Fatjoff

Can I recommend you try Google Earth? I use the satellite imagery to give me a feel of a canal I'm not familiar with. Didn't stop me missing my eastbound turning from the HBC onto the river Calder. I realised I'd gone wrong when I ended up at Brighouse. A quick check of Google Earth, and I saw where I went astray.

I did that too, my first time at Beal a couple of years ago. I couldn't see any obvious way of getting to the road. I was stopped by the owners and told unceremoniously that I was trespassing. Last year, in the dark, I found the path but nearly had a heart attack as a horse galloped across the field and snorted in my face. You'd have thought I'd been training for the Grand National!

I was in York, Castle Gardens, for the last Bank holiday weekend. The moorings were full - although there were gaps between the boats that if closed up could have let another boat in, at least one smaller than my 55ft. I just asked if I could breast up alongside one boat, duly welcomed by a very nice couple on a year long CCing adventure. They later headed off to Naburn for the night, but came back the following day and moored alongside me. Neither of us seemed too precious and the arrangement worked well. He comes from York and suggested the entrance to the Foss doesn't seem to get busy and worth a try. My contingency plan in the event of not being able to moor was to turn round and go upstream beyond the 48 hr moorings (just under the rail bridge) and bang some pegs in. The path is not used by pedestrians and the ground looked as if it was sand/soil rather than concrete. Thankfully I never had to test my plan. Apparently there were drunks making a lot of noise at 4am on the Sunday, but I never heard a thing. Slept right through it!

So, if you're replacing all your leisure batteries at the same time, do you disconnect all the negative terminals first before attempting to remove the positive ones? Or do you do one battery at a time, negative followed by positive terminal? I ask, because this is my next job.

No, Goole was not mentioned, although I am vaguely aware of that possibility but had not considered it. As time was tight, and I'd already lost a day and a half cruising time, I considered I couldn't make Ripon in what time I had left, so gave up. But thanks for raising this possibility. I'll do a bit of research on that route. I can't get back to the boat for a few weeks anyway, so I guess Selby lock will be operational by then, but it's always handy to have a contingency. Cheers Geoff

I was expecting to leave Lemonroyd on Friday morning heading for home (Ripon), and booked my passage through Selby Lock, originally to go out on the 9am tide as long as the Ouse had subsided a little by then. Unfortunately, the Aire was too high, so I hung back in the marina, hoping the waters would abate, and re-arranged with the lock keeper for Sunday morning. By Saturday lunchtime, the levels on the Aire were still a bit high, but I contemplated risking trying for at least Castleford. So I rang the lockie at Selby to discuss the Ouse, and that's when he told me about the lock gates. He said they couldn't get the dredger up until Monday, so I'd miss the morning tide. I'd have to look at crossing on Tuesday at the earliest, if I was lucky. So that was my travel plans scuppered! I couldn't wait til then, as I was back at work today (Tuesday). Good job I'd driven down to lemonroyd, so I hopped in the car and went home, and did some jobs around the house instead. Inconvenient, as I won't have another opportunity until the christmas hols to bring the boat home. But, that's the joys of boating! At least I got the chance to check out Lemonroyd.

That's worrying. I bought my boat through them in cash with my pension gratuity in May. I would like to think they'd have handed the money over to the vendor by now. If they come after me, that's my retirement plan all b*****ed up. Time to re-name the boat and slip off into the night! I did think it unusual that they wanted all the money up front mind before I even picked the boat up.

How can you visit Nun Monkton, particularly in a narrowboat? The only mooring I can find is a private one. Are you suggesting we can use the mooring? If so, excellent. The Alice Hawthorn is a lovely pub.

I bought my boat from them a couple of months ago, and they are difficult to get hold of at times. Very frustrating, I know. But I'm surprised you haven't been re-routed to one of their very annoying call-centre operatives who clearly don't work at the yard and are not overly blessed with grey matter, but at least they take a message and pass it on.

Thanks Andy for the caution, but if you read all the posts, you'll see I came through Standedge mid May, and did sustain a little surface damage which has now been touched up. The damage to the roof was a little unexpected, but it was only the paintwork. The window knocked me back more, but I opted for a cheaper fix in the end which still keeps the rain out. But I appreciate your concern all the same. I'm now stuck in the marina with engine problems. I took the boat for a little trip down the Ripon canal yesterday morning and onto the River Ure. This was my first trip out since arriving in Ripon due to waiting for repairs to the prop shaft coupling. I turned in the river to come back through the lock and the engine conked out on me. The starter turned the engine over, but it wouldn't catch. I managed to moor up on the lock landing stage, and got some abuse from a couple on a cruiser coming out of the lock onto the river because I had taken up the space they wanted to use. Quite unpleasant, and very unnecessary. Explaining my predicament did not soften them. Anyway, the long and the short, a couple of the lads in the marina came down to see if they could get me moving, but ended up towing me back to the marina. So I've got a fuel starvation problem which is causing me some head scratching. Looks like I'll have to call in a professional to trace the problem. Never a dull moment with a boat they say!

I made it , eventually. Went west out of Nottingham along the T&M, then the Macclesfield, Peak forest and Huddersfield Narrow. That took almost 2 weeks, although the first week I let my sis and her husband cruise while I went back to work. I took over at Trentham Bridge and my bro in law stayed with me. We did some long days cruising up to Huddersfield in some rather soggy conditions. Lost a window to a branch on the HNC, so left the boat at Apsley Marina for a week for repairs. Had company from there to Horbury just south of Wakefield for a couple of days, but single handed from there to Ripon for the next 4. Again I put some long shifts in, including Burn to Boroughbridge which took about 13 hours. I won't do such lengthy cruises on my own in future, although there aren't many mooring opportunities between Ripon and York. HNC was all they say, - interesting, difficult, shallow, and I wouldn't like to do it single handed. We got stuck in a lock - a fender at the bow being the culprit. I had to reach down with a knife and cut up the offending fender to release the boat. We also grounded in a couple of shallow pounds. Plus I lost a window as I said to a tree branch that had been chain sawed back but left a thick enough remnant to take out toughened glass. On the plus side, I rang C&RT at about 3pm on the Tuesday, and they agreed to take me through Standedge the following day. So nowhere near the 3 days notice requirement I read about on the web site. Sustained a bit of surface damage from the tunnel walls which has now been touched up. I'm in the Racecourse Marina now - I didn't think RMBC were taking on narrowboats at the moment. Boat name is Canny Lass, I note the similarity. Geoff

Thanks guys. Very re-assuring. Looking forward to it.

I'm joining my new boat tomorrow morning at Trentham Lock on the Trent and Mersey, heading north. I've just been doing a bit of forward planning - perhaps not forward enough! - and I've noticed the procedures for crossing through Harecastle tunnel. Thing is, the CR&T website is a little ambiguous, particularly regarding notification in advance. I read it that you only have to give 48 hours notice during winter months, but I'm not sure. Can anyone who is familiar with the tunnel tell me if I turn up at the tunnel tomorrow afternoon, if I can cross through or will I have to wait until Wednesday morning? Apologies in advance for a bit of a numpty question. Thanks

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I was supposed to be picking up the new boat tomorrow and cruising in her for the first time. She was getting put back in the water yesterday after her re-paint but unfortunately the crane broke down. So me and 2 other new boat owners have been left high and dry (literally) and have had all our bank holiday weekend plans well and truly scuppered. The yard can't get another crane in until next Thursday. I know it's not the yard's fault. These things happen. But I'm still extremely disappointed. Oh well. Here's to next Saturday then. To those of you lucky enough to already be on the water, enjoy your weekend.

Thanks everyone. I guess I was just looking for confirmation that I have done the right thing. Seems that I have. Boat is now being re-painted and I pick it up 3 May. Cheers

I've just had my boat surveyed and, although the surveyor said the boat was in good nick, there were a few things which needed attention. The broker has suggested it would cost in the region of £650 to put right. Some things are niceties rather than necessities, such as painting the engine bay, and I've asked that the vendor covers the gas and electrics remediations to bring it up to BSS certification, and I've agreed to cover the rest, which I reckon will cost me about £500. My question is, and I know it's a bit late now, but was I too much of a soft touch? How much could I have expected the vendor to cover?

Hi PT Hope all goes well with the survey. Which boat did you buy? I only live across the road from the marina and often walk down the canal, so I'm sure I'll have seen your boat. Anyway, all being well, I'll see you in Ripon in about 4 weeks time.

Hi Purpletriker. Are you buying your boat from Nottingham too? If so, have you given any thought yet as to how you are getting it back to Ripon? Given my lack of experience, i have decided not to go north up the Trent, but to go south west before turning north via the Macclesfield and Huddersfield Narrow. Have you booked your mooring in Ripon Yet?

Evening all I put down a deposit on a boat last weekend and am now awaiting the surveyor's report. All being well, my boat will be repainted and renamed, and with any luck it will be ready for me early May. It's a 55ft SW Durham steelcraft, cruiser stern with a Beta 38 engine, a little underpowered from what I read on these forums. Time will tell. it's an ex-hire with 6 berths, which will be ideal for me and my girlfriend and our 4 teenage children. I'll be mooring in Ripon. I fully intend to take to the water full time in my retirement and explore the whole system in slow time. I hope to meet you all on the water sometime. Happy boating.

Yeah, I'm aware of that, but being relatively new to it and all that, i want to get used to pootling up and down a bit first before moving full time onto the system in retirement. By the way, I'm not an ab-initio. I have had a couple of canal holidays, but realise it will take much more than that to move out of the novice category. I had thought about mooring further south, but opted for Ripon as I will be able to walk to the boat from home any time i like. I hope to have many years of retirement to explore the system, and not too many before I start. Hey, if I get bored, I can move. 55 ft. Well aware of the length restrictions in this part of the world. For the record, it's a 12 year old SW Durham Steelcraft cruiser stern, ex-hire, 6 berth and perfect for curent needs. Not single handing generally, although I may well try it on the Ripon to York run now and again. I have that many mates who fancy a booze cruise down to York that I'm sure I won't have to single hand. What's wrong with the HNC? Apart from Standedge? I have planned my route home that way so what might I find difficult as a novice? Thanks for all the responses. Cheers

Thanks for the advice. Guess I'll turn right out of Nottingham and go the long way round. i'll save the Trent for another day when I'll have more experience. Thanks for the link to the canal planner.

Well, i've finally done it. After 8 years of dreaming - and boring people - I've just gone and bought a boat. The only thing is, I bought it in Nottingham and need to get it to Ripon. Do I head due north out of Nottingham up the Trent, which might be quite difficult for a novice like me as i understand it's tidal? Or do i go right out of the yard and go the long way round? So my question to all you good people who have quite possibly done these routes yourselves, how long will it take me? I'm still working, so will find it difficult to take time off for any length of time, though I am thinking about relaying over a series of weekends and using short term secured moorings. Any comments, suggestions will be thankfully considered. I'm really excited to be joining your community. Geoff