Hello to all.

I just want to introduce myself to everybody, my names John and I am a happy new owner of a Freeman 23. I bought her last week from a fellow Liverpudlian who already had it moored on a quiet marina on the beautiful Lancaster Canal, it's quite hard to get a mooring unless you buy a boat from the marinas on here so I am quite lucky with the boat and the marina. Twenty years ago when I was with my partner, we had a small cruiser on the same canal up at Galgate, but I always wanted a berth on Bridgehouse (got my name on the waiting list now). So this last weekend I managed to get down to the mooring, but the canal level is quite low which could be the hot weather but also the Ribble Link probably drops the levels some especially when there is a gin festival taking place . 

Pisces is my boats name and for the last three days and two nights I have been aboard tidying her up as I'm not back in work until Friday so after stocking up on supplies today I'll be back on board again tomorrow for a couple of days. There are one or two little niggly issues with her but with so much Freeman wisdom here on this forum I know I have made the right choice. I would upload to my gallery but it says limit has been reached, oh well, maybe soon.

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Hi John, welcome.  Nice looking boat.

Hi, and welcome aboard from another 23 owner. Fire away with any quieries as I'm sure there will be an answer amongst us all somewhere

Welcome

Yes welcome i hope you enjoy your boat also welcome to the best freeman boat site anywhere

Welcome from Flittermouse, fellow 23 owner

Derek

Thanks everybody, looking forward to making a few friends on here, especially if you are on the Lancaster Canal  I know I like looking at all the amazing photos of other people pride and joy so here's a link to my album. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

What a lovely boat. You must have paid a lot - or you should have!
A dribbling water inlet cap - perhaps deserves a new cork gasket inside? You call that a problem?
You've done well  - and congratulations.

John B wrote: I would upload to my gallery but it says limit has been reached, oh well, maybe soon.

The gallery if working again now  I’ve been deliberating paying for a forum upgrade which I have now done.

However for general post type photos, it’s better to upload the photo directly into the post using the tools in the post toolbar. This was unaffected by the upgrade...or lack of it

Thanks for your kind words Stephen. For whatever reason, probably because its 42 miles of lock free cruising, boats on the Lancaster Canal tend to be a bit pricier than the Leeds Liverpool Canal which I live near to, however I still paid a lot less than I expected as the last owner had dropped the price quite a bit for a quick sale, then along I came. As an added bonus I was able to get his mooring straight away something you normally have to go on a waiting list for on that canal.  

I wish it was only the cap that was the issue, the water on the cap in the photo is where I unscrewed it to work out if the valve was locked open or closed, the water came out under quite a bit of pressure which surprised me so I figured the valve is stuck in the open position. It's the spindle on the valve that has snapped off so I might as well do the repair. Thanks again.

I hadn't spotted that there was anything else wrong. I sense you have to be very careful here, not wanting to inadvertently stress the fitting at its join with the hull while you apply torque clockwise to close. Then its an out-of-the water job so instead just keep watching the temperature gauge for any sign of a choked filter though at this warm-water time of the year the temp could easily go 30 C higher than in the winter if no thermostat fitted which is not uncommon. There was also a very recent discussion about the fitting of a different mechanism of stopcock.
Your boat won't sink so long as you stay calm, as you will!, and be ready to replace the cap quite quickly without cross-threading, to lift out the gauze-tube filter for washing. Nothing a sponge won't clear up. 
As satisfactorily the water is coming in 'under quite a bit of pressure' its not something that really demands rectification, at least before the winter and winterization, I would say.

Admin wrote:The gallery if working again now  I’ve been deliberating paying for a forum upgrade which I have now done.

Thank you 

Hello and welcome from yet another F23 owner

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Emily Elizabeth - very smart. You fit the rear tonneau, the finishing touch. Not many bother!

Thanks and yes we always fit the cover as it does make the stern look neat and tidy.

Hi John
           I also have a 23 "Osprey" on the Lancaster canal moored between bridges 72 & 73 at Cabus Nook. We have had 3 years and have had lots of good advice and help from the guys on the forum.

cheers Mark

Hi,
I’m also on the Lancaster canal- we bought a boat from Norfolk and had her bought up on Saturday.
We have very little knowledge so will hopefully be picking the brains of everyone at the marina! 
We’ve not even been brave enough to go out in her yet! 
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Little Alice looks very smart. For a first boat, a lifetime boat, or a final boat, you cant choose better than a Freeman! The build and materials quality, the mechanical simplicity and reliability, the seaworthiness and safety for comfort and pleasure at any time of year, the size (less cleaning and cleaning is a big part of boating), and the unmatched availability of advice and genuine spares when needed. Great choice. Congratulations, and welcome to the Forum. A mass of knowledge just for the asking, and even conversation!

'One hand for yourself and one for the boat' is a golden rule while clambering around. The other, I suggest, in a petrol boat, is no-one else onboard when fuelling and EVERYTHING switched off or turned off - every time.

Take her out - it'll be so easy, tell us more, and ask away!

Hi Little Alice, nice boat. I recognise the scenery in the background, looks like we are on the same marina. The wind and rain this last weekend wasn't really my cup of tea for taking Pisces out either, so I didn't take Pisces out either. You have reversed in to the mooring which is no mean feat on this marina cos it is 90 degrees so you will be fine. Happy sailing and I may see you this weekend (I'm on mooring 6)
John.

Thanks Stephen, yes, we were rather smitten with the Freemans when we first started looking, so decided it was the one for us. 
Hi John, we are temporarily on mooring 25 (opposites the slipway) sadly we did not get her in place the lovely boat transportation guy put her in for us - we are so nervous about what order things need to be done in. 
I have been like a naughty child, found a lever and pulled on it water started to leak from a crack so I shut it off and now panicing I’ve sunk the boat! What is the lever under the front seat (v berth section on the starboard side?) I will watch out for you this weekend

That's one place on my boat that I didn't know there was a lever. I don't think there is one on mine? Somebody else may know though. Is the crack on the lever? Photo may help.

Welcome to the forum 

She looks great

The lever under the front berth would have been for a sea toilet, now banned on most inland waterways. Wire it shut, and get a blanking plug fitted

Yes, only open it if you fancy the Freeman in berth bath feature....it's a one off feature.
By the way...you might want to raise the rear fender above the exhaust pipe. They crush easily!

Ah that would explain it! I will get someone to do a more permanent closing of it!
Yes I noticed the fender a little too low.
Jobs for the weekend!

Get someone with a Freeman ( from your Marina ?) to go out with you first time,it will help you feel more confident and they can show you a few wrinkles and tips that apply to the lovely Freeman marque.
One tip l was told which I pass on to new owners is, when manoeuvring such as mooring, only go as fast as you would want to hit something !! 
That can be achieved by not pushing the floor gearstick fully into gear forward or reverse,  ( assuming you have that type), just 'feather' it gently towards the full in gear position, it's the equivalent of slipping the clutch in a car.
Anyway Im sure you will soon be cruising confidently and enjoying the experience, good sailing !!