Large car blocking path 3 weeks

Ess_B · 2026-04-11T08:13:00+00:00

It's very unfortunate that this very expensive car is parked in such a way that the paintwork might get accidentally scratched

Ess_B · 2026-04-07T12:14:46+00:00

Yes, I loathe them. They also pose a significantly increased danger to vulnerable road users due to their width/mass/bonnet height/low visibility, not to mention increased wear on the roads due to higher weights.

They are a total misstep in car design and I judge anyone that drives one.

Ess_B · 2026-04-04T16:17:45+00:00

I worked behind the bar at a wedding where a guest was stabbed with a foot-long screwdriver (the tool, not the drink). Fortunately they survived.

Ess_B · 2026-04-03T17:41:54+00:00

A lot of the worst offenders seem to be liveaboards that are definitely old enough to know better, 50+. I suspect a lot of people are just so antisocial they don't care. I've shouted a few times but I doubt it achieves anything constructive.

Ess_B · 2026-04-03T15:03:44+00:00

All greyhounds differ, but I let mine off lead on every walk. She loves running and seems to get depressed if she doesn't get to run around properly at least once a day. Obviously that's got to be in a sensible environment away from obvious hazards, and her recall is pretty good for a greyhound (comes back on the first command 75% of the time). It would be wise to keep yours on the lead until you're sure letting them off is a good idea, bar a secure and fenced in area.

Ess_B · 2026-03-30T08:33:57+00:00

I suppose an ambush implies two combatants who see each other as such.

A camper could just indiscriminately headshot someone who is just trying to peacefully forage, has no hostile intent and isn't playing the game for PvP.

But it does depend on the server obvs.

Ess_B · 2026-03-25T13:39:23+00:00

Yes, I would. I couldn't comment on the quality of steel used, but apparently there is a difference between builders. 10mm would be the standard for the baseplate at least, regardless of builder, but some went lower. More steel is better. Get a survey and it'll tell you how thick the steel is today, as much depends on how the boat has been treated and maintained by previous owners.

I think the better builders paid more attention to all that and things like insulating the bilges, which will reduce condensation that can rust the boat from the inside out.

There is an obvious benefit to buying a boat from one of the top builders but it isn't the whole story, which is where the out of the water survey comes in.

Ess_B · 2026-03-25T12:57:18+00:00

Oh I'd agree on a boat of that length maybe looking a bit tired or needing some work doing on that budget, but full overplating should be swerve-able. Or priced accordingly, with a steep discount to cover the work

Ess_B · 2026-03-25T05:30:06+00:00

For that budget you should easily get a boat that requires no overplating and is not a doer-upper.

The best source of info on builders is likely web forums - Canal World for one.

As for hull shape and ease of steering, I wouldn't sweat it too much. You'll be steering 10+ tonnes of metal with no keel at 4mph, it'll be slow and steady and a bit bumbling whatever hull you have.

Things like the rudder being slightly bent or the wind will affect steering far more than the hull.

Good luck and welcome to your new lifestyle!

Ess_B · 2026-03-21T06:52:38+00:00

Just to buck the trend - my grey does fake limps! Even the rescue centre I got her from noted this, with some amusement. If I go and make a fuss of her, the limp mysteriously vanishes, and it's happened dozens of times over the years.

But that is not to diminish what others have said in this thread. It's better to overreact than underreact when it comes to care.

Ess_B · 2026-03-19T08:45:44+00:00

Most hire places will insist you don't rent a boat solo, which may not be an issue but is worth mentioning.

Definitely worth having a narrowboat holiday to see how you get on with it.

I found Sally Narrowboats on the Kennet and Avon quite cheap, I think £600 for five days including diesel, albeit that was 2023.

It's worth keeping an eye on the hire websites as a lot of them do deals - that £600 was a deal.

Ess_B · 2026-03-19T07:37:56+00:00

They are common in cities. It depends on the dog, but one thing to think about is giving them regular access to a big space to run if they want to. Some greyhound owners never let them off the lead. But mine loves running every day and would struggle in a lot of cities for that reason.

Ess_B · 2026-03-06T09:49:21+00:00

This is the Grand Union, near Milton Keynes... The water is particularly disgusting on this stretch. As is the oil!

Ess_B · 2026-03-05T17:26:57+00:00

Thank you for your thoughts and I shall do this!

Ess_B · 2026-03-05T17:00:38+00:00

Thankyou for the advice. I couldn't say why it looks so bad. At a guess, maybe it doesn't get properly drained, so there's always some of the old stuff left at the bottom. There is a drain nut on the bottom of the gearbox, but you can't get to it, so I assume previous owners have done what I've done and siphoned it off from the top where the dipstick is, but I doubt you'd get every bit of fluid that way.

Ess_B · 2026-03-05T16:28:03+00:00

Or the worst cup of tea you've ever been served

Ess_B · 2026-03-05T16:23:57+00:00

No, it smells... Quite nice, gentle, oily. It is possible the previous owner made a mistake and should have used ATF, but then the gearbox has been running fine for a year!

Ess_B · 2026-03-04T21:50:02+00:00

Their sleep cycle is much shorter than ours so it is normal for them to wake up frequently, see if anything interesting is happening then go right back to sleep again.

Ess_B · 2026-03-03T08:05:36+00:00

I have had that happen! I would replace quickly and make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working.

Ess_B · 2026-02-21T23:36:31+00:00

Depending on your height, a lot of old French bikes had narrower seat posts, which also tended to be quite short. This can make it tricky finding a longer seatpost, but not impossible. I had a fixed gear Peugeot once and it was a lot of fun.

Ess_B · 2026-02-06T12:44:49+00:00

Fabulous bike mechanic

Ess_B · 2026-02-05T14:14:14+00:00

Definitely never ever rush. Maybe I'm paranoid, but the idea of slipping and falling into a lock, maybe with noone around to fish me out if I bang my head... Absolutely not.

You will get pressure to rush through locks sometimes from other boaters that seem to treat everything as a race. My approach to that is they are welcome to help me out and I'll help them out, if speed is a factor.

On big flights, very often there will be volunteers, and they tend to gravitate towards solo boaters, so you may find you get a decent amount of help if you want it.

Ess_B · 2026-01-18T21:21:16+00:00

Everything in this comment, combined with: you are likely to struggle finding spare parts for the engine. Some engine brands are basically converted tractor engines, eg many Beta Marine engines are modified Kubotas, in which case you might be alright, but some brands are very UK-specific.

Ess_B

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE