Midnight

On that video it looks quite steady but about normal for a spring with no fresh. (Look at the beginning where the tides goes past the bridge piers) I came down a couple of days later on the last spring and it was about same. It's quite steady over on the lock side. However as I said even with 3 metres of fresh when I just a foot or so below the lock it wasn't very much different just a bit faster. To add pressure that day I had a fellow boater with me who wanted to come along to see how it's done. Glad to say it all worked as normal. Agree - Stockwith on the ebb coming from Torksey got my pulse racing

I guessed so which is what prompted me to post this. It was a spring 6.70m https://tides.mobilegeographics.com/calendar/year/3469.html No fresh Flood water takes awhile to drop because tides push it back up river after it's dropped above Naburn. Last year when Cawood Bridge had to be opened there was just half a metre in at York but almost 3 metres on the tidal . This method works for me on all states of the tide and flood.Th idea is to put your bow into the slacker water by the jetty and work the throttle to keep the boat at the right angle. If you get it right there's no need to power into the lock. Obviously when there's fresh it all moves faster than in the video. It's never troubled me in 15 years but I didn't suggest that bit - actually the manoeuvre was indeed 'expert' - have you done it ?

During our recent re-visit to Ripon I met a first time visiting boater who asked for advice on how to get into Selby lock on the return passage from Naburn. Having done the trip both ways many times, on all tides and twice with so much fresh that Cawood bridge had to be opened (VHF channel 9 recommended) I explained how I do it. This method was suggested to me by Nigel the Lockie about 15 years ago and has proved to be 100% trouble free in all conditions. The chap videoed it all and put it on You-tube and sent me the link asking for marks out of ten. https://youtu.be/HfjXHTEzNmY Maybe turned a bit too early (I usually wait until I reach the high jetty at the end of the flats) but other than that I would say 'expert level'. Something to bear in mind though. It all starts at Naburn Lock. I suggest trying to be first boat down. If you're second boat, when you reach the Hovis factory you need to let the boat in front get ahead by enough time to make their exit. Third boat - when you get to Turn Head you really don't want to see any boats in front as it's about 25 minutes to turn the lock around. Fourth boat - see second boat etc. I'm not suggesting this is the only option some go past the lock and come up against the ebb, but for those interested or perhaps making the journey for the first time this video maybe useful.

At this moment in time I think Mr Parry's position in a little bit vulnerable. All of a sudden CaRT are in the spotlight and he didn't do very well. Questions will be asked and his record on infrastructure maintenance isn't going to help. It's just been announced to the kingdom that structures like dams are in the hands of a charity. What will the proverbial man on the London omnibus make of that, let alone the good townsfolk of Whaley Bridge, who must be in a living nightmare at this time.

... and I thought shiny blue signs were a top priority, well they seem to be to Mr Parry

Some might think he's misguided.

So according to Mr Parry, bbc Newsnight CaRT don't need any more money they have enough and spend it where needed, discuss

All five of them!

... and packed with several non-paying visitors every now and again.

I think you are partially correct but one lockie told me that money was being diverted from maintenance to towpath improvement in our area.

Yikes! There could be a whole lot of damage if that lot gets into the canal. Let's hope they get it drained before a major disaster happens.

They do manage to get a lot of press though - good or bad depends on your view - and a lot more than the so-called boating organisations. When did you last read about the IWA complaining about lack of maintenance or blue signs?

Gotta say Arthur has hit the head on the nail here. Too many inconsiderate people about. We recently moored in Ripon on the 48hr town moorings. These moorings accommodate 4 approx 57ft boats. Boat on the end moored for 4 days (!) but one bollard along from the end (why?), effectively reducing the capacity to three 57ft ish boats and a cruiser size boat. Same in York and Boroughbridge - git-gaps between most boats. I did ask people to shuffle up which they did but with a few grumbles. The generators and engine running after 8pm is common but TBH doesn't bother me too much, if it did I would risk it and ask. The worst aspect of it all is CaRT's crap management and 'wait until navigation is stopped' policy. Nearly every lock along the Calder navigation has a gate with just 1 working paddle - a stoppage waiting to happen and reading these posts this seems very common now. Leaking gates and cills mean Pennine waterways are usually short of water. Planning a holiday cruise has become a nightmare wondering if you can get to your destination and worse still wondering if you can get back. Money is being spend on new signs despite promises, tow-path upgrades for cyclists and walkers (we noted the upgraded Selby canal towpath had just one small group of five visitors on it on a summer's afternoon. Frangar is right selling up is not the answer. The boating organisations seem to be ineffective and losing support because of it. Maybe a single issue organisation like the NBTA for those of us who don't continuously moor is required otherwise where is it all going to end?

Ripon marina is expensive I think we were quoted £16 per night (inc electric) the weekend before last. The usual pattern is two days at the sanitary station mooring two days in the basin. There's a wooden jetty (48hr) just above Ripon boat club on the right. There's also a few moorings at Oxclose lock if you don't mind a brisk walk into town. Mac left Cygnet just upstream from Bell Furrows lock mooring. I'm surprised he got a ticking off from Julie because boats have moored in the same spot many times in the past when we used to be in the marina. Jim McDonald moored Elizabeth there several years ago because he couldn't get through the last lock. TBH I would have moored there if it hadn't already been occupied by Cygnet. I've always been surprised that boats don't moor on the towpath side between Bell Furrows and Rhodesfield locks. There are some fishing platforms for the disabled along there but I would not be worried about leaving the boat with someone on board. Good advice from Nightwatch, ask Julie if in doubt she's an okay girl. BTW the top pound is very shallow and weedy, a Hudson may drag though the mud although plenty of depth at the visitor moorings in the basin for turning.

Alpha batteries in Rochdale - good prices and the guy in charge knows all about boats and can suggest different batteries depending on your use. https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/ edited to add - he guaranteed my last set for 3 years that was 5 years ago and they still going strong

Why would you think anyone at C&RT above ground has any idea how canals work? BTW welcome to Yorkshire when you get here.

is it one of these? https://www.propexleisure.co.uk/shop/lcd-digital-timeswitch-panel-mounting/

I relocated the MPPT negative from the battery to the shunt and within minutes MICC capacity shows 100%. Thanks for the help.

Some of it is. I have AGV batteries which isn't a preset option so I use the Gel setting. I'm not sure but I think 2 only controls the Mastervolt charger After 15 years I'm happy with the system but will reconnect the solar negative cable to the shunt and fully charge the batteries on shore power. Thank you all for the info.

I'm no expert on electrics but I've had this system for 15 years and changed very little apart from the battery type and the AH setting when I changed the batteries about 5 years ago. This is from the manual you may understand it better than I "A battery is considered fully (100 %) charged if: 1. All of the Ah's discharged are charged back into the battery plus 1 Ah (real counting without CEF). 2. The charge-float voltage is met (the voltage is usually set around 14.0/28.0 volt). 3. The charge-return current is met (the charged current will be usually be set for 2 % of the installed battery capacity). If all the above parameters are met for a few minutes, the reading of the Ah's consumed will be reset to 100%."

Thank you for the replies I never thought the MICC capacity was that accurate but it is comforting to see it read 100% after a day's cruise. Seeing only 20%/30% is psychologically harmful. even though you know 13+ volts is pretty much charged. I will change the negative and connect it to the shunt (on the non-battery side?) and reset the MICC (although I think it does that itself eventually when the batteries are fully charged)

Hi I added two solar panels which seem to be working fine. I followed the manufacturers instructions and took both cables from the MPPT controller direct to the battery terminals. I've noticed that on the Mastervolt MICC reading the battery voltage is up around 13.2 volts but the capacity reads at only about 21%. I switched the shore power on and charged the batteries overnight but the capacity only went up to around 31% despite the batteries being fully charged. Presumably the battery capacity works on some kind of bean counting system so should I have taken the negative cable from the controller to the shunt instead of the battery terminal?

I don't think they will affect mooring in Granary wharf, but you may have to dodge them on the river section

A cameo piece of theatre for the intro me thinks. Although I haven't seen many episodes since they moved off the English canals all credit to the pair of them. I hope we are as capable in our mid-eighties.

...and let me guess they only mended one