nonemoreblack

I took some photos when we went up today to have a look - it's clearly come up the temporary track, then intended to reverse back towards the top of Dobson Locks. Link to the photos is here: https://picasaweb.google.com/112194494424188318286/CraneInCanal Not sure about uploading in the actual message. Dobson Locks is a double staircase lock though to it would probably need that extra reach to get to the bottom set of gates in the bottom lock from by the top lock.

Our boat name Pink Bitz often gets a snigger, Flickr link here Previous owner was an ex stripper according to the boat broker and various members of Strawberry Island Boat Club who we have encountered while cruising. We have had people who have nearly cycled straight off the towpath into the water they were laughing that much...always a talking point when you're sharing a lock as well.

Our boat will be undergoing a name change next year when we get around to repainting - we'll be changing from Pink Bitz (called that when we bought her - apparently the previous owner was an ex stripper) back to Highdale, the original name - which is also welded on the stern in raised lettering (apparently all the Piper boats purchased by IML back in the 80s had this as they were bought on a marine mortgage and this was one of the conditions of the mortgage - or so we've been told). Not sure what the traditions are for this scenario, but just in case we'll have a drink to the Canal Gods anyway.

We don't live aboard, we live in Frizinghall so we are OK for coal wood and water(also there is an outside tap on the flats by the 24hr mooring), plus Gallows Bridge is our permanent mooring. We were planning to get up to Skipton for the Xmas market, and then Gargrave for new year, but we'll have to wing it now and wait for a thaw ourselves. Just postponed passage through 5 rise from this Friday to the 10th hoping that it will be OK by then. Look forward to passing you at some point, we'll give you a wave - I know Luke as well from the 1 in 12 in Bradford, so recognised your last name!

We had similar trouble with the bridge at Hirst lock last Sunday (21st), it took a fair amount of WD40 and a good ten minutes to get the key to turn, although it was (unsurprisingly) slightly easier when we came back through in the afternoon. When are you planning on coming back down, as we had booked to come up through 5 rise on Friday 3/12/10, although this is looking unlikely at the moment due to the ice, and may be put back a week to 10/12. I ask as it would be easier at least part of the way to follow a path already broken through the ice for both of us. We are moored up at present at Gallows Bridge (it's about an inch thick by the mooring) Pink Bitz didn't rock at all when we got aboard, to check everything was OK.

The boat will be called The Yacht Club then? I'd have thought something similar to the name of our boat (Pink Bitz) might be better, although likely to cause even more controversy! Just for the record we bought Pink Bitz under that name, we'll take her back to the original name (Highdale) when we get the repaint done in the next few months.

Hi, I've done a few swing bridges single handed, all of them with the moorings on the wrong side and very few if any with space to come in on the control side (that just seems to be the way it is on the L & L where we are, certainly all the ones I think between Leeds & Skipton). If they are automatic then I just wait for another boat to come along, if they are manual then I attach a spare rope to the bridge and push it open from the towpath side then using my centre line I pull my boat through lifting the rope attached to the bridge when necessary - it's a lot easier since we got rid of the TV aerial extension pole going through Foulridge! Then it's a simple matter to pull the bridge back toward you to close it. Often it's best to tie the spare rope to something while getting the boat into position. That's the best way I've come across so far, I was shown by another boater how to do this. It works for me (Pink Bitz is a 48' narrowboat for reference) but obviously it's not easy when it's windy - especially on some of the exposed bits up by Skipton. Hope this helps, I'm looking forward to cruising the system single handed where I can hop on and off to do bridges without all this messing around. The prospect of narrow locks single handed is also quite attractive after doing wide staircase locks single handed as well.

It's Jon from the 1 in 12. We're moored up at Gallows Bridge in Shipley at the moment. Oct 14th at the Stylus for the gig, it's the day before Sam Jackson's birthday so there may be a fair number going from Bradford.

Hi Luke, nice to see your boat at last, or at least part of it!. Will have to catch up with you sometime soon, are you coming over for the Lee Scratch Perry gig in Leeds?