The canals

[littlesprite]

I know it's not the broads but some members also enjoy the canals.

 

Starting on more 4 on Monday 10th March 09.00 pm, husband and wife team Prunella Scales and Timothy West start a programme "Great Canal Journeys"

 

 

[loribear]

Yes ive been there got the backaches lol, been everywhere from lincoln to the cheshire ring , llangollan canal & foxton flight, & what a hill that was . Lori

[Soundings]

Me too! Kept the nb at Crick.

[ranworthbreeze]

Like the above forum members I have been on most of the canals in the UK over the years starting in 1974.

 

I must say that like all of the canal based programs including the canal walks by Julia Bradbury.

David Suchet is vice-president of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Trust and I have seen programes about him on his own narrow boat.

 

Martin thanks for letting us know.

 

Regards

Alan

[littlesprite]

I've just checked and the first in the series covers the Kennet & Avon. 

[littlesprite]

Having given people the heads up on this programme I then missed it, luckily it was on more 4 catch-up and allowed me to see it anyway.

I found it a pleasant way to spend an hour but as someone who has never tried the canals, I was shocked that the boats are driven like bumper cars.

[BroadScot]

Its the possible falling off the stern that scared me. Also Pru crossing those locks without a LifeJacket  I found scarey. 

I have however, set the Sky box to record the other three programmes. 

 

 Iain.

[ranworthbreeze]

I managed to catch the episode last night which was on the Rochdale Canal, well worth a watch and I have now set it to record as a series.

 

Regards

Alan

[littlesprite]

Hi Alan,

Did you see and have you been through that long tunnel, 3hrs under ground in pitch darkness must be quite an experience.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Martin,

 

Yes the Standedge tunnel on the Huddlersfield Canal is one of the few tunnels we have not been through. At a little over 3 miles the reason for long time underground is that the narrower and shallower the tunnel is reduces the average miles per hour achievable by the boat.

 

We have been in several long tunnels The Harecastle on the Trent & Mersey, Blisworth & Braunston on the Grand Union, Netherton on the Birmingham Canal Navigations.

 

I quite like them but I can understand why it can freak some people out, a large hat is well worth it because of the water coming from the air vents or leakage through the rock.

 

Regards

Alan

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

It amazes me how fit and active Prunella Scales is at the age of 82. Must have been all the beatings she gave Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, or was that Fatty Owls, or Flowery twat5?.

 

Come to think of it, i`m sure it was farty Tows?.

[ranworthbreeze]

I agree Martin, I thought they were both doing well for their ages.

 

Rather than the beatings given to basil maybe it could have been the diet of rats, no they are hamsters!

 

Regards

Alan

[SueH]

I too watched this with interest.  It is a shame it is hidden on More4 instead of the more mainstream C4.

 

Years ago we took a 21ft cruiser up Caen Hill (and back) - it was very hard work and the locks were even more stiff than they appeared on the programme. 

 

I had an extra long windlass and it was still difficult.  Needless to say, the division of labour was the same as on the prog!

 

SueH

 

 

[BroadScot]

A delightful programme. Just watched last nights edition. I must say we are spoiled on the Broads, nothing like the hard work of all those Locks. If ever it convinced me 40 years ago where to holiday on water, watching this remarkable couple of no young years plough onwards and upwards through all those locks did... Not for me, but nice to watch on TV.

 

Iain.

[Soundings]

I quite miss the locks and tunnels etc in a lot of ways. Still love the Broads though but wish I could afford a boat on each

Mind you is is very expensive to keep a boat on those waters.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

I too watched this with interest.  It is a shame it is hidden on More4 instead of the more mainstream C4.

 

Years ago we took a 21ft cruiser up Caen Hill (and back) - it was very hard work and the locks were even more stiff than they appeared on the programme. 

 

I had an extra long windlass and it was still difficult.  Needless to say, the division of labour was the same as on the prog!

 

SueH

 

 

Well, you know what they say about WOMEN DRIVERS Sue ?????????????????????????????   Tin hat ready.

[mbird]

I've never done the canals, but certainly want to do so one day. I am enjoying the program though, but it does seem the narrow boats take a bit of a beating!

[ranworthbreeze]

Early narrow boats were constructed of 6mm (1/4 inch plate) with 4 mm sides and roofing. Today most hulls are 10-12mm with 6-8 sides and 4mm roofs. The average narrow boat can weigh between 20 to 35 tons and is difficut to stop unlike the fibre glass cruises on the broads. trying to stop a narrow boat with ropes in not a good idea even with the engine in reverse.

Single handed narrow boating can be done, but it does have pitfalls. If you want a good read about single handed narrow boats look for the books written by John Gagg. His antics using steps on the top of the narrow boat to get out of the locks (this was before all locks were fitted with ladders).

We have helped a number of single handed crews over the years and shared wide locks with them or had some of our crew to help them to speed up our transit up or down the locks.

Regards

Alan

[Soundings]

We had our Nb for about 25 years before selling and coming on the Broads. I do miss the canals and whilst we have just sold our boat with the intention of buying another on the Broads we are having a rethink. Maybe, just maybe, we will go back to the canals. Trouble is living in Norfolk (on the Broads) is is a fair distance to the nearest canal - perhaps we will default to syndicate ownership. It is a difficult choice to make though as both have their appeal.

The good ol' steelies do take a bit of a bashing but they are built for it. In all my years helming one I never experienced any real damage (just scrapes) which is more than I can say since being here - grp is far more fragile and impact can and often does cause fractures in the gel. And I have never fallen off the back either:-)

Great programme we are all watching and I am sure it brings back fond canal memories to many of us. To those of you who feel you might like to try a canal break fir a change I say go for it - you will not be disappointed

Alan, which tunnel has the kink in the middle, Braunston or Blisworth. I have done them both but cannot remember (age thing). I favour Braunston as the answer and passing boats can get wedged there if care is not taken.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Actually, you`re NOT far from the nearest canals at all. You could quite easily have a boat mored on the river Wissey at Stokes Ferry, or one of the other tributeries below Ely. You can easily cruise the Gt Ouse through Bedford and pick up the Grand Union in Northampton (i think, but i MIGHT be wrong?).  There are several marinas around the Fenland rivers on the fringes of Norfolk and Suffolk, so you could do a private narrow boat, and a syndicate broads cruiser.

Just a thought.

 

 

Regards to all ...................... Neil.

 

 

PS, i will also mention for those that have never done the canals, and would like to try their hand at locks etc, you could always try the Fens on a wide beam cruiser from Bridge boatyard at Ely. We did it about 4-5 years back and thouroughly enjoyed the moch quieter waters.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Colin,

 

Yes it is Braunston Tunnel there was a slight mistake taken in the building of the tunnel that has given it the slight S bend, after saying that it is only some of the shorter tunnels that are straight, one of the issues of tunnels is that the height becomes reduced over time which has closed a number of tunnels or new tunnels have been cut.

 

What impressed me about the Grand Union that on one side the Braunston Tunnel the water had that iron or rusty water look of it and at the other end the water was crystal clear. Was it the Braunston or the Blisworth tunnel where a cow or a bull swam through the tunnel a number of years ago?

 

What about the Lee & Stort Navigations or the Grand Union Canal.

 

Have you thought about boatshare on the canals? 

Before we bought our share on Ranworth Breeze in 2001 we had looked at the only two syndicates on the canals we could find around 1998-99 the boats were ok but not to our liking and very expensive at the time.

These days if you pick a private unmanaged syndicate then you can find some good deals, when they let me retire I will have another look at the canal syndicates available, ideally you need to pick a location with more than one route available. Have a look on  www.boatshare .co.uk Philip who runs this website has a wealth of knowledge regarding boat shares most if not all boat syndicates nation wide are listed. 

 

Getting back to the topic in hand, next weeks episode I believe in on the Llangollen Canal, only 21 locks on this canal so it is fairly easy going but it have a number of lift bridges (these are hydraulically operated so are not to difficult to operate but you have to unlock them. The aqueduct at Chirk with the railway bridge along the side of it is very impressive for those of us that like structures. The heritage Pontcysyllte  Aqueduct is in another world, people come from all over the world just to walk on its tow path to cross over it on a boat is very special even if you do not now have ahead for heights, I must say I always stood on the tow path side of the tiller going both ways. Being stood on the back of the boat with a rail and open gaps with the floor you are stood on which is level or higher than the wrought iron trough that passing along is daunting. 

I am sure the program will show this in great detail.

 

Regards

Alan 

[Soundings]

Neil, you are spot on in that there are "connected" waterways not far from my part of Norfolk. The Great Ouse and its tributaries do link with the River Nene (via the Middle Level) and the Nene links, as you rightly say, with the canal network via the Grand Union Northampton Arm (have been up and down that many times when I moored at Oundle). The trouble is that mooring on the Great Ouse does not come cheap and the license fee is similar to the canals. Maybe the answer is moor in the Middle Level for here there is no license and mooring comes pretty cheap! True one has to buy a license to cruise outside the Levels but visitor short term licenses are available.

Alan, syndication is something we ae thinking about. Just found a couple who are trying to start a small boat share with shares of one sixth. That gives a nice number of weeks on the water, split between summer and winter. And its on a 5 year old 65ft boat. Food for thought indeed.

 

One thing for sure, when set beside canal cruising, the Broads look very cheap to me.

Colin

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Colin,

Broads cruising cheap indeed.

last year our boating holiday from Falkirk on the Union & Clyde canals cost us £1708 for 6 adults and that was 10th May to 17th May. To hire a Birchwood 340 the same boat as Ranworth Breeze (no doubt lower spec) on the Caledonian would have been the same from Le Boat but with their usual extras would have come in at well over

£2000 a 6 berth boat that we were looking at would have been over £3500.

Marina costs which are costal are very expensive I would expect the new marinas that are emerging on the canals will be expensive but I have not costed these, I did ask what the maina charges were at the marina on Windermere next to the ferry. About 6 years ago these were around £3000 per year for a 30 to 35 foot boat with electric/water supplied for 8 months all year was by negotiation.

Regards

Alan

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Hired yachts on Wndemere 4 times. Unfortunately, they were not in the best of condition, and some were in reality too big for such a small lake. We hired a 24ft snapdragon in 72, a 26ft Westerly Chieftan in 73, then a 32ft Beneteau in 99, and finally a Gibsea 36 in 2000. To be honest, the latter 2 were fast, but did the length of the lake twice in just over 2 hours, whereas the smaller slower and older yachts made it more of a cruise.

 

Still a beautiful piece of water to be afloat on.

 

 

Regards to all ...................... Neil.

[Soundings]

I costed Crick Marina recently, Alan, it was where we moored before selling the nb 6 years ago. Works out about £2000 for a 45ft boat but there are ways to reduce this to about £1750. It is a superb facility however, with its own dry dock and engineering contacts. It is also 100% private so no hire craft priorities to get in the way. It is located on a nice summit pound (GU Leicester Line) as well. This provides lock free cruising between Foxton and the Watford Flight.

Licence for 45ft is about £750 so circa £2750 per annum. The syndicate I looked at was £9000 for a one 6th share and then about £1500 per annum running costs for a 65ft boat. Starts to make boat share look a sensible option.

Colin