Tonic required. Send in your photos of what is nice on the waterways now.

Naughty Cal · July 21, 2021

5 hours ago, Athy said:

One of those incredibly husky-looking vehicles, though with an open back, goes growling past our house from time to time. What make is it?

Dodge Ram

Made the job of towing NC home look like child's play. In america they are legally allowed to tow far more than they can in the UK, so even with the boat and trailer approaching the max legal towing limit in the UK the Ram found it easy work.

It felt like a big brute coming around Loch Lomond with the boat on the back though!!

ETA: He has the hard top on the pick up bed so he can load gear in there as well if necessary to take some load of the boat/trailer. We managed to get the dinghy in there fully inflated!

Edited July 21, 2021 by Naughty Cal

July 21, 2021

3 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

Dodge Ram

Made the job of towing NC home look like child's play. In america they are legally allowed to tow far more than they can in the UK, so even with the boat and trailer approaching the max legal towing limit in the UK the Ram found it easy work.

It felt like a big brute coming around Loch Lomond with the boat on the back though!!

ETA: He has the hard top on the pick up bed so he can load gear in there as well if necessary to take some load of the boat/trailer. We managed to get the dinghy in there fully inflated!

He did well to tow a boat on that road.

Having towed a large twin axle caravan to and from the Highlands along that road I can testify as to how tight it gets alongside the Loch.

Naughty Cal · July 21, 2021

1 minute ago, The Happy Nomad said:

He did well to tow a boat on that road.

Having towed a large twin axle caravan to and from the Highlands along that road I can testify as to how tight it gets alongside the Loch.

Good job he knows what he is doing on roads like that one.

I seem to remember the road getting from where we recovered the boat at Puffin Dive Centre back to Oban was a bit scary as well.

Although we did toy with the idea of getting a trailer and tow car for NC, I'm glad we didn't. Some jobs are best left to the professionals.

haggis · July 21, 2021

45 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

He did well to tow a boat on that road.

Having towed a large twin axle caravan to and from the Highlands along that road I can testify as to how tight it gets alongside the Loch.

While the road up the side of Loch Lomond is not ideal for towing, it is a dawdle compared with the road down to the Mull of Kintyre. Iain has towed gamebird (our 26 foot Sea Otter) twice down to Ardrishaig and from there up to the Caledonian canal and it was not an easy tow. The trailer is a twin axle but the boat weights a lot more than a caravan.

haggis

Edited July 21, 2021 by haggis

PeterScott · July 21, 2021

On this day in 2005

Clobberhill Middle Lock No 29 F&C

PeterScott · July 21, 2021

On this day in 2010

River Ancholme River Humber and Reed Island. (Jonathan Thacker's pic on Geograph)

jake_crew · July 21, 2021

8 hours ago, Pluto said:

Two views from the opposite direction in 1975 and 1984.

Whats the story with those sunken ships ?

PeterScott · July 21, 2021

56 minutes ago, jake_crew said:

Whats the story with those sunken ships [in Bowling Basin]?

Lots of separate stories, and once derelict boats are allowed to sink, it seems to become a place to bring other leaky boats. There's an interesting account of Bowling and Clyde boats here from 2010, and that references a determined £1.5m BWScotland project to remove some or all of the hulks in 2006 here. More pictures here

including this from 1912 of Bowling wharf and paddle steamer Isle of Cumbrae

PeterScott · July 21, 2021

On this day in 1976

Passing a train of workboats. Coventry C

PeterScott · July 21, 2021

On this day in 2013

Painted canalware, Meashamware, lace plates. IWA National Rally Cassiobury Park

Edited July 21, 2021 by PeterScott
extra pic

gatekrash · July 21, 2021

Today on the staffs and worcs, at the top end of Wolverley Court lock, this chap decided to sit on the top gate until he saw me coming to close the paddle, then went into the undergrowth, swam across the canal and vanished over the towpath into a field.

John Liley · July 21, 2021

To reach the Canal du Nivernais from the south involves taking a short arm from the canal beside the upper Loire. From here it is a two kilometre voyage downstream to where the Nivernais canal begins.

Going down through the lock into the Loire is straightforward enough. Coming the other way is A-level stuff, since the mother of all whirlpools waits at the entrance. A row of bollards on the shore invites an expert on the bow to lassoo these as you glide past, but I have never managed this myself. The alternative is a bellowed conversation to and fro, and it takes a very long time. The upper gates, however, have a certain splendour, once you are in.

PeterScott · July 21, 2021

On this day in 2011

Slaithwaite Guillotine Lock It leaks

Dav and Pen · July 21, 2021

We came out of the lock into the Loire just before it was going to be closed for canoe races. We had to follow a dingy down one of the lanes and friends large Tjalk only just fitted between the buoys which were difficult to see from our wheelhouses.

Edited July 21, 2021 by Dav and Pen
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