stort_mark

This thread is definitely interesting (despite my earlier moan about people having a go at others). It is interesting that a lot of assumptions are made (rather like a current thread on Benefits and disbaility Allowances). The whole concept of insuring yourselves up to the eyeballs in case your boat is struck by a meteorite while standing at the tiller is a failry recent one, and is one of many administrative innovations that simply stifle business start-ups. Yet we gladly chirrup about "what if your child was killed...you'd want the insurance then". Errr....rubbish. Why do we automatically expect some kind of warranty or indemnification. This bloke is offering an experience of chugging along the Cut at 4mph. It's not a night out in Baghdad. Yes there are risks involved, but are there - realistically - significant additional risks from going on a friend's boat and sharing the expenses (which, quite frankly, he could probably argue that that was what any payment constituted)? If we are all to live our lives "the American way" where litigation is foremost in our minds at every turn, it's a pretty bleak future. Maybe there's a different perspective: perhaps if everyone on the Cut was actively encouraging use of the canals and boats, there might be more income from new boat-owners, more boat-hirers, more sales of boats, more sales at chandlers and canal side pubs, more giving to waterways trusts and charities, more boats on the furthest reaches of the BCN or Weaver, more income for BWB, more jobs, and further revitalisation and maintenance of the system. Maybe he does have insurance (or maybe he requires an indemnification) and maybe he doesn't. If not...it's a risk. Maybe he has the experience, maybe he doesn't. Caveat emptor. Maybe he has all the HSE kit, maybe he doesn't. However, I am sure that 20/30/40 years ago, we would all have said "Good idea", and given the **tendency** of the canal fraternity to look back fondly at the good old days, it has surprised me at the (b)anal responses, with loud squawking about insurance and qualifications (for goodness sake..he's offering a trip on his boat as an experience. What should he have? A PhD?) With a bit of luck, the guy may turn this into a profitable business (maybe it is already). Hopefully, the body count will be minimal.

Wonder why they won't publish the list. ifit was for privacy reasons, perhaps it would make sense to publish it by category of boat. Maybe we need a World Heritage-type list of boats and canal structures?

Looking at all the negative comments about this guy, I start to wonder about the 'friendliness' of the Cut. Most people seem to want to knock him down. He's just offering people the opportunity to experience what life is like on a narrowboat. For goodness' sake, would you all listen to yourselves! Confirms an increasing feeling that the Internet simply makes it easier for people to be mindlessly sh*tty to each other.

Thanks for info. No rush....but I was worried that my messages had disappeared into the ether somewhere. Like Lord Lucan.

....of For Sale and Wanted ads? I posted two ads - both wanted - on Saturday or Sunday - and still no sign of them..yet two other new ads have appeared in the meantime.

As others have suggested, getting on to the Fens is no problem....down the Nene then across "the gap" at Denver Sluice (and boats longer than the lock at Salters Lode can sail right through it around high tide) The (still?) proposed link from MK to Bedford would make it that much easier. However, getting on to the Broads is impossible. It surprises me in the good old days that they didn't make use of the Little Ouse (to Thetford) and then on to the Waveney to access the Broads. Even more surprising is that the missing link between the Stort and the Cam (at Clayhithe) was never closed....just a tantalising 28 1/4 miles of 'missing canal' stops the mother of all canal rings. With the planned improvements in the Fenland Links to come in the next decade, it still surprises me that someone hasn't done a study to work out the net economic benefits or costs of actually building the London & Cambridge. There's no obstacle (in the way of housing, at least) at the Stortford end, but there certainly is at the Cambridge end. However, it would seem possible to bring a canal into the southern end of Cambridge along the existing river. What also intrigues me is that already, Essex relies heavily on water pumped from the Fens so having a canal would seem a good place to store that water temporarily

Drove all the way to Gloucester from Herts to wander aound the docks in the glorious sunshine. Also saw an ice-cream van! ...and I have the next two days off!

How did you find out about the boats? I'm assuming that most owners of these 'projects in progress' just have their ears close to the ground? The reason for asking - if it wasn't obvious - is that I'm interested in at least helping with a restoration project...probably as a share in a restoration. However, I am also concerned because over the years it would seem that the bulk of the 'restoration money' in the canal world has gone on restoring the canals rather than the boats.

Is there some kind of listing somewhere of restoration projects that are under way? It's always interesting to read of restoration of boats in WW or on the web, but I'm intrigued to know how many boats (and what type) are being restored..... Is it a few? Many? Private undertakings by one person? Or groups? Or are they mainly done by charities or museums? Is there a listing of boats needing restoration? I read somewhere that there were boats (was it at Dudley or Ellesmere Port or somewhere else?) that were in danger of disappearing for ever as there weren't enough funds to restire them. Interested if anyone has any listing or knows where to find one.

Sorry....I hve been away in deepest Africa for three weeks with no e-mail access. Thank you - all - for the information. This is all very useful.

Again, thanks for all the information. Very useful!

Just realised that they are the Conduit Colliery Basins - only one is shown on Wikipedia map and mentioned in one book - but there were two. Connected by tramway to Conduit Colliery. Useful background also at http://www.bhills-history.fsnet.co.uk/coal_mining.htm

Wonder if any of the BCN experts can answer some questions. What were the two basins almost at the current end of the Cannock Extension? There are two infilled basins on the east side of the canal..about 400 yards before the end. On a slightly related note, where does the infamous 'bandit country' start and end? I know about the Harden estate, but can anyone recommend safe (or at least safer) mooring points either side of bandit country.

Are there any boat hire companies on the Curly Wyrley? I'm interested in seeing all the little corners of the system, and the W&E is intriguing. ("1001 Abandoned Wharves to See Before You Die"?) I've hunted about and done a lot of Googling but no joy so far.

No it's not. But it is full of people singularly focused on their own interests and objectives.

If there was a social mistake, then that has certainly been it. I have seen hundreds of situations where the resettlement villages or houses had insufficient land or farming areas. The groups I met were fortunate in that they had plenty of land and most had bought or built their own houses. As always, as everywhere a given perspective usually reflects the personal situation and experiences. I think the true situation will become clearer over the next decade, one way or another. There is no doubt that the dam is bringing new industry, services and infrastructure to the area which may bring some benefits: time will tell.

I think the water level is still at the 157m level that is has been for a couple of years. I have done the trip three times now, and twice through the dam, although always at night, which is am amzing experience. Is there evidence that they cannot support themselves on a widescale basis? I have met Three Gorges resettlers in Dunhuang in Gansu and near Yulin in Sha'anxi, and they were happy with the arrangements. A few grumbles here and there but nothing major. I am not aware of "they" (who would that be?) admitting that it was a social mistake. The process of migration, resettlement (voluntary and involuntary) and movement continues to be a significant phenomenon in China for many reasons. It's worth remembering that Britain involuntarily resettled the inhabitants of Diego Garcia island and have treated them rather unfairly: smaller numbers, but same principles. And what is known of the inhabitants of the drowned village in Ladybower Reservoir in Derbyshire?

Doubt it. As I said, China is keen to show off its technologies these days. The Danjiakou shiplock is visible in Google Earth, ut it looks really strange....as if it has been decommissioned. Something's not right with it, and the upper part does not look as it it is a shiplift at all.

Yes...aware of this (although there is only one shiplift). It is unlikely to be completed this year. There is a 14 page summary of the technical aspects of it on the KuK website (http://www.kuk.de/content/akt/inf/yangtze_bautechnik_en.pdf) and further articles in German. Although a bit pedantic, only four of the five locks are used currently. The top, fifth, lock will not be used until the water level rises to the final level. My point is where are the other shiplifts? For example, there is no shiplift at the Gezhouba Dam in the centre of Yichang, where there are three parallel locks - the largest two are 295m x 36m. I know of the other two in Hubei at Danjiakou and Geheyen, both of which are easily reachable from Yichang. The dam at Longtan is a little harder to reach (it's in NW Guangxi). But are there others?

Thanks .... That's a really useful link!

I am a little frustrated at various waterways directories because every builder is described as being able to do absolutely everything. I was tempted to ask who was the best restorer of traditional boats, but decided that would be a bit unfair. So.... ...who restores traditional boats? I am particularly interested in who restores wooden boats, and especially in the South East (within 50 miles of London).

This month's WW has an article reviewing a book about German shiplifts. In the article was the intriguing comment about the Three Gorges shiplift in China and the fact that there is little known about all the shiplifts in China "because of the inaccessibility of these to the western world and the lack of published information". I was a bit surprised by the 'inaccessibility' comment as I have found it possible to visit pretty much any facility in China, and the Chinese are nearly always proud to show off their infrastructure. Does anyone know the location (city and province) of any of these shiplifts? I regularly travel all over China and am happy to divert where practical to take photos or get information.

The boatyard and the navigation guides did/do warn about the gate paddles, recommending that you always use the ground paddles. However, what we were never warned about was that once hydraulic (gate) paddles are opened they cannot be wound down again because of the pressure of water. So if you over-open, you cannot close them (even slightly). In this case, either there was no ground paddle or they weren't working. I knew that you have to open the ground paddles first. This incident was my fault, not least because we didn't have the bow rope properly secured. However, I felt then - as I felt now - that more information about the gate paddles would have been helpful and probably been sufficient warning to take extra special care with the hydraulic paddles. I will always be extremely wary of hydraulic paddles in future, no matter where they are fitted. However, I would love to do the C&H again and have tentative plans to do it+Rochdale next year.

It was the upper gate paddle and - if I recall correctly - the lock had no ground paddle. Your reply brought back further memories and I am sure we had used the ground paddles at Kirklees. I did remember the warning from the boatyard about the gate paddles, but my mistake was that I opened the gate paddle too much and then couldn't get it down again. It didn't put me off the Calder & Hebble at all though - other than that one event it was a fabulous few days and we had a great Italian meal in Brighouse (in the old mill building) and a few bottles of wine.

Thanks for that!