[Pinchybobs!]

Now that I like. Sounds like it probably smells nice too. Think I'll stick to witch hazel though, I prefer to drink my vodka Is there any type of surface it might damage?

theres no damage if you use the witch hazel; although with varnish work i spray onto a cloth and rub it on, just to be on the safe side. its a good anti-fly spray too...

[Big Rickys and Alrewas Cruising]

This is all a bit confusing.

 

"shipped to the lancaster canal and turned into a hire boat for Alrewas cruising (possibly called mayflower) "

 

Alrewas is a village on the Trent and Mersey canal - a long way from the Lancaster.

 

As you have discovered there were about 60 Big Ricky butties - I can probably account for about half of them (although some of those are now broken up) so that really doesn't narrow down your list very much.

 

The man to contact is Pete Harrison who has extensive lists of the GUCCC boats and their fates. If he can't work it out - noone can. I'll PM you his email address.

 

Is your's the boat Adie is about to start work on at Malkins Bank?

 

There is also a full length small ricky nowadays called Linnet (possibly ex-Ariel) so don't let this confuse you!

 

Please let us know how you get on and what Pete says.

 

Good luck.

 

Paul H

sorry, its my wording that made it confusing. she was a hire boat on the trent and mersey possibly for a company called Alrewas cruising (we know she was a hire boat, but the bloke who told us alrewas cruising could be a little unreliable) she might have been called mayflower as a hire boat. when she was sold to private ownership, then she was shipped to the lancaster and called th'only.

there were 62 big rickys, so if you dont mind could you list the ones you can account for? im narrowing down the suspects!

yes, she is the current boat at Malkins bank, have you seen her?

oh and shes definatly not the small ricky ariel/linnet, although its quite a coincidence....

[Wood vs steel]

But who, except a masochist .......... foolishly rich man ........ brave and passionate traditionalist (sorry Carl) would want a wooden boat for fresh water use long-term?

 

I have never lived in a house, as i was born on my wooden boat (17 years ago before anyone comes out with any snide age remarks) and i wouldnt trade her in for a steel boat for love nor money. yes its more expensive to renew it, as we're rebuilding the bow now at malkins bank, but that bow has lasted 70 years. id like to see a steel boat do that

[Big Rickys and Alrewas Cruising]

Bury

Byfield

Cardiff

Chalfont

Chesham

Chipstead

Cobham

Coniston

Coughton

Denton

 

Downham

Dudley

Ealing

Elton

Ewell

Feltham

Fulwell

Glossor

Gretna

Guiseley

Hadfield

Hagley

Hale

Halton

Kew

Knebworth

Lambourne

Lichfield

Langho

Norton

 

 

Nunhead

Neston

Oulton

Padbury

Poplar

Purley

Rawdon

Roade

Romsey

Ruislip

Saltley

Seascale

Shilton

Slinfold

Southam

 

 

Starcross

Staverton

Stoulton

Streatham

Sunbury

Surbiton

Taplow

Tilbury

Tiverton

Tayport

Taunton

Tydd

Utoxeter

Wivenhoe

Yeovil

 

wow! how do you know all them?!

[Cyclist ends up in cut]

Jeez!!! That was just sick!!! I can't believe that there are people out there who would cause injury, potentially death too, to innocent people just so they get a cheap thrill from it!!! And they haven't the courage to even show their faces either, it proves that they are cowards....

 

It is sick that theres people out there like that but it gets worse, quite recently a friend of ours was coming out of crick tunnel (north portal) and some sad yobbo to a shot at him with an air rifle. luckly all he got was a bruise 'cos the prick who fired it was to far away..

[Big Rickys and Alrewas Cruising]

I have the 1974 "Canals Book", and surprisingly this shows no boatyards or hire bases at Alweras itself.

 

So it seems likely that the company to which you refer was not trading by then.

 

Nearest hire base were Swan Line Cruisers at Fradley Junction, but as that sometimes lists as an Alweras address, is it possible that it was a forerunner of Swan Line ?

 

i doubt it was, but i could be wrong.

does your book say anything about the boats they were using?

[I need another boat! Advice needed.]

theres one for sale from the warwickshire fly boat co

 

"Ariel"

50'working boat/tug with rivetted engine room housing newly rebuilt Lister HA2,back cabin fully fitted(Rex Wain)range etc.,ready to work or convert.(30' open hold) £35000.00

 

dont take the price to seriously though, they can usually be brought down by a fair bit. but you'd have to get her surveyed first, cos they have been caught out trying to pass off boats for far to much. take poor old "ian" for example.

[Pinchybobs!]

I tend use a citronella-mix spray to deter them, works well with spiders and daddy long legs too.

 

1/2 teaspoon citronella essential oil

1/2 teaspoon eucalyptus essential oil

1/2 teaspoon lavender essential oil

4 ounces distilled witch hazel/vodka

 

 

Mix ingredients in a 4-ounce spray bottle. Shake well. Spray onto furniture, curtains or wherever the blighters tend to be. it sometimes helps to spray yourself too

[Big Rickys and Alrewas Cruising]

Can anyone and everyone who knows a big ricky please post the origanal name of it please?Im narrowing down the names that mine could have been.

My boat was a big ricky but we dont know who she was. all we know is that:

she was a wooden butty from the 62

she was cut in half in about '67, shipped to the lancaster canal and turned into a hire boat for Alrewas cruising (possibly called mayflower)

she was then sold and bought by a couple who called her "Th'only"

finally was bought by my parents, lengthened and called "linnet"

any info on Alrewas cruising would be helpful too. all i know is that it was probably going in about '67