Stroudwater1

As Per David Mack’s Google image it’s definitely the M6. The M40 starts near Earlswood South Birmingham peeling off the M42 quite a bit further South.

Still for sale. We walked past yesterday evening. Though the M6 is overhead the elevation is insufficient to hide much noise. It’s really incessant and quite deafening. Shame as otherwise with its layout and paddock it would be very pleasant. There is a brook that flows through with an overspill feeding it from the canal too.

Diggles paddles are very angled aren’t they? Are they the only top ground paddle mechanisms that are both on the same side, and also the only ones that face into the canal? that means winding them standing sideways to the canal, and not facing the canal as they are wound? Longford Lock, Staffs and worcs tonight and Diggle from above And below And a repair at Diggle

I think that is the Wye invader 2- they have traveled up Maisemore and Llanthony weirs. Saves bothering the lockie at Gloucester I suppose ?

Yes but it’s likely to be fine, though surveys can be picky too on certain things. It’s a 13 year old boat that’s likely to be well maintained so all should be good survey wise. I imagine any issues are likely to have been addressed as the monthly direct debits usually accrue to give a decent fund for remedial work. Well done, looks like a nice boat. Enjoy! https://www.boatshare.co.uk/shared-narrow-boat-eos

There’s also the Wye invader that regularly cruises the Severn estuary/ tidal River Wye. Theres much YouTube on their exploits. Folk here do regularly make crossings of the Mersey or Ribble link or tidal Trent to Keadby and less navigate the Trent into the Humber Thames/Medway or the Wash . Care needs to be exercised of course. A few narrowboats have gone over to the French canals though most of these have got craned out in the UK and craned back in on French canals. Several detailed blogs exist , and I believe some are members here. Theres a change in times you can’t generally have unrestricted stay over in Europe but one for you to look into if you are wanting that. (cue posters muscling in on Brexit debates- please don’t, it’s as boring as the RCD/RCR comments ) Im sure some on here can advise about the electric motor side. @IanD has recently had one built. I imagine he will want to do some of the occasional trips mentioned above. I fear you will be compromising too much if you concentrate on sea worthiness though and you will lose much cruising time with the sort of alterations you describe. Best to focus on what your main wants are. If it’s mostly marine cruising then the compromise maybe unnecessary and best buy a different type of boat A posting on here re the Wye invader

There’s also canal cruising hire from Stone and possibly Union canal cruisers at Braunston that do long term hires https://www.canalcruising.co.uk/long-term-canal-boat-holiday/ https://unioncanalcarriers.co.uk/availability/

Certainly enjoyed it last year and were fortunate to pass a couple of large ships entering and exiting Eastham Lock with a few tugs around. The entry of the ship from the Mersey was inch perfect, Tug holding her from the stern as the tide pushed the ship into the lock, using its bow thruster for steering in. Stuart the pilot was excellent. He produced a printout of anticipated ship movements for the day and talked us through it all really well. We crossed straight over from Brunswick Lock then were pushed up with the tide on the Eastham side of the Mersey, pretty near to the bank. It was rather rougher then mykaskins great video. Hope you enjoy the day.

Yes, that would make for a very enjoyable trip, with varied canals and much to see. Best to moor no further into Birmingham than Catherine de Barnes until you get to the top of the Farmers Bridge flight. Its not too easy to moor and isnt ideal mooring overall.

I suspect it will bash into a more rounded shape with a lump hammer, thats what we were advised to do recently with a tipcat fender? We have some car tyre cut up across the tyre and attached onto the front of the fender so the tyre tread runs up and down the front of the bow and thus when we seldom touch the bow on the top gate when ascending. This seems to give it some additional protection, and may reduce the chances of getting stuck on bolts . Ive seen a few boats with that set up. However your fender has a nice section that would be covered by such a tyre, which you may prefer not to do.

I would call the hire firm who may get further advice and details, some will know who to contact for up to date details ahead of the website updates. Navigating all the way from Droitwich to Tewkesbury then having to turn back to Worcester means you do probably the most uninspiring part of the network twice. Theres very little mooring available either as the thread mentions. It’s Upton, often moored against another boat or two or tying up in trees, not usually recommended . You could head on to Sharpness but it’s not a good use of a 2 week holiday. Less the Avons cleaned up rapidly I would rethink and go up Tardebigge Astwood and Stoke Prior locks or head up to Stourport and do rings that involve Birmingham which is far nicer and more interesting than many folk realise.

That could be up near Chalford on the Thames and Severn canal? It’s Cotswold stone/ limestone structure of the supporting wall, house and some of the bridge by the looks of it. @IanM would I’m sure locate it better than I can.

The idea of a payment per night to moor is surely a non starter other than at honeypot locations. How will it be policed? It will give rise to all sorts of games to avoid it. Sadly it may well see boaters use their boats less too.

Rather to my surprise all eight of the top locks paddles at Hillmorton, in fact all paddles on the Hillmorton lock flight are now functioning (apart from all the paddles between the pairs of locks…) The top lock bottom paddle must have been fixed between end of November 2023 and March 2024. First time all are OK since September 2021!

Is this Hydrus/ part of her? pictured at the arm on the Stockton flight , Warwick flyboats last November. Perhaps it’s Hydra, didn’t get my phone out fast enough to catch her name. Nice looking boat.

I’m sure you are right though it seemed strange to apparently have just the hopper boat near the slippage. The only vegetation around seemed to be one large tree that’s fallen across nearer the bridge, as well as roots. The distance between the sheer drop and the spoil on the towpath must be nearly 50 foot. 70 to reach the canal offside . Perhaps the plan is to pile along the embankment here and reinstate the spoil behind pilings if that’s feasible Are excavators able to reach that far? The hopper is rather smart

Easter Monday, no sign of any earth moving equipment nor of any boats to remove it. Didnt see the Coventry end so more boats maybe up there. No sign of any earth moved at all, bar one channel dug between each side of the canal. All trees removed, and a Rothen boat to shift logs moored by the car park the Rugby side of the slippage. Still a fair amount of tree roots. The actual length of canal filled in is approximately 100-150 foot by use of a full length and a bit of working narrowboat. However the spoil must be around 15-20 foot or more piled up on the towpath above the usual towpath height. It will be difficult to get a digger in from above, as the drop is a fairly sheer one from the field. Rumour I heard is that CART are worried that a further landslip may get a boat and boater. It will be astonishing if its opened by Whitsun 2024 , but stranger things have happened.

This is good for the GU locks but not correct for longer boats that have to sit across the locks- in Calder and Hebble and Huddersfield Broad locks for example. Here the tiller arm should point into the lock, otherwise it will tend to snag on the lock side especially going down. Accepting that 70+ foot fuel boats won’t fit in these locks at all! It may not be correct in other broad locks- The Avon seems to have a mind of its own, and note the sign at Pershore lock, not the triangular one. It seems to vary on where and how the lock fills on boats I’ve been on, LadyG is right to warn of snagging on overhanging walkways for bottom gate paddles on some of the Northern locks, we found on some locks there we moved forward some back. If your boat has to lie across the lock be especially careful as the lock fills on the C&H and Huddersfield Broad. I think some of the L&L have these overhangs too but it very many years since we’ve been there sadly. I guess we can’t expect all wide locks and therefore our boats to always behave the same just as the filling of narrow locks vary.

🤣 More with twin berths especially if they prove to be dyslexic 👍

Hire firms usually restrict numbers on board to the number of births that the boat can accommodate . Im not aware of any restrictions otherwise. I’ve known of boaters adding plenty of bystanders to get under low bridges. You often see a number of people on boat at rally’s/historic events. It would be as much about weight as numbers, 12 x 20 stone folk being more than 22 people weighting 10 stone. You need to ensure that you don’t load too many to get anywhere near ventilation hole especially in the engine, and exit holes for water need to be considered too.

The Chainbridge hotel where Ian’s picture is taken is where you can sit and watch folk come down the river Dee in rubber rings that I mentioned . https://www.beardedmenadventures.com/activities/river-tubing-langollen-north-wales/ From there you may also be able to watch a steam locomotive pass by above you. You won’t see them for too much time though, as it’s a tiny length of the railway that’s visible from there. It’s mostly luck. We weren’t there for long and saw both.

Marinas etc are at liberty to sell at this fixed 60/40 split. I’m not sure a list would be useful as things change regularly. Your best bet is to ask around within your vicinity. That’s usually the best way to find out. How do you get to the diesel pump if you haven’t moved for two years? It must have a long delivery hose at the pump. You may find a fuel boat that moors alongside and delivers to your boat?

Knowle locks seem different to the other Ham Baker gear locks. If you get too near the top gate then opening the same side paddle will tend to push your boat across. The other locks are more forgiving. This is a pain as the lock ladder on the left side going up are close to the top gates. However it’s easier to get from lock to lock on the left side as you don’t need to cross the old narrow locks.

There’s many boats for sale currently. It’s not far between Rugby boat sales, ABNB Braunston Marina and Wilton Marina. That will get you a large number to focus your thoughts. Some of those will chat over pros cons of boats etc. others less so. I fear your aspirations meet that of very many. You need to be prepared to move your boat regularly, often double moor sometimes queue for ages for water empty loos regularly deal with muddy towpaths. Is is really a boat you are after or a mobile home that floats? I suspect that you would do better if feasible to use some or most of the £80k for a house deposit and hire a boat occasionally? A boat is not an investment usually.

Indeed but regrettably like much else it appears to be imported. 😢 https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/thatchrf/thatchrf.htm#:~:text=The three main thatching materials,also used extensively in ridging. The three main thatching materials in use today are water reed (often known as Norfolk Reed although a large amount is imported from Eastern European countries), longstraw and combed wheat reed. Sedge, a grass-like plant which grows in wetland areas, is also used extensively in ridging