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Fat boats on the North Oxford


Dr Bob

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Just now, MtB said:

 

Excellent! 

 

Could you see a pale blue/grey one about 50ft x 12ft with "Miles Away" written on the bow? 

 

 

 

Resolution wasn't quite that good!

 

I doubt he would have been there at the time as he's apparently a relative newcomer.

 

When I look at the image of our marina we were absent but I know, from the boats around it, that it's a fairly recent image.

 

1 minute ago, wandering snail said:

Thanks for this heads up. We're now moored just before bridge 79, will move to Braunston tomorrow!

 

Blockade!

 

Only room for narrowboats to pass 😄

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The Google sat view of Dunchurch is from last year i reckon, as there are leaves on the trees and our boat is in it’s old berth, it was moved two along in March i think (so the Carefree boats were all together). Also new pontoons have been put in the first pool since then and a few of the WBs moved into there, or possibly new ones?

 

I can count ten there with me specs on :) 

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1 hour ago, Athy said:

As an aside, we passed your boat twice last week - it was moored in lower Banbury. You'd obviously heard we were coming, as there was no sign of life on board on either occasion.

 

1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

I get all notices from CRT. The one mentioned above is the first regarding fat boat in that area. ‘Miles Away man’ is a rude man.

And I have passed both your boats within 24 hours plus chatting to Maffi 

 

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30 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

 

And I have passed both your boats within 24 hours plus chatting to Maffi 

 

We too had a quick word with Lord Maffi, who passed going downhill as we were waiting for water below Banbury lock.

43 minutes ago, johnmck said:

T

This monster has no engine I am told.

 

I bloody well hope not.

Wait: is that a horse tethered behind it?

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1 hour ago, johnmck said:

There are several in North kilworth marina!

This monster has no engine I am told.

IMG_20210709_212420.jpg

Where can it cruise from there?   All the locks at either end of that stretch are narrow, even on the Welford arm. So what is the point?

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2 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Where can it cruise from there?   All the locks at either end of that stretch are narrow, even on the Welford arm. So what is the point?

It wont get under any local bridges or through the tunnel so nowhere.

Theres no tiller point and no wheel visible, with no hatch to the back end either, so probably no enjun

 

 

20210818_190959.jpg

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26 minutes ago, matty40s said:

It wont get under any local bridges or through the tunnel so nowhere.

Theres no tiller point and no wheel visible, with no hatch to the back end either, so probably no enjun

 

 

20210818_190959.jpg

It wont get out under the entrance bridge let alone anyhwere else....I can confirm no engine or prop etc

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Probably getting on for a year ago after the new T&C consultation where one of the new  licence conditions was that the boat must be 'fit' for the canal it is intended to be used on, based on C&RTs canal dimensions list.

 

There was a big argument from NABO that this opened the door for C&RT to amend their 'approved' dimensions to suit whatever they wanted (ie  no need to repair a lock that was getting narrower - just amend the dimensions of boats that can use the lock, no need to dredge, just amend the draft figure, etc etc)

 

The new T&Cs (version 3 as they kept making silly mistakes) were published and came into effect June 2021

 

 

9. Suitability of the Boat for the Waterway

9.1. The Boat should be fit for navigation on the Waterway where it is intended to be Used.

9.2. You should take reasonable steps to ensure that Your Boat’s Dimensions are suitable for the Waterway you will Use.

9.3. You must make sure that Your Boat will pass through, under or over any structures You will Use.

9.4. You must not cause, or be likely to cause, damage to the Waterway, structures, or any boat because of Your Boat’s Dimensions.

9.5. Your Boat's Dimensions will not, or be likely to, obstruct the Waterway or hinder navigation.

9.6. Conditions 9.2-9.5 apply to the total dimension of two or more boats that are breasted-up, towing or otherwise connected

 

Condition 9.6 is still under some debate as that now means that if the canal dimensions are (say) suitable for boats 70' x 7' then you cannot tow a butty. If the canal dimension is (say) 70' x 12 foot, then you cannot strap a butty alongside.

 

This was the 3rd version of the T&Cs following some absolute howlers (corrected in V3). Does anyone at C&RT actually read, or even understand, what the office Junior has written ?

 

The crazy thing is you do not have to (currently) make a declaration as to which waterways you will be using, so you get your licence and "off you trot".

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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10 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Probably getting on for a year ago after the new T&C consultation where one of the new  licence conditions was that the boat must be 'fit' for the canal it is intended to be used on, based on C&RTs canal dimensions list.

 

There was a big argument from NABO that this opened the door for C&RT to amend their 'approved' dimensions to suit whatever they wanted (ie  no need to repair a lock that was getting narrower - just amend the dimensions of boats that can use the lock, no need to dredge, just amend the draft figure, etc etc)

 

The new T&Cs (version 3 as they kept making silly mistakes) were published and came into effect June 2021

 

 

9. Suitability of the Boat for the Waterway

9.1. The Boat should be fit for navigation on the Waterway where it is intended to be Used.

9.2. You should take reasonable steps to ensure that Your Boat’s Dimensions are suitable for the Waterway you will Use.

9.3. You must make sure that Your Boat will pass through, under or over any structures You will Use.

9.4. You must not cause, or be likely to cause, damage to the Waterway, structures, or any boat because of Your Boat’s Dimensions.

9.5. Your Boat's Dimensions will not, or be likely to, obstruct the Waterway or hinder navigation.

9.6. Conditions 9.2-9.5 apply to the total dimension of two or more boats that are breasted-up, towing or otherwise connected

 

Condition 9.6 is still under some debate as that now means that if the canal dimensions are (say) suitable for boats 70' x 7' then you cannot tow a butty. If the canal dimension is (say) 70' x 12 foot, then you cannot strap a butty alongside.

 

This was the 3rd version of the T&Cs following some absolute howlers (corrected in V3). Does anyone at C&RT actually read, or even understand, what the office Junior has written ?

 

The crazy thing is you do not have to (currently) make a declaration as to which waterways you will be using, so you get your licence and "off you trot".

 

I thought there was a recently introduced obligation to notify CRT of passages to/from Barby/Dunchurch by widebeams. No mention of that on the sign photograph above or in those T&Cs.

 

 

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7 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I thought there was a recently introduced obligation to notify CRT of passages to/from Barby/Dunchurch by widebeams. No mention of that on the sign photograph above or in those T&Cs.

 

 

 

I've not been on that waterway for a couple of years, but I'm sure pictures of signs have been posted showing that they must book in advance.

However as the months have gone by the 'notice required' has gone down from 'weeks' to 'a week' to "tell us when you can"

 

It is now tucked away on the C&RT website :

 

Managing the safe movement of wide beam boats on the North Oxford Canal

The North Oxford Canal between Braunston Junction and Hillmorton Locks is a narrow canal, not designated for wide-beam craft. However, wide-beam craft access to and from Dunchurch Pools and Barby Moorings is permitted, in a single journey (i.e. not mooring on the towpath or offside between Braunston and Hillmorton Locks).

Boaters with wide-beam craft planning travel on the North Oxford Canal, to or from Dunchurch Pools or Barby Moorings, should notifyenquiries.westmidlands@canalrivertrust.org.ukone week ahead (where possible*) of the boat movement with the following information: 

Boat index and name

Planned date of movement (if a you cannot provide an exact date please provide a range e.g between x date and x date)

Direction of movement

Contact number for the person who will be navigating the boat

*If you are unable to give a week’s notice, please email the West Midlands team as soon as possible so that they can make others aware of wide-beam craft movement on the north Oxford canal

Planned wide-beam boat movements on the north Oxford will be published on the Trust’s notices and stoppages web page.

The maximum craft dimensions for boats on the canal are:

Length 21.96m (72ft)

Beam 2.13m (7ft’)**

Draught 1.09m (3ft 7’’)

** subject to the above exemption for access

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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7 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

All they need is a similar one at Berkhamstead and the GU will be able to operate as originally intended. 😁

Which of course doesn't tie in with what the Grand Union book I quoted a few days back said, but then again, they only owned it.

image.png.692dfa1f83af28ad4be5730ac03ade3f.png

Edited by ditchcrawler
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5 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Which of course doesn't tie in with what the Grand Union book I quoted a few days back said, but then again, they only owned it.

 

My understanding was that having trialled taking their prototype widebeam boat to Birmingham, they decided the trial was unsuccessful and limited widebeams to south of Berkhamstead

Edited by cuthound
Clarification
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Just now, cuthound said:

 

My understanding was that having trialled taki g their widebeam boat to Birmingham, they decided the trial was unsuccessful and limited widebeams to south of Berkhamstead

That’s my understanding too…one thing was they would have needed to widen tring cutting which made it uneconomic. 

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45 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

My understanding was that having trialled taking their prototype widebeam boat to Birmingham, they decided the trial was unsuccessful and limited widebeams to south of Berkhamstead

 

"They" being the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company.

 

The Grand Junction canal pre-existed the GUCCCo by approximately 125 years and a small number of horse drawn wide beam boats did operate to Braunston on that canal prior to the existence of the GUCCCo.

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