When will the Ice Melt?

[ditchcrawler]

48 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

When it comes to moving boats plans should always be secondary to conditions.

 

This doesn't apply to you as you're asking the question, but I'm often amazed to see people moving narrowboats in high winds or flood conditions that are simply unsafe. It's like they think they're moving a car or something and they're going to do it irrespective of the conditions just because that was the plan. 

I have only twice not moved because of the wind. First time I had moored for lunch on the Thames and couldn't get off the bank again, the second was with the forecast hurricane the other year, we moored up the night before to sit it out the next day. 

39 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

BOATS are consumables. 

 

Snowflake newbies try to treat them like houses. 

So often I read that "Its my home" if they get touched by another boat on their 6 fenders down one side

[Jon57]

5 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have only twice not moved because of the wind. First time I had moored for lunch on the Thames and couldn't get off the bank again, the second was with the forecast hurricane the other year, we moored up the night before to sit it out the next day. 

So often I read that "Its my home" if they get touched by another boat on their 6 fenders down one side

Count the fenders on this boat. The owner wouldn't share a lock with anyone. 

[Momac]

9 hours ago, SandyD said:

I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" type question but does anyone have any insight into how quickly the ice melts on the canal network? We were planning to start a run from Napton to Bournville on Saturday but looking at the forecast we might be able to set off sunday?

I suggest waiting until Easter.

[Mike Todd]

12 hours ago, MartynG said:

I suggest waiting until Easter.

I have experienced quite solid ice overnight one Easter Weekend

[cuthound]

17 hours ago, MtB said:

 

It IS ok to do so. Blacking is a sacrificial coating and gets damaged or stripped of in all sorts of ways.

 

In fact it needs re-applying every two or three years anyway. Did you know that?

 

 

When I had shareboats, they used to get blacked every year because they moved so much (1000-1500 engine run hours per year).

[Momac]

1 hour ago, Mike Todd said:

I have experienced quite solid ice overnight one Easter Weekend

Easter dates do vary quite a lot. Good Friday is  7th April 2023.

Frost and  snow certainly  can't be excluded as a possibility but I would say  fairly low risk.

[Feeby100]

22 hours ago, MtB said:

 

It IS ok to do so. Blacking is a sacrificial coating and gets damaged or stripped of in all sorts of ways.

 

In fact it needs re-applying every two or three years anyway. Did you know that?

 

 

Yes I know that but does not mean you be stupid and make it worst in my eyes 

22 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

So? It comes off anyway. Those of us who move redo it it regularly.

I understand it’s just to make it needs being done quicker more damage you do the more chance of us getting through just make common sense she wouldn’t put it a risk really but there you goI understand it’s just to make it needs being done quicker more damage you do the more chance of us getting through just make common sense she wouldn’t put it a risk really but there you go

[PaulJ]

Im just heading down the Staffs and Worc towards Stourton Junction and theres only a few patches of ice here and there.

So at least here (Awbridge at the mo) the answer to this post is incredibly, this afternoon!

[Guest]

On 15/12/2022 at 12:14, MartynG said:

Easter dates do vary quite a lot. Good Friday is  7th April 2023.

Frost and  snow certainly  can't be excluded as a possibility but I would say  fairly low risk.

 

My birthday is 23rd April.

 

I can certainly recall it snowing on my birthday at least once in fairly recent times. So yes low risk but certainly poss.

[Momac]

How are the canals  doing for ice today ?

Its 14 Degrees C here ?

 

Edit 

Already answered but did the ice disappear everywhere ?

Edited December 19, 2022 by MartynG

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Gone in Sheffield.

[Alway Swilby]

I looks like it's gone in Tamworth but there's still ice under the surface. Hoping to move tomorrow.

[Puffling]

Plenty of ice on the Macc summit. Was able to punch through it with a pole today, whereas it needed multiple chops of the axe yesterday.

I reckon a mild night will see it going, however.

[PaulJ]

1 hour ago, Alway Swilby said:

I looks like it's gone in Tamworth but there's still ice under the surface. Hoping to move tomorrow.

Just found that as I approached Bratch locks. Not quite so clear of ice and maybe 1/2 thick for a couple of hundred yards. Reckon it will be gone by morning.

[Rob-M]

Most looks to have gone around Great Haywood but no boats moving.

[Richardcn]

1 hour ago, Alway Swilby said:

I looks like it's gone in Tamworth but there's still ice under the surface. Hoping to move tomorrow.

Likewise, we (ideally) need to move tomorrow but on the L&L eastward toward Wigan. Any 'ice reports' welcome thanks. We're clear of ice right where we are (near to Parbold) but I'm aware that other stretches still have some (as yet unknown depth of) ice from the shaded opposite bank well across the middle of the navigation. I noted many rocks branches and other detritus strewn across the still frozen areas, boys will (still) be boys it appears!

[MoominPapa]

The Llangollen is clear. It took the first boat through Grindley Brook staircase two hours to clear the ice and there were still a few bergy bits clogging behind gates when we cam through later, but apart from that there's no ice to be found. There are a couple of fallen trees, now the wind has got up.

 

MP.

[Hotspur]

I was at Watford Locks on the Leicester Line today. The flight is clear and the canal above went from 1/2” of ice all the way across to clear over 5 hours. There are still some patches still to clear on the canal but I expect these to be clear by Tuesday morning.

[Richardcn]

On 14/12/2022 at 22:08, MartynG said:

I suggest waiting until Easter.

Possibly wise advice. We got about 300 yards! The first 100 was almost ice free, the next 150 an inch thick and the last bit, purely to get re-moored, probably 2 inches. Very deceptive indeed. We've got a rather large change of plans to consider now as I can't see it being navigable on this section of the L & L for a fair few days yet. C'est la (boating) vie

[LadyG]

On 14/12/2022 at 13:26, Goliath said:

and possibly 13C on Monday, so I’d guess it’ll clear quickly

I'm still iced in, it's Tuesday afternoon. Air temperature 10C yesterday and today.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, LadyG said:

I'm still iced in, it's Tuesday afternoon. Air temperature 10C yesterday and today.

If you don't rock the boat it may still be there for another day if you are careful 

[MtB]

5 hours ago, LadyG said:

I'm still iced in, it's Tuesday afternoon. Air temperature 10C yesterday and today.

 

Fancy that, I'd never have guessed!!

 

Look on the bright side. Life's a bitch and then you die....

 

[matty40s]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

Fancy that, I'd never have guessed!!

 

Look on the bright side. Life's a bitch and then you die....

 

It usually melts in mid April there..

 

[mrsmelly]

2 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Fancy that, I'd never have guessed!!

 

Look on the bright side. Life's a bitch and then you die....

 

If yer a bloke, Lifes a bitch, then you marry one, then you die 

[ditchcrawler]

A few bits of ice floating around at Tamworth just before Fazeley