The canal / narrowboat thread.
Discussion
I’m happy to help keep the thread going with pictures!
This was a frosty wake-up on the Caldon Canal back in April - our first family narrowboat trip. We absolutely loved it, have another hire boat booked from Market Harborough in August, and I’m even thinking about selling the Porsche to help fund a boat!
This was a frosty wake-up on the Caldon Canal back in April - our first family narrowboat trip. We absolutely loved it, have another hire boat booked from Market Harborough in August, and I’m even thinking about selling the Porsche to help fund a boat!
Well done jimbobs 
I noticed that the last episode of Great Canal Journeys had Gyles and Sheila on the Caldon Canal in a 70' narrowboat. As they seemed to be complete rookies and there are only two of them, why did the show put them in a 70-footer? (which just makes a hard job even harder)
I noticed that the last episode of Great Canal Journeys had Gyles and Sheila on the Caldon Canal in a 70' narrowboat. As they seemed to be complete rookies and there are only two of them, why did the show put them in a 70-footer? (which just makes a hard job even harder)
Simpo Two said:
Well done jimbobs
I noticed that the last episode of Great Canal Journeys had Gyles and Sheila on the Caldon Canal in a 70' narrowboat. As they seemed to be complete rookies and there are only two of them, why did the show put them in a 70-footer? (which just makes a hard job even harder)
Having struggled at times with a 52-footer, there’s no way as a novice that I’d have wanted to try a 70-footer on the Caldon. I noticed that the last episode of Great Canal Journeys had Gyles and Sheila on the Caldon Canal in a 70' narrowboat. As they seemed to be complete rookies and there are only two of them, why did the show put them in a 70-footer? (which just makes a hard job even harder)
The continuity on the show was terrible too - the place they set off from on the first morning was definitely not the same place that they’d moored at the night before!
dhutch said:
Tbf, the difference between steering a 50 and 70ft boat is negligible.
If you can steer one you can steer the other, if you can steer your can't steer. The cauldon is a bit of a narrower and twister channel than some canals, but not beyond most people or boats.
Daniel
It's still silly putting a married couple of beginners on a 70' boat on a narrow twisty canal. 40' would be ample.If you can steer one you can steer the other, if you can steer your can't steer. The cauldon is a bit of a narrower and twister channel than some canals, but not beyond most people or boats.
Daniel
Simpo Two said:
It's still silly putting... beginners... ....on a narrow twisty canal.
Granted not the easiest canal to start on!Simpo Two said:
...40' would be ample.
Debatable I'm sure if likely I would agree enough room for two, but also not necessary easier to steer than a longer boat. Daniel
Just come back from our two week trip combining the four counties ring plus diversions to Anderton (the lift was broken...) and up the Caldon canal (both Leek and Froghall). 169 miles, 136 locks. We were in a 68 ft boat, friends in a 58 ft boat so we cross decked for the final stretch to Froghall, leaving the 68 footer moored before the last lock. Had an interesting time turning left onto the Leek arm at Hazlehurst junction...
Fortunately did not bump into Wayne Rooney who was also apparently out on the canal...
Now thinking about a route for next year....I like the Avon ring but would need a diversion to make it 2 weeks, or take 3 weeks and do the Thames ring.
Fortunately did not bump into Wayne Rooney who was also apparently out on the canal...
jimbobs said:
I’m happy to help keep the thread going with pictures!
This was a frosty wake-up on the Caldon Canal back in April - our first family narrowboat trip. We absolutely loved it, have another hire boat booked from Market Harborough in August, and I’m even thinking about selling the Porsche to help fund a boat!
Is this just outside of Endon on the Caldon? Looks exactly like the spot where we were moored just last week.This was a frosty wake-up on the Caldon Canal back in April - our first family narrowboat trip. We absolutely loved it, have another hire boat booked from Market Harborough in August, and I’m even thinking about selling the Porsche to help fund a boat!
Now thinking about a route for next year....I like the Avon ring but would need a diversion to make it 2 weeks, or take 3 weeks and do the Thames ring.
dhutch said:
Debatable I'm sure if likely I would agree enough room for two, but also not necessary easier to steer than a longer boat.
Daniel
Ssssh, don’t give the secret away as I like to think I look impressive and skilful! In fact it’s true, longer narrowboats are actually easier to steer as they have less of a propensity to ‘skittishness’, at the extreme think supertanker vs. dinghy.Daniel
This was us at the weekend, can’t beat it!!
dhutch said:
Tbf, the difference between steering a 50 and 70ft boat is negligible.
If you can steer one you can steer the other, if you can steer your can't steer. The cauldon is a bit of a narrower and twister channel than some canals, but not beyond most people or boats.
Daniel
Agreed. If you can steer one you can steer the other, if you can steer your can't steer. The cauldon is a bit of a narrower and twister channel than some canals, but not beyond most people or boats.
Daniel
One of only two narrowboat holidays we had was a bunch of twenties pals on a 72’ beast.
Great fun!
Of course, one fella (not known as the worlds greatest driver….) managed to wedge the boat across a bit of canal near Nantwich that was about 68’ wide!
First we knew below decks was when our tea spilled, & when we looked out of the windows, we could see water either side as far as the eye can see
Always hankered after a smaller one. Must get a holiday booked up…..
I wonder if they actually slept aboard or if they were in nearby hotels each night? The reason I wonder is that you may remember a series a few years ago where Oz Clarke and Hugh Dennis toured Scottish distilleries in a Land Rover campervan. I was working away from home and staying in a hotel and was quite surprised one morning to come down to breakfast to see Oz, Hugh and their production team having breakfast with the Land Rover clearly parked in the hotel carpark!
douglasb said:
I wonder if they actually slept aboard or if they were in nearby hotels each night? The reason I wonder is that you may remember a series a few years ago where Oz Clarke and Hugh Dennis toured Scottish distilleries in a Land Rover campervan. I was working away from home and staying in a hotel and was quite surprised one morning to come down to breakfast to see Oz, Hugh and their production team having breakfast with the Land Rover clearly parked in the hotel carpark!
The magic of television, eh douglasb said:
I wonder if they actually slept aboard or if they were in nearby hotels each night? The reason I wonder is that you may remember a series a few years ago where Oz Clarke and Hugh Dennis toured Scottish distilleries in a Land Rover campervan. I was working away from home and staying in a hotel and was quite surprised one morning to come down to breakfast to see Oz, Hugh and their production team having breakfast with the Land Rover clearly parked in the hotel carpark!
Half the fun is sleeping on board! The day-trippers who have to leave the boat sober at 6pm so they can drive back home have no idea what they're missing.PS Great photo Pippage.
Anybody had a cratch hood/cover made recently ? Need to get one done before winter arrives - just wondered of anybodies recent experiences ?
Don't know whether to go for a new cratch frame and hood which is traditional - or a cratch frame which would give a bit more space.
Would want to remove it every spring time as it would annoy me getting in the way every time I board the boat !!
Don't know whether to go for a new cratch frame and hood which is traditional - or a cratch frame which would give a bit more space.
Would want to remove it every spring time as it would annoy me getting in the way every time I board the boat !!
SimonTheSailor said:
Anybody had a cratch hood/cover made recently ? Need to get one done before winter arrives - just wondered of anybodies recent experiences ?
Don't know whether to go for a new cratch frame and hood which is traditional - or a cratch frame which would give a bit more space.
Would want to remove it every spring time as it would annoy me getting in the way every time I board the boat !!
This bloke had one made.Don't know whether to go for a new cratch frame and hood which is traditional - or a cratch frame which would give a bit more space.
Would want to remove it every spring time as it would annoy me getting in the way every time I board the boat !!
I can't remember how it was done, but here's the link to his video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11xiqLQ3I6I
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