Northampton Arm Grand Union

[SLC]

Saturday 29 July 2023. Two shortish narrow boats stuck on the Northampton Arm due to reeds / weeds. Between Locks 13 and 16 at least. That is, north of M1. In the last week this canal has rapidly become infested with reeds and other green material. Speaking with the boaters concerned, they have had to stop numerous times and life is pretty rotten. Personally I would recommend no-one else goes up the Arm until the problem has been resolved. Water levels look OK.

Should I contact CRT - if only for their information?

 

Incidentally, we regularly walk along this stretch and it is as bad as after COVID when the canals were opening up again. We would never bring our boat up here!

Edited July 29, 2023 by SLC
After thought.

[Bargebuilder]

As you continue on down the Nene it isn't much better in places. The problem there is blanket weed/algae streaming out in 20 foot long cords that are impossible to avoid and wrap around the propeller tightly, eventually covering it entirely and resulting in zero thrust. A burst of astern has no effect whatsoever, so regular visits to the weed hatch are unavoidable.

 

That was mid June, so they may have cleared it, or it might be even worse now.

[SLC]

There appears to be 2 types of green stuff. One looks like reeds but the other is the stuff that does string out at the surface in great long lengths. That is almost unavoidable and has appeared in very large quantities of late. It looks like quite a bit has been dumped on the tow path after being extracted from the prop of a boat.

I like a previous comment. You can avoid weeds and reeds but it will find you!

[matty40s]

It is a lovely arm, with lots of work done by the local IWA tonkeepnit so. Yes, it's got some weed, and reed, but needs MORE boat use to keep it clear, not less.

 

[SLC]

We know Geoff and the IWA do a terrific job. IWA has an uncredited photo in their magazine showing improvement work being done.

The number of boats passing through this year feels to be lower. In fact 10 days ago we were surprised how few there were on the main route. Indeed Stoke Bruerne was very quiet.

[Captain Pegg]

I appreciate the OP’s intentions are good but as per my post in the thread on navigating weeds I don’t think there’s any exceptional problem on the Northampton arm at all based on my passage this afternoon.

 

From my observations on my last trip down and back in September 2021 it was pretty much as I’d have expected to find it.

[matty40s]

Ah, but did you take water down with you...

 

 

 

[Captain Pegg]

11 hours ago, matty40s said:

Ah, but did you take water down with you...

 

 

 

Didn’t need to. Plenty of boats moving and water flowing down the flight.

[Scholar Gypsy]

On 01/08/2023 at 23:10, Captain Pegg said:

I appreciate the OP’s intentions are good but as per my post in the thread on navigating weeds I don’t think there’s any exceptional problem on the Northampton arm at all based on my passage this afternoon.

 

From my observations on my last trip down and back in September 2021 it was pretty much as I’d have expected to find it.

Agreed. I did it in May this year. Slow but doable.

[SnippetySnip]

Adding my tuppence worth to this thread and to encourage other boaters. I've been up and down the Northampton Arm a couple of times over the last month. I have a heavy deep drafted boat, so I was worried about the trip the first time I did it, but there is really no issue.

 

The flight was in good condition and apart from having to let some water down to raise the level in a one of the pounds to get across it (which really wasn't a big drama) it was very pleasant.

 

The lower section was very weedy and reedy. But I didn't need to get the weed hatch up, I managed to chug on through at a slow pace. A couple of the long pounds have got crystal clear water, teeming with fish, it's very picturesque! I understand that the clear water encourages the weed growth, but it seems a shame to complain about the water being so clean.

 

The water level in the lower sections seemed pretty good in terms of depth, I was not stirring up mud at any stage, so I guess the draft in the centre of the channel is pretty good. However, the usable channel is really quite narrow, so for long stretches it's a bit like being in a bridge hole, pushing water backwards around the boat in the limited channel. Not a drama, just rather leisurely.

 

In summary, slow going, but no drama and very picturesque.

[Scholar Gypsy]

14 minutes ago, SnippetySnip said:

Adding my tuppence worth to this thread and to encourage other boaters. I've been up and down the Northampton Arm a couple of times over the last month. I have a heavy deep drafted boat, so I was worried about the trip the first time I did it, but there is really no issue.

 

The flight was in good condition and apart from having to let some water down to raise the level in a one of the pounds to get across it (which really wasn't a big drama) it was very pleasant.

 

The lower section was very weedy and reedy. But I didn't need to get the weed hatch up, I managed to chug on through at a slow pace. A couple of the long pounds have got crystal clear water, teeming with fish, it's very picturesque! I understand that the clear water encourages the weed growth, but it seems a shame to complain about the water being so clean.

 

The water level in the lower sections seemed pretty good in terms of depth, I was not stirring up mud at any stage, so I guess the draft in the centre of the channel is pretty good. However, the usable channel is really quite narrow, so for long stretches it's a bit like being in a bridge hole, pushing water backwards around the boat in the limited channel. Not a drama, just rather leisurely.

 

In summary, slow going, but no drama and very picturesque.

A very fair description! I do a lot of cruising on the Fens and Middle Level as well, and it has been three years since I have had to go down the weed hatch.  (though my son had to go down recently to untangle the stern line ....)

[SnippetySnip]

I agree, the weed seems to get chopped up by the prop fairly effectively, a few bursts of reverse every so often as well. This is quite unlike the plastic sacks, straps, copper wire, fishing line, tracksuits and other detritus that seem to get round the prop in urban canals! That stuff really does require use of the "weed" hatch 😁

[SLC]

It is much improved of late and boater's sense of humour has returned. The ponds are still prone to low levels in places but in truth it is being managed by CRT.

[alan_fincher]

Yesterday we walked the stretch nearly at the end, embracing 3 different pounds. None of them looked overly weeded, so if there is a problem I am assuming it must be further up towards Gayton.

[matty40s]

1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

Yesterday we walked the stretch nearly at the end, embracing 3 different pounds. None of them looked overly weeded, so if there is a problem I am assuming it must be further up towards Gayton.

No, the worst weed is in the bottom section, the Summer holidays of boats going up and down has cleared the worst, and the July August poor Summer inhibited the weed growth as well.

[SLC]

Correct in every way. The bottom section was bad and fewer boats than usual were using the canal. It is much improved.