The canal / narrowboat thread.
Discussion
dudleybloke said:
GRP boats any good?
I've been looking at getting something that floats but my budget doesn't run to a proper narrowboat.
There's a Viking/Shetland/Atlanta 32 centre cockpit https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=shetland+32+cent...I've been looking at getting something that floats but my budget doesn't run to a proper narrowboat.
- which due to its lightness and central steering position with a wheel would be much easier to handle than a 25 ton steel narrowboat.
Freeman made their classic 22 and 23 models in narrowbeam too - just £5-7K.
Thread revival!
I've just bought a share in a semi trad 58' boat, based at Braunston, first trip starts this Friday, wife and (adult) kids coming for the weekend then a few days on my own - I've not tried solo boating before so will be interesting.
Unfortunately, like most shared boats, it has an Isuzu engine which revs far too fast for my liking - I'd much rather have a thud-thud-thud Gardner or Russell Newbury but no choice at the moment!
Heading to Stoke Bruerne for Saturday night and see what happens from there.
I've just bought a share in a semi trad 58' boat, based at Braunston, first trip starts this Friday, wife and (adult) kids coming for the weekend then a few days on my own - I've not tried solo boating before so will be interesting.
Unfortunately, like most shared boats, it has an Isuzu engine which revs far too fast for my liking - I'd much rather have a thud-thud-thud Gardner or Russell Newbury but no choice at the moment!
Heading to Stoke Bruerne for Saturday night and see what happens from there.
john2443 said:
Thread revival!
I've just bought a share in a semi trad 58' boat, based at Braunston, first trip starts this Friday, wife and (adult) kids coming for the weekend then a few days on my own - I've not tried solo boating before so will be interesting.
Unfortunately, like most shared boats, it has an Isuzu engine which revs far too fast for my liking - I'd much rather have a thud-thud-thud Gardner or Russell Newbury but no choice at the moment!
Heading to Stoke Bruerne for Saturday night and see what happens from there.
Sounds idyllic, aside the engine. Enjoy! I've just bought a share in a semi trad 58' boat, based at Braunston, first trip starts this Friday, wife and (adult) kids coming for the weekend then a few days on my own - I've not tried solo boating before so will be interesting.
Unfortunately, like most shared boats, it has an Isuzu engine which revs far too fast for my liking - I'd much rather have a thud-thud-thud Gardner or Russell Newbury but no choice at the moment!
Heading to Stoke Bruerne for Saturday night and see what happens from there.
Spent a majority of my childhood school holidays on a narrow boat owned by my grandparents (I once stayed on one for a whole month between my parents, grandparents and family friends onboard during the summer holidays) I have been planting the thought of a boat with SWMBO for a few years and she is on the whole interested, I quite like the idea of a narrow boat because I am familiar and because nostalgia but it would be good to cruise with my cousin and uncle who both have boats on the river nene.. decisions, decisions! While I know narrow boats are fine in the river, we always holidayed on the canal and some of the tighter stuff on the nene is no good for a narrow boat!
These guys popped up on my feed the other day. They're entertaining, at least on the basis of one or two I've watched (Ribble Link)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neFmgBzIEJw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neFmgBzIEJw
john2443 said:
Thread revival!
I've just bought a share in a semi trad 58' boat, based at Braunston, first trip starts this Friday, wife and (adult) kids coming for the weekend then a few days on my own - I've not tried solo boating before so will be interesting.
Unfortunately, like most shared boats, it has an Isuzu engine which revs far too fast for my liking - I'd much rather have a thud-thud-thud Gardner or Russell Newbury but no choice at the moment!
Heading to Stoke Bruerne for Saturday night and see what happens from there.
Thats a fair old cruise! Used to love going through the tunnel at Stoke Bruerne. If I wasnt at Brands at the weekend I would come and take some pics as you potter through MK on the Grand Union (providing you carry on through)I've just bought a share in a semi trad 58' boat, based at Braunston, first trip starts this Friday, wife and (adult) kids coming for the weekend then a few days on my own - I've not tried solo boating before so will be interesting.
Unfortunately, like most shared boats, it has an Isuzu engine which revs far too fast for my liking - I'd much rather have a thud-thud-thud Gardner or Russell Newbury but no choice at the moment!
Heading to Stoke Bruerne for Saturday night and see what happens from there.
I'm not jealous at all!
geeks said:
john2443 said:
Thread revival!
I've just bought a share in a semi trad 58' boat, based at Braunston, first trip starts this Friday, wife and (adult) kids coming for the weekend then a few days on my own - I've not tried solo boating before so will be interesting.
Unfortunately, like most shared boats, it has an Isuzu engine which revs far too fast for my liking - I'd much rather have a thud-thud-thud Gardner or Russell Newbury but no choice at the moment!
Heading to Stoke Bruerne for Saturday night and see what happens from there.
Thats a fair old cruise! I've just bought a share in a semi trad 58' boat, based at Braunston, first trip starts this Friday, wife and (adult) kids coming for the weekend then a few days on my own - I've not tried solo boating before so will be interesting.
Unfortunately, like most shared boats, it has an Isuzu engine which revs far too fast for my liking - I'd much rather have a thud-thud-thud Gardner or Russell Newbury but no choice at the moment!
Heading to Stoke Bruerne for Saturday night and see what happens from there.
If you are route planning, CanalPlanAC is the website to use.
Give you the distance and time required between points, suggested day splits, navigation notes for any limited access items etc.
You can set all the perameters and make up multi-point routes, select common rings etc, but it also works really well out of the box just by firing your start and end point into the quick search box.
Daniel
Give you the distance and time required between points, suggested day splits, navigation notes for any limited access items etc.
You can set all the perameters and make up multi-point routes, select common rings etc, but it also works really well out of the box just by firing your start and end point into the quick search box.
Daniel
I hope you got to Stoke Bruerne last weekend - it was fab.
If you didn't make it, this is what was happening :- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqGHqimQWdA...
If you didn't make it, this is what was happening :- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqGHqimQWdA...
We went through Bruerne on Sunday morning, having moored at Blisworth Sat night - moorings at Bruerne were all prebooked.
It was a bit quieter on Monday.
No 1 daughter was a natural at steering, she had steered when supervised when she was 10, she's now 24, I stood with her for 5 mins then 1 lock, left her to it and she was fine. My wife still shows the lack of understanding of putting the tiller left to make the boat go right that she has always had!
They had to go back to work on Monday so I had it to myself and just for the challenge went down to Northampton and back - flight of 13 at Rothersthorpe is fun, bit of walking to and fro to get the next one set by the time you leave the first one but on the way up, the boat behind with a few people on weren't catching me up!
Fortunately no CRT people around to say 'You can't do that!'
It was a bit quieter on Monday.
No 1 daughter was a natural at steering, she had steered when supervised when she was 10, she's now 24, I stood with her for 5 mins then 1 lock, left her to it and she was fine. My wife still shows the lack of understanding of putting the tiller left to make the boat go right that she has always had!
They had to go back to work on Monday so I had it to myself and just for the challenge went down to Northampton and back - flight of 13 at Rothersthorpe is fun, bit of walking to and fro to get the next one set by the time you leave the first one but on the way up, the boat behind with a few people on weren't catching me up!
Fortunately no CRT people around to say 'You can't do that!'
woodypup59 said:
There is a local "character" who often helps boats up & down the R'thorpe locks in exchange for a few beer tokens.
He was obviously busy that day !
Yes, I saw him, looked like he was sleeping under the M1 bridge, he opened 1 gate at the lock ahead of me and then wandered off down the canal - I was going to offer him a beer or some food but I never saw him again.He was obviously busy that day !
Just a quick book recommendation*
I'd describe it as a humorous and whimsically irreverent guide to the Lancaster canal, by local artist Brian Hughes
For a sample of his writing style, his blog is here https://mouseboat.wordpress.com/ and facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/groups/690453137731486/
Link if you want to order http://www.lulu.com/shop/brian-hughes/th-mouse-boa...
I'd describe it as a humorous and whimsically irreverent guide to the Lancaster canal, by local artist Brian Hughes
For a sample of his writing style, his blog is here https://mouseboat.wordpress.com/ and facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/groups/690453137731486/
Link if you want to order http://www.lulu.com/shop/brian-hughes/th-mouse-boa...
- I have no commercial interest in this whatsoever
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff