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BCN Challenge 2022


Tom and Bex

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3 hours ago, IanM said:

Unfortunately we've called it a day at the BCLM, was great to see the few other competitors that we did.

 

Maybe we'll try again and do more another year.

That's a bloody shame I was looking forward to meeting you in the real world 

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On 30/05/2022 at 23:26, agg221 said:

We are off to Market Drayton on Wednesday evening, needing to reach the BCN for the start on Friday. I suspect our planned starting point can be fairly easily deduced...!

 

Alec

Did you get your alternator fixed or manage the challenge without it?

 

(we were on the Napton hire boat following you down the Shroppie on Thursday)

 

Ian

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5 hours ago, Rob-M said:

The first challenge where we have taken Vulpes through Walsall without getting stuck in lock 7.

Same here. In fact the first challenge we've not encountered any delays at locks, low pounds, getting stuck, or any other significant problems (other than the usual weed hatch trips!). Weed seemed to actually be the biggest problem this year which makes a very pleasant change. 

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15 hours ago, IanD said:

Did you get your alternator fixed or manage the challenge without it?

 

(we were on the Napton hire boat following you down the Shroppie on Thursday)

 

Ian

Got it fixed fortunately, thanks to Tom Cauldwell. The pulley had worked its grub screws out and there is some bad wear on the clamp, but it’s held up.

 

We decided it was a bit high risk to do the northern reaches with the unknown condition of the pulley so did a more southerly route. It’s the first time I have realised just how deep we are - we couldn’t clear the narrows on the Titford just before the junction and had to pole through Gosty Hill which cost us just enough time tmiss the finish, which was then exacerbated by a blade full of wire as we left the Dudley No.2, meaning we couldn’t turn - fortunately the silt in the Bumble Hole opposite stopped us gently but another 25mins clearing the prop did see us finishing the latest.

 

I suspect we get the wooden spoon, but then with a short deep boat and a young crew we were always in it for fun.

 

Alec

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18 hours ago, IanD said:

Did you get your alternator fixed or manage the challenge without it?

 

(we were on the Napton hire boat following you down the Shroppie on Thursday)

 

Ian

Were you on Emily Jane or Emma?

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36 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

Sue said she'd do them once she gets home.

 

My money is on Rivets 5000 to score most points. They can achieve 4mph everywhere.

They certainly deserve an award of some sort.

Most eccentric?

most smiles per miles?

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2 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

They certainly deserve an award of some sort.

Most eccentric?

most smiles per miles?

 

Totally agree.

 

We shared Spon Lane and The Crow (up and down) with them and they were great. They used their speed to help other competitors by getting locks ready. I suggested they were likely to score 500+ but they claimed the short length counted against them in the cruising bonus multiplier and they projected c.350.  I don't recall there being a <10' category so I'm sure they will get more because that's what I think we scored and probably have the same multiplier being 35'.

 

They certainly added to the event, even if they weren't entirely on a level playing field with the (wider) narrowboats.

 

They might have struggled if it had been a Saturday/Sunday event because you wouldn't have wanted to spend long in that boat in that weather.

 

 

 

 

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We also met Rivets 5000 and they were great. They caught us up in Gosty Hill and tried working as a push tug! We did keep up with them for a couple of bridges but lost them when we got the next blade full of clothes.

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3 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

Sue said she'd do them once she gets home.

 

My money is on Rivets 5000 to score most points. They can achieve 4mph everywhere.

Yeahbut…….

We met them at Ryders Green Top Lock at about 08:15. 
I won’t say one of their crew got the first inundation of the Challenge!

2 hours ago, tree monkey said:

They certainly deserve an award of some sort.

Most eccentric?

most smiles per miles?

Yes!

Made us laugh!

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Rivets 5000 is a fabulous little boat. We were coming down The Crow are they were going up

Later, in the Netherton Tunnel having lights seemingly hovering just above the water behind us was peculiar! It was really difficult to work out how far away the boat was. It was another challenge boat following them, hence two sets of lights behind. 

 

FB_IMG_1654499620099.jpg

FB_IMG_1654499592650.jpg

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1 hour ago, BlueStringPudding said:

Who's given Monkey BCN flu? 🤔😉 He's been sounding like Barry White since Saturday, and now he looks this:

maxresdefault-2.jpg

Too much swimming in the cut.

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Oh no!

There were various crew randomly sneezing and snuffling and mentions of hay fever. 

I felt like death warmed up yesterday but decided I was just exhausted, vitamin C, a takeaway curry and a good night's sleep have put me right.

Seriously though, it might be prudent to seek medical advice if he has flu-like symptoms as that dip in the cut might have something to do with it.

Fever, chills, muscle ache and headache are classic flu symptoms but can also be leptospirosis (which requires a blood test to check for) 

Don't let him be too much of a bloke to get it checked and ensure whoever he speaks to knows he has been in contact with polluted water. 

I sincerely hope he is on the mend soon. We didn't break him on purpose 

 

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Non-urgent advice:See a GP if you might have been exposed to infected pee and you have:

  • a high temperature, or you feel hot and shivery
  • a headache
  • been feeling sick (nausea), you're being sick, or you have diarrhoea
  • aching muscles and joints
  • red eyes
  • loss of appetite

These are symptoms of leptospirosis.

Urgent advice:Ask for an urgent GP appointment if you have:

  • yellow skin and eyes (jaundice)
  • a rash
  • been unable to pee
  • swollen ankles, feet or hands
  • chest pain
  • shortness of breath
  • been coughing up blood

You might have a serious form of the infection that needs to be treated quickly.

 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/leptospirosis/

Edited by David Mack
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Official BSP update on the poorly Monkey man: I've spoken with my pharmacist explaining the polluted water thing and his symptoms, and I bought a thermometer (well, technically two thermometers). I've checked the monkey temperature myself so he can't pretend he's better than he is! 🙄🐒 Fortunately, his temperature is a little high for him, but not too bad. And at least he's in bed and resting/dozing. He did a Covid test earlier and that was fine, apparently. 

 

Pharmacist destructions are for him to drink plenty of fluids, take paracetamol, and if his temperature reaches 38 degrees, it's doctor time for tests and possible antibiotics, due to yummy yummy Birmingham canal water. Hopefully it won't get to that. 

 

🐒📈 Current Monkey grumpiness level: Livid Gorilla 

 

(As categorically the worst patient in the world, the GMS (Grumpy Monkey Scale) is the closest obtainable measurement of how poorly a Tree Monkey is at any one time. We're currently at Livid Gorilla which is nearly as poorly as man flu, and definitely more poorly than a hangover)

grampy_monkey.jpeg

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Seriously.

 

Don't faff about.

 

Get him to a quack and say Weil's disease and/or leptospiwhatsit VERY LOUDLY!

 

I had reason to visit the NHS walk in centre in Walsall a few years back after cutting off one of those awful chinese lantern things from RW's prop.

I mentioned Weil's disease and the staff there said they had never heard of it!

:unsure:

Changing the subject......

 

Any offers for what engine powers Rivets 5000?

 

I've just looked at Jan's photo of it again and burst out laughing.

It's such a fun little boat.

😃

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6 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Seriously.

 

Don't faff about.

 

Get him to a quack and say Weil's disease and/or leptospiwhatsit VERY LOUDLY!

 

I had reason to visit the NHS walk in centre in Walsall a few years back after cutting off one of those awful chinese lantern things from RW's prop.

I mentioned Weil's disease and the staff there said they had never heard of it!

:unsure:

Changing the subject......

 

Any offers for what engine powers Rivets 5000?

 

I've just looked at Jan's photo of it again and burst out laughing.

It's such a fun little boat.

😃

 

Rivets 5000 is powered by a Kubota. It replaced a Petter of some description. It still requires the crew to wear ear protection though.

 

One problem they had is that a full tank of diesel lasted for about 2 hours cruising. They had supplies in what appeared to be metal flasks, hope they didn't mix it up with their coffee supplies.

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