Looking for Experienced Skipper to help us with Southbound Ribble Crossing?

[damfino]

First post, so forgive me if this is in the wrong place or anything like that!

We are looking for someone to help us across the Ribble as we need to move our narrowboat closer to home and off the Lancaster canal. 

We are on a tight budget so moving her by water is the only option for us really.

 

Thank you!

[LadyG]

Welcome to the forum, others will be along later in the day with advice. 

Use the search function, Ribble brings up some interesting points. 

Looks like you need to make sure you're diesel tank is clear of crud, ie empty it in to plastic containers first. Change fuel filters, you could use a hacksaw to check if there is any bug, ie black jelly stuff. 

 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2021 by LadyG

[pearley]

19 minutes ago, damfino said:

First post, so forgive me if this is in the wrong place or anything like that!

We are looking for someone to help us across the Ribble as we need to move our narrowboat closer to home and off the Lancaster canal. 

We are on a tight budget so moving her by water is the only option for us really.

 

Thank you!

Speak to the boatyard at Tarleton. That's where we got our pilot from.

According to my 'book' I spoke to Roger at the yard 07885 762347 and he put me in touch with Jim Wilkinson 01772 691082. Cost us £50 in each direction and worth it for the running commentary from Jim (who had spent all his working life at Preston Docks and on the River and was responsible for erecting  many of the channel markers)

However, that was 2011 so things will probably have changed but worth a phone call.

Edited March 23, 2021 by pearley

[damfino]

Thank you so much for all the helpful info already!! really appreciated !

[KenK]

Unless your insurance company insists on a pilot you do not really need one.

CRT will not let you onto the River Ribble unless the conditions are safe and you will be doing the transit with normally five other boats.

It is a straightforward run to the Asland lamp, go past the lamp and turn left into the River Douglas, follow the river until you reach the lock at Tarleton.

The worst part of the crossing is from the Lancaster down the link to the Ribble, shallow, narrow and overgrown.

[Mike Hurley]

There are several you tube videos made by narrowboaters doing this crossing, worth a watch.

[TheBiscuits]

Which boat and where is it?

 

I'm currently at Garstang and booked in for 13th April crossing.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

On 23/03/2021 at 08:02, damfino said:

First post, so forgive me if this is in the wrong place or anything like that!

We are looking for someone to help us across the Ribble as we need to move our narrowboat closer to home and off the Lancaster canal. 

We are on a tight budget so moving her by water is the only option for us really.

 

Thank you!

The navigation side of it, isn't too difficult and as another poster has put he will be doing it on the 13th April so you are unlikely to be doing it on your own, just follow the others. The only real issue is that you will be going into the current all the way (flooding tide to Asland, ebbing tide Asland to Tarleton) so your main consideration is the fact that your engine will be running at high revs for probably a couple of hours or so, is it likely to overheat?

[blackrose]

On 23/03/2021 at 08:12, LadyG said:

Welcome to the forum, others will be along later in the day with advice. 

Use the search function, Ribble brings up some interesting points. 

Looks like you need to make sure you're diesel tank is clear of crud, ie empty it in to plastic containers first. Change fuel filters, you could use a hacksaw to check if there is any bug, ie black jelly stuff. 

 

 

If diesel bug is in your fuel filters you'd know about it without having to take a hacksaw to them! Where do you get this nonsense from?

 

Depending on how old the boat is it may be worth dipping your tank with a thin clear plastic tube to see if there's much sediment collected in the bottom, but I wouldn't bother draining the tank unless it's full of crap. You can buy a 1m long x 5mm ID clear tube on eBay quite cheaply.

[ditchcrawler]

23 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

If diesel bug is in your fuel filters you'd know about it without having to take a hacksaw to them! Where do you get this nonsense from?

 

Depending on how old the boat is it may be worth dipping your tank with a thin clear plastic tube to see if there's much sediment collected in the bottom, but I wouldn't bother draining the tank unless it's full of crap. You can buy a 1m long x 5mm ID clear tube on eBay quite cheaply.

Its OK, the advice was only to a new nerves boater

[john6767]

The most important thing is that the boat is capable of the crossing, irrespective of who it taking it across.  If the boat is capable in my view anyone can do it.

 

I thought that going south was mush easier that going north, you have much more time to make the crossing.  The only difficult bit is coming out of Savick Brook onto the Ribble and turning into the incoming tide.  Just give it loads of beans and don’t cut the corner.  Don’t be surprised when you are making little progress over the ground, it will ease up in 30 mins or so.  Don’t miss the turn onto the Douglas as one boat in our group did, but he did realise before he got to Lytham!  Go round the outside of Astlam lamp, up the Douglas and then depending on the size of the tide wait for the lock at Tarleton.  Tie up on the visitor moorings and have a celebratory drink.

[davidb]

On 24/03/2021 at 12:57, TheBiscuits said:

I'm currently at Garstang and booked in for 13th April crossing.

We are also stuck at Garstang and are booked in to cross the Ribble on Friday, 16th April.

 

I'll look out for you in the meantime, David

 

 

On 23/03/2021 at 08:21, pearley said:

On 23/03/2021 at 08:02, damfino said:

 

Speak to the boatyard at Tarleton. That's where we got our pilot from.

According to my 'book' I spoke to Roger at the yard 07885 762347

 

That number is still current for Roger and the boat that can escourt you (with a big Cummins engine and is well able to tow narrowboats) is moored there, its the first boat you pass coming down on the left after the visitor moorings, There is a grainy picture of it on this old website.