hughc

That explanation does sound more probable.However, in the early 70's I had a conversation with the keeper at Grand Sluice. He was adamant that there was a trade off the Aire and Calder which coasted down to Boston and came up through Grand Sluice. His information he said had come from old boaters and we're probably talking late nineteenth century. I would be interested to hear if anyone can substantiate this. There was historically a good trade on the Witham and connecting waterways and having spent many happy hours boating on the navigable drains etc. it would be interesting to discover the patterns of trade and boats used. regards, HughC.

The boat with the 'poop' at Battyeford might have been built to enable working down the estuary. There was, I believe, a class of Aire and Calder or Calder and Hebble boats built to work through Grand Sluice at Boston and with the poop they would probably safely manage the short coastal trip from the Humber.Unless on a level Grand Sluice will take only 59' boats which seems a strange size unless it was built to fit craft already in use. The traffics involved must have originated on the lower reaches of the Witham or the navigable drains as any Lincoln traffic used the Trent and Foss Dyke. Regards, HughC.

This sounds very much as if it originates within one of the more extreme environmental organisations. I'm sure any report she might have produced would have included a sentence containing,'' even boaters themselves say'' or boaters I have spoken to say''. If the lady can't put her cards on the table then she deserves no help and nor does anyone else who posts on a similar dubious 'research' remit. Regards, HughC.

It has always seemed to me to be poor engineering solution to sit an engine between two nuts on a length of threaded rod which is the usual set up for flexible mounts. After a great deal of trouble with a three cylinder Ford I decided that the engine is better sitting on the top plate of the mount and that a nut and locking nut are then tightened on top of the engine foot.This may mean cutting a pad the same size as the top plate of the flexi-mount in order to adjust the engine foot height. If you dont have an Aquadrive or better still a Centaflex then the alignment can be set with shims between the engine foot and the top of the flexi-mount. We have had no breakages since adopting this solution and believe me the BSD3 is a beast to tame as Lister discovered. Regards, HughC.

We certainly got Meteor well and truly stuck at Hurleston and ended up with her suspended half way up so I imagine that is where the narrowest point is.Things don't improve because we had the same experience with Avon in 1976 ish. It is a pity to see the few remaining chopped around. When we had Hazel the stern post had been hacked away to fit a prop. Horrible. Hydraulic drive via a rudder mounted motor is much preferable and when properly done is unobtrusive. We had a steel 'elum for Meteor as the first stage towards this. It is an exact copy of the wooden one and with the addition of a cavitation plate the worst part of the conversion is over, and, it is completely reversible.Conversions are removable Meteor has had at least one other the last remains of which we cut away whilst fitting facsimile steel gunnels. Regards, HughC.

This is Meteor. We sold her to the present vendors in 2006.Without I might add that conversion. Regards, HughC.

Yes we did restore Banstead, with Harry's help. We sold it as a fully equipped camper when the cost of insurance made running campers totally un-economic. Community boats are generally subsidised by various bodies which to my mind is a good way of getting the public purse to pay for your boating. Judith Ann is progressing slowly, the recent discussion over Usk has started me thinking about a possible trust. Regards, HughC

Unless you know the area very well stop only at Trent Lock and Langley Mill where you will be sure of a welcome. We have been based here for over thirty years always with deep draught boats and whilst rubbish has been a problem if the ponds are on weir then as long as you know where the middle is water depth is OK. Regards Hugh C.

As you can imagine with the state of the boats at present we are up against the clock to save them before anything further happens to them vis a vis BW and the dredger bucket, priorities are to get the boats off the water and onto a hard standing in the Rugby area with enough room to work on the boats and secure enough that they wont suffer at the hands of vandals aga In spite of appearances and depending on any below water problems these boats are probably towable. I can do this as our contribution to a successful outcome. In my experience, and I am sure Carl will agree, lifting old wooden boats is the last option when all else has failed. Regards, Hugh C.

If you are prepared to accept a slightly higher specific fuel consumption then marine petrol/paraffin engines are one way to go. For example the Kelvin F4 gives 30 h.p. @ 720 rpm and is virtually inaudible at lower revs. It will run on aviation kerosene and almost any mixture of volatile hydrocarbon fuels and with a 3.6 to 1 compression ratio is very, very smooth.The Parsons DM4? is also one to look out for. Almost all marine engine manufacturers produced something similar in the past and these engines can still be found. Regards, HughC.

Wyrd has a twenty mm bottom plate- and a good bit of iron plate ballast as well. Launched in 1989 there is no visible deterioration in the un-painted base plate. What does puzzle me is the pattern of faint rusty streaks on the bottom these run along the length of the boat at about a six inch spacing. Is this an electro-chemical phenomenon or a purely physical one. Whether you stem up or nor surely relies more on the skill of the steerer than. within limits, the water draught of the boat. Regards. HughC.

Sorry can't help unless the F series valves will fit. Regards HughC.

If you get stuck take a walk up to the end of the basin. I'm based on Wyrd and Judith Ann or can be reached through the yard office. We have both Ruston and Kelvin engines and can probably point you in the right direction. Regards. HughC.

We have a PRM 260 in the tug. It has leaked from new in spite of three rebuilds. The change lever seal is a very poor design no matter what Newage say. If the level is not checked daily the box will lose drive all of the oil having been lost.From personal experience the Hurth 250 mechanical box is a much better bet. Regards, Hugh C.

Alnwick was surprised that the pairs on the jam 'ole run were on cross straps. Try towing a butty on a long line nowadays and see just how much grief that involves. Modern boaters do not understand the need to keep away from the line or to give room on turns.Cross straps enable the motor steerer to closely control the fore end of the butty and the butty steerer to push the back end of the motor around tight turns and out of the way of other boats when they panic. regards, H.C.

Many of the recent problems between BW and boaters seem to have started shortly after the appointment of a ' boating manager' some two years or so ago.We had, after many years of indifferent relations, started to enjoy a good working relationship with BW but since the new chief executive started all that is going down the pan. His stated intent - to maximise the income from BW holdings and customers - seems to have been taken up by his management appointees. Regards, H.C.

One answer to matching engine speed to ideal propellor speeds is, if you have an hydraulic box, to fit a trolling valve. You are then able to set engine r.p.m. within fairly wide limits, ours has a max. engine speed of 1200r.p.m. and control boat speed hydraulically.You do tend to get heads appearing as you pass because they equate engine note with boat speed. They are very useful especially when towing or needing to creep slowly while waiting for locks etc. Regards, H.C.

Thanks for the reply. If the concession applies to tractor engines built to run on TVO before 1960 then why not on other engines designed to use similar fuels built before this date. One of my engines was built in 1928 when even petrol was of such a low octane value that the makers provided vapourisers. Regards, H.C.

Having one or two paraffin engines lying around I am interested in the tax rates on a fuel mix approximating to TVO. As I understand the situation I can mix up to 2500 litres of fuel without paying tax. Does anyone know the price of aviation kerosene? Regards H.C.

Rang Wyvern Shipping about being hit by one of their hirers at speed at bridge 74? on the G.U. last summer. Hirer didn't even stop when requested.We were stationary with our tow, having sounded the air horn and crept upto the bridgehole. Gave Wyvern the boat's name and heard nothing more. A very half hearted apology. We were heading south and intended stopping at the hire base to fill with diesel but couldn't get near the bank because of boats tied upto five abreast. Didn't stop nor will I in future. Regards H. C.

We dehogged Avon by docking her on two stands only at the front and back. The boat was then curved slightly up at both ends. We then welded 4" x 0.25" bar to every knee and bolted it through the wooden knees. A new top strake made of finger jointed constructional grade pine some forty feet long, some caulking and 6" x 6" angle bolted either side of the kelson held this shape when she was refloated.She stayed straight for the rest of the time that we owned her. This was never designed to be a permanent solution but it did give a good few further years of life and the angle was still in place when she was broken up twenty odd years later. She had hogged again slightly I believe because the people to whom we sold her cut the steel re-inforcing. Regards, H.C.

We bought the ex- Wyvern Hazel when she had a section eight notice and took her to Langley Mll. She was docked and some recaulking carried out to tighten the hull and a couple of small leaks were fixed. We then sold her to people associated with WCBS who took her to Runcorn. She has recently been for sale for £8000. The fore end had been rebuilt to a high standard by, I believe, John Woolley. We no longer have a website because we stopped running camping boats when the cost of insurance became so high that we could no longer offer youth groups a competitive price. Our insurance company seemed to think that the Trent and Mersey was as dangerous as the North Atlantic. Regards. H.C.

I have a largish piece of partly seasoned oak out of which you might get a small counter block.If you are interested I could measure it. Regards H.C.