Anyone passing Barrowford Locks?

[IanD]

39 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

RCR have their own tow boats which can be launched wherever there is a slipway. 

 

They will also arrange for a yard (which is doing the repairs to the boat) to tow a boat for repair. 

 

There is very little reason for Lady G to be sat on a CRT mooring for free 3 months after the initial breakdown. It could and should have been dealt with in days.

Yes it should. So why haven't RCR done exactly that, given that she has insurance cover with them, this is their policy, and there is a repair yard 4 miles away?

 

Could it just possibly be that she was telling the truth when she said they don't have a tow boat which can move her?

 

Or are people making posts like this accusing her of lying by implication, without actually coming out and saying it?

 

There seems to be a distinct lack of any sympathy or charity on this thread, and several others...

[jonathanA]

6 minutes ago, Psychalist said:

Have you considered approaching some of the liveaboards at Lower Park to see if they fancy a run out?

I'd have thought that would be a good option and sure there would be a few at lower park who would be happy to help a lady boater.

[Naughty Cal]

10 minutes ago, IanD said:

Yes it should. So why haven't RCR done exactly that, given that she has insurance cover with them, this is their policy, and there is a repair yard 4 miles away?

 

Could it just possibly be that she was telling the truth when she said they don't have a tow boat which can move her?

 

Or are people making posts like this accusing her of lying by implication, without actually coming out and saying it?

 

There seems to be a distinct lack of any sympathy or charity on this thread, and several others...

Sympathy and charity work both ways. 

 

[RAP]

2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Sympathy and charity work both ways. 

 

Looks like Lady G has played a blinder here. Lower Park Marina/Boatyard is less than for miles away with conveniently placed winding holes above Barrowford locks and slightly beyond Lower Park. Not beyond the will of any fellow boat owner, male or female, to make the very short trip to tow Lady G to the boatyard, via the tunnel, and get the boat fixed. However, until that is arranged and with agreement from CRT to remain above Barrowford locks, I suspect there’ll be no winter mooring charges or indeed the requirement to move every 14 days. Essentially, all services available, no need to move and free moorings - why not?

[LadyG]

1 hour ago, RAP said:

Looks like Lady G has played a blinder here. Lower Park Marina/Boatyard is less than for miles away with conveniently placed winding holes above Barrowford locks and slightly beyond Lower Park. Not beyond the will of any fellow boat owner, male or female, to make the very short trip to tow Lady G to the boatyard, via the tunnel, and get the boat fixed. However, until that is arranged and with agreement from CRT to remain above Barrowford locks, I suspect there’ll be no winter mooring charges or indeed the requirement to move every 14 days. Essentially, all services available, no need to move and free moorings - why not?

 

Not sure if that post is tongue in cheek or just plain cynical. 

I have free moorings as you put it included with my licence, plus free water, free elsan, free towpath, but of  course not free insurance. 

 

I don't know why so many people on this forum are so forensic. The only other forum I have use has no such problem. I  suggest these people just get on with their own life and keep their negative thoughts to themselves, its a pandemic, so many horrid and unhelpful people hiding behind their computer screens spouting rubbish. 

 

The CRT btw have me penned in anyway with stoppages which are taking five or six months to repair, I don't need to seek shelter in a marina. Apart from the cost, I prefer to travel, which is why I have a boat. 

Edited January 1, 2022 by LadyG

[Chagall]

11 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I have free moorings as you put it included with my licence, plus free water, free elsan, free towpath, and of course free insurance. 

I don't know why so many people on this forum are so obnoxious. The only other forum I have ever used has no such problem.

I suggest you just get on with your own life and keep your negative thoughts to yourself. 

But you stormed out of the "other forum" in high dudgeon claiming they were all obnoxious.   

[LadyG]

17 minutes ago, Chagall said:

But you stormed out of the "other forum" in high dudgeon claiming they were all obnoxious.   

You are correct, I wiped that Dunkley driven forum from my mind. I complained to the forum providers and to the police about his ravings, but as far as I am aware he has not been quashed. 

 

Edited January 1, 2022 by LadyG

[Alan de Enfield]

26 minutes ago, Chagall said:

But you stormed out of the "other forum" in high dudgeon claiming they were all obnoxious.   

 

 

Indeed she is now shown as 'member deleted', she 'stormed out' of this forum and went there expecting sympathy, found her reception there was worse than here so now we have her full time attention again.

[RAP]

38 minutes ago, LadyG said:

 

Not sure if that post is tongue in cheek or just plain cynical. 

I have free moorings as you put it included with my licence, plus free water, free elsan, free towpath, but of  course not free insurance. 

 

I don't know why so many people on this forum are so forensic. The only other forum I have use has no such problem. I  suggest these people just get on with their own life and keep their negative thoughts to themselves, its a pandemic, so many horrid and unhelpful people hiding behind their computer screens spouting rubbish. 

 

The CRT btw have me penned in anyway with stoppages which are taking five or six months to repair, I don't need to seek shelter in a marina. Apart from the cost, I prefer to travel, which is why I have a boat. 

The post is neither tongue in cheek or cynical, it is simply a view formed by reading the thread. I feel absolutely frustrated by your plight and would help if I could, but my boat is is many days away plus obstructed by closures preventing any assistance, but I do wonder why, with all the boats moored nearby and those at Lower Park, that you still have not been towed there. 

[LadyG]

2 hours ago, RAP said:

The post is neither tongue in cheek or cynical, it is simply a view formed by reading the thread. I feel absolutely frustrated by your plight and would help if I could, but my boat is is many days away plus obstructed by closures preventing any assistance, but I do wonder why, with all the boats moored nearby and those at Lower Park, that you still have not been towed there. 

I tried to fix the boat on site, thinking this would be easier, cheaper, and quicker. That was plan B and required the boat to stay in deep water. Getting, what was essentially two days work done took nigh on five weeks....... 

The current plan, Plan A, is to move the boat once the holiday is over and a crane can be arranged. There are no moorings at the marina so it has to be co-ordinated, again, I am reliant on another boater giving me a tow.

As there is almost nowhere to go anyway on the navigation, I am pretty much resigned to waiting passively till I can get a tow. Sitting at the services at the top Lock is fairly safe, and I will put a notice on the balance beam asking for assistance in case I miss a boat.. I thought there would be a few boats about over Xmas, but there has been no activity. 

I think a nearby boat owner might take me up, now he has found out that I need a tow. I thought I had one arranged, but it fell through, sigh. 

I had hoped someone on the forum might help, but as you are aware there are no movements due to closures, so it was a longshot

Not many of the moored boat owners would be aware that I need a tow. I never see anyone about. 

There has only been one boat moving in the right direction in the last four weeks! 

Edited January 2, 2022 by LadyG

[Mad Harold]

Would it be possible to improvise a rudder?

If you have a stern rail,lash your pole to it and screw a piece of ply to the end (a cupboard door would do) and use like a viking longboat.If your swan neck is still in place, lash your pole to that.

I once had to cruise for two days with a snapped gear cable,using a brush handle with a nail in the end to change gear.There is always a way if you are a star bodger (like me)

Otherwise,get lots of grub,alchohol,gas,and smokeless in and sit it out and wait for the sunlit uplands that Boris has promised.

 

But,like most politicians, it's a teaspoon of truth mixed with a bucketful of horse manure. 😜

[TheBiscuits]

35 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

Would it be possible to improvise a rudder?

 

I'm trying to find out if the rudder has been refitted to the boat or not.  If it has, a lash-up tiller can be improvised that will allow a tunnel transit and get the boat to the boatyard under it's own power.

 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by TheBiscuits
Grammar

[Tracy D'arth]

Lady G seems to love making a drama out of a small problem, most other boaters would have had this sorted by now. Its playing the helpless female that annoys me, she is letting the sisters down. We girls have to cope if we live on boats, or get professional help in sharpish and be prepared to pay.

[Chagall]

As part of the sisterhood I offered to help get her boat to the marina 3 or 4 weeks ago when space was available but she said won't go into marinas ... perhaps the financial cost is  too high.

 

...which is admittedly none of our business.

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by Chagall
to add polite sentence

[blackrose]

19 hours ago, IanD said:

There seems to be a distinct lack of any sympathy or charity on this thread, and several others...

 

That may be because over the last few years so many requests for help and advice from the OP seem to become long running & self-inflicted dramas. Some people like drama in their lives, it gives them a sense of purpose. As someone else said, information is given on a piecemeal basis, people do try to help but continually find their offers and advice rejected and the drama goes on...

 

It's nothing to do with misogyny as the OP claims. Sympathy and charity have their limits. Many of those expressing frustration with the OP were the ones who have tried to help her over the years.

[bizzard]

Lady G could with a bit of patience and plenty of bits of bread  perhaps train and instruct gaggles and fleets of swans, Canada geese, ducks, coots and moor hens to tow her to the boat yard by rigging them all , towingwith string, spaced out, keeping their distance so they don't squabble . Swans are the most likely to give trouble being of an aggressive, arrogant nature and might try to drown the smaller towers, but after all once trained they are the most powerful and should exert the most pull, whereas the Coots and moorhens without webbed feet won't contribute very much pull at all but I'm sure they'll try hard and be the most friendly towards the other birds. Although the , Swans and Canada geese are the most powerful but might fight each other, seriousely, requiring very stern reprimanding by Lady G.  It might be the best plan not to employ those two at all, but to concentrate entirely with engaging hundreds of the smaller water birds instead.

   To keep them all towing strongly Lady G would need a catapult to fire bits of bread ahead of them all to keep them all towing in the right direction. 

Edited January 2, 2022 by bizzard

[Mad Harold]

8 minutes ago, bizzard said:

Lady G could with a bit of patience and plenty of bits of bread  perhaps train and instruct gaggles and fleets of swans, Canada geese, ducks, coots and moor hens to tow her to the boat yard by rigging them all together with string, spaced out, keeping their distance so they don't squabble . Swans are the most likely to give trouble being of an aggressive, arrogant nature and might try to drown the smaller towers, but after all once trained they are the most powerful and should exert the most pull, whereas the Coots and moorhens without webbed feet won't contribute very much pull at all but I'm sure they'll try hard and be the most friendly towards the other birds. Although the , Swans and Canada geese are the most powerful but might fight each other, seriousely, requiring very stern reprimanding by Lady G.  It might be the best plan not to employ those two at all, but to concentrate entirely with engaging hundreds of the smaller water birds instead.

A good suggestion, but I think my idea of lashing the pole or boarding plank to the stern rail would be better.

Although your idea if you could make it work would lower the carbon footprint.  😃

[MtB]

Has anyone ever seen an instance of LadyG asking for advice then responding with "Thanks, great, that's fixed it!"?

 

I certainly can't recall such an occasion. Advice is usually criticised and rejected as unworkable as far as I've seen. I no longer offer ideas or suggestions as it seems pointless. 

[PD1964]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

Has anyone ever seen an instance of LadyG asking for advice then responding with "Thanks, great, that's fixed it!"?

 
My best advice to LadyG has always been to sell the boat and go home, as from the start of her buying the boat and her livaboard Canal life she seams to of not enjoyed it and has always had problems. But unfortunately as you say she has never replied with “Thanks, great, that’s fixed it!”

Edited January 2, 2022 by PD1964

[LadyG]

 

 

The rudder is not in place, and neither is tiller, they are in two pieces. 

Yes, I have considered some sort of lash up with a steering oar, but I am not going to try going through a tunnel in such a condition, even if I happened to have one, it would be dangerous IMHO. Furthermore I think it would invalidate insurance. 

RCR do not have a tow boat here, they are not able to assist.

They were contacted at the time of the incident, as were the other professionals in the area. 

I will wait for a tow from a boater, I cannot do anything else. See the title of the thread. 

There are very few boats near me, none of them are occupied. 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by LadyG

[TheBiscuits]

2 minutes ago, LadyG said:

The rudder is not in place, and neither is tiller, they are in two pieces. 

 

Ok.  Are they on the boat or at the boatyard?

 

Did Wayne attempt to refit the rudder in the lock but failed or didn't he try it?

 

 

[LadyG]

13 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Ok.  Are they on the boat or at the boatyard?

 

Did Wayne attempt to refit the rudder in the lock but failed or didn't he try it?

 

 

The pieces are on the boat, but Wayne plus his mate were unable to fit it in situ, they tried. 

I agree the job could have been fixed in a few days in theory, if the boat could be moved, a crane hired, a welder engaged and the boat re launched. 

It is very frustrating to sit here waiting for a tow, but on the other hand, the boat is in a safe place, with services, road and Internet communications. It could be worse, no doubt. 

I am currently searching the Internet for bricks and mortar, thinking it might be an idea to take boat to London, and sell up, this is far too much hassle.  

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by LadyG

[Graham Davis]

9 minutes ago, LadyG said:

 

 

The rudder is not in place, and neither is tiller, they are in two pieces. 

Yes, I have considered some sort of lash up with a steering oar, but I am not going to try going through a tunnel in such a condition, even if I happened to have one, it would be dangerous IMHO. Furthermore I think it would invalidate insurance. 

RCR do not have a tow boat here, they are not able to assist.

I will wait for a tow from a boater, I cannot do anything else. See the title of the thread. 

There are very few boats near me, none of them are occupied. 

 

 

I'm intrigued. Why do you think it would be dangerous?
And why do you think it would invalidate your insurance?

[LadyG]

34 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

 

I'm intrigued. Why do you think it would be dangerous?
And why do you think it would invalidate your insurance?

The terms of any insurance require one to act in a sensible manner, my definition of sensible does not include attempting to move from a safe mooring with an untested lash up which may or may not work, and certainly only going ahead, ie limited manoeuvrability. I may not even  have the strength to steer the boat with an oar. 

Eventually another boat will come past, and tow me through the tunnel, or I may be even be able to get to the marina where the repair can be effected. That is my plan. 😏.

I have already had much needed assistance from some guys on the forum, thanks very much guys, but no one is able to offer a tow, as I say there are very few boats here, three isolated boats have already been craned out and trucked back to the main part of L & L, the owners having despaired of the six month timescale to repair the stoppages. 

Edited January 2, 2022 by LadyG

[Chagall]

11 minutes ago, LadyG said:

The terms of any insurance require one to act in a sensible manner, my definition of sensible does not include attempting to move from a safe mooring with an untested lash up which may or may not work, and certainly only going ahead, ie limited manoeuverability.

Eventually another boat will come past, and tow me through the tunnel, or I may be even be able to get to the marina where the repair can be effected. That is my plan. 😏.

I have had assistance from some guys on the forum, thanks very much guys, but no one is able to offer a tow, as I say there are very few boats here, three isolated boats have already been craned out and trucked back to the main part of L & L, the owners having despaired of the six month timescale to repair the stoppages. 

No thanks for the girls?  ...or is that one step too far. 🙄