AllanW

The Chinese boat builders seriously underestimated bridge clearence along the Shropshire Union...

As long as ya don't get legless eh?

Oh do go on Chris... Well you usually do! LOL

Tom Thanks ever so much for the post - that's cleared up most of my questions (though I can see where the reader was coming from about a 'fractured company) Both Paris and the widebeam were boats to be proud of in Crick - and I'll certainly be thinking of Amber as a contender for my cash when the time comes! Interesting that you only joined the forum yesterday though... did you hear there was a topic about Amber boats or were you just browsing? BTW - As a boat builder, Gary of Legard is has been able to offer excellent insights on the workings of the industry 'from the other side' if you like - so I'm sure I speak for many here when I say that your future posts will be read and followed with interest Good luck for the future with Amber boats... no doubt we'll get to talk further one day! Allan PS - Those custom made anodes were a bit different!

Must have missed that - I saw a couple of canoes but no punts? BTW Gary don't know if you've read much here over last few days - but there were a few of us here looking for ya at Crick... Where were you hiding? Must have been somewhere near those punts I guess? LOL Was going to ask how things got on with the incinerator toilet Allan

Tobytimothy... Have a look at the thread I started a couple of days ago: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9002 All comments welcome Allan

Gary - not a link to a page with manuals as such - but this could be useful link for those looking for manuals for some offbeat stuff Thames Vintage Boat Club I mean, where else could you find a manual for example "Gardner Reversing & Reduction Gears 2UC types 3 and 4" ? I don't know if they'll photocopy the manual for 'outsiders' but it's got to be worth a try if there's no other source of info I'll see if there are any more in my bookmarks later... Allan

Grrrrrrr - 6 weeks!!! I'm not jealous honest! Seriously though - I'm sure you'll get a wonderful boat, and I'm sure I speak for a lot here when I say we look forward to seeing the pictures! What name are you having btw? Good luck Allan

Thanks for that - but I'm not sure I fully understand... Does this mean that the company has ceased trading? Interesting if it has - as on their specification page http://www.narrowboatsalesltd.co.uk/classicspec.htm it states: "Its all fact and no joke ! 1st May 2007" Mmm - anyone throw any more light on this? Allan

Thanks Mayalld This is getting interesting... I did a search for amberboats.com in google and came there is only two links. www.amberboats.com and www.narrowboatsalesltd.co.uk The amberboats.com site is as you say not live - and the google cached version says: Narrowcraft Sp Zoo Al Wojska Polskiego 90A 82-200 MALBORK POLAND THIS SITE HAS NO CONNECTION WITH AMBER BOATS LTD (In Receivership) or AMBER BOATS SP ZOO or AMBER BOATS (UK) Ltd This site was set up in May 2006 when Narrowboat Sales Ltd was the UK Sales Agent for Amber Boats Ltd. In August 2006 Amber Boats Ltd stopped trading. Narrowboat Sales Ltd therefore set up its own manufacturing facility to supply Steel Narrowboats for the UK market. Narrowcraft nor Narrowboat Sales do not have any association with any company past or present that might be called Amber Boats. However - the www.narrowboatsalesltd.co.uk site is very much alive and offering boats which have nearly exactly the same spec as www.amberboats.pl eg. 3kw pure sine wave inverter 45hp Barrus Shire 150 prm gearbox Aquadrive unit Hospital silencer Diesel central heating etc etc They also look VERY VERY similar... Also pretty interesting is the narrowboatsales owner company REVHEATH LIMITED Last Accounts Filed: 2004-04-30 Last Accounts Analysed: 2004-04-30 Legal Status: Striking off Notice <- what is this??? Ummm - food for thought eh? So thanks for the info Mayalld I'll be checking carefully before parting with cash now! Amber certainly looks like a company that's gone bust and started up quietly again... Allan edit for spelling

Clockwise it is then! It's always been my experience that the boats are ready before the time they say - so I'll get there early and try to get away from Heritage in plenty of time to do the tunnel Any other suggestions of where to stop or avoid on the way round? Apart from giving the Plume of Feathers at Barlaston a miss that is...? Thanks guys Allan

Thanks Mayalld and John Decisions decisions eh? I've got a 2.00 pickup from Heritage Narrowboats (so call that 3.00 away from base), and word is that I have to get through the tunnel before 4.00? Is this correct? Anyone else like to comment? Heartbreak Hill or Harecastle Tunnel first? The canalplan choices are: Anticlockwise... First day of trip On the Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Harding's Wood to Middlewich) at Durose Bridge No 156 (10 miles, 1¼ flg and 27 locks) Second day of trip On the Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal) at Nantwich Junction Bridge No 92 (18 miles, 4¾ flg and 9 locks) Third day of trip On the Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal) at Tyrley Lock 2 No 4 (13 miles, 3¼ flg and 25 locks) Fourth day of trip On the Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal) at Giffards Cross Bridge No 11 (21 miles, 1¼ flg and 3 locks) Fifth day of trip On the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Autherley to Great Haywood) at Shutt Hill Bridge No 91 (17 miles, 0 flg and 11 locks) Sixth day of trip On the Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Great Haywood to Etruria) at Stone Lock No 29 (18 miles, ¼ flg and 8 locks) Seventh day of trip On the Macclesfield Canal at Heritage Narrowboats (16 miles, 7¾ flg and 13 locks) This day's cruising may be affected by passage through Harecastle Tunnel. Passage through the tunnel is under BW control, and may involve a wait (in particular, if you arrive in the late afternoon or evening you may well have to wait until the next day). Clockwise... First day of trip On the Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Great Haywood to Etruria) at Stone Lock No 29 (16 miles, 7¾ flg and 12 locks) This day's cruising may be affected by passage through Harecastle Tunnel. Passage through the tunnel is under BW control, and may involve a wait (in particular, if you arrive in the late afternoon or evening you may well have to wait until the next day). Second day of trip On the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Autherley to Great Haywood) at Park Gate Bridge No 90 (18 miles, 5½ flg and 9 locks) Third day of trip On the Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal) at Giffards Cross Bridge No 11 (16 miles, 2¾ flg and 11 locks) Fourth day of trip On the Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal) at Tyrley Lock 2 No 4 (21 miles, 1¼ flg and 2 locks) Fifth day of trip On the Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal) at Nantwich Aqueduct (13 miles, 2¾ flg and 26 locks) Sixth day of trip On the Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Harding's Wood to Middlewich) at Durose Bridge No 156 (18 miles, 5¼ flg and 9 locks) Seventh day of trip On the Macclesfield Canal at Heritage Narrowboats (10 miles, 1¼ flg and 27 locks) Please feel free to add all the good pubs in the gaps! I'm definately going to stop at the Bidge / Shroppie Fly Audlem, but can't say I'm familiar with this route Thanks again guys Allan

I was impressed by Amber boats at this years Crick show, and they'll be a serious contender for my cash when I finally get to buy. The boats are built in Poland - and seemingly well built at that. Personally I liked the attention to detail... even the anodes are custom made! But as Amber are not a company I've come across before, and I've not seen any magazine write-ups, I've got to ask - does anyone have any experience of this company or their boats? http://www.amberboats.eu/ Comments welcome Allan

Yup that's the one... I suggested to them they might like to make it a steel cupboard with a wooden facing for extra security. But in any event, it's something I'll be adopting when I finally get one built. Pinching good ideas is what I enjoy most about Crick! Daddys boats always seem so well finished... I think I preffered last years boat though Allan

Nah it's admin (tickets?) by the sound of... (from site) Boat Show staff required for the Seawork Exhibition 2007 in Southampton. Running between 12-14th June. Although some staff will also be required on the 11th June. This is another fantastic opportunity to meet people and make contacts within the marine industry. Staff will be required to undertake various administrative roles throughout the duration of the show and will be working directly with the shows organisers. (end)

Thanks Mayalld... Good to know I've spent wisely! Just need to decide if I'm going clockwise or anti-clockwise around the Four Counties now! Allan

I liked the carpet tiles *inset* into the solid wood floor on Daddys boat (they actually had this last year as well). Looks good and very practical - no cutting carpet when it needs change, and avoiding towpath grit scratched solid floors Also liked the fold out TV cupboard unit on one of the boats (can't remember which), which keeps the TV DVD hidden from sight when not in use. I know hiding the TV is not a new idea, but this was very nicely done... Also liked the radiatorless designs of a couple of boats where they used concealed linear rads Agree about the Braidbar boat - but probably the best value (IMHO) was the Ambers Polish built boat Paris. Look at what 56k gets you! www.amberboats.pl Allan

I'd like to nominate two items for consideration which imho need deep sixing from any narrowboat... The dishwasher - and the Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner (BTW - What's the canal version of deep sixing? Shallow oneing?) Allan

Sorry to be a bit off topic Does anyone fancy a couple of days working in the Southampton boat show? http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/JOB066/ Allan

Thanks John I've gone ahead and booked from them now... I've got one of their two 'new for 2007' boats (Wedgewood class?) - so I'm off to do the Four Counties starting July 14th Allan

Didn't Dartline boats have go-faster windows back in the early days of hire craft? The more things change the more they stay the same eh? Talking of innovation though - did anyone else see the boat with the fold out TV/DVD? The tv is hidden inside a cupboard out of sight when not in use... a very good idea, and well built too Allan

I'm sure fox won't mind me pinching a small graphic from them... (I'm sure you'll find better drawing if you search) Text accompanying the picture: Are you fed up with having your mooring pins pulled out by boats going by too fast? Fed up with being rocked? Try mooring like this - it is called setting spring lines. You take a mooring rope forward and behind the mooring cleat to reduce the potential for the boat to swing back and forth. Allan

If you were the chap in the cast yesterday - you certainly wern't doing much walking around in the beer tent! Did you stay for the drummers and the dancing girls? Actually, I meant to check the forum to see who was going before I went and arrange to say hi... sounds like ya had a good day anyway. BTW - I think someone once suggested that we get a forum badge, hat or summat for such do's - maybe next year eh? Get well soon Allan

I had a wonderful day at the show yesterday (Saturday) - and although it was a bit black overhead at least I stayed dry this year! Hope everyone going today or Monday will be as lucky with the weather as the forecast's not so good The selection of boats was as good as ever... But does anyone else think they are starting to look a bit 'sameish', with the only real difference being how well finished they are? I think the best finished was probably the Heartwood boat (and it probably had the longest queue to view) - but with so many quality builds it would be hard to pick a clear winner The boats that caught my eye for being a bit 'different' were La Di Dah from Big Fish, and the one from Daddys Boat Co (I love the way they finish their boats!), but for me, the one I was most attracted to (in my price range anyway!) was a Polish built boat named Paris from Amber boats The music was a bit different too... I'm sure anyone at the beer tent yesterday will remember that drum band for a long time to come! I'll be hearing them in me sleep!!! One slight complaint... Last year we took sooo long getting in that we left extra time this year and arrived well early (along with hundreds of others!), but after a 3 hour drive we couldn't get a cuppa or bite to eat till they opened the gates (which in fairness to the organisers they did half an hour early - catching a few of the exhibitors out...), so cummon Crick - why not have a food stall in the carpark for next year? There were the usual bunch of stalls selling 'show specials' which to be honest were less than special (did anyone else see the stall selling leather hats at the 'bargain' price of 49 quid?!?!?), and though the food was good quality, a sausage baguette and a coke seems a tad excessive at a fiver... The kids entertainment was looking pretty good value again - but does anyone else think the show is heading towards being a 'family fun day' with boats, more than a boat show with other attractions? Dunno about others, but did the show really need a stilt walker for example? Btw - I did look out for Gary of Legard - where were you Gary? Hope you all had/have safe journeys Allan

Hi While still looking for a good boat of our own - I'm tempted to book a week or two with Heritage NarrowBoats later in the year and do either the Four Counties or Cheshire ring http://www.heritagenarrowboats.co.uk I've done a forum search with minimum results - so does anyone have any experience of this company? I've seen their boats around the cut and they seem fairly tidy... but comments welcome Thanks Allan