Category: Continuous Cruising

Living on a continuous cruiser on the UK canal system under CRT rules.

Mini USB Voltmeter

Got this USB Voltmeter to charge up my devices and let me know how much PD I’ve got in my battery.

USB Voltmeter

Mobile/fitbit/tablet/other devices

All use USB rather than 240v or any other fitting.

I saw this device on ebay and it’s taken me since October to figure out where to put it!

USB voltmeter
USB voltmeter

Here it is in it’s new home.

Above it you can see the existing socket and electrics.

We’ve got some switches for the lights and water-pump, which I also secured the other day to stop it banging around and vibrating so much.

Why the previous owners didn’t do this, I do not know.

USB Voltmeter

This one’s got 2 sockets.

1amp/2.1amp.

The 2.1 amp counts as ‘fast charge’.

My phone sits on the shelf above, or in the vicinity. The shelf also holds up the 240v inverter, when I have cause to use that.

Decided to do a blog. The weather’s not allowing me to go out. I think this is a fairly handy bit of kit for most boaters.

Also fixed this,

which some people may recognise…

The James Hargreaves Plumbing centre, where I get my pallets gave it to me. In return for taking pallets off them I guess.

Fits very well.

I guess 25mm must be a standard fitting.

Norton Junction -> Nether Hayford

Or slightly outside.

When I was doing the compliance, they called it ‘Flore’. Not really Flore, but closer to the motorway.

Nether Hayford

Has a shop and two pubs. Bakers. Other bits and pieces.

It’s not such a bad place.

Was going to stay in Weedon, but they decided they’re going to shut the A5 down for 5 days/weeks.

It’s not clear which it is, 5 days or weeks. On the motorway, it says 5 days. In Weedon itself, it says 5 weeks.

Stolen Post

Last time, when I stayed in this area, I recorded 7 separate instances of post addressed to me ‘going missing’ or being stolen. Continue reading “Norton Junction -> Nether Hayford”

Braunston -> Norton Junction

The winter mooring has finished, and I’m off again.

What a waste of time it was.

When they said ‘Braunston’ with roughly a mile of 24/48/14 day moorings, I didn’t anticipate they’d put me outside the village.

Braunston Village

Is fair enough. The people at the post office are friendly, and will try and resolve any problems you may have.

I went to the pubs.

Sometimes they were empty, sometimes they were full.

I visited the chandlery, of which there are 3 or more.

In a sense, the facilities available beyond the control of CRT are good.

The actual moorings they provide are poor.

They’re not even in Braunston.

I was expecting them to put me on a nice piece of made up towpath on a visitor moorings close to the centre of the village.

That’s what I’m paying for. Prime moorings with priority in winter.

What I got is below. Continue reading “Braunston -> Norton Junction”

Whilton -> Braunston

I’ve been here two weeks, but only just moved onto my ‘winter moorings’ today.

Braunston winter moorings
Braunston winter moorings

It doesn’t look to great at the moment, but the boat in front is moving along, so I’ll get his spot.

It’s brighter, with a view through the trees at Braunston Church.

Braunston vs Devizes

Devizes, where I winter moored last year, was right in the middle of a town.

This is on the outskirts of a village, along with one other person. In Devizes, there were at least 5 others.

Braunston is a historic village. Although I’ve not researched the level of this, architecture points to the fact that there was a diverse and specialised workforce, mostly supported by the canal. Continue reading “Whilton -> Braunston”

Nether Hayford -> Weedon Bec

Not a big move, but a move. Perhaps a mile or so.

Weedon has some CRT facilities!

Bins….

Wehey!

Here’s some pictures of my current moorings.

Weedon Bec
Weedon Bec
Weedon Bec
Weedon Bec

Low profile

It’s not as low profile as Nether, as you can see, there are plenty of boats and boaters around.

It’s not far from both the village of Weedon, which is on the A5, or the Tesco Express which is walking distance.

Mobile signal is good. Continue reading “Nether Hayford -> Weedon Bec”