First "Continuous" Cruise

[pig]

Hi

We've just done the Leicester ring, from North Kilworth Marina!, but went anti-clockwise, the thinking being to get the hardest part over first! 

ie Leicester itself, with big heavy locks and some unsavoury areas. We went from Kilby Bridge to Birstall in a day, but with hindsight we could have stopped over in Leicester at either Castle Gardens or the newer moorings at Friars Mill, and set off early next day to avoid the lowlife at Limekiln.

Other than that it is a great trip, especially on the Soar, and we really enjoyed it- you will too especially if you have time to take it easy.

Cheers

[robtheplod]

Have a great time... weather looking good if you're doing it soon?  We did the Leicester ring a few years back... best bit was going through Leicester - its actually very nice!

[doratheexplorer]

11 hours ago, David Mack said:

For water, rubbish and elsan, just use the free CRT facilities. For diesel, gas and pumpout use a boatyard or marina - just turn up during opening hours, fill up/empty as appropriate then go on your way. No need to stay the night. You can also get diesel, gas and sometimes other things (e.g. elsan fluid) from fuel boats. Just hail them as you are passing even if they are on the move; they will happily refuel you in midstream if necessary.

I generally use coal boats where I can, but randomly hailing them isn't a great solution. 

 

What I do is go to:  http://www.lock13.co.uk/

 

Find the boat which is covering the area I want, then have a look at their facebook page where they'll generally post their movement over the next week or so.  Then text them with my boat name, where I am, and what I'm wanting.  I've often had coal dropped off for me while I'm away from the boat.

 

If they don't do social media, just text them to find out where they'll be.

11 hours ago, David Mack said:

For water, rubbish and elsan, just use the free CRT facilities. For diesel, gas and pumpout use a boatyard or marina - just turn up during opening hours, fill up/empty as appropriate then go on your way. No need to stay the night. You can also get diesel, gas and sometimes other things (e.g. elsan fluid) from fuel boats. Just hail them as you are passing even if they are on the move; they will happily refuel you in midstream if necessary.

I generally use coal boats where I can, but randomly hailing them isn't a great solution. 

 

What I do is go to:  http://www.lock13.co.uk/

 

Find the boat which is covering the area I want, then have a look at their facebook page where they'll generally post their movement over the next week or so.  Then text them with my boat name, where I am, and what I'm wanting.  I've often had coal dropped off for me while I'm away from the boat.

 

If they don't do social media, just text them to find out where they'll be.

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

What I do is go to:  http://www.lock13.co.uk/

 

Might help if that list was tidied up to remove all the boats no longer trading. And a map to show the areas each covers would be good too.

[DShK]

16 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

We bought our boat in cranfleet cut in 1980 worked out which way up to get round on to the soar got the nicholsons from the bookshop at redhill and went to London.

Never been on a boat in my life.

we survived! Dont overthink.

 

Tan out of diesel ran out of water and the sea loo ( yes legal then ) exploded next to a caravan shop in leicester.

I'm just trying to be prepared as I work from the boat. If something goes terribly wrong I could be very out of pocket (as a contractor).

 

 

15 hours ago, John Brightley said:

There is a great benefit in getting some paper copies of 1:50,000 OS maps of the area you're cruising through, as they will show you much more information on the area surrounding the canal than you can ever see on your phone. It puts everything else in context. And paper maps or books can easily be protected from the weather by using a map case. You won't need it to be outside all the time anyway - you can keep it just inside the cabin most of the time.

My feeling is that a lot of this info you can get from google maps these days!

 

 

2 hours ago, pig said:

Hi

We've just done the Leicester ring, from North Kilworth Marina!, but went anti-clockwise, the thinking being to get the hardest part over first! 

ie Leicester itself, with big heavy locks and some unsavoury areas. We went from Kilby Bridge to Birstall in a day, but with hindsight we could have stopped over in Leicester at either Castle Gardens or the newer moorings at Friars Mill, and set off early next day to avoid the lowlife at Limekiln.

Other than that it is a great trip, especially on the Soar, and we really enjoyed it- you will too especially if you have time to take it easy.

Cheers

Hey! Nice! My thinking is to go clockwise because I've already been to Leicester and back, but with a friend. It was hard work, you're right. I figure I'd like to "tread new ground" and also get a bit of a rhythm going before getting to that bit again.  Good to know about castle gardens and Friars Mill. We actually stopped at Memory Lane Wharf (not really a wharf, just a small offshoot with a pontoon). That was near Limekiln, but seemed a bit more secure in that you can only get there with a code to a padlock (and passing through a construction site, weirdly). Bit of an odd affair, we were lucky there was a friendly boater there already who knew the lock (I think he was a CCer who just stayed in Leicester).

 

The Soar seems to go into flood if someone pisses in it? What are you supposed to do if it goes into flood during the night?

 

2 hours ago, robtheplod said:

Have a great time... weather looking good if you're doing it soon?  We did the Leicester ring a few years back... best bit was going through Leicester - its actually very nice!

 

Thanks! Looking to leave in the next couple weeks all going to plan. I don't like it too sunny though, when we went to Leicester and back in a week before, I ended up looking like a cooked turkey. My skin turned to leather. Leicester makes me a bit wary, just due to it being a city. A boater I spoke to when I got there said someone had tried to break into his boat. I think it's a case of, don't leave the boat unattended if you've been there a night or two already...

 

2 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

I generally use coal boats where I can, but randomly hailing them isn't a great solution. 

 

What I do is go to:  http://www.lock13.co.uk/

 

Find the boat which is covering the area I want, then have a look at their facebook page where they'll generally post their movement over the next week or so.  Then text them with my boat name, where I am, and what I'm wanting.  I've often had coal dropped off for me while I'm away from the boat.

 

If they don't do social media, just text them to find out where they'll be.

I generally use coal boats where I can, but randomly hailing them isn't a great solution. 

Ooh I wasn't aware of this resource, thanks! I am very excited to make use of a fuel boat for the first time. I am worried envy might get the best of me and I might commit a tiny bit of piracy.

[nb Innisfree]

Apart from looking ahead for stoppages/closures I never used to plan our ccing, OH on the other hand used to plan how we would moor up etc, it rarely happened as planned anyway. Live in the present and experience it I say, it's the only thing there is after all. 

[Jerra]

19 hours ago, DShK said:

 

Stern line coiled on the hatch I do, I shudder when I see people coil it over the tiller extension!

 

Why?   In the many years I have coiled the stern line on the tiller pin it has never fallen off or even started to uncoil.

[IanD]

11 minutes ago, DShK said:

I'm just trying to be prepared as I work from the boat. If something goes terribly wrong I could be very out of pocket (as a contractor).

 

 

My feeling is that a lot of this info you can get from google maps these days!

 

 

Hey! Nice! My thinking is to go clockwise because I've already been to Leicester and back, but with a friend. It was hard work, you're right. I figure I'd like to "tread new ground" and also get a bit of a rhythm going before getting to that bit again.  Good to know about castle gardens and Friars Mill. We actually stopped at Memory Lane Wharf (not really a wharf, just a small offshoot with a pontoon). That was near Limekiln, but seemed a bit more secure in that you can only get there with a code to a padlock (and passing through a construction site, weirdly). Bit of an odd affair, we were lucky there was a friendly boater there already who knew the lock (I think he was a CCer who just stayed in Leicester).

 

The Soar seems to go into flood if someone pisses in it? What are you supposed to do if it goes into flood during the night?

 

 

Thanks! Looking to leave in the next couple weeks all going to plan. I don't like it too sunny though, when we went to Leicester and back in a week before, I ended up looking like a cooked turkey. My skin turned to leather. Leicester makes me a bit wary, just due to it being a city. A boater I spoke to when I got there said someone had tried to break into his boat. I think it's a case of, don't leave the boat unattended if you've been there a night or two already...

 

Ooh I wasn't aware of this resource, thanks! I am very excited to make use of a fuel boat for the first time. I am worried envy might get the best of me and I might commit a tiny bit of piracy.

 

Following local recommendation (a friend who lives just round the corner) we moored in the outskirts of Leicester just above Packhorse Bridge (to stay off the Soar which was running high at the time), nice safe quiet moorings and a short walk to the excellent Black Horse. I seem to remember Aylestone Farm Shop was worth a call too. And the walk over the bridge and the water meadows is rather fine, if it's not raining...

Edited June 12, 2023 by IanD

[DShK]

4 minutes ago, Jerra said:

Why?   In the many years I have coiled the stern line on the tiller pin it has never fallen off or even started to uncoil.

That doesn't mean it can't happen though. Some people have centre lines that can reach the prop too. I just don't like it, a rope around the prop could be very bad and doing small things to make that much less a worry is worth it imo. I can be a bit clumsy myself so it makes sense for me to avoid these things. My mooring lines float and my bow line for hauling the boat through bridges etc can't reach the prop either (I've already been in situations where if it could have, it may well have done).

 

4 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

Following local recommendation (a friend who lives just round the corner) we moored in the outskirts of Leicester just above Packhorse Bridge (to stay off the Soar which was running high at the time), nice safe quiet moorings and a short walk to the excellent Black Horse. I seem to remember Aylestone Farm Shop was worth a call too. And the walk over the bridge and the water meadows is rather fine, if it's not raining...

 

Nice, I'll definitely check that out when I'm at Leicester, thanks!

[doratheexplorer]

19 minutes ago, DShK said:

 

Ooh I wasn't aware of this resource, thanks! I am very excited to make use of a fuel boat for the first time. I am worried envy might get the best of me and I might commit a tiny bit of piracy.

It's really worth supporting the coal boats.  They are an invaluable resource to many boaters, often cheaper than marinas, and they come to you and do all the lifting and carrying. 

[Jerra]

1 minute ago, DShK said:

That doesn't mean it can't happen though. Some people have centre lines that can reach the prop too. I just don't like it, a rope around the prop could be very bad and doing small things to make that much less a worry is worth it imo. I can be a bit clumsy myself so it makes sense for me to avoid these things. My mooring lines float and my bow line for hauling the boat through bridges etc can't reach the prop either (I've already been in situations where if it could have, it may well have done).

True.   However, if you try to avoid every problem which might happen you wouldn't be boating.

 

I often hear comments similar to yours but as yet have never had anybody say "yes it happened to me".  It seems to be people who think it might happen rather than a knowledge base of it has happened X number of times or RCR say its the Y most common call out.

[John Brightley]

21 minutes ago, DShK said:

My feeling is that a lot of this info you can get from google maps these days!

Actually, you can't, and you can miss out on a lot if you don't have OS paper maps or something similar on board. I use all types of maps a lot, and though it's great to have both Google maps and OS mapping on my phone, I still use paper maps simply because you can look at a much bigger area in detail in one go than you will ever see on your phone. 

[LadyG]

I have long centrelines, if I'm cruising they sit on the cabin top in front of me, neatly coiled.

If I go ashore I take one with me.

If I have to return the line to the boat I coil the end and drop it down the open sliding hatch.

Edited June 12, 2023 by LadyG

[John Brightley]

18 minutes ago, Jerra said:

Why?   In the many years I have coiled the stern line on the tiller pin it has never fallen off or even started to uncoil.

I think you've been very lucky. Most experienced boaters wouldn't do it. It's simple to take the rope off the stud and coil it away out of the way to avoid any issues.

[doratheexplorer]

4 minutes ago, John Brightley said:

Actually, you can't, and you can miss out on a lot if you don't have OS paper maps or something similar on board. I use all types of maps a lot, and though it's great to have both Google maps and OS mapping on my phone, I still use paper maps simply because you can look at a much bigger area in detail in one go than you will ever see on your phone. 

IMO paper are virtually obsolete.  OS maps are available free online.  The mapping you can have on your phone can contain far more details than any paper map and it even tells you where you are on the map.  I'm interested to know what you'd be looking at on an OS paper map while cruising anyway, seems like a lot of faff.

https://www.bing.com/maps/?cp=52.725642~-2.221406&lvl=13.4&style=s

[ditchcrawler]

44 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Might help if that list was tidied up to remove all the boats no longer trading. And a map to show the areas each covers would be good too.

Just send an update to Boat Update Form (123formbuilder.com) I have just sent 3 that I know of

[IanD]

13 minutes ago, DShK said:

That doesn't mean it can't happen though. Some people have centre lines that can reach the prop too. I just don't like it, a rope around the prop could be very bad and doing small things to make that much less a worry is worth it imo. I can be a bit clumsy myself so it makes sense for me to avoid these things. My mooring lines float and my bow line for hauling the boat through bridges etc can't reach the prop either (I've already been in situations where if it could have, it may well have done).

 

Nice, I'll definitely check that out when I'm at Leicester, thanks!

From there you can easily get all the way through Leicester to somewhere else nice the following evening -- or vice versa if you're going the other way. Unless you actually *want* to stop in Leicester, personally I wouldn't recommend it but others have said its OK... 😉

[ditchcrawler]

37 minutes ago, DShK said:

 

Thanks! Looking to leave in the next couple weeks all going to plan. I don't like it too sunny though, when we went to Leicester and back in a week before, I ended up looking like a cooked turkey. My skin turned to leather. Leicester makes me a bit wary, just due to it being a city. A boater I spoke to when I got there said someone had tried to break into his boat. I think it's a case of, don't leave the boat unattended if you've been there a night or two already...

 

Lets hope the lock is repaired by then 

 

[IanD]

9 minutes ago, John Brightley said:

I think you've been very lucky. Most experienced boaters wouldn't do it. It's simple to take the rope off the stud and coil it away out of the way to avoid any issues.

Indeed it is. It's also then easy for less experienced boaters -- particularly when they need to throw a line in a hurry -- to forget to drop the loop end back over the stud before throwing it... 😉

[LadyG]

12 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

IMO paper are virtually obsolete.  OS maps are available free online.  The mapping you can have on your phone can contain far more details than any paper map and it even tells you where you are on the map.  I'm interested to know what you'd be looking at on an OS paper map while cruising anyway, seems like a lot of faff.

https://www.bing.com/maps/?cp=52.725642~-2.221406&lvl=13.4&style=s

Not everyone has the latest phone or tablet and not all places have internet. Can you believe that?

The paper maps are preferred by plenty of people. I prefer the simple life when travelling. Not everyone is welded to technology every minute of the day

[IanD]

3 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Not everyone has the latest phone or tablet and not all places have internet. Can you believe that?

The paper maps are preferred by plenty of people. I prefer the simple life when travelling. Not everyone is welded to technology every minute of the day

 

Sometimes modern technology is better, sometimes when it doesn't work paper maps are better. It's better to be open-minded and use both than insist that one is always better than the other... 😉

[LadyG]

2 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

Sometimes modern technology is better, sometimes when it doesn't work paper maps are better. It's better to be open-minded and use both than insist that one is always better than the other... 😉

I use both.

[ditchcrawler]

I have 3, The Internet, paper maps and the wife

[IanD]

13 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have 3, The Internet, paper maps and the wife

You mean BioNav... 😉

[Jerra]

47 minutes ago, John Brightley said:

I think you've been very lucky. Most experienced boaters wouldn't do it. It's simple to take the rope off the stud and coil it away out of the way to avoid any issues.

The point is in decades there haven't been any "issues".   Recently there was mention of somebody jumping off taking the stern rope which wasn't attached to the dolly.   Not major but an "issue" I have never had an issue.

 

I also note every time I have mentioned it on the forum I haven't been inundated By "it happened to me" but always "it might happen"  experience shows that for me on the boat it hasn't and is most unlikely to happen