[If money were no object]

I don't think any boatbuilder had much to do with that interior!

 

 

Yes you are right, but it made an interesting bit of TV I suppose, I am just sorry for the boat.

 

Did they ever manage to sell it as I saw it a Braunston recently?

[If money were no object]

But have you actually compared a Hudson or, say, a Hawkins boat with those of any of the builders mentioned in post 94?

 

There's no denying those big names are good, but there's a whole other league, who you don't see very often, who don't advertise, and with whom time as well as money would have to be no object, but whose work is little short of sublime.

 

I cant say I know all of those mentioned or that I have the patience to want to do business with them all either.

 

Certainly I like Brinklow and all those mentioned there but not so sure that I like the style of work from Keith Ball, but that is only my personal view of what I have seen. The quality of all of these I am sure is exceptional, but equally my personal taste is what we are talking about and not the world's best ditch crawler builder?

 

I have to say that I did not like what had been done to Dover on the interior as it did not seem very practical so this may have tipped the balance a bit.

 

So that is why I would come back to SM Hudson, hopefully I would love the end result and have the patience.

[If money were no object]

Hi

 

Interesting reading all these different builders, yet no body has mentioned what is current our 1st choise

 

S M Hudson at Tamworth

 

I also would put S M Hudson as my first choice and currently trying to scrape the money together, but money is an object for me so I may have to be a little more realistic.

 

For non ditch crawlers I would also love a Thames barge but that would have to be with money no object.

[Stern Ropes]

Incidentally I watched the historic boats at Braunston this summer and many had stern ropes just lying in a heap on the counter not 'neatly coiled' anywhere. That's probably fine if you're experienced but not ideal for those less so.

Surely the answer is just do what you feel comfortable and safe with, not what you feel is "the done thing"?

 

Leaving the rope on the counter in a way you can use it if required plus having a centre rope is the way I work.

 

Not sure I understand a previous comment about the lack of room on a Trad counter though as that is empty apart from the rear rope if you choose to leave it there.

[Portland Basin - The Truth]

WCBS are constantly looking for funding. Mud sticks, they end up with a bad reputation - they'll find it far harder to get the funding.

 

Hopefully these two threads have proved that WCBS are worthy of support and funding. And no, I don't have any connection with them - yet - other than I have been there, seen the boats and want to see them saved.

 

Good luck to WCBS and all others that look after wooden boats. I have seen many wooden boats that look a mess, as the amount of effort required to keep them even afloat is very high, but looking a mess and cared for is fine by me. If I lived closer I would love to help out but this is not the case.

 

A while ago I looked at looking after a much loved wooden boat but realised it was too much for me so I stuck with a steel one. However it is great to see the pictures and I must try to get and take a real look next time I can manage a trip.

[boat or mooring first]

When we got our last boat we read all the advice and thought we would get a mooring first but not worry straight away as we wanted to wait until we could decide what builder length etc in the spring.

 

Then what did we do but find something that was already built so needed a mooring a bit quick before the winter stoppages kicked in.

 

So best made plans out of the window but still found a temporary mooring ok in time for getting the boat. Just be prepared to look around and ask for help.

[Best Canal Boat Mag]

For a good starting point I would say Waterways World and Canal Boat, but just buy one or two of each to help you understand their style and then it is down to what you like best.

 

Towpath Telegraph can be useful and as it is free then if you do not like that issue it is good to get the Morso going anyway.

[Photos of your boat.]

 

 

Clover at the Fens Branch

[Continous cruisers nil BW 1]

What I do not like to see is the encampment on the tow path of all their stuff blocking it for people trying to get past.

 

If they are in the middle of no where and not doing any harm (difficult to judge) as long as they are paying their bit then why not.

 

However if it is an excuse to pay less money then no as it becomes yet another tax on people like me that do have a mooring and pay BW the pleasure for it.

 

Why not just put all the money on the license fee, for using the canals and then just remind people to move if they stay to long in the way? Perhaps if BW could have more people on the lengths they could do this in a friendly way?

[Engineering Bricks]

Have you also noticed that when they put in the raised bricks they often seem to be in an arc, part way along the balance beam but not right at the end?

[Boat Spotting]

Our beloved HMRC do mandate that for each purchase of over 100L the boat details are taken, but this is not that well enforced.

 

However when we end up paying the full amount of tax on diesel then it will not be required or if the 25% discount is accepted then it will be in our own best interests to make sure our details are taken.

 

My own experience is mixed as sometimes I have been asked for details and other times not.

[New build]

I didn't realise they fitted boats out,but I know they changed hands recently so maybe its a new string to their bow.

 

I am not aware of them having any history either.

 

Well worth asking to see example of their work or finding out where else they have worked.

["Narrow" Narrow lock]

Last year I saw a boat getting stuck near the top of the napton flight, but that was only because they had a vast array of different yacht type fenders down which then jammed.

 

With fenders like that, I wonder how they got so far up, as I cannot remember any tight points through there?

[Lock wheeling and windlasses]

I must say that even when I am working my way up or down Caen Hill I don't find that a bike is worth the trouble of lugging it around. It can be a problem running up and down the towpath to set locks and then fetch the boat, returning to close gates etc, but there is always the option of taking the whole thing slower. That 29 lock flight is half a days work, but that blasted bycicle is in the way ALL the time!

 

We have been on the canals for some time now and did not worry to much about a bike, but were interested enough by the Canal Boat article and have just taught the two children to ride. Therefore it was on our mind so worth taking a look. It may go away again when I have to pay the mooring fee shortly.

 

Thankyou one and all for your suggestions, we will at least take a look at them and bikes like the Brompton and Dahon look well made enough to stand up to the abuse they will no doubt get and not take up too much room if we do not use them.

 

Just being able to pop out to the shop a little quicker might be enough for us as we do like to use the small local shops if we can find them. We did for a short time have an old bike on the top of the boat but that vanished one night as someone took a fancy to the shade of rust on the chain on their way home from the pub.

 

As for the windlass either down the belt at the back or a holder seems sensible unitil I lose the first one.

[Lock wheeling and windlasses]

Here is a question for those of you with a view.

 

We are looking at buying a folding bicycle for lock wheeling on some of the flights where the locks are a little way apart. So as the first part, any experience on what type or make of bicycle to get?

 

Secondly what do you do with your windlass when you are riding along the towpath being responsible etc and nearly in full control?

 

This last one is a seemingly simple question but I for one do not have a simple answer.

 

So what do you think?

[Why are the canal magazines so crap?]

I came to this thread a little late but I read WW and CB and have done for some time now. This is because usually I find something of interest and not because it is a chore.

 

In canal terms I have had holidays on them from when I was a teenager and now my two children (5 and 8 years) come along too without too much fuss as they enjoy it. My 8 year old reads some of the magazines also and my 5 year old recognises some of the pictures.

 

Personally I like the idea of Practical canalboat and the new section in WW is very useful. This forum also gives a very immediate response to posts, much quicker than a monthly magazine can ever do.

 

People should be very grateful (I have my tin hat on now) that we have decent waterways press as this does encourage new people to get involved as well as the more war weary people that post here. When I started there was a lot of older people that owned and used canal boats but that does seem to be changing with new people getting involved. We need new people otherwise canals will drop out of the general public view and return to their previous poor state.

 

How do new people get to understand the canals without magazines like WW and CB? These must help.

 

If we start to make some positive suggestions to the editors then perhaps we will be surprised about adoption of some of them and if we can write a useful article or two then who knows we might be able to afford at least a part of the latest repair kit to keep our boat a bit shiny?

[Solar Panels]

I bought a 40W panel from AB Butt 2 years a go and fitted it bolted horizontally to the roof. This feeds into a regulator then 3x110ah cabin batteries and then via a trickle charge also topping up the engine start battery when the voltage on this drop below the cabin voltage.

 

I also fall into the low electrical useage category but I do find it helps keep the battery topped up.

 

More importantly for us it also means that it keeps our batteries topped up when we have to leave the boat so that when we can take it out again the batteries are fully charged without using a land line connection.

 

Financially it does not yet make sense but for ease of use and the end result it works for us. My next step will be to add a further 40W panel to give us more power.

 

I also like the idea of the solar powered device which heats up and then blows in air into the boat to stop or reduce condesation forming when the boat is left. I cannot remember the name but will look it out from the press.

 

I like the idea about using the solar powered water heating but not yet sure if that is practical on a boat unless you are static. Please prove me wrong.

[Mooring in Birmingham]

one stop should do it.

being honest.. there really are no 'undesirable areas' as soon as your out of there you really could be in the country.. either way you go (i think anyway) and generally everyone is nice and interested.

 

The trouble i;ve had is being flour bombed by little kids (fools..) and we have been shot at with a BB gun.. but that was from a building down farmers bridge.

 

The only place i would be wary of (personally) is up near Tipton.. although i have stayed there several times and it was fine.

 

I would agree that there are many places you can moor. BW do a very useful map with possible mooring locations and facilities at each, which we find very useful.

 

This year we moored at a number of places including near the Sealife centre, Black Country Museum , Fens Branch and just outside Stourbridge.

 

People tend to be very friendly if you talk to them but are less so if you ignore them.

 

The only real problem I had was the centre of Birmingham moored up solidly quite early, but people still found somewhere ok to moor.