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Perfect conditions for Witham navigable drains


Dave123

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Just had a brief forray down onto the Witham drains, shorter than hoped only due to time constraints with plans to be elsewhere delayed by the earlier bad weather.

Really is the best time and conditions right now for anyone thinking of going this way. The cold spring has kept weed growth right down. Not a weed in sight! Only went down Frith bank drain and Medlam drain to its junction with West Fen drain. Frith bank is especially pretty, nice views and bendy like a canal. Plenty of depth too. Anton's gowt lock is heavy and slow but not too problematic. 

Screenshot_20210512-102140_Gallery.jpg

Screenshot_20210512-103200_Gallery.jpg

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Very nice!  

 

This might be a good place to post a link to the very helpful map of these waterways, which seems to have disappeared as part of the recent improvements to the IWA's website.

 

https://nbsg.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/wnd_map.pdf

 

taken from 

 

https://scholargypsy.org.uk/witham-navigable-drains-the-view-from-a-narrowboat/  

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8 hours ago, Dave123 said:

Just had a brief forray down onto the Witham drains, shorter than hoped only due to time constraints with plans to be elsewhere delayed by the earlier bad weather.

Really is the best time and conditions right now for anyone thinking of going this way. The cold spring has kept weed growth right down. Not a weed in sight! Only went down Frith bank drain and Medlam drain to its junction with West Fen drain. Frith bank is especially pretty, nice views and bendy like a canal. Plenty of depth too. Anton's gowt lock is heavy and slow but not too problematic. 

Screenshot_20210512-102140_Gallery.jpg

Screenshot_20210512-103200_Gallery.jpg

I like the solar panel supports are they proprietory? How are the fixed (any problems in windy conditions?)

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56 minutes ago, Phoenix_V said:

I like the solar panel supports are they proprietory? How are the fixed (any problems in windy conditions?)

 

 

I think they are a 'standard' mount (I have them also)

The only problem is in very strong winds (last week we had 59mph gusts) they tend to 'flip' if the wind gets under the low side and they bang down on the roof.

It doesn't matter how tight you try and get the big (black) castellated nuts if the wind is stonger they will 'bang' over.

They will also lie 'flat' if you drop the bolt down to the bottom of the slot.

 

In normal conditions they are no problem at all.

 

The advantage is that you can angle the panel to either side using the bolt as the pivot point.

 

Narrowboat tilting solar panel mounting brackets High grade Stainless steel | eBay

 

Narrow Boat Solar Panel Flip Standard Mounting Brackets - Low Energy Supermarket

 

Narrow Boat Solar Panel Tilt & Flip Large Mounts - Sunshine Solar

 

I actually got mine at a better price than above from a forum member who was making them.

 

You could always get a price to get some made up :

 

 

 

 

Standard: Solar panels up to 150W or around 700mm wide

100w to 150w panels, around 670-680mm wide, Max 36 degrees tilt*.

Standard brackets are 212mm high

 

Image 5 - Narrow Boat Solar Panel Tilting Flip Mounting Brackets Stainless Steel Motorhome

 

High: Solar panels up to 300W or around 1000mm wide

250w to 300w panel, around 990-995 wide, Max 32 degrees tilt.

 

* Maximum Angles (based on a boat roof camber of approx 10 degrees)

(For guidance, the solar optimal solar panel angle is your degrees latitude less 15 degrees)

High brackets are 243mm high

 

Image 8 - Narrow Boat Solar Panel Tilting Flip Mounting Brackets Stainless Steel Motorhome

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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9 hours ago, Dave123 said:

Just had a brief forray down onto the Witham drains, shorter than hoped only due to time constraints with plans to be elsewhere delayed by the earlier bad weather.Really is the best time and conditions right now for anyone thinking of going this way.

 

Sorry to have had to rush away, but we're having a great time on the Chesterfield, after a somewhat traumatic experience at West Stockwith. Lovely and quiet.

 

MP.

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1 hour ago, MoominPapa said:

 

Sorry to have had to rush away, but we're having a great time on the Chesterfield, after a somewhat traumatic experience at West Stockwith. Lovely and quiet.

 

MP.

What happened at Stockwith???

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12 minutes ago, frangar said:

What happened at Stockwith???

 

Not entirely sure why, but we couldn't get into the lock. Every attempt ended with the boat wedged with the downstream corner halfway down the hull and the pressure from the flow was sufficient that full power and the lockie pulling on a bow rope just wouldn't move things. There was a lot of fresh coming down, and a big-ish tide. In the end we moored up on the pilling next to the lock to regroup. A 4x4 was set up in the car-park with a long rope around a lockside bollard and onto the T-stud. That did the trick with no drama at all.

 

Main casualty was a rooftop pot of strawberry plants which went into the oggin during a particularly violent coming together with the bank. Props to Jim the lockie, who didn't lose his cool at all.

 

MP.

 

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9 hours ago, MoominPapa said:

 

 There was a lot of fresh coming down, and a big-ish tide. In the end we moored up on the pi

 

If that was this week - there has been about a metre of fresh on at Torksey according to the gauge which is certainly a lot . Perhaps there was no slack water at West Stockwith  even with a big tide ?

We had planned to be  at West Stockwith  this weekend but it looks work has interfered with that . Sounds like river conditions are not ideal.

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10 hours ago, MoominPapa said:

 

Not entirely sure why, but we couldn't get into the lock. Every attempt ended with the boat wedged with the downstream corner halfway down the hull and the pressure from the flow was sufficient that full power and the lockie pulling on a bow rope just wouldn't move things. There was a lot of fresh coming down, and a big-ish tide. In the end we moored up on the pilling next to the lock to regroup. A 4x4 was set up in the car-park with a long rope around a lockside bollard and onto the T-stud. That did the trick with no drama at all.

 

Main casualty was a rooftop pot of strawberry plants which went into the oggin during a particularly violent coming together with the bank. Props to Jim the lockie, who didn't lose his cool at all.

 

MP.

 

Ouch!  That sounds no fun at all. Part of the joy of having a proper engine and the only thing a modern engine is better at is the lack of being able to give a quick squirt of power at the right point when doing such manoeuvres. Z

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1 hour ago, frangar said:

Ouch!  That sounds no fun at all. Part of the joy of having a proper engine and the only thing a modern engine is better at is the lack of being able to give a quick squirt of power at the right point when doing such manoeuvres. Z

Know the feeling but our 'experience' was at Keadby.

 

It is a situation in which you know from the outset that it is a problem that you have to solve - no chance mooring up for a brew and an overnight stop until a brainwave arrives!

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1 hour ago, MartynG said:

If that was this week - there has been about a metre of fresh on at Torksey according to the gauge which is certainly a lot . Perhaps there was no slack water at West Stockwith  even with a big tide ?

We had planned to be  at West Stockwith  this weekend but it looks work has interfered with that . Sounds like river conditions are not ideal.

This was on Monday.  Did we pass you on the Pontoon at Torksey? We left Torksey a high water, so to get slack at W. Stockwith we'd have had to wait until low water, which was considered, but would have been a long wait. The fresh meant that we'd have been able to get over the cill even then. 

 

MP.

1 hour ago, frangar said:

Ouch!  That sounds no fun at all. Part of the joy of having a proper engine and the only thing a modern engine is better at is the lack of being able to give a quick squirt of power at the right point when doing such manoeuvres. Z

 

Yes, I think the problem was two-fold. Not enough acceleration to get into the lock apron and out of the flow once committed, and being deep at the back; the lateral force of the large wet area of the hull from the current pushed very hard against the corner, and effectively wedged us in place. 

 

MP.

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4 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

Know the feeling but our 'experience' was at Keadby.

 

It is a situation in which you know from the outset that it is a problem that you have to solve - no chance mooring up for a brew and an overnight stop until a brainwave arrives!

Keadby is a problem still to be resolved. I'm under instructions to give plenty of notice for when we want to go down there, and they'll find us a "gentle tide"!

 

MP.

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1 minute ago, MoominPapa said:

Keadby is a problem still to be resolved. I'm under instructions to give plenty of notice for when we want to go down there, and they'll find us a "gentle tide"!

 

MP.

In our case it was the amount of fresh - we were OK with the tide but both lockies underestimated the strength of the fresh that day. That said, I will always go with the advice from those that (generally) know (much) more than I do about the local conditions. However, it is worth remembering that there is more to it than just the tide.

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3 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

Keadby is a problem still to be resolved. I'm under instructions to give plenty of notice for when we want to go down there, and they'll find us a "gentle tide"!

 

MP.

I didn’t find Keadby as tricky but there wasn’t any big boats tied up when we went in which I think make some odd currents. 

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I went down the Drains in June 2017.   The wider ones were pretty weed free even then, when the Sleaford Navigation was completely impassable.  The pic is of Medlam Drain (I think!).  Some of the bridges are pretty tight - pic of one on West Fen Drain.  As you can see, I was navigating by OS map.    

 

 

Witham Navigable Drains.jpg

Bridge.jpg

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5 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

I went down the Drains in June 2017.   The wider ones were pretty weed free even then, when the Sleaford Navigation was completely impassable.  The pic is of Medlam Drain (I think!).  Some of the bridges are pretty tight - pic of one on West Fen Drain.  As you can see, I was navigating by OS map.    

 

 

Witham Navigable Drains.jpg

Bridge.jpg

 

Yes I was glad to have an OS map,  as well as the IWA chart -  the passing locals kept saying "You can't get a boat down here ..."

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1 hour ago, MoominPapa said:

This was on Monday.  Did we pass you on the Pontoon at Torksey? We left Torksey a high water, so to get slack at W. Stockwith we'd have had to wait until low water, which was considered, but would have been a long wait. The fresh meant that we'd have been able to get over the cill even then. 

 

MP.

 

Yes, I think the problem was two-fold. Not enough acceleration to get into the lock apron and out of the flow once committed, and being deep at the back; the lateral force of the large wet area of the hull from the current pushed very hard against the corner, and effectively wedged us in place. 

 

MP.

Not me at Torksey

Sounds like there was no good time of the tide 

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3 hours ago, MoominPapa said:

Keadby is a problem still to be resolved. I'm under instructions to give plenty of notice for when we want to go down there, and they'll find us a "gentle tide"!

 

MP.

Getting in at Keadby isn’t a problem The problem is the high tides/fresh water and the speed your moving, both up and downstream. You need to hold back with your speed, sometimes more difficult then you image especially with a Narrowboat when your often moving faster then you ever have before. You must watch your speed as if you arrive way too early you will be fighting the current as you did at Stockwith. Mentally fight the impulse to put the throttle on, better to arrive slightly late then way too early. 

Edited by PD1964
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The one and only time I have gone in at West Stockwith it was on a falling tide.  We had radioed ahead and were told the lock would be ready with gates open when we arrived, and we should turn straight in. So I positioned the boat to do just that, but then we saw an enormous gin palace of a cruiser was starting to come out of the lock. So I had to abandon the attempt, and as a result got swept downstream beyond the lock entrance. Managed to turn to face upstream, but made only very slow headway against the falling tide, and only then by tucking in close to the bank where the water speed was lower. Eventually made it back to the lock entrance where the lockie was gesticulating wildly that I should head straight for the upstream wing wall and not the lock entrance. Only when I was about to hit the brickwork did he motion me to put the tiller over, the current quickly pushed the bow round and we went straight into the lock without touching the sides. Scary at the time, but I realised the lockie knew exactly how the boat and current would behave.

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8 minutes ago, David Mack said:

The one and only time I have gone in at West Stockwith it was on a falling tide.  We had radioed ahead and were told the lock would be ready with gates open when we arrived, and we should turn straight in. So I positioned the boat to do just that, but then we saw an enormous gin palace of a cruiser was starting to come out of the lock. So I had to abandon the attempt, and as a result got swept downstream beyond the lock entrance. Managed to turn to face upstream, but made only very slow headway against the falling tide, and only then by tucking in close to the bank where the water speed was lower. Eventually made it back to the lock entrance where the lockie was gesticulating wildly that I should head straight for the upstream wing wall and not the lock entrance. Only when I was about to hit the brickwork did he motion me to put the tiller over, the current quickly pushed the bow round and we went straight into the lock without touching the sides. Scary at the time, but I realised the lockie knew exactly how the boat and current would behave.

Yes, me too. I actually turned before getting to the lock (to the right, to put the bows into the slacker water), and then let the (fairly gentle) current carry me downstream when the boat before us had got safely into the lock.
 

 

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1 hour ago, David Mack said:

The one and only time I have gone in at West Stockwith it was on a falling tide.  We had radioed ahead and were told the lock would be ready with gates open when we arrived, and we should turn straight in. So I positioned the boat to do just that, but then we saw an enormous gin palace of a cruiser was starting to come out of the lock. So I had to abandon the attempt, and as a result got swept downstream beyond the lock entrance. Managed to turn to face upstream, but made only very slow headway against the falling tide, and only then by tucking in close to the bank where the water speed was lower. Eventually made it back to the lock entrance where the lockie was gesticulating wildly that I should head straight for the upstream wing wall and not the lock entrance. Only when I was about to hit the brickwork did he motion me to put the tiller over, the current quickly pushed the bow round and we went straight into the lock without touching the sides. Scary at the time, but I realised the lockie knew exactly how the boat and current would behave.

I'd been warned about being swept past, so I turned early, and ended up, perfectly under control, stemming the flow parallel to the piling just upstream of the lock, using substantial, but by no means all, engine power.  I was feeling quite confident at that point, and lost some power to drop back to the equivalent point just downstream of the lock, ready to do the turn in.

 

The problem was that as soon as I turned away from the direction of the flow, the bow went downstream so fast that there was no chance to get enough of the boat's length beyond the corner before it was swept down onto the corner. That left us being pushed very hard by the flow onto the corner and the boat was immovable by engine or human-powered ropes. I could easily get off by letting the stern go back with the flow and transition back to a ferry glide to reposition for another try, but every attempt, so matter where I started from, ended in the same way.

 

I went back upstream to the moorings on the piles upstream of the the lock entrance without problems whilst we stopped to consider things, and from there dropped back onto the downstream  corner under control, with the bow close to the upstream corner for a rope to be dropped and attached. I then used full power to pivot as far right as I could to point the bow closer towards the lock, the 4x4 in the carpark pulled the rope, and we were in!

 

The final solution was quite calm and under control, but it took some stress to arrive at it!

 

MP.

Edited by MoominPapa
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On 13/05/2021 at 14:28, MoominPapa said:

I'd been warned about being swept past, so I turned early, and ended up, perfectly under control, stemming the flow parallel to the piling just upstream of the lock, using substantial, but by no means all, engine power.  I was feeling quite confident at that point, and lost some power to drop back to the equivalent point just downstream of the lock, ready to do the turn in.

 

The problem was that as soon as I turned away from the direction of the flow, the bow went downstream so fast that there was no chance to get enough of the boat's length beyond the corner before it was swept down onto the corner. That left us being pushed very hard by the flow onto the corner and the boat was immovable by engine or human-powered ropes. I could easily get off by letting the stern go back with the flow and transition back to a ferry glide to reposition for another try, but every attempt, so matter where I started from, ended in the same way.

 

I went back upstream to the moorings on the piles upstream of the the lock entrance without problems whilst we stopped to consider things, and from there dropped back onto the downstream  corner under control, with the bow close to the upstream corner for a rope to be dropped and attached. I then used full power to pivot as far right as I could to point the bow closer towards the lock, the 4x4 in the carpark pulled the rope, and we were in!

 

The final solution was quite calm and under control, but it took some stress to arrive at it!

 

MP.

Well this wasn't what I wanted to be reading about the evening before going into West Stockwith!! Sorry you had such a bad time of it, at least it makes a good story one day? . But luckily we made it without drama, despite the rain, as it's small neap tides at the moment.

On 12/05/2021 at 18:59, Phoenix_V said:

I like the solar panel supports are they proprietory? How are the fixed (any problems in windy conditions?)

Not had problems so far after 4 years since they were fitted. The brackets are bolted into holes in the roof. They have survived side on 60mph gusts, just need to be tightly screwed into their holders and angled towards the wind. They are flat and lowered in that picture from going through Harecastle earlier in the year.

Edited by Dave123
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3 hours ago, Dave123 said:

Well this wasn't what I wanted to be reading about the evening before going into West Stockwith!! Sorry you had such a bad time of it, at least it makes a good story one day? . But luckily we made it without drama, despite the rain, as it's small neap tides at the moment.

 

Collecting stories is what it's all about.  The Chesterfield is great, we're really enjoying it.

 

MP.

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I think the problem last week was the amount of fresh water coming down the river . Less so this week I believe ?

 

Neaps is not necessarily a  benefit  at West Stockwith as  the reduction in downstream flow will be less pronounced. 

Springs will more likely cause a period of slack water at West Stockwith.

 

Leave Torksey  tomorrow to aim for arrival at high tide West Stockwith ideally at high water which  should be  1:50 to 2pm . But check  in advance with the lock keeper, if you haven't already ,  who may give you a more accurate time  based on local knowledge . You could go early and wait at the pontoon at Gainsborough if you prefer .

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