dmr

A few have done it, some from a kit of precut steel, others from scratch, some very good, some not. Its not just about the welding, have you got a good eye for a pleasing shape of boat? there are a few pig ugly DIY shells on the cut. You will need to form some pleasing compound curves to make a good boat. .............Dave

Primers are not normally used on steel narrowboats, the blacking itself is designed to stick direct to the steel, even slightly rusted steel. Some primers Might help but many will be counter-productive, especially below the water line. As you don't know what the primer is its a bit difficult. When you get the boat out of the water then if the primer is well stuck on after the pressure wash then maybe leave it on and black over the top. If the boat shows any significant pitting then a shot blast and epoxy will really help but that does cost a bit. ...............Dave

Using reverse is variable, if its plastic bags and stuff like that then you can often throw it off, but if its rope or clothing reverse can sometimes tie it in a knot round one of the blades. My reverse technique: wait for clear water...not a bridge ole etc. engage reverse and go straight to full revs (with a satisfying plume of black smoke), then straight back to tickover and neutral gear (all within about 3 or 4 seconds). This does allow time to suck up crap of the bottom. Now wait about 30 seconds for all the stuff swirling about in the water to get out of the way before going back into forward. Technique not suitable for those lucky enough to have an engine with a proper flywheel. ............Dave

Could be a lot worse....I am surprised the EEC has not shut down our canal system or at least forced us to "Euroise" it. Our narrow canals do not meet EEC waterway specifications and so unfairly discriminate against European boats. Oh just a thought, I wonder if the monster causing havoc on the GU is owned by some sort of (unelected) euroboss which is why CRT are jumping through hoops to widen the bridges ...............Dave

Silting is the big issue, does not matter how long the winding hole is on the waterline if you cant get the front of the boat into it. So, the depth of your boat will be a big factor over which winding holes you can use, you just have to go and try them out. I know one where we could just get round if the water tank was less than half full but suspect that one is no good now.....unless a local deep boat has started to make regular use of it. Another factor is how hard you are willing to try...will you drive the front well up into the silt and then pull the back round on a rope??? ................Dave

Thats interesting. Is the deep channel where most boats go or where the few deeper boats try to go? When on a shallow canal and taking a bend I always try to think "where do most other boats and I will try to go there, but maybe this is just perpetuating shallow boat thinking. ................Dave

The L&L from Wigan to Liverpool is surprisingly deep and much under-rated. Just been down the Coventry for the first time in about 5 years, its a bit bendy and the offside vegetation is getting bad but I only really hit the bottom once. Down the South Oxford tomoro. ..............Dave

Could be a new name for the old Dudley tunnel ???? .............Dave

If you rent a boat from Shire Cruisers (Sowerby Bridge on the Rochdale) then they should be understanding and helpful if you do hit delays. I reckon clockwise would be nicer as you then do the best bits of the Rochdale towards the end, but it can be easier to go anti-clockwise as you are then taking water with you as you go down into Manchester on the Rochdale. ...............Dave

For a deeper boat 2.5mph is a typical top speed on many canals, 4mph is just an aspiration. The Bridewater is good, that's a 4mph canal, as are the rivers. Did you enjoy the Thames? ..............Dave

30 inches will likely touch the bottom on the Oxford, especially on the summit. The K&A should be OK centre channel but it does get shallow to the sides. Its not really the year of build that matters, most typical modern boats are a fair bit less than 30", but the more "traditional" modern boats, like Hudsons, are usually about 30 or just a little over. In fact anything with a big slow revving engine is likely to be 30" or therabouts, and the old working boats maybe closer to 36". At 30" you will struggle to get the back in on some visitor moorings and even some lock landings on many canals. A particular problem is modern boats that for some reason are quite deep but don't have the big prop/heavy engine so are not so good at fighting their way out of the silt, my friend has one of these and she gets stuck everywhere. .............Dave

Yes!, for the sake of historic correctness the aqueduct should be replaced with a wide one, and at the same time all those wide locks on Hatton flight need to be demolished and the old narrow locks re-instated. ...............Dave

We have just been in the dry dock for a second "epoxy repair". Last time the whole boat was sanded with a course sanding pad in a big angle grinder to give the new coat of epoxy a key to the old epoxy. This time during the pressure wash I noted that quite a bit of the new coat came off. The conclusion here is that no matter how good your prep/keying is, it is much better to apply epoxy coatings before the previous coat has set to get a proper chemical bond. Also, I did our decks in epoxy and we use gaffer tape on the back deck to seal the weedhatch cover. Removing this did lift a bit of the epoxy revealing very shiny metal below. Epoxy does not stick that well to a smooth surface so trying to get a bit of texture is important......shot blasting and needle gunning is better than sanding. .................Dave

Didn't recognise you we have met before, at the CRT launch event in Birmingham, all a long time ago now. ............Dave

In any flow the Kennet can be a very very difficult river, once you turn onto the Thames you can breathe a sigh of relief, but do watch out for Reading and swot up on "High Bridge" so that you are ready to get through it without incident, it can be difficult in a longer boat. I actually worry about High Bridge more that I worry about Midgham/Woolhampton. Did you know that Woolhampton was "renamed" because the railway companies feared that people bound for Wolverhampton would go to Woolhampton by mistake????. ................Dave