Nasty niffs nailed

We were warned – most English people talk about the weather, boaters talk about electrics and toilets. We resolved to break the stereotype and resist. Some hope! Ever since we returned to the Erin Mae once to find the toilet bowl full of – well, let's just say it wasn't clear water – we've been trying to identify the cause. Marina engineers pressure-flushed it (for a price) but that did little to prevent the ... seepage. So, following up on a tip from Caldon Canal Society members we'd met in September, we went to see Keith at the Anglo Welsh yard round the corner. Together we pored over the diagrams in the user guide and identified a one-way (or possibly not!) valve which looked as though it could be the culprit. I ordered one from the supplier (for a price), and today we went back round and they fixed it.

And once again, as with the question of our slightly over-heating engine, Keith proved himself knowledgeable, helpful, extremely fair with a price, and an all-round good bloke.

So far, so good. The loo is now fit for her majesty (anyone remember that episode of Steptoe and Son?). I doubt whether I'll report back on the long-term success of this operation. That would be to start talking about toilets again. Anyone who's interested can pay us a visit and see for themselves!