FadeToScarlet

Yes. The South Midlands boats are occasionally contracted to carry bulk cargoes from place to place. The converted one is used for commercial towing jobs. Granted, sometimes they go out on pleasure trips, but they're more working boats than my ex-working boat!

The trick is to have a wide-angle light at the back of the boat. This is with a 600w 240v floodlight, which sits on the slide and can be easily turned away from any oncoming boats. It makes it significantly easier to be able to see the whole length of the boat and the walls on both sides, and lets you look in detail at the brickwork, repairs, etc. This is going between the newer concrete and older brick lined section.

I lifted up a pipe that had fallen from a bridge over the BCN and was blocking the cut using a cable puller. Turns out there was a 132,000 volt live cable inside it, supplying many streetlights on the M6, and it earthed itself very spectacularly with much flames and smoke as I lifted it up. Ended up calling out the fire brigade and CRT anyway to turn it off first!

Complete. 47 miles, 74 locks, 23 hrs 25m No stops for sleep or rest, straight through 8am Sat - 9:30 Sunday Just over two hours stopped fixing the engine at various points.

We're turning in at Titford. Hour 23 of activity at the moment

Getting a little tired now...

One of the most important things, when buying an old boat, is the width. Many ex working boats were built to a smidgeon over 7' beam, and now that locks are starting to bulge inwards, there are places you might struggle. For example, we were stuck for 45 minutes in Napton lock 9 recently, and needed a snatch from another boat and the attention of the CRT section supervisor flushing with the paddles to get out. My boat is 7' 3/8" and has been throigh plenty of times in the past. Anything above, say, 7' 1" will really struggle in quite a few places.

Even more fun when you meet the widebeam tripboat going the other way!

My welded together in 1935 wrought iron boat would beg to differ! since then, it has had two rebottomings and refootings in steel and neither has fallen off yet. My welded together in 1935 wrought iron boat would beg to differ! since then, it has had two rebottomings and refootings in steel and neither has fallen off yet. My welded together in 1935 wrought iron boat would beg to differ! since then, it has had two rebottomings and refootings in steel and neither has fallen off yet.

Most important question of all- where's the nearest Wetherspoons to Gas St for a very very large cheap pre challenge breakfast? Lucinda Lister has decided that the refinement of water cooling is too modern and she would much rather become air cooled. RLWP has laid on the magic hands and we shall see how she behaves tomorrow. If not, what are the bonus points for rowing a boat?

Yes, storage for the stop planks.

I was just going to say that. Exactly the same situation- Everyone evicted, supposedly for works, with no real alternatives locally.

From the document - "Definition - ‘Launches’ includes any mechanically propelled vessel not being used solely as a tug or for the carriage of goods." Sorry! Although if my boat was unconverted and I loaded a tonne of coal I could pay 4.9 pence per mile

I tend to assess the risks and the likelihood of going in. On a warm summer's day on the canal I probably won't wear one, but on the same canal in the depths of winter I probably would- increased likelihood and severity of falling in. Similarly, having just come up the Thames, I wore one from Brentford up as far as Reading, but would've worn one all the way had it been raining or slippery. It does need bit of thought, as they can bring hazards of their own, e.g. straps tangling in centre paddle gear when crossing a GU wide lock. But it's just a case of assessing the risks, and if the likelihood or severity of falling in outweighs the smaller risks of wearing a lifejacket, on it goes. I will probably wear one then, because being tired will mean I'm more likely to make a silly mistake.

I found the same- every 6 years for a 1935 boat.

Prison loop earlier this evening- space right on the end for a full length boat. The towpath side either side of the Tesco moorings appear to be de facto visitor moorings too- there's a length of a few hundred feet either side of the wooden landing stage with moored boats, which we found a gap we could fit into.

I am writing this from the moorings by the Tesco on the river- a nice 72' space all to ourselves! We have stayed in the prison loop before with no issues, but that was 9 years ago. There are certainly a lot more boats than there were before, which although it makes moorings scarcer, it does make them feel safer- if you can get over any prejudice about how boats look. It does feel quiet and peaceful here. We're going to pop up through the Oracle and back tomorrow morning, as I've always wanted to do that since I used to live nearby.

Jenny Wren isn't the Waterbus Company, it is operated by Walker's Quay http://www.walkersquay.com/jennywren.html

I really recommend Chris Deuchar's "A Boater's Guide to Boating" as a very valuable book to read- he really covers well what is a wholly different way of steering a boat, compared to a modern narrowboat Very much worth joining. But then I would say that, being on the committee...

Oh, and Brades top lock makes a good emergency dry-dock to remove a proper foul off the blades

Unless you enlarge the drainholes upwards, I.e a slot, so there is venting above water level, I believe That said I wouldn't like a soggy gas locker floor, too risky for me

Near vertical stem post... And 72' long.

Brades is closed for a stoppage. This is annoying because we probably won't fit down Smethwick but do fit Brades.

This is where I'm glad to have an inflatable canoe on board.... We're going to do the tunnel at the end of the month, and may well do the contact a friend thing.

Yep, quite a few years ago now, but about 20 I think deep draughted boats, tied up in Droitwich itself