Category: Video

Posts including videos

Vlog 370: Stranded

Posted on May 30, 2025May 30, 2025 by David Johns

After a long period where it seemed that all I did was make holes in my fibreglass cabin cruiser, “Twiggy”, I have at least started to repair them.

Vlog 369: Phoenix Knights

Posted on May 20, 2025May 14, 2025 by David Johns

I attended the Inland Waterways Association’s annual restoration conference the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, and heard what delegates and speakers had to say about the state of the canal network in Britain.

Vlog 368: Prop Forward

Posted on May 10, 2025May 10, 2025 by David Johns

Although lots of technical data about narrowboat propellers exists already, it largely relates to the traditional diesel engine. With electrically-propelled canal boats now becoming more commonplace, boat-builder Ortomarine held a practical trials day to see if changing prop made for a better or worse experience when your narrowboat has an electric motor.

Vlog 367: The Daily Grind

Posted on April 30, 2025 by David Johns

In order to fix the holes in the sides of my boat that I made when trying to find out where the transom wood ended, I need to open them out a bit so as to give me a space onto which to stick new fibreglass so that meant buying an angle grinder and making the holes even bigger. Don’t worry, it’s all part of the plan.

A narrowboat moored at Torksey visitor moorings.

Vlog 366: Tork Steer

Posted on April 20, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

For the second cruise on my ‘new’ tiny narrowboat, Gentian, I turned right out of the marina and headed about 7 miles west along the Fossdyke Navigation until I got to Torksey lock where I stopped for the night before heading back. In this video I also reveal the mystery of how to change the lightbulbs!

Vlog 365: Wireloose Technology

Posted on April 10, 2025April 10, 2025 by David Johns

With the weather nearly warm enough to be working at the boatyard on my Microplus 600 cabin cruiser, Twiggy, again, I decided to get a ‘straightforward’ (?!) job out of the way and remove the old and rather odd leisure battery setup. This had for some reason been installed under the sink and comprised three batteries of two different sizes but there was a surprise or two as I took them out.

Vlog 364: Water, water everywhere

Posted on March 30, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

The day before I went on my first cruise on NB Gentian (see the link for that video below), I pottered around the boat doing a variety of odd jobs as this was only the second weekend I’d spent aboard since buying the boat so there was still lots to finesse to my liking. This is the document of that day.

Vlog 363: The Lincs Effect

Posted on March 22, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

At last, on my second weekend aboard the boat since purchasing it, I had a sunny day and the time to take it out for a short “test cruise” to see how it went along. I turned left from Burton Waters marina and went the two miles to Lincoln whereupon I turned around and came back. It was a glorious trip!

Vlog 362a: Full Throttle

Posted on March 19, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

This is a “bonus” video, extra content that might be of interest to some viewers who like technical stuff. I recorded myself diagnosing and fix the throttle linkage issue on my narrowboat.

Vlog 362: Chores for Thought

Posted on March 10, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

Recorded on Feb 1st & 2nd when it was still very chilly, this was my first full weekend spent aboard the boat and only my second visit since purchase. As you can imagine, I had lots of things to sort out from a new propane cylinder to new mooring lines and many other miscellaneous jobs.

Canal Life