Twenty more questions - and answers

Ever since I answered Twenty Questions, I’ve been itching to ask – and answer – twenty more. So here goes.

Most memorable canal experience?
Taking the tiller of the old girl for the first time and thus fulfilling a childhood dream

Most embarrassing canal moment?
There have been so many. In recent memory, falling foul of winds and mud on the Shroppie and getting badly stemmed up, and then having a procession of boats come past while you’re looking as if it was the most natural thing in the world and this is where you wanted to be all the time.

Most salutary lesson ever learned on a narrowboat?
It’s a terrible getaway vehicle when a gypsy’s just threatened to kill you

Earliest canal memory?
The little swing bridge at Rose Narrowboats.

Your dream money-is-no-object boat?
A little number by Mr Kemp, Mr Fuller or Mr Edgeson

Your favourite flight?
Bosley

Your worst weed-hatch moment?
Touch wood, we’ve been very lucky in this respect. Just plastic bags and er, weeds

Your worst ever lock entry?
Going up Atherstone, a by-wash took me and rammed me into the left wall with such a crack that, by rights, everything should have been broken down below. Miraculously, it was only my pride that was damaged.

The most locks in a day?
38 – from the tops of Farmer’s Bridge to the bottom of Curdworth. We finished off in the pouring rain, soaked and knackered.

The cruising day you’d like back at the end of your life?
When we went down the Anderton Lift onto the Weaver and saw what we’d been missing all this time.

The canal you’d most like to do but haven’t yet?
The Rochdale. A has a thing about Gauxholm and I just have a thing about majestic scenery.

The canal you’d most like to see restored?
Lichfield and Hatherton. It will breathe life back into the Northern BCN and create another fine cruising ring.

If you could change one thing about the canals, what would it be?
Apart from underfunding, their unwelcome role as the nation’s dustbin

The three essentials you don’t leave your mooring without?
Contact lenses, dog food, loo paper

If you could change one thing about your boat, what would it be?
The bed. And it’s going to be soon. Either it's too small or we're too big. No, don't answer that one.

A secret you can share?
The Douglas Valley

The best narrowboat name you’ve seen?
Only one contender, The Dogs, out of Bow Locks

Forever England or continental cruising?

Haven’t made up my mind. From reading the excellent Billy Bubbles, it seems that the things you might want to get away from over here are already over there, plus I’ve still got so much to see in the UK.

You wish you hadn’t....
Gone through the ice last winter (not by choice)

You wish you had...
A butty for the dogs