Tom and Bex

Have you got any dates going back before 2000? I'm sure I went to one on the Neath Canal bank in the 90's. Also helped with the preparation and setting up for one in Taunton when I should have been doing GCSE's so that must have been 90's as well 🤣

Congratulations to Rebellion from all on Tatty Lucy!

I don't think grade B cells would be an problem for typical domestic usage. That deal from Fogstar does look very tempting, and if we hadn't just bought a 100ah for our camper would have been seriously tempted by that offer. Still very tempted to get this to expand our current bank! Our current cells were rejected from diy EV use as the voltage dropped to much under heavy discharge. We're on our 7th winter with them, and no detectable drop in capacity over that time. Rated capacity of 320ah, and when installed we measured 300ah before BMS low voltage cut.

Think Black Prince used these on their hire boats at one time, might be worth asking them if they have any spares lying around.

Something I've not seen mentioned so far, is a lot of lead acid chargers have temperature compensation to raise the charging voltage at lower temperatures. You need to make sure this is disabled for lithium charging. Often this is just a battery temperature sensor that can be left disconnected, but some chargers do have this built into the charger itself.

Love these boats, hope someone buys the moulds and keeps them going!

Haa been for a while - past 2 years we've helped tow non-challenge boats off the mud here, and no chance of getting near the bank on either side.

And a huge thanks for organising the Challenge, and the work you put in to get the winners announced on the night! Definitely a change from the first few challenges we did where the results came out weeks later. Hopefully the increased entries again this year will continue, and the media coverage on Friday evening was mentioned by several people we met along the way. Thanks again.

Thank you! Tatty Lucy won! Very pleased with results and big thanks to the crew including our girls who have to put up with my planning and early starts on the challenge! Lily (our 8 year old) is delighted with the result!

I was thinking as we came down I was glad we didn't have a historic boat to squeeze through the gap on that gate 🤣🤣

Yeah, couple of the lower pounds were flooded due to the empty pound further up. We only let down enough water to get through, so some of the upper pounds were left a bit on the low side! Hopefully CRT will get them all refilled to correct level, think the problem was obstruction behind top gate on lock 6 leaving a 6" gap, and bottom gates on that lock being left open😱

The boat important question my crew keep asking - has Barney entered the challenge this year??? Hopefully it stays clear until adjust we've gone down!

Depends how deep you are🤣

Perry Barr completely empty between 5 and 6. Top gate not shut properly on 5 is what I suspect caused the problem. Currently running water down most of the flight😱 Pound refilled, obstruction cleared behind top gate on Perry Barr lock 6, and we're on the move again. There's now a few low pounds on Perry Barr so deep draughted boats might need to let a bit more water down!

All set and ready for the start! Follow us on Twitter, and hopefully you can track our progress on the following link: https://livegpstracks.com/dv_75017166190272811840646.html

Tatty Lucy in position and ready for the morning. Have planned a slightly less ambitious route this time with several time saving contingency options. Not sure how well we'll do this year - our youngest crew member is making lock working a difficult enough challenge on its own!!!

We're not able to make this now, so hope those boats there create suitable chaos!

Was planning to spend that weekend in Birmingham anyway, so have signed up. Should be interesting finding a mooring on Friday/Saturday night though!

A big thanks to @Captain Pegg for organising this year's challenge, and thought communication before and during the event was excellent. Had a great time, and really surprised to come 2nd! Thought we'd be much lower, as we seemed to be losing time on almost every section, so unable to complete route as planned. Congratulations to Rivets 5000, can't have been an easy 24hrs on that boat! Thought the finish worked really well, and was good to have the option of approaching from 3 different directions. Would have loved to stay longer, but unfortunately had to be back for work early Tuesday. Have remembered to book next year off already though. As to future finishing points, I really like the suggestion of Brownhills, and we've always said Walsall would make a good finish. We've been doing the challenge since 2013, and not finished at Walsall in that time. Withymoor and Hawne Basin have both put on a really good reception in the past, but what about a finish in Typhoo Basin one year? Wednesfield junction? Finally, @Captain Pegg, any chance of seeing the answers to this year's questions?

Wasn't us! Was fine and surprisingly easy coming up Rushall yesterday morning.

Tatty Lucy struggling with weed and lack of depth on the Daw End - makes a change from rubbish and lack of depth on the Walsall I suppose! Still yet to see any other boat on the move!

We seem to be making very slow progress up Perry Barr 😥 Not seen another boat yet! You can track our (slow!) progress here: https://trackme.nebo.global/?link=ZBDDIB1J4NS2VQKZCYJ1G0XLW6 Something behind bottom gate cill lock 5 Perry Barr. Managed to shift it into lock enough to close bottom gates, but take care through that lock!

Team Tatty Lucy fed and watered, and ready for an early night and early start! Follow us on Twitter @NBtattyLucy for regular updates and photos!

There always used to be a BW tug moored just below firepool lock for this exact purpose. Can't remember ever seeing it actually used though, and probably not been there for years.

YMCA used to have separate boaters facilities - toilet, elsan, (and shower?) accessed via bw key. Shane if they've gone as were always well kept and clean. Bathpool still being built when I used to boat there regularly!