ncpierce

Well...it looks like we are hiring from William Piper narrowboats a boat which has not been built/finished yet but will be ready for July Not cheap but should be a cracker from their previous builds.

Larch is ex Spirit of Georgia a Challenger Share Boat. Which depending what you read (and this is my own opinion) probably had lots of shared owners

Me again! OK another year has passed. Summer 2010 was spent on a boat from Norbury Wharf, Sovereign Lady (trad stern) down to Ellesmere Port and back again. Even managed to collect some firewood and had a couple of fires - did mean sleeping one night with the front doors partially open to try and cool the boat down We have a trip booked just before Easter heading East from Devizes on the Kennet and Avon. But we do not have a trip sorted out for the Summer. Requirements are the same last year, semi-trad / trad stern, room for 3 doubles or 2 doubles and a single and ideally somewhere we haven't been before. I quite fancy heading back on the Trent following our last trip that way in 1998 but am struggling to find a boat. TIA Nigel

I like tugs. Having hired Spirit of Georgia (Challenger) would love to hire another one. The only problem is that your new one is one berth short for what we need for a family holiday. Its gone on the list though for future consideration once my Nan stops coming with us. We need more intersting boats for hire for those people who like something different.

Been there - done that. Had a week in a plastic bath tub on the broads and found it really dull and boring. Nothing to do but potter along at 4mph an hour. Also had to pay for moorings and to fill up the boat with water. Highlight of the trip was some choppy water on the way back across Bredon Water. Holidays are limited by term time as my sister and brother-in-law are both teachers and my Mum looks after the children. Luckily brother-in-law teaches at a posh private school so his holidays start earlier allowing us to go early(ish) July. Nigel

I think I need to convince my parents to buy a share on one of the ownerships new Tug boats!!! Thanks for the reply. Nigel

Thanks for the suggestions so far. After having a quick look on the net, and writing a bit of a short list, we are thinking of probably hiring a boat from Norbury Wharf (Sovereign Lady) and heading up to Cheshire and Ellesmere Port. Has anyone got any views on there boats or the boatyard? I really want to take the boat from Braidbar but with us requiring a 2+1+1 for my parents, nan and myself a 2+2 is not going to work - maybe next time! Thanks Nigel

Interesting to note is that Middlewich's NB Larch appears to be the ex Challenger Spirit of Georgia boat. The layout is the same and some searching on jim-shead.com confirmed:- Thanks for the responses so far. What do people think of the Leeds and Liverpool??

Hi, I have been boating on and off for the past 13years with my family. To date we have done the following:- 1996 - Leighton Buzzard to Braunston (rtn) - Wyvern Shipping (1week) 1998 - Leicester Ring - Wyvern Shipping (2weeks) 2002 - Leighton Buzzard to Braunston (rtn) - Wyvern Shipping (1week) 2003 - Langollen - Black Prince (1week) 2004 - Devizes to Keynsham - Foxhangers Boats (1week) 2005 - Warwickshire Ring - Valley Cruisers (1week) 2006 - Cheshire Ring - Carefree Crusing (Elton Moss) (1week) 2007 - Four Counties Ring - Challenger (1week) 2008 - Warwick to Banbury - Kate Boats (1week) 2009 - Leighton Buzzard to Gayton Junction - Wyvern Shipping (4days) 2009 - Black Country Ring - Teddesley Boats (1week) We have a trip booked for Easter 2010 heading south from Leighton Buzzard with my sister and nieces but we need an idea of where to go for a week in the summer. Ideally we would prefer a semi-trad, or trad layout (not a huge fan of cruiser sterns) as they provide vague shelter when the weather is not too good - typical British summer. The "best" boat we have had was Spirit of Georgia - 66ft tug from Challenger with the engine room, back cabin and trad engine controls. So where do we go next? and from which boatyard??? TIA Nigel

Hi, Heading off next week for a holiday with the parents. Going from Teddesley and doing the Black Country Ring - Anti-Clockwise. Can anyone recommend any good mooring spots? Or more importantly anywhere definitely not to moor? Canal Planner is suggesting these sorts of areas for stops:- SAT - Gailey Lock SUN - Wolverhampton Lock No 6 - Will probably stop at the bottom of the flight @ Wolverhampton MON - Galton Tunnel TUES - Bromford Wharf WED - The Three Tuns THURS - Tuppenhurst Bridge FRI - Hazelstrine Bridge Thanks for any advice. Nigel

OK Start - Market Drayton - Bridge 63 Betton Bridge Sat Night - nr Audlem Bottom Lock - Bridge 73 Kemps Bridge Sun Lunch - Nantwich Junction - Bridge 92 Sun Night - Middlewich Branch between Bridges 23 and 24 Mon Lunch - Trent & Mersey Hassall Green Top Lock (57) Mon Night - above Red Bull Lock 45 Tues Lunch - Ring Road Southern Footbridge Stoke Tues Night - Burlaston - Plume of Feathers Bridge (nr Wedgewood Pottery) Wed Lunch - Sandon Lock (25) Wed Night - Staffs & Worc above Deptmore Lock (42) Thurs Lunch - Gailey Visitors Mooring Thurs Night - Shroppie Canal - Giffords Cross Bridge 11 Friday Lunch - Norbury Junction Friday Night - Berisford Road Aqueduct Hope it helps Nigel

Hi, We did the Four Counties in the wet last week of June and went Clockwise, this got the "hard work" done first! If you want suggested stopping points for a clockwise run give me a shout. It will be tough, 10hour days every day!!! We did it with me, Mum and Dad and my Nan as a non-participating, tea making, passenfer!

Well our 9th trip was rather interesting. Made it around the 4 Counties in 7days on Spirit of Georgia (Challenger 66' Super Tug) with traditional engine controls and boatmans cabin. Probably averaged about 10hour days including last Monday, rather wet. Had a few alarming moments! Lock 47 coming up "Heartbreak Hill" the water was flowing over the top of the lock sides by about 300mm and one boat had been sitting above the lock waiting to get in for an hour as they could not open the gates on their own. Also the next morning coming up through the last lock at Red Bull the push-pull handle on the forward and reverse sheared off so we struggled all the way through Harecastle with that before getting it welded up at Stoke-on-Trent where we were passed by NB Belle as I was "hovering" while the account was settled. Later on in the week we heard rumours that the ring was not completably due to trees down but by the time we got too the cuttings on Thursday / Friday the trees were clear and we could make it home. I think that everyone should 'learn' to drive with traditional engine controls. I find them so easy and the boat was very responsive, the ability to keep the engine revs up and change direction came in very handy at Autherely Junction when a couple of boats were playing silly buggers. It will be a challenge to find as nice a boat for next year.

Hi, We are also picking up a boat from Market Drayton and this will be our 8th time out and we are planning to do the four counties. Crew of 3 (+ nan to make the tea) and not afraid of long days can someone suggest where we need to be, or where's nice to moore during this ring. Thanks Nigel

Hi, Just got back from a week on The Broads with Challenger Stealth Hire. Nothing about it on their website but details are in their brochure, we are taking Spirit of Georgia for a week in June. Boat nice and clean and well equipped. Based at Brundall Gardens on the Southern Broads. We managed all we wanted to see on both sides of Breydon in a week including and interesting crossing of Breydon Water last Tuesday in a strong breeze and choppy 'sea'. Looking forward to getting back to some locks and something to keep us busy in June!