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Post by naughtyfox on Aug 19, 2020 6:39:55 GMT
... genuinely healthy lifestyle, back to nature, sitting inyour jockey pants and simmet [vest] I must admit I wasn't that bothered initially about not having a stove, but as it gets closer to moving aboard day, it is bothering me more. I'd love to just throw 2 or 3 grand at a professional and have it all done in 2 days It can't be too difficult to do it by yourself, although having the hole cut in the roof and that insulating plate/collar might call for help. I'd think 3 hundred £ tops for the work, plus a small stove. It's quite fun cutting your own small logs by bowsaw and having them dry in the cratch, and then burning them. Something to do on your travels, keep an eye out for fallen branches and sticks. Meths to get fires started! Pour on top, chuck a match!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:01:26 GMT
I must admit I wasn't that bothered initially about not having a stove, but as it gets closer to moving aboard day, it is bothering me more. I'd love to just throw 2 or 3 grand at a professional and have it all done in 2 days It can't be too difficult to do it by yourself, although having the hole cut in the roof and that insulating plate/collar might call for help. I'd think 3 hundred £ tops for the work, plus a small stove. It's quite fun cutting your own small logs by bowsaw and having them dry in the cratch, and then burning them. Something to do on your travels, keep an eye out for fallen branches and sticks. Meths to get fires started! Pour on top, chuck a match! I was surprised and dismayed when I saw a couple of estimates to fit stoves. There were a couple of new boat builders I looked at (with a sailaway in mind), and they wanted more than 3k to supply and fit a solid fuel stove- and thats in a sailaway, with no woodwork or carpets to worry about. I cant imagine finding anyone cheaper than 2k (not including the stove), and when you look at it, its not got complex electrics or gas to worry about- in theory its simple. In theory.... But I'm not forking out 3k, thats for damn sure- I'll find a suitable place and try it myself first. The hole in the roof part is a worry, but if I hit snags I can still cover it temporarily with strong tape or something, until I can figure out a solution.
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Post by phil70 on Aug 19, 2020 7:01:40 GMT
This time of year you don't really need a stove. I've got my feet up against the cold flue at the moment and wearing only pants (yes I know that's too much). The fire looks quite surplus to requirements. Like some sort of ornament. But give it a few weeks you really will want a stove. in fact without one (diesel is ok too) you will have a very miserable time. Specially if living on the towpath because you will bring in all sorts of damp and dirt during bad weather I am not trying to put you off but get a fire in there ASAP. Yes, I'm keen to get it done as soon as I can stop for a week in a spot where I can work on it without bothering other boaters. If I wait till I get to Cheshire it might already be October. I'm wondering whether I can find ways of keeping the mud out during winter- maybe by pulling off the towpath footwear or wellies as soon as I step aboard, and switching to slip on shoes or something. I just dont know if its practical when you're in and out for half the day I thought it was an unwritten rule that you remove shoes outside in the cratch before entering any boat. Phil
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:07:05 GMT
I've always cut wood with bowsaws. Nice sharp blade is essential. Also essential to have a saw horse or something else to stand the wood on. For years I used to make up a folding saw horse from scrap wood every couple of years until I found this mystery item in the cut and put a couple of slots in it with the jigsaw. Works nicely actually. Just a nice height to get a good stroke with the 30 inch saw. Bit small for the 36 but I mainly use the 30 anyway. I think it's some sort of electric insulator or something. Very solid item the other half of it made a nice bucket.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:08:08 GMT
Yes, I'm keen to get it done as soon as I can stop for a week in a spot where I can work on it without bothering other boaters. If I wait till I get to Cheshire it might already be October. I'm wondering whether I can find ways of keeping the mud out during winter- maybe by pulling off the towpath footwear or wellies as soon as I step aboard, and switching to slip on shoes or something. I just dont know if its practical when you're in and out for half the day I thought it was an unwritten rule that you remove shoes outside in the cratch before entering any boat. Phil I've no idea Phil, but it does seem a sensible idea to not step inside with your wellies still on, after navigating 300 yards of muddy towpath. I got a pair of workboot-type wellies in a very chic dark brown, with a black sole. Apparently everyone's going to be wearing them on the cut this Autumn, so I'm ahead of the fickle fashion curve, in terms of footwear anyway. Sadly, in every other area I'm at least a decade behind.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:19:21 GMT
I did Wigan in two parts. Stopped outside some houses half way up. Got raided by scrotes middle of the night and decided to moor in an empty lock in order to lose them. I have since found it possible to avoid Wigan. Social distancing. It's all the rage these days. It was quite funny I bought the boat at the bottom of the flight. Transfer went through in the afternoon. rough pikey with bleeding hands turned up asking if I wanted cheap diesel and did my boat have a diesel engine then he disappeared and a couple of security men asked "did you see the pikey?" So I pointed them in other direction. Then moved the boat and got to tired to finish the flight. All good fun I suppose and quite a lot more interesting than Henley I have to confess, I do want to make sure I keep tabs on where the dodgier areas are. There are some I just know about, e.g. the last few miles into Albert Dock are a definite no-mooring area. It seems the advice is not to moor half way through the Wigan flight, and I'll have a general intention of avoiding mooring overnight within a few miles of major towns- if I reasonably can. So my thinking will be to get into a safe mooring in the town centre in a single day, or else straight through. But there are so many bloody scrotes knocking about these days, and they do love a canal, the little blighters.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:21:35 GMT
I've always cut wood with bowsaws. Nice sharp blade is essential. Also essential to have a saw horse or something else to stand the wood on. For years I used to make up a folding saw horse from scrap wood every couple of years until I found this mystery item in the cut and put a couple of slots in it with the jigsaw. Works nicely actually. Just a nice height to get a good stroke with the 30 inch saw. Bit small for the 36 but I mainly use the 30 anyway. I think it's some sort of electric insulator or something. Very solid item the other half of it made a nice bucket. All of which reminds me, I'm probably going to need a folding workbench
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:28:13 GMT
Scratched paintwork if on roof and gets in the way if anywhere else. Horrible things.
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Post by patty on Aug 19, 2020 7:32:42 GMT
Have a word with Telemachus . He has some acquaintances at Wigan who need force feeding gruel at the point of a cutlass. The question about competence when it comes to lock operation is not one I am confident enough to answer but pretty sure if you locked them up in the gas locker that would help things go more smoothly. I'm hoping this is where being a single boater actually pays off a bit. From what I've heard, some of the volunteer lockies apparently prefer you to stay on the boat to make the passage quicker, so if I do attempt the Wigan flight my plan is to bravely and loudly make offers to help the hardworking lockies, but all the time to keep my fingers crossed that I can actually skulk in the stern shouting encouraging words at them, but not lifting a finger. I cant be this evil and not have it catch up with me soon.... I couldn't manage the great heavy locks single handed and the boat..I admit this freely. Braunston just defeated me...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:32:52 GMT
As for EA taps on the Great Ouse all of which need an EA Abloy key. Ely Sanitary station by willow walk which you know about, Littleport opposite the Swan. Hilgay mooring upstream of the Wissey. Denver complex behind the sailing club adjacent to the AG Wright sluice. You can also slop a bit in at Upwell Staithe and March Sanitation station with a MLC key. If you overnight at Foxes in March they may put you by the day boat moorings behind the marina office portacabin - good fast filling hose that was free to use, no key needed. Thanks again Gazza, thats really useful. Can ask- what's an MLC key? I've arranged to pick up an EA abloy key at Jones Chandlers on my way to the boat (plus a two-sized windlass), and I already have a key for the CRT facilities. Would you recommend the MLC key as well? Someone also mentioned I might need something else again for the Ashline lock? Thankfully I can sort out a visitor registration by phone with the EA people on the same day, so thats one worry less
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:37:15 GMT
Scratched paintwork if on roof and gets in the way if anywhere else. Horrible things. Another item to be slung in the bow, methinks. I'm deffo going to need one though, if I start doing even modest jobs- the carnage I could wreak on the kitchen worktops with a jigsaw doesnt bear thinking about
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:51:09 GMT
As for EA taps on the Great Ouse all of which need an EA Abloy key. Ely Sanitary station by willow walk which you know about, Littleport opposite the Swan. Hilgay mooring upstream of the Wissey. Denver complex behind the sailing club adjacent to the AG Wright sluice. You can also slop a bit in at Upwell Staithe and March Sanitation station with a MLC key. If you overnight at Foxes in March they may put you by the day boat moorings behind the marina office portacabin - good fast filling hose that was free to use, no key needed. Thanks again Gazza, thats really useful. Can ask- what's an MLC key? I've arranged to pick up an EA abloy key at Jones Chandlers on my way to the boat (plus a two-sized windlass), and I already have a key for the CRT facilities. Would you recommend the MLC key as well? Someone also mentioned I might need something else again for the Ashline lock? Thankfully I can sort out a visitor registration by phone with the EA people on the same day, so thats one worry less MLC = Middle Level Commission, navigation authority for the levels. You need the key for the Sanitation point and getting in to the lock area at ashline, although you could vault the railings, they are not the high! If you stop at Fox's and don't mind vaulting the railings you won't need one. You can ask at Jones, try Paul the lockie at Salters or the marina office at Fox's
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:51:42 GMT
I'm hoping this is where being a single boater actually pays off a bit. From what I've heard, some of the volunteer lockies apparently prefer you to stay on the boat to make the passage quicker, so if I do attempt the Wigan flight my plan is to bravely and loudly make offers to help the hardworking lockies, but all the time to keep my fingers crossed that I can actually skulk in the stern shouting encouraging words at them, but not lifting a finger. I cant be this evil and not have it catch up with me soon.... I couldn't manage the great heavy locks single handed and the boat..I admit this freely. Braunston just defeated me... I bet even the big boys occasionally struggle with a really stiff or stubborn lock. I'm as weak as a kitten at the moment, but I'm sure a few weeks of lockery will straighten me out. But you have to be realistic about how hard you try with a stubborn weight. I've known people do their backs in badly by hoiking big weights/items (even younger men). Its not that hard to damage your back by going that bit too hard, and at 57, and having seen the hell that my ex-partner's son went through after a back injury, I'm taking no silly chances.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:54:57 GMT
Scratched paintwork if on roof and gets in the way if anywhere else. Horrible things. Another item to be slung in the bow, methinks. I'm deffo going to need one though, if I start doing even modest jobs- the carnage I could wreak on the kitchen worktops with a jigsaw doesnt bear thinking about Speaking of which, keep your cabin roof clear going from Salters to Marmonts Priory lock - plenty of low bridges to swipe it off. You need about 1.9m air draft 6'4" in old money 👍
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2020 7:58:41 GMT
I remember a very low bridge at Upwell or Outwell. I got under ok but it was too low for my mum's boat so she rang the MLC and they came and discharged some water into another drain.
The air draft had been less than advertised. I was very impressed they came out considering at that time there were no registration or licensing requirements.
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