NeilB

Not sure, I left over 16 years ago. Cannot remember how many hours an oil and filter change is required but 6 weeks hire could be around 200hrs. We had a very good record on breakdowns and I can only recall 1 or 2 total engine failures in the 10 years I was there. We had around 25 Cruisers and 10 or 12 day boats at the time.

No thank you as I've got one of these!

In a full hire season BMC's and later Nanni's would have 2 or 3 oil and filter changes, 4107's / 4108's about 3 or 4. Then a full service over winter. Most boats did not have hour meters so we based it on 6 weeks hire for BMC / Nanni and 4 weeks 4107's / 4108's, luckily we only had a few of these!

Report is a little vague, although that seems usual for the EDP. Was it a stray shotgun pellet, someone deliberately shooting an air rifle pellet or as the report mentions "bullets" which suggests a full bore rifle? All are worrying but a full bore rifle can do more damage at a longer range.

If you ever need another campsite the Old Vicarage in Moulton St Mary is very good and has open fire braziers you can cook on. The composting toilets do not smell, just don't look down! Pictures below are of it fully booked, owner keeps numbers down and there was never a queue for a shower. Spent 2 nights there with my 2 eldest same time you were at Repps, I could have arranged some child labour for you !

We were free to take holidays out of season too. The only problem was discovering someone had wired the shower float switch to a horn or hidden an alarm clock in the bilges set for 3 am. We always took some tools with us !! As for trial runs I had the same training as Vaughan, spend a few weeks following others and then for my first few runs I was shadowed by someone more experienced to ensure I was OK. I suspect the majority of hire firms work this way. I have noticed my old firm now train all relevant staff to RYA Inland Waters Helmsman standard, they also make the skippers handbook available online so it can be studied before the customer arrives which is a good idea.

Pretty sure it is that bad !! At a club in Southampton, (working at boat shows you get dragged along sometimes - honest!!), someone passed me a pint of lager. They didn't do proper beer plus it was hot so I graciously accepted. Took a swig and thought someone had given me the water from a mop bucket as a joke. Turns out it was Coors Light and was hidious!

If I remember correctly BSS examiners did not take into account any gaps in canopys etc. Any ventilation had to be permanently installed with recognised vents.

Surely this would be in with a chance?

Probably not a "runaway" diesel, as Grendel said this is caused by oil leaking past the rings and pulling the lever will not stop it. This only stops the diesel but as the engine is now running on oil if makes no difference. You'd need something quite strong to block the air intake, my colleague used the sole of his shoe when it happened to him. It's actually quite dangerous as the engine could quite literally go bang!!

I do have a confession here on behalf of my wife. She was on the Tesco team which was involved in rolling the self checkout system out. Sorry, maybe I should have paid more attention when she was waffling about it and I could have said "that'll never work" or something!! To be fair to Tesco I think M&S were the first supermarket to actually have them in service.

Bit like this but a tad slower !!

I left in April 2001, we had some new Rapier 20 day boats near the end of my time but pretty sure these were built by Fineway. We also had a pontoon boat around the same time as Moores got theirs. My boss knew quite a few of the broads yards and we had good relations with several.

My mistake, for some reason I thought it was one of the older Bourne 40's. I know all about Kris Cruisers as I was an engineer there for 10 years between 91 and 2001, Vaughan was just down the river at Staines for a couple of those years. They have 2 x AF Pearls built new in 1990 and I must have crawled over most of them over the years, especially those blood canopy winches which we accessed though a tiny hatch under the helm seat. Pretty sure I would get stuck fast if I tried that now !! They have no connection to Moore's apart from buying 2 of their boats, they are completely independent and family owned since 1966.

That's interesting, do you happen to know who's running it?

Looks like an old Happytime? http://www.broads.org.uk/wiki/index.php5?title=Style_Details&style=Hpyt

Done this quite a few times when the Thames was in flood. A light touch is required on the steering with a strong tide otherwise you can find yourself approaching the bank or the boat behind rather rapidly!

I saw that happen to an old lady a few years ago on a train, it was a huge sliding door which took ages to close no matter how hard she was hitting the button!! No idea what's wrong with a normal handle and a lock !

Unusual for a Swan to get into this sort of situation with a boat, unless it was sick or already injured. I spent quite a bit of time with Swan Lifeline on the Thames trying to catch injured Swans from boat's, unless you can tempt them close with food, it's not easy!

As others have mentioned check out the lead time on driving tests. I started on my 17th birthday end of June 89 and had to wait until mid November for a test date. My dad was brave enough to venture out in my old mk2 Escort, once I'd welded the sills back on!! This gave me more experience on the roads without having to pay for lessons and I'm sure it helped me pass first time.

What a fantastic job he's done, all with a family including a disabled son and having a heart attack along the way. His previous project looked pretty good as well.

Very sad news, my condolences to her family.

I have 3 children and a dog, the kids make far more mess than the dog!! Probably behaves himself more as well!! He's only been on 1 canal boat holiday and we took a couple of blankets for him.

Just found the picture of the Ocean 30 on Majorca.

Spotted this Bounty 37 on my way home from work a couple of years ago in Warwick. It was heading north towards Birmingham and the Hatton flight of locks, not far beyond these is I believe a dead end for wide beam boats.