BCN Challenge 2023

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Captain Pegg said:

The point of the Challenge is to promote usage of the lesser used sections of the BCN so asking every boat to navigate for 25% of the available time on a canal that’s used by lots of boats every day isn’t going to achieve that aim. It would also be very limiting on where boats could get to in the 24 hours.

 

The outlying places on well used canals - Fazeley, Aldersley and Delph - are only available as starting locations.

 

I think similar applies to Wolverhampton Boat Club even though the facilities themselves would be suitable.

Walsall basin and local boozer 

[Captain Pegg]

3 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Walsall basin and local boozer 

Was the finish point about 10 years ago. Maybe twice.

[Francis Herne]

Swan Village winding hole.

 

Sure, the first few boats will become stuck in the scrap-filled toxic reedbed, but the next ones can come up behind and push them through.

There's a pub just over the road...

 

EDIT: for a weird but slightly less stupid idea, just south of Moorcroft Junction the cut is 40ft wide with ring/bollard moorings on both sides of the canal and a bridge. Should be room to get a lot of boats in, and not far to Ocker Hill for facilities and secure mooring.

Edited June 5, 2023 by Francis Herne

[StephenA]

2 hours ago, David Mack said:

Can you track multiple 'friends' at once? For the challenge it would be good to have map of the BCN with moving dots for all the participants. A bit like the Harry Potter Marauders Map, really.

 

I'm quite sure that if it was set to allow multiple friends and you were on a PC then it should show all of them. I shall talk to nick when we're on the boat next week....  and I've added it to the feature request list in the bugtracker.

Edited June 5, 2023 by StephenA

[Rob-M]

8 hours ago, Francis Herne said:

Swan Village winding hole.

 

Sure, the first few boats will become stuck in the scrap-filled toxic reedbed, but the next ones can come up behind and push them through.

There's a pub just over the road...

 

EDIT: for a weird but slightly less stupid idea, just south of Moorcroft Junction the cut is 40ft wide with ring/bollard moorings on both sides of the canal and a bridge. Should be room to get a lot of boats in, and not far to Ocker Hill for facilities and secure mooring.

This was the Walsall cruise a couple of years ago that over nighted there.

[Tom and Bex]

A big thanks to @Captain Pegg for organising this year's challenge, and thought communication before and during the event was excellent.

 

Had a great time, and really surprised to come 2nd! Thought we'd be much lower, as we seemed to be losing time on almost every section, so unable to complete route as planned. Congratulations to Rivets 5000, can't have been an easy 24hrs on that boat!

 

Thought the finish worked really well, and was good to have the option of approaching from 3 different directions. Would have loved to stay longer, but unfortunately had to be back for work early Tuesday. Have remembered to book next year off already though. 

 

As to future finishing points, I really like the suggestion of Brownhills, and we've always said Walsall would make a good finish. We've been doing the challenge since 2013, and not finished at Walsall in that time. Withymoor and Hawne Basin have both put on a really good reception in the past, but what about a finish in Typhoo Basin one year? Wednesfield junction?

 

Finally, @Captain Pegg, any chance of seeing the answers to this year's questions? 

[Tonka]

On 05/06/2023 at 09:30, Rob-M said:

When we were heading that way Saturday afternoon we were told there was a problem at one of Rushall Locks and you couldn't get through so we reversed back to Newton junction and changed our plans.

But a lock gate failure could happen at any of the locks

[Rob-M]

3 minutes ago, Tonka said:

But a lock gate failure could happen at any of the locks

That was the only reason I could think of for why it would have been a challenging end point this year.

[Tonka]

What about finishing at the CRT base on the Icknield Port Loop. It would be great to walk up and see Edgbaston Reservoir 

[Rob-M]

1 minute ago, Tonka said:

What about finishing at the CRT base on the Icknield Port Loop. It would be great to walk up and see Edgbaston Reservoir 

I'm not sure there would be sufficient space to moor lots of boats as there are always multiple CRT boats moored there.  Also, as a working yard H&S causes lots of issues, last year we took a group from the Roundhouse and stopped there and we had to have a safe area created to allow us to get them off the boat and walk round to the stable block behind the boat house.

[Francis Herne]

Anglesey Basin would be nice for similar reasons, though it's the absolute worst place for the "quick getaway" criterion.

 

I'd like to see boats gathered at Parkhead sometime, but stacks up badly against Withymoor for the Challenge finish.

 

Is there anything at Hockley Port these days? I've never actually been in to have a look.

[Tonka]

2 minutes ago, Francis Herne said:

Anglesey Basin would be nice for similar reasons, though it's the absolute worst place for the "quick getaway" criterion.

 

I'd like to see boats gathered at Parkhead sometime, but stacks up badly against Withymoor for the Challenge finish.

 

Is there anything at Hockley Port these days? I've never actually been in to have a look.

Very limited visitor mooring at Hockley Port

[Tonka]

Thank goodness the challenge wasn't this weekend as too hot

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Proper thunder and lightning now in Brum. 
With heavy rain. 
 

But otherwise yeah, it’s been a lovely weekend. 

[Francis Herne]

It's rolled in at Stoke Prior too.

 

Goosander came down today and now moored next to me. Steve very kindly drove me back from Tardebigge New Wharf after we happened to meet there just as the storm arrived!

 

Saved me a second walk home in the rain after returning from the station yesterday evening. Although that was quite refreshing after a very hot day working on Atlas & Malus.

[cuthound]

15 hours ago, Goliath said:

Proper thunder and lightning now in Brum. 
With heavy rain. 
 

But otherwise yeah, it’s been a lovely weekend. 

 

Never seen rain like we had last night.

 

Water was spurting out of the rear drainage holes in the boat's handrails so far that it was overshooting the gunwales!

 

Then to cap it all the power to the house went of at 7:30pm and didn't return until 9:20pm.

 

Two houses local to me struck by lightning, fortunately no one was injured.

Edited June 12, 2023 by cuthound
Clarification

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Got it again now, 

Even better !

 

Suits me fine 👍

Sunny days and rainy evenings. 
 

Good job the pubs not too far away. 

[Rob-M]

I think the storm is brewing in Stafford as the wind has increased and it is going a bit darker.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Looks like the rest of week and through in to next is gonna be completely Scorchio!

 

[Rob-M]

And then we go away for two weeks cruising.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

57 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

And then we go away for two weeks cruising.

anywhere new for you?

 

[Rob-M]

19 minutes ago, Goliath said:

anywhere new for you?

 

Not sure yet, waiting to see what has water in it and is open.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

Not sure yet, waiting to see what has water in it and is open.

Yes, im thinking similar. 
I hope to get up the Shroppie and off outta Brum for a bit. 

[Victor Vectis]

10 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Yes, im thinking similar. 
I hope to get up the Shroppie and off outta Brum for a bit. 

Good choice.

 

I can recommend The Swan at Brewood  for, ahem, refreshment.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

27 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Good choice.

 

I can recommend The Swan at Brewood  for, ahem, refreshment.

Yes, they usually have something on from Church End. Stairway to Heaven. 
And at a good price. 
pork pies an’ all 

 

(there is of course the another pub I’ll be heading for but we’ll not start that one again)