Sea Dog
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Posts posted by Sea Dog
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1 hour ago, DShK said:
"We began on London's canals, fed up with rationing our water and spending our saturdays filling up the tanks."
You can't make it up.
Maybe not, but even if you could make it up, it wouldn't be as bonkers as actually doing it!
How much water do you need to use to have to have to spend every Saturday filling your tanks back up? How can that sort of consumption be despite rationing? Something doesn't add up here. Is this a cruise liner posting on the wrong forum?
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Perhaps @wandering snail might be able to add useful advice or info - they've done extensive Euro cruising and their narrowboat is appropriately rugged.
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Thanks guys. I couldn't open the link @Midnight, but Google maps satellite view shows 2 areas of 3 spaces there as @Cheshire cat suggests. Five are filled in that image, but that's good news in terms of the viability of mooring there. Just need to hope there's still a space when we get there!
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2 hours ago, Peugeot 106 said:
Haven’t seen a swan for ages round here. Saw a Finn barbecue a pike. He was popular. He couldn’t understand the problem as he said they do it all the time in Finland
At the turn of the 20th century, pike was more expensive than salmon in a fishmonger. You can't get pike in a fishmonger now of course, but then even a fishmonger is a rarity nowadays. Pike are very good eating (mind the bones), though I'm not sure I'd want one from the Curly Wurley even if a fine Finnish gentleman offered me to share his BBQ.
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On 20/04/2024 at 16:31, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:
Now if you were going to see a pop concert at the Arena in Brum you could almost guarantee a mooring on the doorstep.
Good luck anyway 👍
That was last year - Elton John. Bought the tickets in 2018 and wasn't entirely certain he'd still be around even before COVID extended the wait to 5 years!
On 20/04/2024 at 17:12, Midnight said:I've moored overnight at the bottom of the Ashton just around from the junction with the Rochdale. Seemed as safe as anywhere and easy distance from the venue.
It would possibly work if there's a space. My setting off time is a bit constrained, but I'd quite like to get there early enough to recce that and some of the earlier ideas - also to have time for a plan b if said places are filled.
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16 hours ago, Ianws said:
I'm not sure about other concerts but the prices for tickets for The Eagles at the Coop arena would make a £25 mooring fee pretty insignificant, if there were any spaces.
Pretty much how I viewed it, but it's academic if they don't have visitor moorings. Some good advice above from the hive though, so we have avenues to explore.
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16 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:
If they are paying their £25 per night, giving the owner a 100% occupancy rate, I bet he's not worried if they never move out.
I'd agree, but it seems a bit unlikey at 9 grand a year! Perhaps they're no longer visitor moorings, but they're still advertised as such and the "we're full" reply didn't suggest that. Shame, as it would suit my plan nicely, even at £25.
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16 hours ago, IanD said:
That used to work, but I believe they switched to key fobs a few years back so there's now no access for boaters... 😞
Ah ok, thanks - we just stayed inside the fence last time we moored there 3 or 4 years ago which was fine. I wonder if you can still do that? Of course, that won't work here.
15 hours ago, PeterScott said:
We've often used the moorings towards Grocer's Wharf on the extra bit of the Bridgewater Canal Mancheter past the junction with the Rochdale at Castlefield. About 6 stops on the tram ...
... and this day in 2007 from the limit of navigation hereabouts
I'll have a look at that Peter, thanks.
15 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:If its on the Metro then maybe the boat clubs like The Watch House can help
We are AWCC so it becomes a possibility if there's a metro nearby. Thanks.
15 hours ago, jam said:The other option is either Droylsden or Ashton as both have good Metrolink services to the Etihad
Again, that Metro link is probably the key to many options - I'll investigate, thanks.
12 hours ago, junior said:Which direction are you coming from? Could go to Runcorn on the Bridgewater, then jump onto the train to Piccadilly. From there it's just a few tram stops. You'd be back on the boat again within an hour or so afterwards and don't have to stress about mooring in Manchester.
Well the Marple flight will still be closed, so our only option is up the Rochdale 9 where I'd then like to hang a left rather than go right and up the Ashton only to have to back down to carry on. Must needs though, so it's worth a look, thanks.
11 hours ago, billh said:If it's just overnight, I would think mooring at the top of lock5 on the towpath outside the tennis venue should be ok. The Ashton Canal , particularly in this area is somewhat gentrified these days, long gone are the vandals,they tend to stay at home fiddling on their "devices". I was going to say the Co-Op venue is but a stone's throw from the suggested mooring😄
Yeah, beyond a stone's throw would be nice! Is it a bona fide mooring? Tarmac cycle tracks with no rings are proliferating nowadays, so I don't want to go all the way there only to find that scenario. Otherwise, that option might be the best solution, thanks.
10 hours ago, Cheshire cat said:I would moor on the towpath side below the first lock just to the west of the already mentioned basin that is now out of bounds.
If you look on Google Earth you can see a couple of boats moored there. There are bollards and rings.
I have seen boats moored there almost every time ive walked or cycled past.
Ah, that's a cracking bit of local knowledge, thank you.
Thanks all, very useful. More input also appreciated.
Also, what's occurring at New Islington marina? Visitor moorings, 7 in number, advertised at £25 per night and it's full now and it seems so through til June? Doesn't sound right to me.
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Well, not actually the Etihad, but the new Coop arena opposite. We're off to a concert there in June and need a nice/safe mooring for the visit.
The canal passes within yards the venue, but whether that means there's anywhere to moor is a different matter and I guess that might change when the place opens anyway. Anyone in the know?
It's on the metro line, so further afield with metro nearby would also work. I'd thought of Piccadilly in the basin by the flats, but you need a friendly local for the code to exit and re-enter, which isn't guaranteed so a bit risky.
I've also contacted New Islington marina (who's website lists having 7 visitor moorings) to see if I could book in for a night, but they say they're full at the moment (which if they're full at this range doesn't sound like visitor moorings to me, but perhaps someone with local knowledge can advise?).
All ideas/suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance.
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50 minutes ago, magnetman said:
Also why has the OP changed the tiller bar for a new one?
Too late - he's already gone and done it!
However, if it helps you sleep better, I have three options you may like to choose from:
1. His lovely traditional brass tube has been replaced by racey chrome, the better to go with a new "go faster stripes" Nascar style boat livery.
2. He just got fed up of continually having black fingers from using Brasso.
3. His original was long enough to foul on a lock wall and got bent.
(Of course, it is possible that none of the above apply but, if so, you'll just have to speculate until the mystery is finally revealed).
ETA: Ooh! I see @David Mack has already suggested No3, so maybe there's the answer.
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I'm guessing he means holes for the tiller pin.
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On 11/04/2024 at 12:59, nicknorman said:
Many many narrow locks, lots of BCN stuff. We like locks! The rubbing strakes get scraped of course, and they may go a bit rusty, but that is what they are for. The main thing I notice with bitumen blacked boats is the line of rust at the waterline. You don’t get that with a 2-packed boat.
Even when you scrape it a bit, if the surface is properly prepared (blasted) the stuff is sort of ingrained into the surface so whilst it might look a bit scratched, it doesn’t rust much.
Thanks Nick, that helps. You hear so many evangelists one way or the other, but it's hard to assess when their usage patterns are unknown and might be extra light or harsh. Got mine coming out for a blast and 2 pack with Norton Canes later this year.
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12 hours ago, nicknorman said:
We took the boat out 6 years later but we needn’t have bothered, other than the blacking had gone quite grey.
This is encouraging! Have your cruising routes been relatively kind in that period or has it just stood up incredibly well to the scrapes and dings which are practically unavoidable in some areas?
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6 minutes ago, MtB said:
Thats not a houseboat. That's a MANSIONboat!
Isn't that the Bibby Stockholm?
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3 minutes ago, Higgs said:
...where the water is above private property/land.
Not a good place to be!
More seriously, isn't the "water" CRT's as it's connected to their system? If it wasn't, it may well be the land owners, but then it would be a lake. There are some exceptions such as Ashwood on the S&W where the water is classed as private - someone will know how that works - but they're few and far between.
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Just now, Higgs said:
Well, we can have this argument, if you want. Private marinas are private land, and CRT have no entitlement to require a licence.
As long as the boats are moored on that "land" I'd say you're correct. You might find it a different story for the water though...
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Hard to get too annoyed with that sort of first response, isn't it.
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I would always wish a tiller to not extend beyond the side of the boat when the rudder is hard over. This is particularly to avoid the hazard of it fouling a lock wall when hard over. Any tiller longer that that should have a hinge to prevent said hazard - not a rarity on the cut.
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8 hours ago, robtheplod said:
We're now at Norbury Junction and getting close to where we need to make a decision on the route..... the Severn seems to be improving and Droitwich now open so would it be best for me to confirm things by calling the lock keepers?
If you do go down the Severn, I'd chose to carry on to Worcester and up the B&W to Hanbury Junction. The Droitwich Barge Canal is ok, and the restoration effort is to be hugely applauded, but it's a long way and the locks can be a bit heavy going, so you wouldn't want to discover you can't get through the M5 culvert and have to double back to the Severn. The first time you tackle the culvert, do it from the Hanbury end when you can eyeball the level boards and it's not so far to go back if the water is up a bit and your air draught is too high.
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7 hours ago, Francis Herne said:
The weight thing is a joke I think - it'll be negligible compared to a few mm of steel.
Anyway, you can avoid top weight and get the job done much quicker and cheaper by applying the sandy paint to the soles of yer clogs instead...
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12 hours ago, blackrose said:
It's an SPA882 - is that number all I need to use if I want to order couple of spares?
Your first belt has lasted 16 years and you've just replaced it. A spare is well worth carrying, essential really, but the second spare is likely to be well beyond it's shelf life by the time it's needed. Buy just the one, then buy a fresh one if and when you fit that.
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8 hours ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:
I imagine most on here will have Thetford or similar type
I certainly have - in my case it's a Caprice cooker - but only because my search for something to replace the awful thing has been fruitless. Between the size (too deep or too wide for a standard narrowboat galley fit), 240v ignition and flame failure requirements every alternative has fallen by the wayside. Still, I live in hope and in the meantime I live with an oven that only cooks on the top shelf!
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Is the the TARDIS it's sitting outside? If so, I can see The Doctor being sued by a postman with a bad back...
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Put the fox and the grain in the boat, leaving the chicken... Oh, hang on, I think I misread the question.
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Water pressure conundrum
in Boat Equipment
Posted
From your extensive post it appears you have answered your own question with a resounding "Yes"!