Avon Ring. A novices guide? Maybe?! Say hello!

[Chris Lowe]

On 01/10/2022 at 14:59, Ray T said:

Up until recently I visited a retired narrowboat captain who came from six generations of Oxford boat people, when he retired and started leisure boating he had "experts" telling him he wasn't doing things properly.

When a friend of mine first hired a narrowboat he said he was asked if he had any experience steering a boat, his reply was Yes The Ark Royal.

[rgreg]

2 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

There is no mystery to empty pounds at Stratford, it's a regular occurrence and the CRT folks should know better than to blame boaters.

 

The pounds between the last few locks are short and shallow and don't hold a lot of water. The single leaf gates float open readily, particularly the bottom gates when there is a flow through the by-washes. If the top gate has any appreciable leakage the pounds are prone to draining overnight. I had to wait for 30 minutes for water to be run down from the pound above the Premier Inn lock when I visited 10 days ago and on my previous visit I ended up stranded in mid-channel trying to exit Stratford early in the morning. That time I was delayed for two hours.

 

There are numerous gates that don't like to stay shut on the southern Stratford even after they have been closed and re-closed and left apparently correctly closed, particularly on the bottom three at WIlmcote.

 

It's a very pleasant canal to visit but it isn't the best for boating.

 

Indeed, when I was there earlier this year I was chatting to the CRT chap who said it was his job every morning to run water down those locks. I also had to close gates which were open.

[Stroudwater1]

On 09/10/2022 at 08:10, MumHunOnTheCanal said:

 

 

Quick question. Is wild mooring a thing on the Avon? 

 

 

In short not many do it, but yes, its lovely to do as long as you are careful with how you moor. Most like to moor on more secure areas though, and TBF many of these places are lovely. Passed Evesham on Sat and only one boat moored by the park there, see elsewhere for recommended stops, though you maybe a good way down by now.  

[Alan de Enfield]

On 09/10/2022 at 08:10, MumHunOnTheCanal said:

Quick question. Is wild mooring a thing on the Avon? 

 

 

Rivers are not the same as the Canals and water levels can rise and fall quite fast, if you are wild mooring then it is advisable to regularly check your lines thru the night.

 

I know the Avon is not a 'big river' in the same way that the Trent is, but this happened on an overnight 'wild mooring' a couple of days after heavy rain miles away up in the hills around the river source.

Never get complacement when on rivers.

 

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Alan de Enfield

[MumHunOnTheCanal]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Rivers are not the same as the Canals and water levels can rise and fall quite fast, if you are wild mooring then it is advisable to regularly check your lines thru the night.

 

I know the Avon is not a 'big river' in the same way that the Trent is, but this happened on an overnight 'wild mooring' a couple of days after heavy rain miles away up in the hills around the river source.

Never get complacement when on rivers.

 

 

Wow!!!!! That’s horrific. 
 

We’re heading up the Severn today, we were going to stop before we get back on the canal tonight… will give it some serious thought x

[Alan de Enfield]

43 minutes ago, MumHunOnTheCanal said:

Wow!!!!! That’s horrific. 
 

We’re heading up the Severn today, we were going to stop before we get back on the canal tonight… will give it some serious thought x

 

Yes - very frightening as to what can happen.

Preparation can save a lor of problems. 

Look at the wether forecast for a few days prior to a river journey.

Ask the locals (or on the forum) what are the effects of rain is and how long it takes to recover to the norm (The River Soar can go into flood is someone washed their boat, but goes back down almost as quicly).

Always wear a life jacket when on a river.

 

Every river is different - plan accordingly.

[IanD]

48 minutes ago, MumHunOnTheCanal said:

Wow!!!!! That’s horrific. 
 

We’re heading up the Severn today, we were going to stop before we get back on the canal tonight… will give it some serious thought x

It's horrific, but thankfully *very* rare -- so take the precautions Alan suggested, but don't worry yourself sick... 🙂

[Rob-M]

50 minutes ago, MumHunOnTheCanal said:

Wow!!!!! That’s horrific. 
 

We’re heading up the Severn today, we were going to stop before we get back on the canal tonight… will give it some serious thought x

There are moorings at Upton on the flooring pontoon if there is space or at Worcester before you turn on to the canal.

[Stroudwater1]

Theres barely been rain for months, the Severn and Avon are low. Extremely unlikely to be an issue for tonight. 

 

Im sure you will be fine. Rare images cause shock because they are rare.

 

Mooring at Pitchcroft, the racecourse are pretty decent, though I think you may need to pay a small fee possibly. Mooring at Diglis I believe by the lock is OK too IIRC .  

[IanD]

11 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Theres barely been rain for months, the Severn and Avon are low. Extremely unlikely to be an issue for tonight. 

 

Im sure you will be fine. Rare images cause shock because they are rare.

 

Mooring at Pitchcroft, the racecourse are pretty decent, though I think you may need to pay a small fee possibly. Mooring at Diglis I believe by the lock is OK too IIRC .  

 

And posting them on CWDF for newbies to be horrified over (advice is fine!) is getting close to scaremongering... 😞

[rgreg]

2 hours ago, Rob-M said:

There are moorings at Upton on the flooring pontoon if there is space or at Worcester before you turn on to the canal.

Hopefully CRT have now replaced the missing 48hr signage at these sites, which should help to improve availability. 

[ditchcrawler]

On 01/10/2022 at 23:15, Stilllearning said:

Back in those days, I was still youngish and fit, and did the Tardebigge flight twice in a week.....I must have been mad!

Last time we were there a hire boat did it twice in a day, up, wind and straight down again

[Stilllearning]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

Last time we were there a hire boat did it twice in a day, up, wind and straight down again

Blimey!

I had a good reason for doing it, I wonder why they did it?

[IanD]

33 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

Blimey!

I had a good reason for doing it, I wonder why they did it?

Masochism?

[Stilllearning]

2 minutes ago, IanD said:

Masochism?

Ah yes, of course!

[ditchcrawler]

4 hours ago, Stilllearning said:

Blimey!

I had a good reason for doing it, I wonder why they did it?

Someone said they missed the winding hole at the bottom, but they didn't admit that to me when we met them heading back to base