Pram covers - lowering for bridges etc

[MattJaneyHeinz]

Hi all

 

We're thinking of getting a pram cover for our cruiser stern - but I've got sore misgivings about how much of a pain it'll be when cruising through bridges and tunnels. What are people's experience of this? Do you have to drop it for every bridge or is there generally enough clearance. Just trying to balance the convenience of another dry area against it being a PITA when cruising.

 

Cheers

Matt

[haggis]

Compromise. Have the canopy down when cruising and up when moored.

 

Haggis

[Guest]

1 minute ago, MattJaneyHeinz said:

Hi all

 

We're thinking of getting a pram cover for our cruiser stern - but I've got sore misgivings about how much of a pain it'll be when cruising through bridges and tunnels. What are people's experience of this? Do you have to drop it for every bridge or is there generally enough clearance. Just trying to balance the convenience of another dry area against it being a PITA when cruising.

 

Cheers

Matt

Depends on the canal.

 

Ours fit under lots of bridges on the North Eastern watersways but not on your 'average' canal.

[TheBiscuits]

2 minutes ago, MattJaneyHeinz said:

Do you have to drop it for every bridge

 

No, the first low bridge will drop it for you ...

 

Can be difficult and expensive to put back up afterwards though! 

[magpie patrick]

3 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

No, the first low bridge will drop it for you ...

 

Can be difficult and expensive to put back up afterwards though! 

I can vouch for this from experience! 

The lift bridge at the entrance to the Coal Canal isn't as high as it looks... even when lifted!

Edited October 18, 2020 by magpie patrick

[Pie Eater]

We can leave ours up for the full length of the Bridgewater Canal but we lower it when we get to Preston Brook tunnel to access the Trent and Mersey canal and we leave it down until we get to Anderton boat lift.

 

Between Anderton and Middlewich we can leave it up if it is raining hard as long as we slightly lower it for the low bridges at the Lion Salt Works and near Croxton aqueduct.

 

Unless we know the area we leave it down.

[David Mack]

And how will you feel the first time you come to a bridge you think is big enough to clear the hood, and part way through you find that it isn't...?

 

(There are threads on here about repairing damage to pram hood covers).

[Alan de Enfield]

Ours took less than a minute to 'drop' and about the same to re-erect.

If the weather was not good, we would travel with it up but with the front window 'down' (otherwise it was like driving a car without window wipers)

 

You normally get to see a bridge more than a minute away so it was un-pop the poppers, drop it down, go thru the bridge, pull the 'string' and up it popped. fasten the 'poppers back' and carry on.

Edited October 18, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[Sea Dog]

33 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

No, the first low bridge will drop it for you ...

 

Can be difficult and expensive to put back up afterwards though! 

On the plus side, such an event would improve the overall look in very short order.  

 

[Detling]

What about those overhanging trees, I have encountered some really massive branches usually when pushed towards the non towpath side to pass a boat going the other way when already passing 10 or more moored boats. 

[Ex Brummie]

We purposely did not have a slot for the tiller in ours so we have to travel with it lowered. The frames are ample for holding the hood, but wouldn't like being levered by 18 ton of boat.