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Several people have contacted me recently seeking advice regarding 'Life Aboard'. Unfortunately some of the questions are left by people anonymously!! This obviously leaves me no way of contacting the individuals. I do enjoy responding to anyone who has a question or needs advice so please don't forget to leave a contact email!! My apologies to anyone who's not heard back thus far...

More Action!

I'm delighted to see that 'British Waterways' commitment to a crack-down on licence evasion is continuing.

More than 230 enforcement letters were sent during March to the owners of unlicensed craft. Some 175 boats became licensed as a result of action and more than 61,000 pounds of overdue licence fee income was recovered. A total of 13 unlicensed boats were seized or destroyed by British Waterway's and Section 8 proceedings are under way on a further 102 craft.

For the first three months of 2006:

• 614 enforcement letters sent
• 373 boats licensed as a result of patrol letters
• 34 boats removed by BW under Section 8 powers
• More than 143,000 pounds of licence fee income recovered

Sally Ash, British Waterways head of boating development comments: "Licence evasion is unacceptable on our waterways. Each year British Waterway's spends more than 100 million maintaining the waterways and the money recovered from unlicensed boats is a very important contribution. Further income represents extra miles of dredging, improvements to customer facilities or works to important waterway heritage structures."

Targeted initiatives around the network are ensuring that evasion remains high on the agenda and a priority for British Waterway's patrol teams.

Licences that are not all they seem

In addition to targeting unlicensed craft in Yorkshire, patrol officers have been taking a 'closer' look at 'legal' boats. Following the national boat count BW's computer system is able to produce automated case lists of boats requiring enforcement action. The lists have been used to identify three cases of fraudulent activity, one where a forged mooring permit was in use as well as two fraudulent licences that had been displayed. All boats are now correctly licensed and have correct mooring permits. All have made back dated payments to avoid formal prosecution.

Keep it up BW if this keeps going I might be paying less for my licence!!!

More on 'Life Aboard'

After my recent post regarding 'Life Aboard' I've had several more emails to elaborate further on the costs involved in running your boat. So here's a little more on the subject.

Quidditch is a 58ft narrowboat so I'll base any costings on a boat of her size. Firstly there's insurance. We use Collidge and Partners for our marine insurance. The annual cost is around 250 pounds but thats to replace the boat. If you require contents insurance as well, that will cost you a further 250 and you need to list your more expensive possesions like computer, TV, they don't cover jewelry etc!
This year we went for a standard Canal Licence as we don't plan to travel on the Thames this time out. A standard licence covers all British Waterways owned canals and rivers. If you buy your licence around a month early you get a good discount. Last year we navigated the Thames so we bought a 'Gold Licence' which covers both BW and the Environment Agency waters. As we discovered last year it does not cover the River Avon. We paid an extra 44 pounds for 2 weeks on this beautiful river. Licencing prices can be found here.
Depending on your type of heating the costs can vary. We use a diesel fired stove plus Mikuni diesel fired central ceating. Diesel costs are obviously rising and at present we pay 52p a litre. When the weather is really cold and both are running daily we can be paying something in the region of 25 pounds a week.
Your boat hull will require blacking at regular intervals. The general concensus for this is every 4 years but personal preferences play a part. If you can find a dry dock or lift out and do it yourself then obviously the costs are less. This year we're having ours done while on holiday and the cost is around 400 pounds. For piece of mind a lot of people prefer to do thier own blacking, so they know the job is done properly.
Apart from your annual mooring costs the above are generally your biggest outlays. For cooking we use calor. We have a cooker like any other household and even boil our kettle on it. We usually have to replace a cylinder every 4 months at a cost of 16 pounds. Considering the media on rising gas prices this we think is a fantastic saving. We generally budget for around 6 pounds a week for our electric shoreline supply. Water is free and part of your licence costs. Thats basically it but if you do have any further questions then feel free to email.

Preperations Under Way!

As I write this post it's only 45 days to go until the'Quidditch' 2006 Tour. Both Dee and I are starting to get very excited!

As you can see from our Travel Diary our route is now finalised.
Preperations are well under way now with my Winter work schedule almost complete. All of my large tasks like fitting the Central Heating are now done. She'll get a full service just before we set sail.
Recently I've been concentrating on the externals. When we're out on the canals it's inevitable your going to pick up scrapes and scratches, afterall it is a 'contact sport'. When we're out I just repair them temporarily and then make a better and more permanent repair before going back out again in the Summer.
We also make a trip to Macro. We found in our first year on the canals that it's best to stock up on the long lasting items of shopping such as charcoal for the barbie, washing powder and toiletries. You just never know how far the shops are going to be onced you've moored. Although 'Quidditch' is having her hull blacked in October I'll also put a coat of bitumen above the waterline just to make her look the part.
We usually have several plant boxes on the roof and these will be planted at the back end of April.
This year we are also planning to keep a video diary as an extra to our current weekly post in our Travel Diary. Although we took plenty of video last Summer we think we missed an awful lot too.
So here's to sailing. It will soon be all systems go!

Another Conspiracy!

In december I posted 'Scary or What'a conspiracy theory in relation to the bombing of the Twin Towers. Below is another one for consideration!

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860 - JFK was elected President in 1960.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights - Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday - Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Now it starts to get really weird.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy - Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners - Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808 - Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839 - Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names - Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Now hang on to your seat.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.' - Kennedy was shot in a car called 'Lincoln' made by 'Ford.'

Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin ran and hid in a warehouse - Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland
A week before Kennedy was shot, he was in, I mean with, Marilyn Monroe.

You work it out!!!!