noddyboater

Don’t they just go to Crick Show?

Who was the fabricator that decided it was a good idea to double the width of a narrowboat in the first place? Can anyone remember? Liverpool boats maybe.. Imagine if you’re that person and still around, you’d stand back proudly and think “Look what I’ve done!”

I’m sure this does happen but I can honestly say the pack I encountered at Willoughby had no interest in anything other than the fox scent. They paid no attention to our boat with an open door and 2 dogs aboard, and once on the far bank ignored a pet goat in a garden, despite leaping over fences around it. The owner of the house was looking on as though she’d seen it before, not really too concerned. I was surprised by the size of the hounds up close, thinking they were the size of a beagle. These were bloody huge!

I’d agree with frangar that the hunt we witnessed at Willoughby wasn’t even pretending to be a drag hunt. Why have men with terriers on quads? To dig up the scented bait?

We were unlucky to witness the hunt a couple of years ago near Willoughby. The hounds came from the disused railway, across the field and onto the towpath. It was quite unnerving but they totally ignored me and carried on towards Braunston, but over the nearest bridge. A lot of activity followed on the opposite bank which ended with men on quad bikes surrounding a copse of willows while the pack went in to presumably do their “thing”. Not the most pleasant of mornings.

The stern of that exhibit looks uncannily like a “cuckoo” from the Chesterfield Canal. Come on Cheshire Rose, keep up!

You’re right, it is all about aesthetics. The sound of an old engine and the way a heavy deep draughted boat handles is all part of the whole package. Try it before dismissing it, it’s the only way to make your mind up. I’d agree that a lot of “tug style” boats have very little resemblance to a real one, mine is however pretty close, being a measured replica by arguably the best builder at the time. Yes it has some creature comforts but the main layout is the same including a 9’ central engine room. I’ve also never heard of a Kelvin being fitted to a working narrowboat, but I’m sure if there was one lying around in a Birmingham yard when a tug was being re-engined it would. I’d guess looking at what got fitted at the time reliability and power were the main criteria, not whether it was an inland marine engine. I’ll admit to occasional brass buffing but I’m not a real Concrete Head ( I slow down passed moored boats, talk to people at the lockside, talk to people in the pub even if they have a springer, use a windlass that actually fits rather than a rusty relic found in the bilges.. etc etc)

Some were, but the majority still around aren’t. When I say traditional I mean the style, the shape, layout etc. When I say trimmings I don’t mean the stuff you have on a Christmas dinner. Just so you’re sure.

It’s like a solid fuel stove in a way isn’t it, and I believe you’re a fan(don’t start that again!) of those. There’s more modern if not efficient ways of heating a boat, but for a bit of faff it’s worth it. I don’t think the old engine thing is anything to do with being a hobby or livaboard boater, you need to be an enthusiast of old engines. I wouldn’t wish my Gardner on someone who hasn’t got a clue how the oily bits work, because they wouldn’t thank me. I however can’t handle the idea of a traditional boat with all the trimmings buzzing down the cut like a suitcase generator.

You might be lucky, some of the diesel Suzuki’s have Fiat/Alfa/Gm multijet engines which is a good thing. You can tell if it’s the horrible Peugeot hdi by taking the plastic cover off the top, If it resembles a split open rabbits belly but all the guts are black plastic you’re unlucky. Sell it!

Old Citroen/Peugeot diesels were great. Ironically the most hateful incarnation of a modern diesel is the PSA Group (Peugeot) 1.6 hdi. These little beauties come in various high bhp, low torque guises, with enough built in faults to keep a mechanic busy for life! The turbo fails at low mileage due to oil starvation, the injectors leak if you dare to even look at them, they have a cam chain as well as a belt which wears its way through the head for something to do.. and there’s loads of plastic components so they aren’t even heavy enough to use as an anchor. You might think, “well that’s ok cos I’d never buy a Peugeot”, but what’s that lurking under the bonnet of your Mini? Or Ford.. Suzuki.. Mazda.. Volvo.. There’s even a list on bloomin Mum’s Net telling you which cars not to buy cos they have it fitted!

These twin fords have the latest common rail, high output turbo, low emission, technology then? I doubt it very much. There’s modern industrial Diesel engines and the excuse for an engine that are currently being fitted in cars. To get the exhaust soot free takes a lot of extra “stuff”, which is largely made to a budget and doesn’t last long. Take an EGR cooler for instance on a modern car, £800-£1200 for something that most people haven’t got a clue what they’ve just payed for! And do you really think they’re aren’t Listers, Gardeners, etc that haven’t done 40,000 hours all over the world with minimal maintenance?

Yes it’s moved on at a fantastic rate. I know this thanks very much as I’m a mechanic, and have to work on the fragile, pathetic things on a daily basis. Which is why working on a proper engine is a pleasure, you can use your hands and real tools, rather than a computer and the internet. I once stripped a knackered fuel pump on a jp3 and repaired it with an angle grinder and mig welder. Try doing that with your hdi, cdti, blah blah, yawn blah. Modern diesels are great, til they break.

You can cut out 90% of the faff by using a thermostart glow plug on the inlet.

A friend of mine has just done this. After enjoying his own boat (beta engine, gas free, all mod cons) for years the shapely tug near his mooring he’d always admired came up for sale.. He bought it immediately with full intentions to sell the original boat but having put years of work into it has decided to keep both. I did the opposite and bought a traditional tug with vintage engine as my first boat, and to be used as a livaboard. I can honestly say as an enthusiast of old engines I’d rather give up boating than swap it for something modern.