haggis

True but when you are a very small canal society and you don't have much money because you concentrated on providing low cost boat trips in a fairly deprived area as a means of encouraging people to take an interest in their canal and not use it as a rubbish dump, you can sort of see the thinking.

Thank you for that. I must admit when I made the post this morning I just repeated without thinking what I had read in minutes but you are correct of course. People should not be denied being able to do something ( like having a boat trip with friends and family) because they are not fully able. I think cost came into the thinking .

I was aware of these boats and the one which has now been sold looked ideal but the remaining one the lack of solid sides to the front of the cabin makes it a bit unsuitable for operating in Scottish waters. I have been looking out for ex hire day boats coming up but it has just been these two since the society got the funds in place.

Thank you, Martin. It is a bit of as mindfield!. I also found a web site disability Scotland and have pointed the chairman in that direction as sometimes there is specific legislation relating to Scotland. I will also point her in the direction of the UK site. Thanks again, Haggis

A canal society which we are both members of is having to have a new trip boat built as their previous one requires replating . The chairman has just contacted me to say she has heard than any new trip boats being built must have disabled access. Does anyone know if this is true or let me know where i could find out? The boat will be used for skippper driven trips for up to 12 passengers only and it had been decided not to have disabled access as the Seagull Trust who operate near us provide trips for mentally and physically challenged people and it was felt that we didn't want to "tread on their toes". Just out of interest as some may remember the old trip boat, Bluebell, in an earlier life. She was called Minuet and was operated by Peter Le Marchant Trust. She was then bought by the Seagull Trust and after they no longer needed her she was given to a community group who neglected her and after she had been sunk several times our canal society acquired her and spent a few years making her into a great wee boat.

Apparently he was a 75 year old single handler living aboard. . Very sad as he will have lost everything

I seem to remember that the boat was a trad stern and there was a "suicide seat" but I may be getting mixed up with another accident.

As has been said already, the fact that a C&RT employee has been murdered when carrying out is duties will make C&RT more protective of their employees and in my opinion, the OP comes over as a bit aggressive in his actions and this thread. I think as has also been said that the OP should eat humble pie and apologise and hopefully that will see an end to the matter and he can move his boat wherever he wants, subject to stoppages, of course 🙂

Oops! Just had another look and yes there is rounding. I blame my early morning eyes 🙂 . The corners definitely looked sharp earlier!

Like so many boats, the galley has sharp corners just waiting to catch you as you walk past. Why don't builders round corners?

To get up river you need to get past the barrier and it only operates at certain states of the tide . The barrier can only be open for about an hour and if you miss coming back down, your boat could be stuck up there for ages waiting for the correct state of the tide. It takes a bit of organising and we have had Gamebird up there but it was during the night and dark so we couldn't see much. (Peter was with us , hence the photo of us after we came back through the barrier ). When you go through the barrier, the barrier keeper lowers a basket into which you place several bottles of beer to thank him for opening the barrier 🙂 . I haven't heard of many organised trips through the barrier but there are not many private boats operating on the Clyde. Some of the new bridges are too low for masted boats to go through. We have taken gamebird onto the river a few times to attend events, the latest being the Commonwealth Flotilla where we were the only narrowboat among hundreds of sea going boats.

Perhaps angling for cheaper insurance as no working engine to need a claim in the future ? Or am I being cynical 😄

Apart from the price, they were a bit quick sending you an invoice if the boat only went in on Monday. I wouldn't expect an invoice till the job was complete unless it was a big job and staged payments were expected

When we were there a few weeks ago there were some spaces but not a lot and it might have been because folk were out cruising. Did you phone Dave on his mobile as I gather that is the best way to contact the marina?

Suggested that the two topics on the marina be merged

Anyone go past recently? Did the water reach canal level? Is work still going on or have tools been downed again? Is the marina open?

That to me says that there is or has been a lot of water under the floor boards . Do you have access to below the floor to check? If not, it might be worth making a hole near the stern to check. That doesn't look like recent dampness unless it was exposed for a very long time. Sorry no suggestion about what do do with the wood 🙂

Without the Kelpies the Helix Park would not be the attraction which it is and this has breathed new life into what was a deprived area.

Don't know about that but the Kelpies, like the Falkirk Wheel have done much to publicise the Lowland canals and the revenue from them must be helping pay for work on the canals.

As the KELPIES are iconic canal structures which have been widely publicised I don't think it is unreasonable to think that canal folk know about them. I presume from your post that you are unaware of them 😄