Marinas/Boatyards/Hire bases with easy rail access

[Chris Lowe]

1 hour ago, carole tandey said:

Hi we have a small boat on a canal and there's a big problem with weeds all along the canal. The canal is owned by a trust so I was asking if anyone knew of a local weed cutter company which hired out weed cutting boats or sold them. Thsnkyou. 

 

What is the canal?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

32 minutes ago, Chris Lowe said:

 

What is the canal?

She mentioned Driffield, so I'm guessing Driffield Navigation Trust. The photo at the top of their web site looks very weed choked.

[carole tandey]

Hi thanks for all your replies will share your info with members of  the driffield navigation trust members.

[Stroudwater1]

9 minutes ago, carole tandey said:

Hi thanks for all your replies will share your info with members of  the driffield navigation trust members.

The Cotswold Canal Trust own one, or certainly have one around. It maybe worth contacting them to see where they got theirs from. They are good at spotting opportunities and had access to a friendly lorry transporter, this can be costly if there isn’t a sympathetic firm around. 
 

There used to be many in the Fens so may have an unused one/ moderately knackered one that can be bought/donated and fixed. Friends of the Great Ouse may know more. @Scholar Gypsy may also know of some in that area. 

[Scholar Gypsy]

This is a topical issue for the Cam Conservators (of which I am one), as our weed cutters are getting to the end of their economic life.  We have a rather weird vessel that is a jack of all trades. The Middle Level Commissioners have a fleet of several small Convers, the 455 I think  https://conver.com/en/products/mowing-boats/c455

 

The EA have a couple of Conver MC103s, I think this model  https://conver.com/en/products/weed-harvesters  
 

Here they are on the lock moorings at Isleham.

I am sure one of the local IDBs would have one that you might be able to borrow. Do the EA have any responsibilities for land drainage etc on the Driffield - in many of the Fenland waterways there is a debate about whether weed cutting is for navigation or for flood defence, or a bit of both! 

[Stroudwater1]

2 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

This is a topical issue for the Cam Conservators (of which I am one), as our weed cutters are getting to the end of their economic life.  We have a rather weird vessel that is a jack of all trades. The Middle Level Commissioners have a fleet of several small Convers, the 455 I think  https://conver.com/en/products/mowing-boats/c455

 

The EA have a couple of Conver MC103s, I think this model  https://conver.com/en/products/weed-harvesters  
 

Here they are on the lock moorings at Isleham.

I am sure one of the local IDBs would have one that you might be able to borrow. Do the EA have any responsibilities for land drainage etc on the Driffield - in many of the Fenland waterways there is a debate about whether weed cutting is for navigation or for flood defence, or a bit of both! 

I remember seeing a few Norfolk reed harvester/ cutters  a very long time ago on the Ouse. They used powered punt like boats absolutely stacked to near sinking with reeds.
 

I assume that sort of weed cutting has finished now? It used to be said that Norfolk reeds provide the best for thatching houses. 
 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

Newark marina had, for many years a weed-cutter (unused) in the marina.

If it is still there, maybe they'd be prepared to loan / lease / sell it

[Scholar Gypsy]

7 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

I remember seeing a few Norfolk reed harvester/ cutters  a very long time ago on the Ouse. They used powered punt like boats absolutely stacked to near sinking with reeds.
 

I assume that sort of weed cutting has finished now? It used to be said that Norfolk reeds provide the best for thatching houses. 
 

 

 

They are still at it.  This photo was taken a few years ago, there is a dog on that boat!  I think I saw them on my last trip that way in 2020.  More recent ones here  from the same company, including the same dog:  https://www.rushmatters.co.uk/rush-harvesting

Edited April 3 by Scholar Gypsy

[David Mack]

10 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

I assume that sort of weed cutting has finished now? It used to be said that Norfolk reeds provide the best for thatching houses. 

Thatching still happens, so it must come from somewhere!

[ditchcrawler]

 

They even have their own association   Broads Reed and Sedge Cutters Association (norfolkreed.co.uk)

Edited April 3 by ditchcrawler

[Stroudwater1]

24 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Thatching still happens, so it must come from somewhere!

Indeed but regrettably like much else it appears to be imported. 😢 
 

https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/thatchrf/thatchrf.htm#:~:text=The three main thatching materials,also used extensively in ridging.

 

The three main thatching materials in use today are water reed (often known as Norfolk Reed although a large amount is imported from Eastern European countries), longstraw and combed wheat reed. Sedge, a grass-like plant which grows in wetland areas, is also used extensively in ridging