Celebrity 5 Go Barging ...... In France

[Paul]

Must say I am enjoying the prog, but I think it has had quite an effect on Le Boat, their website seems to have crashed

[Maxwellian]

Interesting, I must watch this. We were on the canal de Midi last year and the condition of their boats left an awful lot to be desired. On Vaughan’s recommendation we went with Locaboat. The standard of boat and service was excellent. I enjoy canals, rivers and Broads, but have to say the Broads has that pull to kept me coming back. Never tried the blue yonder but have to say a huge motor yacht on the Mediterranean appeals. 

[NeilB]

The boats I saw on Thames last year were a bit grotty, it was start of the season and you could see the exteriors had not been polished or even cleaned.  The ones on the program looked ok but then they would be due to being on TV !

[Hylander]

No wonder boats get is such a state  if that lot's idea of how to use a boat is anything to go by.     They were terrible.   Did you get the impression that Penny was in charge.

[Maxwellian]

Just watched it. Found it to be very entertaining, the interaction between them was very good. Seems to be a contact sport though.

[ranworthbreeze]

1 hour ago, Hylander said:

No wonder boats get is such a state  if that lot's idea of how to use a boat is anything to go by.     They were terrible.   Did you get the impression that Penny was in charge.

I thought that she was until she encountered the weir just before the lock, I would defy anyone to cope in that situation. 

Lets face how many of us  have encountered the effect on the River Chet from the sluices  from Hardley Flood and have be prepared to oversteer when being hit by the current.

Anyone new to boating has learn the ropes, we all made mistakes when we first started boating or were new to waterways such as the Broads.

Regards

Alan

[deebee29]

17 hours ago, ranworthbreeze said:

I thought that she was until she encountered the weir just before the lock, I would defy anyone to cope in that situation. 

Lets face how many of us  have encountered the effect on the River Chet from the sluices  from Hardley Flood and have be prepared to oversteer when being hit by the current.

Regards

Alan

Got caught out by that last year and we’ve been coming to the Broads since the early 80’s but can still get caught out.

By the way I read Tim West’s book that accompanied the series and he writes that it’s Channel 4 and the production company that insist on all the bumps and scrapes for effect.

It’s well worth a read

 

[Vaughan]

37 minutes ago, deebee29 said:

t’s Channel 4 and the production company that insist on all the bumps and scrapes for effect.

And well I know it! Not just channel 4 either. It seems to be a media mindset.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Slightly off subject. Years ago we were on DIY  SOS they if we won would  get our hall and stairs done.When we took off the old wall paper most of the plaster came off.The BBC came up with a plot that Alan and I were playing  Golf indoors.(a game that neither of us play).Okay that used a table tennis ball.The main thing is we did not win,but we went on to do up the house on our own.For sure they all at times bend the facts.

Ian 

[Gracie]

18 hours ago, ranworthbreeze said:

I thought that she was until she encountered the weir just before the lock, I would defy anyone to cope in that situation. 

Lets face how many of us  have encountered the effect on the River Chet from the sluices  from Hardley Flood and have be prepared to oversteer when being hit by the current.

Anyone new to boating has learn the ropes, we all made mistakes when we first started boating or were new to waterways such as the Broads.

Regards

Alan

I think anyone can get into difficulties or make mistakes, no matter how experienced they are, even me I remember going through our first ever lock on the Yorkshire Ouse, terrified, we sat for hours at a pub watching boaters coming and going before we decided to give it a try but by the end of the two weeks was a dab hand (kind of Lol) We were all first timers once

Grace

 

[webntweb]

Had a couple of holidays on the Canal du Midi (2004) and the Canal du Rhone a Sete/Canal de La Robine/Canal du Midi (2005) - both times on Magnifiques.

Both boats were almost new and immaculate. I presume they were built at Porter and Hayletts in Wroxham as they both carried the Connoisseur Cruisers badge. Vaughan will know the details better than me but I think this was about the time that Connoisseur had sold out to Le Boat who also had Crown Blue Line under their banner.

Being fairly experienced boaters we did quite a lot of research into the various French boating areas that Connoisseur offered and immediately discounted the river Lot because of the lack of casual moorings and it being prone to flash floods in most of the season.

I was surprised that Le Boat hadn't persuaded the BBC to use one of the other more amiable river navigations such as the Charente (beautiful river), river Baise or one of the Brittany rivers.

I also thought Penny handled the boat very well and I'm sure most of us have been caught out in similar situations.

Very enjoyable watch though.

[TeamElla]

I started a thread about this a while ago (and I'm staggered to find that it was actually 10 years ago!).

It's still accessible but it looks like all the pictures have been lost:-

I'm enjoying the Ch 5 programme. It brings back all the memories but I would like to know whether Le Boat have now stopped discharging sewage direct from the boats into the river. It certainly curtailed our interest in swimming in the river (albeit 10 years ago now)!

[Vaughan]

21 minutes ago, TeamElla said:

I'm enjoying the Ch 5 programme. It brings back all the memories but I would like to know whether Le Boat have now stopped discharging sewage direct from the boats into the river. It certainly curtailed our interest in swimming in the river (albeit 10 years ago now)!

That is not Le Boat's fault (just for once)!

All hire boats built since 1992 have black water tanks and all since 1996 have grey water tanks, in accordance with EC law.

Problem is, the French have still not installed pumpout stations on the waterways, except in Brittany, so we can't use them.

Vive la France!

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

That`s because the French flout EU law with gay abandon. According to the French, they believe EU law is for others to obey, especially us Brits, and only non obligatory guidance for them.  That old chestnut "don`t do as i do, do as i say" is their motto.

[ChrisB]

Watched it last night (I never watch commercial television live so that I can edit out adverts) and enjoyed the programme. You have to view these programmes for what they are. Travel programmes with the emphasis on entertainment.

[Maxwellian]

I also watched it last night and again found it entertaining. I hope it will encourage new visitors to hire on the Broads.

[ranworthbreeze]

2 hours ago, Maxwellian said:

I also watched it last night and again found it entertaining. I hope it will encourage new visitors to hire on the Broads.

We also watched it and likewise found it entertaining, looking forward to the other waterways on the next episode.

Regards

Alan