickover !

So this morning I woke up to a fine sunrise as I walked Leia to Woodend lock and back. It was nice to have my breakfast on board and commute from the cut.

Just be interesting to see how long it takes BW to complete the job - but to date - Well done BW

Nev

Mercia Marina

I have kept an interest in this development as it is on my back door so to speak. (I am Derby based) After a particularly frustrating morning at work I decided to nip over and have lunch at the tea rooms there and get a proper look.

Mercia marina is a BIG development - I can imagine the investment must have been very large just based on the road alterations alone. There is little doubt in my mind the appeal is for people to use it as a 'home' as the road network is very good from this location (you can hear and see the A38 from the tea room)

Shakespeare are using it rather than Barton Turns as their base. Could this mean less shaky boats at Fradley. Its nice to see the same boats with different smiling faces on them at Fradley. They may go the other way to the Soar Trent or Erewash now?

The tea room was very nice and friendly - well worth a visit. If I was a boater there it may be a good social meeting place.

I nipped in to the Trading post to see if they had an ash can for my stove but no luck. I then ventured into the New Boat company offices on site. They have only been open since the 1st March and I recognised someone who I come into contact with in my day job. We have a lot in common (lived on the same road for one) and we had a good chat about motorbike, bikes and boats. Rod is managing the facility at the moment so we got to talking about boats and my boat - upgrades etc. Alarm bells for Rachel at this point. Boats that were in my price range (if we/I was to sell Waterlily) were identified and I looked on two. A Liverpool boat circa 49k and a Aqua Marine at circa 64K

I was not at all impressed by the Liverpool boat - the joinery inside was average - just not inspiring at all. The Aqua Marine boat was a different league and I expect would be even after a lot of use. It just felt very well build and solid....... oh dear, it was only that the saloon was far too modern that stopped me reaching for the bank managers phone number.

The electrics and joinery were very good indeed as was the engine install. However 64k for a 3 year old boat seemed a little high to me, but I am not current on boat values - I feel a night with Apollo Duck is in order....

I felt a lot better when I got back to work. The cut and canals are a fine antidote to the woes of work. (Sorry to anyone who may be worrying about their job)

Now I will be on Waterlily this weekend for sure...

Nev

Mothers day by the cut

Not my decision but a welcome one all the same. Rachel organised mothers day dinner with her family and was struggling to get a pub or restaurant booked. Eventually she got 15 places reserves at the the Malt Shovel in Shardlow

I can highly recommend this pub, good food good prices very friendly and helpful staff and its right on Shardlow wharf.

We had a short walk after the meal up to the first lock just after Derwent mouth. All in all a good day and it gave me a hat trick of visits to the cut in one week, can't be bad.

Nev

Retirement in four counties

I have posted before, either on this or another persons blog that my favorite canal is the Trent and Mersey - followed by the Shroppie. I have been on a few but by no means all of the 2000 miles of our canals.

I recently read Bruce's blog and he commented he and Sheila had just done the four counties in 4 weeks It got me thinking that it would not be a bad retirement to just keep cruising the four counties - might even be a world record in there somewhere. We have done the four counties twice - anti clockwise on Sylph our Ownerships boat and also clockwise on Waterlily. Both times very enjoyable as we are cruising our favourite canals and enjoying the changes in scenery from picturesque through remote to industrial. Good stop offs, good towns and villages and variations in days of travel - with many locks on some days and few on others. If we added the Llangothlen then even better.

I'm sure those who have retired onto the cut will tell me there are so many more great places to go and see (Sue on No problem seems very taken with the middle levels) but right now sitting here in my office thinking of being on the cut a lifetime of four counties would be a good exchange...... just need to be more adventurous and less sensible !!

Nev

Canal fix part II

I wonder at what point you become an addict - is that when you move onto the canal full time?

I went out for a ride on my motorbike last night and ended up at Fradley Junction... two reasons, both poor, but it gave me an excuse for a ride out

1. To see if stolen boat Que Sera Sera had been doubled back or cruised there by some unsuspecting buyer (you will have to read the link for all the detail.
2. To check if Waterlily was OK - I just get a bit wobbly when I hear of boats being stolen.

This is a gratuitous pic of my bike, motorbikes and canals go so very well together.

Its hurting right now - sitting here thinking of being on the cut. I need all you poetic and able scribes out there to increase the rate of your blogging to keep me topped up.

Nev

Shardlow by cycle

Due to the declutter and spring clean that took place during the daylight hours of Saturday we gave ourselves a day offish on Sunday. The intention was a nice cycle ride down Sustrans route 6 to Elvaston castle. This is a nice off road ride on the cycle path that follows the Derwent from the park across the road from our house to just about the castle.

Picnic consumed we has the legs top do some more so we went via Ambaston to Shardlow. I got my canal fix. In fact I think it is very much like that. I feel more eased if I get to the canal - does that sound daft or does it happen to others?

We had a lovely Jam Cream and scones in the tea room by the clock Warehouse lock. I took this shot on my phone......

There were a few boats moving today while we indulged ourselves (Greygal NO......)

We were there for only a short while and then it was a slog home. 22 miles and with only three gears (my Gary Fisher mountain bike needs to TLC)

All in all a good reward for the declutter

And so it begins....possibly the latest New Years resolution

After my recent post and the comments received (thanks to Heth, Halfie, Bruce and Greygal) I am engaged now to declutter.

In fact it is a New Years resolution to have an ongoing declutter.....to the point my old bedside radio alarm clock has gone to be replaced by a wind up alarm clock.(Which was clutter in the office at home)

Every time I look at it or when it wakes me in the morning (horribly BTW) I think - DECLUTTER !

So its Nev versus the clutter...........

How do you do it.......

Our home (ashore) is characterised by crap - sorry clutter. I am sitting typing this in our 'office' which is just full of clutter. I would take a photo but to be honest I'm ashamed of it !

I am also sitting here dreaming of living afloat - or spending a significant amount more time afloat - but how I'll ever clear the cacophony of clutter to enable us to do so I cannot image. So you live-a-boards - how did you get from living in a house full of stuff to living on a boat with all the associated lack of storage issues....??

Give me some hope????????????????

Nev

USA comes to Fradley

Charlotte, our long term friend (is that a nice thing to say...?) who we visited in the 'fall' last year came over for a visit and came onto Waterlily for a tootle to Alrewas and back. We had a really enjoyable day, some good food on board, I did a little fishing, and charged up the batteries. It was while we were winding that we met some people who knew the previous owners
There was some instructing (not really needed I expect but Charlotte listened intently) and a lot of talking - but there was much to catch up on.

It always a pleasure to share our enjoyment and love of the canals with friends, it was a shame 'Uncle Ho' couldn't be with us but maybe next time........

Memory map and the Mac

Sue on NB No Problem is a keen advocate of this piece of software - so much so she recently replaced her PDA so she could carry on using it. I have agood PDA phone HTC TYTN II that I recently installed the memory map software on. It is really very good. I know how long my dog walk is in the mornng now and also can use it as Sue does for walking and Geocaching. Hightly recommended.

The only issue is there is no Mac version - no problem as I have a program called Parallels installed on my Mac that in effect makes my Mac a PC. So I have the best of both worlds.

Little boating content I'm afraid - I really need to get on the boat and do some serious cruising. My two cruises are planned, just need to sort out the dates.........in the mean time I'll just dream.

Nev

Battery update and a reminder of previous owners

Just for me......

When we arrived on Waterlily on Sunday the battery monitor as showing 81% and 12.5v and 12.6v (starter)

On leaving after a simple two hours to wind waterlily the gauge was showing 91% and 12.8v and 12.9v

It seems to be settling down now so I don't think I'll post more unless I get issues....

whilst winding in Alrewas I was hailed by a couple who asked how long I had owned Waterlily - they were sad to hear of how I got to own her - with the death of the previous owner - they said they had met him and his wife on the Kennet and Avon canal two years ago - that must have been his last cruise. hey remarked what a nice couple they were - it reminded me of my need to write to the lady to let her know where and what waterlily was up to.

Its a sad reminder of our mortality - so I say get out there and do it before someone else takes the decisions away from you,

Stay safe,

Nev

Foxton

Ok, not from Fradley - although that will be a journey we do one day I hope.

No, this view

was arrived at by this form of transport
I took the opportunity to take the first ride out on my new bike to Foxton, as I have not been there for many years.

There were no boats on the flight - mainly due to this I suspect.....

I'm not sure of the 'opening' time of the flight - I should check BW's web site

The whole place looked a lot more finished than before (15 or so since I was last at Foxton). I recall the bottom of the flight being very 'messy' I still would like to see the flight in action on a summers day - it must be organised chaos?

The bike was excellent and I'm looking forward to getting many miles on it - just need to put in some canal locations.......

Nev

Sunken boats

I really don't like seeing them. They look so sad, they must have given so much joy and now they seem so lonely, deserted and abandoned.

So why then did this boat have the most polished mushrooms I have seen for a long time......?? There must be a story to it.

It really was fine cruising weather, sun and little wind. We saw few boats for saying it was half term, so we felt we had the cut to ourselves. I took a video for the record of this mini cruise.

Rachel's dad came along and did some locking and some tiller work. He has not been on the boat for a while and did very well. He is very enthusiastic about the boat and we enjoy having him aboard.

We have a good list of people who want to come on the boat, starting tomorrow when our friend Charlotte who we visited in the 'fall' will be joining us for a pootle to Alrewas and back.

I'll show you mine if you show me yours......

That'll be the bilge cheeky.


Since owning a part share in Sylph I have been interested in bilges.(sad or what) I did not realise until we had Waterlily that dry bilges are attainable. Sylph was always sloshing about and it was made worse when we had a leak in the bathroom plumbing that filled the cabin bilge with water. Sylph was so bad we had a cabin bilge pump fitted with a float switch that every now and then pumped for what seemed like ages. The floor at the back of the boat eventually had to be replaced as the water was rotted the floor !

Comet (our first boat) did not have any drainage channels on the cruiser back deck so when it rained the water went straight into the engine bay - horrible.

This is Waterlily's bilge. The previous owner put a small container under the stern gland to catch the drips while cruising and also another container for the grease that falls. You will also see a bucket with a bilge pump in it (top right of the picture) this catches the drips from the expansion pipe (I think) on the hot water cylinder. Every now and then I just pump the bucket empty. I suppose I really should fit a bilge pump with a float switch just in case the stern gland fails while we are off the boat - however I think this is unlikeley and unless the pumping water was spotted before the battery ran out it would make little difference.

Its quite simple and makes for a clean bilge - which I like. So lets see yours then ?

Nev

Top buy recommendation.....if you like TV on your boat

Last time I was on Waterlily I spent a very productive morning sorting out the aeriel (putting up a permanent ariel and getting the wiring sorted)
I got the satellite working but it is still a faff. When we were buying food in Sainsburys before this trip I took a gamble on a £22 freeview box - branded as Red.

I plugged it in last night and even though I had not touched the aeriel for best signal it went through its set up and found lots and lots of tv channels all excellent quality. It must have a signal booster built into it.

I was very impressed this small bit of kit. It will replace the satellite for sure so if anyone out there wants an little used satellite set up for the boat (or home) drop me a mail before the system goes on ebay.

Nev

Me batteries

Ok, full on boat post this - no motorbikes or cars or health issues.

Its really for my records as I have been recording the battery status since fitting my smartgauge battery monitory gizmo

So......

On arrival at the boat..

Hours meter 141 hours

66% charged
Leisure battery bank was at 12.45v
Starter battery was at 12.5v

At the end of the day cruising

Battery monitor was on 144 hours

92% charged
Leisure battery bank was at 12.85v
Starter battery was at 13.3v

After a nigh watching tv with a few light on and the water pump and central heating pump running the position was

57% charged
Leisure battery bank was at 12.4v
Starter battery was at 12.7v

The Smartgauge has intelligent circuitry so that it learns the state of the batteries (% charged) over a few charge and discharge cycles so the % charged should be getting more reliable.

More boaty posts to come.......

Nev

To Waterlily and beyond.....well Hopwas actually

A small amount of excitement exists as I sit in bed typing this as we are off to Waterlily for a small cruise into the weekend. As I have blogged about before we are going off down the Coventry today but we have stuff to do before we start the cruise.

The new (old) car has to be collected and taxed but we are waiting for the cover note from the insurance company..... so we can't head off before that. When we get to cruise on Waterlily we need water and a pump out so that'll delay our progress.

The original plan was to cruise on down onto the Birmingham and Fazely canal (new to us) and wind at Curdworth (sp) bottom locks and then pick up my father in law at Hopwas for a cruise back on Friday/Saturday. I have managed to leave the Ncholsons on board so actual route planning will take place aboard after we have filled up and emptied......

Still nice to get aboard.

Nev

Waterlily 1 Nev 0

When I took Waterlily out with a couple of friends last year..... clicky, I sustained an injury.

This is quite unusual as I am careful when aboard. However whilst standing on the gunwale at the back I lent over the side to reach the book and slipped which made me pivot my body on my rib cage. At the time I felt something go and then got the pain I've had before with a cracked rib. If you have had a cracked rib before you will know the treatment is to just suffer the discomfort until it mends.

This was my chosen action but the discomfort was not easing as I expected it to. So a visit to the docs yesterday and he diagnosed dislocated cartilage - how hard am I?? Four months living with this (not that bad really) So hopefully the tablets I have been given will do the trick just in time for the serious cruising season.

So - take care out there, it would be a shame to miss the perfect summer I have ordered.

Nev

Relegation or what

I had a spurt of blogging last week and rose up to number 20 on the UK boaters blogging list. I turn my back to do some automotive wheeling and dealing and get demoted to number 38.

Its a fair cop - it is after all a boaters list so if I'm not blogging or blogging with limited boaty content you will vote with your feet. I should say, with very little sincerity, like others have posted, do not really care that I am falling in the rankings, its about boating blogging and I do it for myself -I don't have a lot of friends ;-( anyway !! So there ;-))

An update on the swap shop

So, I sold this....

And brought this.........

And sold one of these......

And brought this........

Not bad at all for a few days work, and I fitted the new rad in the bathroom in between.

Now a boat picture........

This is what started it all - a mid week break on a 40 footer called Nutcracker on the Llangollen canal. We were captivated by the whole experience and five years later we owned our own boat. More pics to follow

Nev

Route planning, a busy week and a Geordie Valentines gft

Last minute holiday decisions are sometimes the best. I was not planning to take the half term week off but Rachel was. Over breakfast last weekend we decided we needed to refurbish the bathroom (house - we did the boat last summer) So a trip to the DIY shed later we had the materials sourced and a plan to get some work done in half term week. In fact the decision should have been made based on the other stuff we had on,

Selling my bike
Invitation to the Derby Manchester United FA cup tie
Our wedding anniversary (yesterday) - that's why we are the feb14.org........
Uni visit to Manchester for our youngest
Hospital appointment for Rachel
Visit from my father in law from Wales
Buying a bike (maybe)
Our eldest 21st birthday

Getting time on Waterlily.........................

The plan is to get away later in the week and then pick up the father in law at some point during our short cruise - so Mr Nicholson is my friend again - defiantly the Coventry this time .

My bike went north east yesterday.... two nice lads drove down and took it away. When we were doing the paperwork the lad who was buying it asked what the date was.... I advised it was valentines day and he was doing alright spending the biggest proportion of the day in a van traveling to buy a motorbike. He was ok with it as he had stopped off at a garage on the way and brought twelve red roses - well six actually and six tulips as the garage had run out of roses - them Geordies now how to treat their women !!

Nev

Ebay excitement (I really need to get out more)

You may have read I am having a moment about Motorcycles I am at the point of selling my much loved but little ridden Ducati Monster motorbike on Ebay, clicky me

Anyhow its getting to the point of mild excitement as the auction ends on Monday evening and as I type this (Friday PM to be published Monday lunchtime as per my mentor Granny Buttons does - it so it must be right) there have been 927 visits and 57 'watches'

This is important stuff, if she goes I might have half a boat painting fund or a good deposit on my next ride......

Nev

Edited at 6pm - 83 watches and 1333 visitors..........

Angry Nev - I hope not

Maffie blogged about getting angry recently and a few people have replied - me being one of them Maffi's Boat: On being angry

Now I am a little worried about angry people who live on the cut. When I clock off off the last time hopefully I want to spend a good deal of time on my boat. I was rather hoping that when I get on my boat the angryness I exhibit and feel will go..... but then I read about angry canal people.... oh dear.

Now I reconcile my worries by way of thinking about what could make me angry on the cut, gates being left open, speeding boats, generators, dog poo and pinching locks?? (not in any order) And then I think of the godzillions of things that make me angry - working full time and all the associated 'arse' sorry to use that word but that is the best way of describing some of the stuff that goes on......

So it has to be a better type of angry, I just hope when my time comes to get on the cut more I can remember that the things on the cut that will make me angry pale into insignificance to what went before.....but I suspect we act based on the present not what went on in the past. So I could be angry Nev on the cut as well as angry Nev ashore.

Maybe I should start an angry list now so I could refer to it for comparison when afloat..., no that would just remind me of all the stuff that made me angry on the land.

Better to just be happy - like Bones seems to be, she never seems to exhibit anger?

Or I could rely on my old mate beer. Beer makes me happy then sleepy and not angry. Yep Mr Pedigree and friends will help me get through this !!

I'm off to carry out some research............................................................

Treat yourself to a good read... I will

I may have commented that I do not read many books, I spend too much time on the internet. I recently read Jim's Starcross Blog about his 'day or reckoning' - good title He had recorded his cruising and compared it to previous years. We can't do that directly:

1. We don't keep a detailed cruising log
2. We have not had Waterlily two years yet

But I got to start looking back and was amazed how much I'd wrote and how enjoyable (to me) the blog was with all of its best cruising pictures. So over the weekend (most probably Sunday if the weather is pants) I'll give my blog a good read bottom to top. I think this will be a fine antidote for the poor weather with dash of anticipation for the cruising to come.....

Nev

Edited to explain I was not suggesting you read my blog, read your own or any other boaty blog ...........

Someone did not like this guy

Just a small addition to my post about the boater who died at Willington on the T&M

It appears the Derby Evening Telegraph paper copy was correct about his boat being broken into.... this is from Narrowboat World - I would post a link but I can't link to their story direct.

"Last night (Wednesday), the man's boat was broken into and his vehicle quite extensively vandalised on the nearby car park, David King tells us, who believes the boat has now been removed to the nearby Mercia Marina.
There was a great deal of bad feeling about this boater by locals, and many complaints about his noisy generator and dogs."

He must have tested someone patience or someone had very little patience.

Nev

A walk with a view

I'm sorry I can't give you a lovely snow shot of Waterlily on her moorings.... I really want to be on the boat while this weather is with us.

I shouldn't be too unhappy as I get to walk Leia in Darley park every morning. This always has been my favourite park in Derby and I live across the road from it. Early mornings there are very few people use it so I get it to myself in the main. Here is a panorama picture taken from my camera yesterday morning. The sun was just coming up. At the bottom of the slope is the river Derwent. It has just flowed past Darley abbey mills on its way to the Silk mill in Derby.

A little story re the sad event at Willington on the T&M

On reading more info about the sad incident on the T&M yesterday I realized I met the bloke who died while on our July trip.

He was next boat ready to go down Stenson Lock. He asked if i was ok to lock us both down as he had a bad back - in the end we went down with another boat as he seemed more interested in chatting to other boaters than going down the lock. The boat we did go down with were very scathing about this individual. he was quite well known on the section of canal for a variety of reasons - none now worthy of mention.

I can see how the story of the boat being burgled came about as I recall his boat was 'individual' My strongest memory was of him with a very young pup (american pit bull I think) and his large Alsatian. He was telling me and another boater no one would give him trouble when the pup grew up......just goes to show how short and precious life is.

Nev

Dead boater's boat is burgled - Willington on the T&M

This is a really sad and tragic story

Boater is found dead in the canal

In the printed edition of the Derby Evening telegraph they report the boat was subsequently ransacked by thieves - this is missing from the web version. The paper copy also reads the boat had been in Willington since September - I really don't like newspapers.

Its a timely reminder to those living their life on the cut to take extra care - especially those single handers.

I want to meet you not read about you posthumously .

Take extra care

Nev

A £92 screw

Nope - not another trip to Amsterdam or Prague. It was a nice rusty number 8 stuck just far enough towards the sidewall on the rear offside tyre on my Smart - that'll be £92 quid sir - lovely !!

Plus my misfortune fits into the toast falling and landing on the butter (or jam) side down approach - meaning the tyre was the one that has only got about 1,000 miles on it whilst the two front are getting close to replacement - smashing.

Mmmmm now its got me thinking what £92 quid would buy me in Amsterdam or Prague ........................................

I made a decision

You may have read this post Especially the bit about decisions. Just to let you know I made one on Friday night and put my motorbike up on ebay for sale. Have a look here .....Clicky

I'd like you to have a look as it will increase the hit count and make it look like there are lots of people interested. In fact there are over 40 watches at the moment so I am hopeful that it will sell past the reserve.

I still have an eye on a replacement but also the final price might be halfway to a paint job on Waterlily.... so new bike or paint job - what do you recon? Help me make that decision,

Nev

So I talk to myself, that's ok isn't it?

It occurred to me earlier this week while I was having a conversation with Leia (that's my dog not my wife) I do talk to myself more and more. You know I feel quite relaxed about it - no, in fact I enjoy doing it.

I do have a feeling that as I get older talking to myself with become quite an enjoyable passtime. If for no other reason than on the rare occasion to date someone has caught me doing it, their reactions are worth the words to myself.

Having Leia about does help, it makes me feel that I am actually talking to someone (she it a one rather than a thing) Anyhow I say talk to yourself more and sod anyone who gives you a wide berth - Ahh that's it, the real benefit, people keep away - top tip that, chatter to yourself as you are mooring up and you will have the place to yourself the next day. I might just try random shouting in the near future..... ;-)

Nev