Leaderboard

To be fair the ribbing that other contestants give the NBT is in jest. I’d be delighted to see them back in the Challenge. As I recall - being one of the boats right behind at the time - the main problem was that Nuneaton couldn’t clear the cill on lock number 7 due to a very badly leaking bottom gate. In such circumstances the etiquette of the Challenge is to assist and not to require to pass. I’ve certainly learnt a lot from entering the Challenge with experienced boaters and I don’t see why crewing ex-working boats should be confined to those with expertise in working the boats. A team works best with a mix of skills and abilities and if we want to attract new interest to the history of the canals and it’s boats groups like the NBT have a role to play. JP

Surely it must be fake news? We all know that each and every UK business is failing as we speak!!

I don’t quite understand your point. None of the boat that passed you have moved you significantly. Which suggests that actually, whilst they may not be at tickover, they aren’t going fast. Some people like to cruise slowly and thus, depending on the nature of the canal, there may be no need to slow down further. Tickover in any case varies a lot. Tickover on our boat is still quite fast and so is the norm for passing moored boats. Tickover on some other boats makes them barely move and have no steering. There is no rule that says one must pass at tickover. Those outraged and entitled people who have those red “pass at tickover” signs would have made better use of their time learning to tie their boats up properly rather than going to a shop and sticking an ugly an arsehole-indicating sign on the side of their boat. I would say you are correct. Although to be fair I don’t have any experience of mooring a widebeam. So surely your point should be about the idiot who is incapable of tying up his widebeam properly rather than the people passing at a speed that is perfectly acceptable for a properly tied up boat? Personally I don’t see why people should have to slow down excessively to compensate for other people’s inability to do something as basic as tying their boat up without 2’ of slack in the lines.

Paddle gear that will drop rapidly by lifting the pawl when the lock is level will NOT do the same thing when there's a significant level difference. The water pressure difference across the paddle massively increases the force required to move it, and gravity isn't enough: the paddle needs to be wound down. For less strong people, it needs two arms to generate enough force, which is one reason why I hate the type of pawls that need to be held up and can't be flipped out of the way. Too few hands in an emergency. Next time you open a paddle, try and close it again straight away. It's an instructive experiment. MP.

The objectives of the challenge are to get boats using the lesser used parts of the BCN, there are many ways to achieve this but many choose to try and cover as much of it as they can in the permitted time. We like to set ourselves other challenges as well like leg Dudley tunnel, attempt 100 locks, use a pair of working boats etc.

It takes careful planning to be that unsuccesful so consistently.

Thank you to all the organisation and to @Postcode and @cheshire~rose for letting us play on their boat. I'm sure we should have scored at least 207 points for our route plus the extras for the photos and questions, even if 13 locks didn't qualify. @tree monkey, I thought we'd agreed to blame @dyad for any problems ? Although, I do now admit doing Netherton tunnel was a complete waste of time, we should have done Spon Lane locks and gone along the old main line into Brum instead. Either way, I think we had a great time, the crew worked well together. I just wish I had enough stamina to stay awake for the social bit on Sunday. Rob

Whilton, I think would like it best if you are sufficiently in a hurry to sell that they make you a very low offer and buy it from you themselves as a "stock" boat. You could then expect to see it offered for sale at a vastly inflated price, with no improvements having been made to it. I get the impression that maybe half the boats they offer are not being brokered, but are actually now owned by Whilton outright. (That's just a guess - could be more or less). The problem is that each gives you a difference level of security and comeback as a purchaser, but Whilton are likely to be economical with the truth about whether a boat is being brokered, or whether they are the seller. We have been told that they will even go through the motions if putting a potential buyers offer to a non-existent seller, and saying it has been rejected. If they are actually the owner themselves, this strikes me as worse than dishonest. I'd have to really, really want a particular boat before I would touch Whilton with a barge pole. I would try very hard t avoid them either as buyer or seller, but I imagine it is a good lace to look around boats unaccompanied if you need extra windlasses, handcuff keys, ropes, etc! (Only half joking - it must surely happen!).

I was getting all flustered for a moment and then realised you meant the noodle thing not the challenge its self, phew I am starting to think Bob doesn't really exsist. Big fanfare announcing a late entry into the challenge and suspiciously he buggers off and avoids the finish. Plus no rational human/Muppet would treat the duck in the way he has recently, letting the innocent thing off to wander on its own. Forget the flat earth and NASA, the CWDF Bob conspiracy is bigger

Unless you lift your boat onto the towpath, it will move because the water it is in moves. Moored correctly the movement will be limited, but surely this movement is what we all enjoy, otherwise this would be a caravan forum. I believe it is polite and considerate to slow down passing moored boats, but in truth I mostly do it because I love gawping in other peoples boats. Rog

PM Outbox? Is that where Theresa is?

Mike, they have four feet not three.

I very much doubt that. The insulation on the other hand, tends to expand with age and bulges spontaneously occur to accommodate the increased size. I bet this is what is happening to yours. Take a small blunt screwdriver and push it through the insulation bulge until you feel the copper beneath. Mark the depth of penetration with your thumbnail then push it again through the insulation where there is no bulge. I expect you will be able to demonstrate to yourself the bulge only exists in the insulation. If so, you have a 'non-problem'. Just get on with enjoying having hot water and spend the £600 on more beer.

That fact that the Ford driver will be using his indicators probably helps his case, though!

Just wanted to say thanks to all the private boat owners that have gone past in the last few days, we’re moored up at bridge 35 on the Worcester Birmingham. Not many of you guys even considering slowing down for moored boats ??‍♂️, hire boaters on the other hand in the region of 50/50 going past at tickover... Not moaning at all, I’m obviously great at mooring with the use of a spring rope, have hardly moved at all, which can’t be said about the wide beam moored on the opposite side of the cut to us, roughly about 2 foot movement backwards and forwards every time a speeding boat goes past. So yeah, bring it on. I promise I won’t run outside and shout at any of you or shake my fist ?

No this isn't a thread on moaning about hire boaters - probably just the opposite ? Looks like we've fallen into a sort of game as we cruise along, where hire boaters are loosely being scored on how well they're doing - sorry can't help it. There are happy boaters who look to be having a fabulous time, and there are other boaters who are scared stiff of doing something wrong, they don't seem to be enjoying their experience too much. So far, it looks like the Ashby Boat Co, Roses, Napton and Black Prince holiday makers are having the 'better' time. Which leads us to think, is it the training they are given? Do their customers receive a good MP3 video (or something) on how to approach different tasks? It looks like they are being prepared better, ie slowing down while passing moored boats, not leaving paddles up on locks, etc - all which stops them being moaned at. An example, we were approaching a bridge, but just before we came to the bridge there's a winding hole. A hire boat came through bridge towards us, and decided to turn their boat in the winding hole. There were no hand signals, but that didn't matter much to us, we were far enough away not to cause a mishap. Problem was the boater stuck his stern into the winding hole, digging his rudder into the mud (in his instructions did he miss the bit about winding a boat?). He was stuck, except for 'shuffling a few feet back and forwards. We couldn't get off to help (shallow bank), and there was no point in shouting instructions to them, so we just had to sit it out in sympathy. Luckily 3 men came over the bridge, they watched for a while, before descending onto the towpath, grabbing the bow rope, and hauling the boat round. We followed them through the bridge, and followed them for a while, until they got stuck in the mud on the bank when moving out of the way for a boat passing in the opposite direction. They were struggling again, so a shout from us for them to stay put, while we passed and pulled them out. As we passed, the three men looked terrified. Until they were reminded they should be enjoying themselves.? If any first time narrowboat hirers are reading this, absorb as much advice before your holiday as you can, you'll have a much better time. Plus don't forget to enjoy yourselves! It's great and it really is a relaxing holiday! Sunday sermon over ? (Hope it's clear this isn't a moan)

Actually, I didn't get out of bed at the allotted time but realised I was missing a fantastic light show and appeared on the back deck and steered (was given tiller and abandoned )for several hours without hitting either bank or losing any crew(as far as the head count at the end stated)

Funny that but we know a couple of financial advisors and if they choice in boats is anything to go by I wouldn't trust them with 1p of my money.

They don't do 'thinking'. No1 Son is the youngest senior partner at one of the worlds 'big-4' accountants and I wouldn't trust him with the shopping money !!!!

That is also why you need to pass moored boats quite closely and not on the far side of the cut. Now those reflective windows should be banned

I went to the doctors about it. I said I felt like a pair of curtains. He told me to pull myself together.

You are right about the moorings on the main line. I was in the arm which has a lock at the end which lead down into the Loire but is now used as a dry dock for shallow draughted vessels. There was a narrow boat in it last time there. My barge at 22m could just turn if there was space in the mooring but otherwise backing out no fun so usually stopped at Menentrol.

This is my point and also just to point out how great I am ? ✌️

You did turn the pump OFF and open all the hot taps first, didn't you? It won't pump up without doing this. Pump it up to the same pressure as your pump cut-in pressure. Probably about 1.7 bar. The shut the taps and turn the pump ON again.

Why do you think there was a Stewards' Enquiry into whether Carrie~Lou counted or not?

Repainting the water

Personally I’d keep the Alde going..although heavy on gas they are easy on power and simple to keep going & fix. I’ve found Graham to be ok and not had a problem with spares availability yet..I think he still services the burners by post. When it finally becomes unfixable i think id replace it with a 3000 series although that would involve getting rid of the copper pipe work and a bit of boat refitting.

There was a canal that went to Orleans which is now abandoned. It left the Briare canal near Montargis. The river is very shallow most of the year with wiers in many places. A few years ago we were in St Satur when some Boy Scouts from uk came to the barge asking if I had some tools to fix their rudder. They were trying to go down the whole length of the Loire in their rowing boat they had brought over. Photo is of junction with canal Orleans.

Shhh! You’ll give the game away. The rest of the forum doesn’t need to know that Vulpes is scaled to make me look 5’ 9” when I’m actually only 4’ 2”. JP

"Dunchurch or Barby" how did we end up in Scotland talking about dogs with square feet?

Sacked no, I just like to book a place early and I'm not proud or choosy

Someone missed out in Richards list of worthy people is his other half Sue, a centre of calm and apparent sanity in the whirlwind madness that was the final day. I suspect it was Sue who suggested it was possible and worked dam hard to get the results out so quickly. So a thank you from me

Well, we are back! I have people to thanks I'm going to start with John and Roy of the BCNS for reviving this wonderfully ridiculous idea and keeping it going since 2009. Without them, I'd have nothing to talk about. Thank you both very much Gentlemen We have had help from quite a variety of people The BCNS has supported and encouraged us to run the challenge so many thanks to them. I'd like to particularly mention Kathy O'Keefe for helping to sort out the money, Martin O'Keefe and Brenda Ward for publicity and supplying the trophy, and Kirsty Wilson for her help and support We just couldn't find time to wander the BCN looking for the photographic questions, so we got someone who does this all the time to do it! Many Thanks to Andy Tidy of the Jam Boat, Many people said that the picture clues were much better this year The famous BCN Planner was updated especially for this year by Ian Hindle, who presumably used his inside information to achieve his magnificent 21st place CRT really committed themselves to this years challenge. Ian Darby and his team were determined that the challenge should go ahead, hence the temporary pumps in place at Bradley workshops and Tividale aqueduct. He also organised the moorings in Brum which we gratefully filled up with 24 boats. I accidentally noticed the CRT Twitter feed on Saturday, and that the event was in CRT's events calendar. On the Sunday there were several CRT directors in Birmingham and also a film crew (not to film the directors either!). I'm looking forwards to finding new ways to exploit CRT's resources for the challenge next year At short notice, Rose Narrowboats sorted out our (temporary) accommodation problem by providing their boat Sundance which became BCN Challenge HQ for the event. The alternative would have been a Gazebo, which means it would probably have blown a gale! Thank you to Anthony and his team Running the event meant Team Tawny Owl had to stand down this year, even so we still fielded a team of seven who gathered in forms, deciphered tired handwriting, entered data into the database, sorted out the paddle on Farmers Bridge, made tea, served cake and generally had a good time. It needs a team to do this, if only to stop Sue and me going crazy And last, and by no means least, thank you to all of the people who competed this year. You boated, tweeted, posted and photographed your way around the BCN then turned up at Challenge HQ in good spirits with your crumpled workstained forms. You were all cheerful and charming no matter how tired you were. We appreciated the chaotically filled in forms with their apparent boating paradoxes as much as the properly ordered ones that were easy to enter into the database. Well, almost. You have all helped to publicise the lesser used parts of the BCN, and shown that people do use these 'remaindered' canals So, who is up for doing it again next year? Richard

For those interested in a bit more background to the paddle gear on the Rochdale, this is a heritage report I wrote fifteen years ago. Hope you can download it from here. 2004_Rochdale_paddle_gear.pdf

I’m going to shamelessly put a vote in for bearBOATING www.bearBOATING.co.uk we are based just outside Leeds and offer both wide and narrow boats - if you fancy a bit of extra luxury and space. We also offer 2 days of training with an RYA instructor if you are complete novices. Everyone who does the training finds it definitely adds to the enjoyment of the holiday. Unless we know the crew extremely well and know they are experienced all our handovers cover both Dobson 2 Rise and Field 3 Rise to make sure everyone is clear on the operation of the staircase locks. We will meet you on your way back down Field if required as it is the only 3 Rise Staircase in the country without a full time lockie as far as we know. And now I have shamelessly plugged ourselves I will add another website which I found extremely useful when planning our first canal holiday http://www.canaljunction.com I found this to be a great resource with details of all the canals and all the hire companies on each of them.

The noodle has arrived safely back at Old Turn. Time for one last photo perhaps?