[Easter Banter 2014 -18th to 21st April Gnosall?]

Tom and I would like to join you all on this. Sounds loads of fun. We just need a boat with space for us

[Anyone fancy a weekend's boating (Locks involved)]

Thanks Sue and Richard for the great weekend. I am a bit stiff this morning but cannot wait for you to get in touch again telling me you need help!

[Walkie Talkies]

Thanks for all the comments. It has certainly made for an interesting discussion. I agree with many that in most situations good organisation, especially with locks, and hand signals suffice in most situations. My main concern was that as there will only me us two on the boat and as my husband has no experience at all he may worry when I disappear round a corner and do not reappear for a while because I am helping other boats coming the other way before we can continue. Also when I crewed on the Llangollan when it was busy boats coming the other way could tell us how many more were coming through before we could go but in early March I suspect it will be less busy and we will not have that opportunity. In September when we crossed the aqueduct we simply followed the trip boat through but if that is not running in March we will not be able to do that. So when it comes to the narrow bits, aqueducts and tunnels I anticipated that I may have to go on ahead and then radio my husband to come through. I just wanted to be sure that when we get there we do not find that the radios only work on line of sight or will not work at a long enough distance or through tunnels but I did not want to spend too much as I suspect that on any other canal we will not find them so useful. I did see some people using them when they could have signalled and it seemed very silly to me.

[Walkie Talkies]

Binatone mr200 from a pop up shop @£12.00 have given years of service. Cheap rechargebles for fuel. Usefull if you have newbies or numptys along for the ride. Get a set that has VOX. (You talks, it squarks.)

Think my darling husband fits into both those catagories and he admits it too

[Walkie Talkies]

As my husband and I are hiring a boat in March to cruise the Llangollan it seems wise for us to invest in a set of Walkie Talkies. I have had a look at what is available and there is a big range of prices. Some look like no more than toys and others are very expensive. Does anyone have any experience of suitable set so that when one of us gets off the boat to scout ahead we can contact the other to say whether the way is clear or not?

[Crewing opportunities wanted]

I knew it would not take you too long!

 

Don't go spreading yourself too thinly, there are santa cruises and all sorts coming up On The Chesterfield!

 

I thought you may get some opportunities to get involved here

 

Once we have Python back on the water you can do plenty of crewing on her too

Thanks for the advice. Yes I am down to help with the Santa Cruises but as I will never be able to achieve my life long dream of living on a boat I want to experience as much of the canal network as I can.

 

I have already told anyone who listens that I will help on the Python any time I am able

[Crewing opportunities wanted]

Hi Ruth. 3 more posts and you can send private messages. We've been approached by a Japanese film co to do some filming of our boat going up/down a lock at the end of Oct. This will mean we'll be making a trip down the Rochdale 9....and then a few days later doing the trip back up the Rochdale 9 (through Manchester).

 

If you'd like to spend a day of it, we'd be happy for you to help out on one of those trips...if that's what you're looking for

 

Definitely a good experience.

I am interested for sure. Can you tell me the dates please? There are a couple of days I cannot make. Would I have to travel from home and back on the day or is there somewhere I could stay over at all?

[The narrow bits of the Llangollen. What happens there then?]

I crewed on a boat on the Llangollan in September and we had a crew of 6 and we were prepared to send someone ahead but one way or another we actually did not need to do it. Boats coming through told us what boats were or were not behind them but as my husband and I will be travelling it again in March I think we will invest in a set of Wilkie talkies just to be on the safe side.

[Crewing opportunities wanted]

hi, welcome to boating, please have a look at the narrowboat trust - web site.

 

the trust has two working boats running between the midlands and London

 

all looking for new members or chesterfield canal trust

 

cheers

 

ian

Thanks for the info. I will take a look at the Narrowboat trust and I am already a crew member for Chesterfield Canal Trust.

[Crewing opportunities wanted]

I am new to canals and narrowboats but I am an eager and able lock worker. I would welcome any opportunity to join a boat that needed help with locks and so on. I am having skipper training but have not had much experience with steering yet.

[Anyone fancy a weekend's boating (Locks involved)]

Jan Warsop passed info to me about this. It looks like you have lots of offers of help but I would be delighted to come aboard your boat for as long as needed to help work the locks. I am a frustrated wanna be lock keeper and have windlass will travel. So if I can be of help let me know telling where I would need to be and when and I will then figure out how to get there from Chesterfield by bus or train.