Midnight

Having done it many, many times I would still turn right towards the jetty - it's usually calm there and easier to line up for the lock. Maybe there was a touch of fresh in the river when Nick did it. This is roughly how to do it although he turns a bit earlier than I do.

I've been up there a few times recently in a 57. I can't remember it being so tight in the locks that I was concerned. I'm not qualified to say if a 60ft boat would make it but I suspect it will. The main issue is water depth you really have to WANT to go there. It's very shallow and very weedy for the first few miles. I managed less than 1mph over the first mile two years running. Having said that it is a splendid rural river (The Derwent) and canal and I would recommend it. As for the tidal bit. From Selby it's probably the most uncomplicated tidal stretch I've ever done even easier going back. From Goole a bit of a white knuckle ride in a narrowboat but a relatively easy exit. I've never attempted the reverse preferring to go the long way round via Selby. Moorings are few and far between probably two in the Melbourne arm if you count the trip boat jetty and if you don't mind the jungle plenty of towpath - you may need a long plank and a machete.

Keep an eye on CaRT's stoppages page - Beal Lock is still closed due to silt as far as I know (although I did hear but can't confirm that it's passable with a shallow draft) https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/17368-beal-lock-river-aire

There are limited (2 days) moorings for about four 57ft-ish narrowboats in the basin but if people take more space than they need there's less. There's also one mooring for a longer boat or two mooring for shorter boats at the sanitary station just before the bypass bridge. There's a mooring just above Rhodesfield lock on the towpath side and a long pound with a good bank below but boats rarely moored there when I was moored in the marina. If you don't mind a bit f a walk there's also a wooden mooring stage on the towpath side just after the boat club heading towards Ripon. I don't think you will have any problems. We re-visited Ripon last year and had no issues at all. If it's your first time on the Ouse you may wish to check this forum for advice on the tidal trip up from Selby to Naburn.

I was moored at Ripon for 7 years so saw quite a lot of comings and goings by various boats. I suggest you can get all the way in a 60ft boat but you may need to be single in a several of locks. We are 57' and tried unsuccessfully to go up through Rhodesfield lock with another similar size boat. Having said that Jim McDonald in Elizabeth 63ft managed to get as far as below Rhodesfield. I helped him for awhile but was just inches away from getting through and up to the basin. Be very careful descending Westwick lock there's a very small outcrop below the angular cill which can catch you out in low water.

Very possibly! Several years ago while travelling on a friend's boat down the Yorkshire Ouse the engine stalled leaving us drifting on the ebb tide. We threw the anchor over from the stern and can say with absolute confidence it did nothing and we eventually came to a stop among some willows on the next bend. Fortunately it wasn't one of those fast spring tides so no danger but thinking of all the possibilities sends shivers down my spine.

I've used the same surveyor for the past 12 years and I've never been present. My next BBS is in a few weeks so no change there.

If "we all go" to that town two days running the threat is even greater. I'm not suggesting we should all go and stay on our boats just pointing out the flaw in one rule fits all.

If it were common and everybody used it, there would be no need for any rules.

Help - I'm at a loss to understand how staying overnight on a boat you can visit two days running is any more a threat than the two visits?

When our calorifier started to leak I couldn't find the where the water was coming from until I removed it and pressure tested it with a hose from a cold tap. I found 4 very tiny pin holes near the bottom after removing some of the insulation. If you are certain it's not a pipe of leaky connection you will need to replace it with a new one. I have heard some people have managed to silver solder (not lead solder) a calorifier but even then not a permanent solution.

The first set I had were 3 x Squadron 250AH gels, lasted ages. TBH I'm not convinced they were goosed when I changed them. I had an issue with the Mikuni CH burner not starting and was told it was probably the batteries. As it happened changing them didn't help :-(

Is that unusual? The current battery bank is 2 x 240AH own brand sealed from Alpha Batteries in Rochdale which were relatively inexpensive and at least 6 years old now . Does keeping them on charge help them last longer? - Maybe someone who knows about such things could comment.

Apart from when cruising our boat has been on charge for 16 years. Lately using solar during the summer and nothing bad happened beyond changing the batteries once.

Told you so

Sometimes it's better not to ask especially when you are only looking for a positive answer. Clearly the no fishing signs are not aimed at boaters fishing off their boats but plenty of others will complain just because there's a sign saying "No fishing". You could argue it should read "No fishing from the towpath". I would do it and justify why when some arrogant dodo challenges you, but then you can challenge arrogant dodo as to why they are in your space. anyway.

It's what happens when the theorists, consultants and managers take over from the lads with shovels and barrows. Who by-the-way did a decent job that lasted a few hundred years despite not understanding the science of soil mechanics.

Sorry to hear that. It's certainly not the Club policy but regrettably we do seem to have a few members as described.

Looks like the top lock is unscathed. The bottom lock looks relatively intact too. So makes me wonder why 12 months? The spoil in the pound belongs back on the river bank and a channel through the spoil below could be dredged reasonably quickly allowing restricted passage while they rebuild the by-wash. I wonder how long it took the lads with shovels and wheel barrows to build it in the first place?

Sounds to me like very little or no change. I doubt they will set up a claw-back scheme seems an expensive option for just a relatively few boaters.

fixed changed to orange - cheers that's the first test.

I recently found out about the Environment Agency's development of Flood Warning Systems https://environment.data.gov.uk/flood-monitoring/doc/reference?fbclid=IwAR0g4Doyup9xwHOMaa2Ct9mYACc-t-PqoX9EzugaD2BASIdPc0_2Yda7IJ0#individual-station I'm just a lightweight developer but using the above I managed to create a flood warning system local to our boat club. I'm still working on it but some may find it useful and adapt it to their own river areas. It's in Javascript so the essential code is visible in source view. http://www.southpennineboatclub.co.uk/flood-monitoring/ The page monitors Ledgard Bridge Station which is closest to the Club. The top left panel show latest data with previous levels / times in the panel below. The bottom row shows if the river is rising or falling and a colour code is based on the approximate indicator board at the river lock adjacent to the club. The right panel shows the levels of selected upstream measure stations with rise & fall indicator and colour coded to the orange level stripe (Low lying land may flood) shown on the EA's flood information graphs The lower right hand panel displays the Club's flood procedure triggered by levels that require a response by the club flood team. My code is a bit clunky but if anyone is interested maybe we could set up a group to look at developing this further than I can go alone.

Shame you didn't have a boom there's a few boaters along the cut unhappy that their bottom blacking is dissolving

Oops I have been told CaRT dragged it in to take it away but it sank and now there's a huge diesel slick in the cut. Surely not!

If this is the boat I'm thinking it is the shell looks in pretty good condition. It's not licensed and it's been looted but worth salvaging. Not sure of the legal position, but could probably be refloated with a winch from the opposite bank. Good luck