The canal / narrowboat thread.

[john2443]

Coventry canal basin. Was expecting it to be full of "live aboard ignoring the 7 days rule" boats, but remarkably quiet. Heading back to Sutton's stop and down the Oxford tomorrow, going here and there aiming for the Nelson, Braunston Weds eve for Mikron Theatre.

[spitfire-ian]

john2443 said:

Coventry canal basin. Was expecting it to be full of "live aboard ignoring the 7 days rule" boats, but remarkably quiet. Heading back to Sutton's stop and down the Oxford tomorrow, going here and there aiming for the Nelson, Braunston Weds eve for Mikron Theatre.

I’m sure we passed you a few days ago.

[SimonTheSailor]

classicaholic said:

Is that bridge as low as it looks?

Here's another -

[john2443]

spitfire-ian said:

I’m sure we passed you a few days ago.

It's shared ownership, so if you passed before Friday it would have been someone else using it.

[dhutch]

john2443 said:

Coventry canal basin. Was expecting it to be full of "live aboard ignoring the 7 days rule" boats, but remarkably quiet. Heading back to Sutton's stop and down the Oxford tomorrow, going here and there aiming for the Nelson, Braunston Weds eve for Mikron Theatre.

Nice. Agree it's quieter than you would expect. We have had a steam narrowboat gathering there. A good friend of mine runs Swan Lane whalf just up the cut from there which if nothing else mops up some boats. Nice paint dock too.

[geeks]

SimonTheSailor said:

Left my patch of the Great Ouse and heading for the canals.
Currently going through the Middle Level -

Pretty sure you have chugged past very close to where I live (between Chatteris and Wayboys)

[SimonTheSailor]

geeks said:

Pretty sure you have chugged past very close to where I live (between Chatteris and Wayboys)

Just a bit north of you I think. Was going between March and Whittlesey I think when those photos were taken.

[SimonTheSailor]

Been mooring up near to these guys for the last few days -

[geeks]

SimonTheSailor said:

geeks said:

Pretty sure you have chugged past very close to where I live (between Chatteris and Wayboys)

Just a bit north of you I think. Was going between March and Whittlesey I think when those photos were taken.

Yeah not far away at all then.

[Stephanie Plum]

Any experience here of Foxhangers near Devizes? Looking at hiring one of their boats and heading west towards Bath. We are reasonably experienced but not done the K&A before - hoping it's less twisty than the North Oxford!!

[miniman]

Stephanie Plum said:

Any experience here of Foxhangers near Devizes? Looking at hiring one of their boats and heading west towards Bath. We are reasonably experienced but not done the K&A before - hoping it's less twisty than the North Oxford!!

We haven't gone from Foxhangers, but have done the K&A from Trowbridge (a little West of Foxhangers) into Bath as far as the Avon and back in a Fri pm - Mon am long weekend. Lots of moored boats from Dundas aqueduct and in particular from Bathampton onwards to Bath so assume you'll be at tickover for a fair bit of that section. Lovely canal and some great moorings at the top of the Widcombe locks.

Timelapse here (not very good because I had it set wrong but it's a bit better if you run it at 2x speed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9fDtGFJD7g

[Gretchen]

SimonTheSailor said:

Been mooring up near to these guys for the last few days -

I’ve seen these on the spotted on Great Ouse group on FB. beautiful boats.

We did a few hours Kayaking yesterday



Florentine from the river. Canopy fitted and no issues, all windows in and internals start this weekend.



Simon’s pint was here



And last night’s deck view

Edited by Gretchen on Monday 20th June 22:16

[Stephanie Plum]

miniman said:

Stephanie Plum said:

Any experience here of Foxhangers near Devizes? Looking at hiring one of their boats and heading west towards Bath. We are reasonably experienced but not done the K&A before - hoping it's less twisty than the North Oxford!!

We haven't gone from Foxhangers, but have done the K&A from Trowbridge (a little West of Foxhangers) into Bath as far as the Avon and back in a Fri pm - Mon am long weekend. Lots of moored boats from Dundas aqueduct and in particular from Bathampton onwards to Bath so assume you'll be at tickover for a fair bit of that section. Lovely canal and some great moorings at the top of the Widcombe locks.

Timelapse here (not very good because I had it set wrong but it's a bit better if you run it at 2x speed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9fDtGFJD7g

Thanks. That's good info. We've taken the plunge and hired a boat from them so looking forward to it.

[miniman]

Stephanie Plum said:

miniman said:

Stephanie Plum said:

Any experience here of Foxhangers near Devizes? Looking at hiring one of their boats and heading west towards Bath. We are reasonably experienced but not done the K&A before - hoping it's less twisty than the North Oxford!!

We haven't gone from Foxhangers, but have done the K&A from Trowbridge (a little West of Foxhangers) into Bath as far as the Avon and back in a Fri pm - Mon am long weekend. Lots of moored boats from Dundas aqueduct and in particular from Bathampton onwards to Bath so assume you'll be at tickover for a fair bit of that section. Lovely canal and some great moorings at the top of the Widcombe locks.

Timelapse here (not very good because I had it set wrong but it's a bit better if you run it at 2x speed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9fDtGFJD7g

Thanks. That's good info. We've taken the plunge and hired a boat from them so looking forward to it.

At Bradford on Avon, The Lock Inn was seriously mediocre last time we went. Great pub at Bathampton (The George) and there was a good floating cafe moored up too. If you’re starting from Foxhangers The Barge at Seend is good too but very close to your start / end point.

If you want any tips for evening places in Bath just shout.

[spitfire-ian]

Watch out if you're around the Braunston area of the Grand Union this weekend as the Historic festival returns so expect chaos during the parade times which are 11am and 2pm Saturday, 11am Sunday.

[mcdjl]

spitfire-ian said:

Watch out if you're around the Braunston area of the Grand Union this weekend as the Historic festival returns so expect chaos during the parade times which are 11am and 2pm Saturday, 11am Sunday.

She's a bit further north than that now, but if any of you have been on the grand Union in the last two weeks you may have seen one of my friends who's paddle boarding from London to Nottingham. Usually had at least one other person with her and a narrow boat not far away for the last week.

[spitfire-ian]

mcdjl said:

spitfire-ian said:

Watch out if you're around the Braunston area of the Grand Union this weekend as the Historic festival returns so expect chaos during the parade times which are 11am and 2pm Saturday, 11am Sunday.

She's a bit further north than that now, but if any of you have been on the grand Union in the last two weeks you may have seen one of my friends who's paddle boarding from London to Nottingham. Usually had at least one other person with her and a narrow boat not far away for the last week.

If she went through Braunston I'd reckon she'd be heading the wrong way. I would have thought she'd turned right at Norton Junction and headed up the Leicester Line.

[SteveM46]

Hi all. My wife has scratched a life-long itch, and we have just purchased a 70ft narrow boat. Many things will be vexing us in the weeks ahead, but the immediate conundrum is licensing. We’re buying from a mooring on the Grand Union Canal, but we want to move it to a mooring on the Nene which is on the river system and we understand requires a £1500 per year ‘Gold’ river license. It’s not likely to be leaving the marina on the river for at least 6 months and once we’ve moved it, and I’m wondering if anyone can advise on whether we are likely to get into difficulty (I mean trouble) if we just didn’t license it until the new annual license period starts in January?

[Simpo Two]

SteveM46 said:

Hi all. My wife has scratched a life-long itch, and we have just purchased a 70ft narrow boat. Many things will be vexing us in the weeks ahead, but the immediate conundrum is licensing. We’re buying from a mooring on the Grand Union Canal, but we want to move it to a mooring on the Nene which is on the river system and we understand requires a £1500 per year ‘Gold’ river license. It’s not likely to be leaving the marina on the river for at least 6 months and once we’ve moved it, and I’m wondering if anyone can advise on whether we are likely to get into difficulty (I mean trouble) if we just didn’t license it until the new annual license period starts in January?

Straight in at the deep end eh - with the hardest inland vessel of all to maneuver!

The River Nene is under the aegis of Anglian Water/Environment Agency: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/anglian...

Simple, isn't it...

The EA state that if your boat is in their waters, it must be licensed, otherwise you'll be hung, drawn and quartered by little men in hi-vis vests. That includes in marinas.

Technically because it's on the Grand Union, which falls under the CRT, then yes you need a Gold licence to move the boat because that covers both authorities (Part 18 in the link above). In reality, just like speeding, it's a case of 'How lucky do you feel?' If there are any locks operated by either agency on your route they are very likely to check. You may be able to get away with the 'Sorry guv, didn't know, just bought it' line.

I can only speak for the EA, as they police my river, but they do have the power to enter marinas and check boat licences. Hence I expect the CRT can do the same.

As you've just bought the boat, why aren't you going to use it until the middle of winter?

Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 24th June 21:55

[spitfire-ian]

You will probably find that part of the marina’s terms and conditions is that your boat is correctly licensed.