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Pinch points on the Oxford


Darrenroberts

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Hi guys Iam trying to get to Braunston but iam sure you may have seen that a gate has fallen off at kings Langley! So iam thinking of heading on to the Thames and up the Oxford. Has the pinch point at Napton being fixed/ are there any others on that route I should be aware of? Thanks in advance ?

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4 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

That's close to the max on some of the Napton locks even now, ask C&RT for a definite answer telling them if you get stuck it will be their problem to get you through!

TD'

So I am right in thinking it’s just Napton I have to worry about? Am trying to get hold of the Crt construction manager for that area for some more in depth local knowledge of that navigation, the website just says 7ft lol.....I guess maybe some one was been a bit Lazzy filling out all the spec info ?

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4 minutes ago, matty40s said:

You may have to take a run at Somerton Deep?? if anything is stuck behind the gates, there a few boats stick at the bottom of there.

To be honest the boat does not need to be wide to get stuck there, we did.  As with all single bottom gates the ones below Banbury do seem to collect stuff behind the gates.

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Going down Napton last week, I got held up by someone who got stuck coming out of lock 10 or 11. They had left their quite small fenders out and jammed part way out of the lower gates. Couldn't go forwards or backwards.

Ended up cutting the fenders away and rolling them out.

It was a standard modern narrow boat so I guess 6ft 10 ins wide.

 

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NB Tyseley the historic boat operated by the Mikron Theatre Company was stuck fast in lock 9 at Napton a couple of years ago. They eventually got through with much pulling, flushing and brute force. The lock chamber has been partially rebuilt since then but I think any boat that is over seven feet in beam could still get wedged when the lock drains. With a boat that is less than 70' long, the best approach may be to let the water out very slowly and be prepared to manoeuvre to stay in the widest part of the chamber.

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Somerton deep  can make an old boat rattle, not helped by lack of depth below the lock. The outflow causes the pound to shallow significantly. We have had to have flushes to get in and out in the past. 

We came down Napton 3 weeks ago, without incident. A couple of locks are moving around again, probably due to the weather, but no incidents.
Lock 9 was I think a problem of shape but it appears fixed now. Lock 11 looks like a future pinch.
A proper width  7’ boat that is shortened probably has an easier life than a full length boat, as there is more wiggle room.

 

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Thanks for all the intel guys, iam als hearing reports of higher traffic and an impending water shortage down that way too ? all in all sounds like a risky trip to say the least, gunna head out to kings Langley and get some eyes on what’s going on there. Thanks again ?

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1 hour ago, Darrenroberts said:

Thanks for all the intel guys, iam als hearing reports of higher traffic and an impending water shortage down that way too ? all in all sounds like a risky trip to say the least, gunna head out to kings Langley and get some eyes on what’s going on there. Thanks again ?

Apparently they have to manufacture new gates for lock 71. I don't imagine they can do that quickly.

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