mike31

ive played with radios quite abit, pmr446 is usually about a range of about a mile in openish areas. there are afew car type radios available but aimed at the radio ham market, they just happen to cover pmr too. CB is still used mostly by truckers, but some cheap radios would be good on canal boats, smaller handhelds are avalable now, but nothing as small as the PMR radios. for local use id go with some good quality PMR446 radios, an most can have earpieces etc plugged in so thy dont get in the way of whatever else your doing at the time.

the john varley trip boat was extended by about 5ft. but as above it was refitted while being extended. depending how many services go across the gap depends how easy they are to extend too

a good crew or 2 or 3 will get through faster than a single hander. anymore than that an people get in each others way. but its always possible if a group of people arnt very good at locking, single handed would be faster.

will add on quite abit more water when the marina an new lock are done. then just to get round the tunnel. some great work going on, well done to all involved. anyone wanting to check out this side of the chesterfield pm me, or pop to tapton lock on a sunday.

i know, but i'll let others keep guessing. my boats been as close as you can get to this new lock.

no i was there on saturday, there was an open powerboat type thing down that way sunday, but it wasnt me. i was around tapton end on the john varley sunday. will be heading for staveley once i get a bit bigger engine on her.

its great fun to be on the water in her. being close to the isolated section of the chesterfield, its like having your own private canal. its not a bad engine, just needs to be a long shaft , afew more HP, an be connected to the wheel an remotes,

Heres afew pictures from my new boats first day out so far so good, just need a proper engine on it now.

if the winds coming from the wrong way an to strongly theres not alot you can do about it. could always get a dinghy as a tender an use it as a tug

The boat i had a go on afew weeks ago with a bow thruster was similar, it may move the front on a nice calm day, but didnt even manage to move the boat against a slight breeze. not really the miracle cure people say they are.

looking forward to being able to cruise to "the other side" work is slow an steady at joining the sections. so far i get stuck at staveley, but its nice to be one the only boats on the isolated section of the chesterfield. nice scenery, me on my old boat. if anyone is around the isolated section come say hello, i'll be on my boat or crewing the john varley.

always good if you can find a mooring where the wind can help you get onto it. sometimes using a fore or aft mooring line to spring off can help. but never easy if the wind is against you.