Cruising the Cut

Happy New Year! This is a quick "fireside chat" (with no fire to speak of) just updating you on what's likely to be in store here in 2026. Cheers!

In 2025, over a period of some months, two steam narrowboats, called Tixall and Emily Anne, had their boilers removed and their pipes taken out for replacement. This is the story of that epic job! Many thanks to Matthew and Dan for inviting me to film.

Settle down with a cuppa and a pack of biscuits because this one is a long, waffly one where I go over the many assorted DIY projects I would like to address on narrowboat Gentian in the coming months (and years!) - plus I ask for your suggestions on several of them.

Every four years, inland waterways craft are required to undergo a Boat Safety Scheme examination and my narrowboat was due for its test. Join me as I prepare for this, watch as the test is done, and see what the outcome was.

It is nearly Valentine's Day after all and I've had the narrowboat for a year so what better way to celebrate than pondering all the things I love (and some I love rather less) about narrowboat Gentian!

After interminable weeks of rain, I thought I'd better pop over to my project boat, Twiggy, and just see how it's surviving at the boatyard. Also managed to do a tiny bit of work.

Here's an update video on some of the topics I mentioned during my "upcoming DIY" video plus a clarification about lying diagonally on the bed, as mentioned in my "likes and dislikes" video.

Getting some quick 'hits' done on my project boat Twiggy, which included attempting to use gelcoat filler to patch up some holes inside the cabin.

A few weeks ago, I uploaded a video discussing some of the DIY projects I have in mind for my narrowboat, Gentian. There was also a video where I started some of those projects, resulting in the mysterious loss of power to my water pump. In this thrilling episode, I explain what went wrong with the pump and show you updates on the other improvements I've made.

On a random day in mid-March, the sun decided to shine so as I was aboard the boat, I decided to give it a run up the canal, the first time it had been anywhere since last year. You know, what with the winter being all cold and wet and miserable and all that.

I had to pop back to my project boat Twiggy to fetch something for use at home, so while I was there I put some better filler in the cabin holes, as well as trying to install a new bilge pump. But that's about the extent of it...

With the weather being bright blue skies and sunshine, I took to the narrowboat for a couple of days to just chill and enjoy being on the water. Come and enjoy it with me in this video.

This is day 2 of my 'weekend' (actually a Wednesday and Thursday) aboard my little narrowboat on the South Oxford canal at Napton, just bobbing about having an escape from the world. I also tried to work out why the electric immersion heater doesn't work but gave up!

For those who thought this day would never come, prepare to have your world shaken to the core - I have finally slapped resin all over the new wood core for Twiggy's transom, and pushed it into place on the back of the boat. Now I just need to fibreglass over the top of it.

OK, I grant you it's only a three-day trip but it's still my longest duration aboard the boat! I'm taking narrowboat Gentian from Wigram's Turn marina down the South Oxford canal to Cropredy marina. There are lock flights at either end of the trip, beautiful cruising in between, and a lot of new spring life on the canals.

Welcome along to day 2 of my three-day trip from Wigram's Turn marina down to Cropredy marina on the south Oxford canal. In which I mainly cruise long some lovely open countryside although I do spot some possible intergalactic visitors along the way.