howardang
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Posts posted by howardang
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1 hour ago, Garethh said:
I've chucked the stove and will just buy a camping stove, swipe me if I new I was gonna get this much flack I won't have asked. Just a side note for a few unhelpful people on here, a simple polite no its not a gd idea would have done.
A simple comment without the expletive would have been sufficient, following your comment.
Howard
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On 13/06/2023 at 22:19, ditchcrawler said:
I like the way people want to know what is said on Facebook but they don't want to join because they are not interested on what is said on Facebook.
That's not quite right; the incident is not exclusive to Facebook. For example, someone says that there is an incident somewhere and I suggest that the people who want to know more are frustrated that the OP hasn't quoted more details of the actual incident. That's not the same as wanting to know what's on Facebook as such. Personally, I couldn't careless about what is on Facebook, and on this forum I think it is quite well known that there is a substantial number of members who have no desire to join Facebook.
Howard
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3 minutes ago, Rob-M said:
Sculptor was used as a fire boat, a bit of info here, https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/sculptor-returns-to-stoke-bruerne-after-year-long-restoration
Yes but Sculptor was used in London rather than Birmingham, as far as I am aware.
Howard
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Surely it have been much quicker in most instances of fire for the Fire Service attend a fire using conventional fire engines, avoiding the need to frequently have to use locks to get to the fire which would have taken too much time? I would have thought that with the use of the red fir doors which can be found on many BCN bridges allowing easy access for hoses to reach the canal water that would have been the better option than employing fire boats.
Howard
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1000022E Sea Link Ferry St Columba Holyhead
1000356E Pocklington Canal - Walbut Lock
Howard
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2 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:
In general I would agree, but I think it's more complex in a convoy, where boats handle differently and each skipper has a different view of how fast they need to go to maintain control. The lead boat in each group does try (and I think this is unavoidable) to maintain constant speed/ RPM, otherwise things can get rather messy.I hear what you say but if it is necessary for the lead boats to maintain a constant speed maybe a modest reduction in that set speed might be worth considering?
Howard
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2 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:
On Brentford I can offer you two reasons:
1) David had (as he mentioned in the commentary) covered this section before in an earlier video. See below:
2) He was having a little snooze between Hammersmith and Richmond (see second photo, taken just by the piece of modern art).
On Teddington, the outer gates of the barge lock have been out of action for about 4 years, so we can only use the inner half. A pity, as I reckoned the 590 metres of boat would just about fit in the lock, three abreast.
My apologies! Personally I reckon pitching is good for safety - though it may cause some mild nausea and breakage of crockery. MOBIUS is short and light - longer and heavier boats pitch much less which means that on occasion you can get a bit of water running along the sidedecks and in the side doors if you have not taped them up. It's fair to say that the centre of London is usually quieter than this, and if pick a tide so you can depart Limehouse at 0700 then it's usually much quieter....The best way to ease the effects of pitching is to SLOW DOWN. I am sometimes perplexed to watch narrowboats plough through choppy water and then complain about the rough conditions.
Wind against tide conditions also cause the river to be much choppier than expected and more care should be taken in these conditions.Howard
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6 hours ago, Tonka said:
which is why they have invented flotation clothing. See the photo above your post
There are indeed may such flotation devices available and have been for many years. Marine Pilots and other marine professionals wear heavy weather jackets which incorporate built in life jackets and safety harnesses. Indeed there was a period in my life where I wore something similar, but that type of jacket can be extremely expensive and so is not popular with leisure wearers. For example, I have seen some jackets costing well in excess of £1,000 although of course other similar equipment can be found at lower cost. One manufacturer for example is Seasafe who have a comprehensive range.
Howard
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6 hours ago, LadyG said:
Agreed, this is a step too far.
Wearing suitable clothing for any activity is sensible: a close fitting modern lifejacket is not going to interfere with the wearer's actions or make him reckless, the human psyche does not work that way.
Dress for the weather of course but whatever you wear please make sure that when wearing an inflating life jacket that it is worn outside any other clothing. It horrifies me when I see people put on a lifejacket inside a waterproof jacket or similar outer clothing. It will at the very least least restrict the operation of any inflating jacket and prevent the LJ from providing protection, and could lead to the wearer getting into severe difficulties. I have seen this habit more and more over recent years and it seldom mentioned when the subject of lifejacket wearing crops up.
Howard
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2 hours ago, blackrose said:
I have lifejackets onboard for when I used to do the tidal Thames but I've only worn one once on the canals about 15 years ago after a frozen Christmas on the GU. The ice was starting to thaw so I decided to make a move (single handed). It only took one lock for me to realise how dangerous it was walking across icy lock gates so I went in and grabbed a lifejacket. I should probably wear them more often but I don't want to look like a twat. Mind you, I'd probably look more of a twat floating face down in the river.
Better look like one than to be a dead one.
Howard
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2 minutes ago, Wizzer said:
///regime.traps.shared
I have done it from here before. Bit if a walk but doable with a pub for refreshment afterwards.
We usually moot on the embankment. Its a pleasant 10/15 minutes walk to the town and well worth it. We like Nantwich.
Howard
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26 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:
Then there are at least 2 of us.
Add one more
Howard
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30 minutes ago, Goliath said:
Yes Ive always thought similar and have never worn one even out sailing on the sea
but..may be it’s an age thing for I’m beginning to think a bit different 🤷♀️
and I’m perhaps becoming a wuss
You're not a wuss. You are just getting older and wiser!
Howard
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24 minutes ago, magnetman said:
I've never worn a lifejacket on canals, rivers or tidal Thames. Including using my little launch in red boards below freezing conditions.
I suppose its an odd view but I believe safety gear can make one less careful. I'm an advocate for a spike in the middle of a steering wheel rather than an air bag..
If I fall in and drown so what? Probably won't happen but if it does then it was meant to happen like everything else which happens.
I could see the point if at sea and there were other people around as it might extend your survivability but I don't buy it on inland waterways.
Someone had a go at me when I had the kids (both under ten at the time) in the dinghy with no lifejackets.
They were obviously trying to transfer their risk management strategy onto me.
Of course I have been on boats continuously for 30 yars and had a dinghy for ten yars before living on a boat so I suppose for someone less accustomed to boats it might be wise.
SPLOSH!
I also saved a life when I was 15 and sunk our dinghy with 5 younger teenagers on board and no lifejackets. I assumed they could all swim !
The conversation between my mother and one of the girls' parents was quite amusing. They were under the impression everyone had lifejackets. My mum did not disabuse them of this belief as clearly the kid had said she did have a lifejacket !
And no-one died.
That is obviously your risk assessment and presumably you are happy to take the consequences if anything happens.
However, complacency can skew reasoning. A few years ago my wife and I had to save a man sailing single handed on a canal (I won't say where to avoid embarrassing him). He fell in, possibly aided by the excessive alcohol he had consumed while steering his boat along the canal. Although it was midsummer he became extremely cold within less than 20 minutes and couldn't help himself. In the end it took both of us plus two passers by to get him out of the water and into an ambulance and he was lucky that we were nearby. We met him when he returned to his boat and he had indeed the medical team looking after him in A&E said been very lucky to survive.
Howard
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2 hours ago, tree monkey said:
It's a personal choice/risk assessment but what did supprise me is how deep a section of the Walsall canal actually was when I voluntarily went in, standing on some debris of unknown origin the water was up to my chin.
The above waffle basically means don't be too quick to scoff, not that I will be wearing one but I am a little more cautious now
I totally agree that it is a personal choice after making a risk assessment. One further important point to consider is that if you strike your head or otherwise injure yourself when falling in, or you are incapacitated through sudden illness etc, you may be unable to get out of the water unaided. A lifejacket may be your savior. I would never criticise anyone who decides that it is better to be safe (and alive) than sorry.
Howard
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57 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:
It seems that you may think that the Thames and the canal system are administered by the same authority and in the same way. They are not, you need different licences, although you can get a gold licence that covers both. The banks of the canals are basically owned by CaRT so their rules are what matters and they have minimum cruising distances that might make your plans re work difficult. Ignore these rules at your peril and be assured that if you do then your boat may well be taken from you.
On the Thames, every inch of the bank is owned by someone, who are free to impose any mooring conditions they feel like, so you get daily charges from £5 to £15+. Not all impose mooring fees, but those locations that do not are likely to be very full of others living on their boats. Some towns allow free mooring but strictly time limited and there are free Environment Agency 24 hour moorings, but they are not a lot of good when working.
The K&A around most "easy access" points with car parking and/or public transport are also likely to be full of people doing similar to what you plan and in the west CaRT seem to be getting a bit keen to enforcing their terms and conditions on distances moved etc.
57 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:All this has been rehearsed several times before on this forum, so your posts do suggest a certain naivety about matters pertaining to actual boating, rather than mooring. I suggest spending a few weekends visiting the areas where you think you would like to moor to see the conditions on the ground. Unfortunately, there seems to be a growing trend of newcomers jumping in with both feet by buying a wide beam boat without realising that there are additional issues with them that a reasonable knowledge of navigating on waterways as suggested by hiring might help them to realise that these boats come with many additional issues. Please consider taking a couple of holidays on one of the many hire boats available before jumping in too prematurely. When you know a little of the issues involved it is even possible to hire a wide beam on certain canals - the Leeds and Liverpool for example ( Silsden Boats). One invaluable piece of boat owning lore is that you buy your first boat and find issues, buy the second and you get someway to satisfaction but it is the third boat that is really the one that will suit you.
Good luck in your search for the one that will suit you.
Howard
57 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said: -
2 hours ago, 999 Neets said:
So would a pilot actually drive your boat or would you follow them?
Pilots are on board the boat to advise but it is the master (skipper) who is in charge and responsible for the safety of boat and crew. As far as continuous cruising is concerned have you read the guidance on continuous cruising on the CRT web site? If not I would recommend that doing so at an early stage in your planning.
Howard
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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:
GRP 'boats' are normally conventional 'boat shaped' and in proper 'boat proportions'.
No one in their right mind would produce a square box, 7 feet wide and 7 feet high x 50 - 60 -70 feet long. No aesthetics and can only be described as a 'sewer tube'.
Some of the designs for those large continental river cruisers you see advertised on TV can give our sewer tubes a run for their money. Totally without character, soulless, and the nearest thing I have seen to the "Box shaped vessel" which, for those who have studied stability for sea going certificates, will be a familiar term when being taught the basics of stability.
Howard
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37 minutes ago, Boomaroo said:
Its not a wind up ,I have water running down the rails on the front door hatch and leaking into the barge ,if someone else has had this problem and fixed ut I would grateful for the help
Why not find the location of either the nearest chandler or DIY shop. Explain the issue to them and take their advice about what type of sealant to use.
Hope that helps
Howard
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10 minutes ago, Boomaroo said:
Barge door leaking
...and???
More information is needed and what are you asking?
Clashed with Jen in wellies!
Howard
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To try to cut to the chase and stop unnecessary chasing of rainbows, do you have an approximate idea of budget and what part of the UK system are you thinking of? Are you a newcomer to the waterways or do you have any prior knowledge of what is involved in owning and maintaining a boat on the waterways? As you can imagine this site gets a number of such requests and peoples ideas of what is available and for what price varies enormously. It is always helpful if you could give an indication of what you hope to get out of boat ownership, i.e. extended cruising, weekending, living on board permanently etc.
Howard
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Unless the intention is for stage 2 to extend the search area there seem to be a lot of locations imissing as you go further North. For example, Hull Marina, Goole Marina's (2) South Ferriby Marina, a few on the Trent etc. Many more in the North which are too numerous to mention.
Howard
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I once had a similar problem when buying a car. I think the limit on daily transfers was at that time £12000. I gave the bank a call and after going through the usual security checks and explaining what the payment was intended for the bank arranged for a transfer which took place within a few minutes.
Howard
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2 hours ago, PeterF said:
There are some share boats like this, syndicates with originally 6 or more owners where when one of the owners wants to sell out, one of the remaining owners have bought out the share until there are perhaps 3 owners. I also know of one boat bought new by an owner who found they did not use it as much as expected and sold a half share, one owner has it for spring to mid summer and the other for mid summer through autumn. Finding such shares for sale may be more difficult.
You might like to have a look at the following web sites which specialise in share boat and especially both have a wealth of information about the ins and outs of how it all works. You may find some tips which may help you if thinking about setting up a small syndicate. .
https://boatshare4u.co.uk/index.asp
Howard
I am desperate to get a marine engineer to service my engine
in New to Boating?
Posted · Edited by howardang
I suggest that you need to contact as many boat yards in your area and try to explain the issue, and any others, as clearly as possible. I certainly sounds like much more than a service and it would ne necessary for an engineer to view the boat properly to give you an assessment of what is actually required. If the engine is disconnected as you say it suggests that the previous owner was more than a little concerned. Did anyone have a look at the boat for you prior to your purchasing it?
It might also be worth at the same time getting someone who knows what they are about to give your boat a good inspection to see if there are any other such issues.
I certainly would respectfully suggest that you don't attempt to carry out any repairs yourself, even under "supervision" whatever that would entail. I appreciate that this may mean spending money but unfortunately that can go together with boat ownership.
Howard