LizG

Part 2 The boat they selected was Catrin from Cambrian Cruisers, near Pencelli and close to Brecon, the week selected was simply the only week it was available! Catrin is 55 feet long with a beam of 6’ 10”. It is classed at a six berth but ideal for four adults from two different families. It comes with two double beds and two washrooms separated by the galley and dining area which is ideal. It has two holding tanks which meant we didn’t have to have a pump out during the entire week although it was necessary to fill up water on a daily basis. The flow at some of the canal side watering points was quite slow! The engine was a diesel Beta Marine but there was also a quiet water heater which we fired up each morning for an hour which also heated the radiators. Absolute luxury compared to Water Rail! We were assured there would be no need to top up the diesel and there was also an automatic gas bottle transfer. This link tells you everything you need to know! https://www.cambriancruisers.co.uk/our-boats/six-berth/catrin Cambrian Cruisers is a family run business with high standards although I think all the canal side boat yards fall into that category. Seeing an employee of Brecon Park Boats standing in the water in waders touching up the black paint on one of their boats was something I’ve never seen before! We had a thorough handover, and then trial run. We were given advice on locks, the tunnel, where to go, where not to bother to go, where was the best place to turn, where not to turn etc. Plus some good suggestions for pubs that served good food. So we decided to go as far as Goytre Wharf (which wasn’t as far as our friends had initially planned) and as long as we had got back to Cambrian Cruisers by midday on the Friday, we would also have time to go up to Brecon and back before handing back the boat. We were told that the maximum speed was 2mph but in truth even that wasn’t possible. The canal is narrow and at times very narrow! It is also very shallow and the edges even shallower! The use of a long pole would be essential and that the best way to get through the bridges was to keep to the tow path side. However, I worked out that whereas you couldn’t use the centre of the boat to line up with the centre of the bridge, the pole sitting on the deck on the starboard side worked when the tow path was on the port side ensured a perfect line up with the centre of the bridge. Steering a 55 feet boat with a tiller rather than a 27 feet Broads Cruiser with a central steering wheel was a completely new experience for me. It was quite common to hit either the bridge or the towpath edge, or run aground. Yes I could reverse out of trouble but only in a straight line and then quite often the wind pushed the boat back into the bank – so this was when the pole became an essential part of boat maneuvering! The bit that I never managed to sort out during the entire trip was passing an oncoming boat. Despite the usual rules of the river, we were told to travel down the middle of the canal so it would be necessary to move over to the right hand bank which was either the tow path or the undergrowth. Also immediately part of the boat would go aground and either the bow or stern start to stick out - not just into the middle of the canal but across the entire width of the canal. The other boat would invariably do the same so the entire procedure could take several minutes! Once everyone was lined up then one of the boats would proceed cautiously past you – usually leaving the other boat stuck!!! For some reason, you never met a boat on a long wide straight section but immediately you were rounding a bend or just as you approached a narrow bridge on a blind bend of which there were several. There were also canoes, paddle boarders and the occasional electric day boat which seemed to have no steerage!

Part 1 - introduction The Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal as it was originally known was built following the contours lines of the mountainside above the River Usk between Brecon and the junction with the Monmouthshire Canal which continued on to Newport. Cargos comprised agricultural products and the produce of the Welsh industries including coal, limestone, iron ore as well as finished products. The canal also interconnected with nearly two hundred miles of horse drawn tram roads that helped move the products from village to village or up or down the hillsides. The canal was built by the early 1800s but by the 1920s commercial traffic was almost non-existent and the canal simply wasn’t being used although it was saved from total dereliction by its use as a water feeder. However, plans to build culverts to replace bridges were abandoned and slowly restoration to Pontymoile was completed during the latter part of the last century. The idea of going on a canal boat trip was that of our long standing friends. We had (until 2020) always once a year gone on a European city break but with this type of adventure being off limits at the moment they wanted to come up with a different plan? Despite spending most of my life on the Broads, my alternative waterway holidays consisted of a Fenland holiday when I was about seven and the River Shannon when I was eleven – neither was that enjoyable although quite memorable for a variety of reasons! My husband had always objected to the idea of a canal boat holiday so when our friends suggested the idea, I was very surprised when he was quite enthusiastic! Our friends live near Llandovery and the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal (as it is now called) was only about 30 miles away – we had walked a stretch of towpath a few years ago with them and they had also walked several other sections. They were also aware of several eating and drinking establishments alongside the canal (which I think was a factor in my husband agreeing it would be fun!). What they hadn’t appreciated was that the pubs weren’t doing food every night, and if they were - booking was essential! By the end of the week, we had sussed this out and my husband ensured bookings were made. The food and beer was pretty good in all establishments! We were also lucky that the week selected included a Bank Holiday Monday and most pubs were open that day. A recce a few weeks previous on a Monday nearly left us very hungry with only one of four pubs we passed open and doing food!

I think I know what Vaughan is referring to. It's not so much that paddle boards should have some form of tolling whether BA or BCU but the manner in which it was being enforced. My last visit to Barton Regatta was 2019 but every recent Barton I've attended the BA launch appears and goes round all the boats to check in my opinion in an unnecessary way! They are primarily checking the Wroxham Broad boats including all the dinghies, and accompanying flotsam (when kept at Wroxham they are not tolled) to check they have paid up for visitors toll. In my mind it's just over zealous. I am sure some of you will disagree. I would prefer they were checking for speeding boats on the Ant!

As so much is online, you could source an old guide book. Perhaps a Hamilton's or one of the pre war guides. Completely out of date but always a fascinating read

There is a Pizza van visiting some of the villages close to Hoveton. Highly recommend https://monzupizza.co.uk/ They post on FB each week their daily stops, it varies each week

Its not just the image of the boat but the boat layout that isn't quite right?

There is an advert on FB shared on the Classic Wooden Boats FB page of Mistress of Light for sale. Far from home: For sale - 42' long, 13' wide, 3' 9" deep 1932 Herbert Woods wooden Broads Crusier, 'Mistress of Light', together with permanent mooring in Limehouse marina, East London (subject to marina owner's approval of buyer and 7.5% transfer fee to .....).

Might be more than one coat! But likewise wish them well

On old maps there is a second staithe marked further north, I think it was a another Catfield! Aerial photography ie Google satellite shows a depression in the reed bed but the entrance is not visible from the broad. I tried to find it a few years ago but failed. Does anyone know anything about the staithe and when it was last navigable. I am sure I rowed up in the 60/70s

That could be a museum piece!

Have no recollection of any fuel filter being replaced. Bet the lights will work tomorrow!

Your recent tales sound familiar. We brought daughter and 3 year-old grandson to Horning on the 30th July so daughter could crew me during Horning Week. Her husband couldn't come so grandad was employed to child mind! Roof box on car was also reinstated after 15 years to carry cargo! Trips to watch trains, and Wroxham Barns were part of the agenda as well as Dippy in the cathedral. Now recovering including the cats!

He has responded on one of the Broads related FB pages with regard to this incident. It was I believe a Wayfarer!

Boatyards have to allow for boats being returned late. If the cleaners and engineers can get on early your boat will be ready early!

I haven't noticed any tapes but I am concentrating on racing at the start line and avoiding day boats. Day boats are mooring during the day

Currently there is space for at least boats on their moorings. As an aside there isn't anyone moored at the Swan

I have to confess I did see Malanka come through the Regatta fleet! I yelled Boris/Monty and the respective dogs lifted their heads as to say did someone call?

Don't know if there is a thread for this but ... Horning Swan isn't doing food this Monday or Tuesday due to staff shortages.

Yep!!!!

We had close on 2" of rain no exaggeration.

VID_20210725_162603.mp4

It's arrived

It's rumbling in east Herts at the moment and looks very gloomy - the plant pots need watering so I hope it does rain! Rained yesterday morning and I managed to wash the car in the rain - saved on rinsing it. First time I have cleaned it for about a year but I had an encounter with a slurry lorry/tractor on the North Walsham to Wayford Bridge road on Wednesday, it came round a bend too fast and the next thing I knew lumps of something unpleasant dropped on my car! After the encounter, the large artic that had been on my backs*de disappeared as well - not sure what happened but I didn't hang around to find out.

And in Swallowtail season it's one of the best places to see them. Taking the opposite direction when you get through the wood is also good. In the graveyard at Potter is Herbert Wood's grave as well

Sadly I don't think this tale is true as on the 24th August 1967 father was sent a bill which included: Making up and fitting mast with masthull and port and starboard navigation light wiring to suit. Also for information Delight 1 was lost in a fire in 1953. Delight II is Jacqueline and III to VI went to Ireland My records state: The log entry states ‘ship totally lost burnt out Saturday 23rd May. Advice recited by owners.’