BCN 24 Hour Marathon Challenge 2024

[Francis Herne]

8 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

Compounded by the fact that I've often competed on a boat this has little room on which to accumulate rubbish.

The key thing is to strike a balance with the the outcome of the trolley trophy.

Those two concerns are why I'm suggesting a fixed 2/5/10 points, rather than awarding 'stackable' points per item which would duplicate the Trolley Trophy and give a much greater advantage to large boats.

 

I've had four trolleys on Lark when clearing the Pools, but wouldn't want to travel the BCN with them all on the roof like that...

 

EDIT: and indeed, Gosty Hill would make it a challenge. I did squash a trolley flat running over it on the Stourbridge Town arm, perhaps deliberate squishing would make them fit better.

Edited November 13, 2023 by Francis Herne

[Tonka]

On 13/11/2023 at 12:00, Francis Herne said:

 

I'm not sure that promoting a wider variety of routes and starting points is a bad thing! Only a handful of boats (one from each place) could exploit it that way or the benefit evaporates, making it very risky to rely on.

 

If you're betting on such a strategy and pull up at Delph the previous day to find a competitor already waiting there, do you write those points off or scramble up the locks to start from somewhere else?

 

Alternatively there could be a list of waterways included or excluded from the policy.

 

I agree with increasing the photo points bonus. The hassle involved in doing the Engine Arm seemed far out of proportion to the two points available.

Clearly you have not spoken with the moorers in the Engine arm. I stayed a night there a couple of days before the Titford rally 2023 and got chatty with a couple of moorers there. They are not happy about the boats going down there during the challenge as one of them always gets hit (he says)

so if the bonus points were upped he could get hit more

 

[IanD]

43 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Clearly you have not spoken with the moorers in the Engine arm. I stayed a night there a couple of days before the Titford rally 2023 and got chatty with a couple of moorers there. They are not happy about the boats going down there during the challenge as one of them always gets hit (he says)

so if the bonus points were upped he could get hit more

 

So let's get this right -- somebody with a boat moored on a canal (using it as a house) is objecting to boats using the canal as a canal i.e. for moving boats around?

 

I wonder if the moorer who keeps getting hit is by any chance moored where it's a bit narrow or on a band (or both), like the one who gave me a mouthful a couple of years ago when I touched his boat on a windy day?

[Captain Pegg]

I’ve never been left with the impression that the folks down the Engine Arm collectively have a problem with visiting boats. That’s from trips down there both during the Challenge and otherwise.

 

It can get a bit hectic down there during the Challenge and if you get hit I guess it can lead to some grumpiness.

 

But it is a navigable arm open for general cruising so it will remain in the Challenge. Because of its use predominantly as a residential mooring location points are not awarded for transits outside of daytime.

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Captain Pegg

[Tonka]

27 minutes ago, IanD said:

So let's get this right -- somebody with a boat moored on a canal (using it as a house) is objecting to boats using the canal as a canal i.e. for moving boats around?

 

I wonder if the moorer who keeps getting hit is by any chance moored where it's a bit narrow or on a band (or both), like the one who gave me a mouthful a couple of years ago when I touched his boat on a windy day?

You have clearly not been down the engine arm

[Francis Herne]

I've occasionally spoken to the moorers on the arm, but not about the Challenge.

 

The number of boats going up there is probably less than 10, which would be unremarkable on many canals. It's only a lot compared to the zero boats per day on BCN backwaters.

 

One would expect Challenge participants to be (on average) fairly experienced, so if someone's getting hit repeatedly they're either moored in a daft place or there's some other issue that needs addressing. Putting a spotlight on navigational issues in the quieter bits of canal is the whole point.

Edited November 20, 2023 by Francis Herne

[IanD]

7 minutes ago, Tonka said:

You have clearly not been down the engine arm

I never said I had, but I've come across plenty of grumpy boaters moored (often badly secured...) in stupid places complaining about passing boats. If you're moored on a navigable waterway, you should expect and be prepared for boats coming past. If you get hit regularly then perhaps you're not moored in a sensible spot?

 

(or there are too many idiot boaters coming past too fast and/or ramming you -- blame can be on both sides...)

 

Challenge participants are likely to be more experienced than average, but on the other hand they may also be in more of a hurry than average... 😉

Edited November 20, 2023 by IanD

[Captain Pegg]

Nobody is moored in a daft place and nobody speeds down the Engine arm.
 

If two or more boats happen to be down there at the same time then one will have to hover mid-channel waiting for the winding hole. That’s likely to be how boats get hit but it’s unlikely to be anything other than marginal contact.

[David Mack]

When I last ventured down the Engine Arm on the Challenge, there were no moored boats and no winding hole (and it really was a case of use it or lose it). We elected to reverse down the arm so we could come out forwards. Half way down we met the boat that had set off before us doing the opposite. So when two boats both going backwards meet, which side do you pass on?

[Stroudwater1]

3 hours ago, IanD said:

So let's get this right -- somebody with a boat moored on a canal (using it as a house) is objecting to boats using the canal as a canal i.e. for moving boats around?

 

I wonder if the moorer who keeps getting hit is by any chance moored where it's a bit narrow or on a band (or both), like the one who gave me a mouthful a couple of years ago when I touched his boat on a windy day?

Ian it’s long and straight and I believe it’s CRT residential moorings. They look well moored here. (Taken mid 2022) 
 

It looks fairly wide too.  I wonder if they are simply unused to boats navigating. Perhaps passing boats caused them to bump against the side? 

Theres a few visitor moorings further up towards the Old main line from the image here that leads to the winding point. I’m not sure I would use them though. 

[IanD]

16 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Ian it’s long and straight and I believe it’s CRT residential moorings. They look well moored here. (Taken mid 2022) 
 

It looks fairly wide too.  I wonder if they are simply unused to boats navigating. Perhaps passing boats caused them to bump against the side? 

Theres a few visitor moorings further up towards the Old main line from the image here that leads to the winding point. I’m not sure I would use them though. 

I can't see why there would be any problem with passing boats there, so the complaint from the bloke who "keeps getting hit" seems a bit strange...

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

 

 

2 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

If two or more boats happen to be down there at the same time then one will have to hover mid-channel waiting for the winding hole. That’s likely to be how boats get hit but it’s unlikely to be anything other than marginal contact.

The over grown vegetation can be a right pain if  judging when to pass an on coming boat. 

Ive always found the boaters very friendly down there. 
 

Any bumping will be very slight. And with a crew it’s easy to fend off so I can’t see problems. 

 

 

 

yes, exactly ‘he says’,

 

4 hours ago, Tonka said:

one of them always gets hit (he says)

3 hours ago, IanD said:

when I touched his boat on a windy day?

you need a bow thruster. 

Edited November 20, 2023 by beerbeerbeerbeerbeer

[magnetman]

30 minutes ago, IanD said:

I can't see why there would be any problem with passing boats there, so the complaint from the bloke who "keeps getting hit" seems a bit strange...

Maybe the wooden pole floating around gets hit by passing boats and whacks into the side. Looks like a nice pole a bit bigger than a broom handle. Might be a good one for a boathook. 

 

 

[Captain Pegg]

If you draw much over 2’ just getting yourself down the middle of the Engine arm channel is enough of a challenge.

 

What hinders progress on the BCN is usually what you can’t see.

 

My memory of the Engine arm on the other side of that bridge is that you worry about being too close to both sides similtaneously.

Edited November 20, 2023 by Captain Pegg

[IanD]

52 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

[snip]

you need a bow thruster. 

Yes, it would have been handy. Hire boat didn't have one though... 😉

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 hour ago, Captain Pegg said:

If you draw much over 2’ just getting yourself down the middle of the Engine arm channel is enough of a challenge.

 

What hinders progress on the BCN is usually what you can’t see.

 

My memory of the Engine arm on the other side of that bridge is that you worry about being too close to both sides similtaneously.

Seeing as electric boats would be at a disadvantage will they get any bonus points for trying?

 

Imagine the BCN challenge being won by an electric boat!

 

Have any electric boats ever took part?

 

 

[Victor Vectis]

5 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

Imagine the BCN challenge being won by an electric boat!

Wot?

 

One of those Go Go things for hire at Gas Street?

😃

[IanD]

7 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

Seeing as electric boats would be at a disadvantage will they get any bonus points for trying?

 

Imagine the BCN challenge being won by an electric boat!

 

Have any electric boats ever took part?

 

 

Not sure why you think they'd be at a disadvantage -- can cruise all night without waking anybody else up... 😉

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Just now, Victor Vectis said:

Wot?

 

One of those Go Go things for hire at Gas Street?

😃

That’s not a bad idea!

 

I’m gonna hire one and do it,

They come with a table for your  beer which is only an arms length away! 
Easy to clean off the prop,

Game on!

 

(A few spare batteries needed mind) 

[john6767]

3 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Wot?

 

One of those Go Go things for hire at Gas Street?

😃

Don’t give people ideas.  However at something like £100 an hour it would be a bit expensive.

 

On the Engine Arm, I have never had anything other than cheery waves and chat when we have been down there both on the challenge, or just to use the services and mooring at the end.  Passing another boat, when on the Challenge has a good chance, outside the challenge little chance, is really the only time you may touch one of the moored boats, but at the slow speed you would be doing no one should have any issue.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

3 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

Not sure why you think they'd be at a disadvantage -- can cruise all night without waking anybody else up... 😉

 Under powered, you’d run out of juice,

it’s a 24hr challenge,

naturally you wouldn’t be allowed to use you gennie, 

so boating in the dark wouldn’t work, 

 

and you’ve got no pole/shaft,

so you’d get stuck on the first bend. 

1 minute ago, john6767 said:

Don’t give people ideas.  However at something like £100 an hour it would be a bit expensive.

Advertisement for them 👍,

they’d let me take it out for free,

 

 

(they don’t really charge £100 an hour do they? …naah, £20 or something???)

[Rob-M]

13 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

 Under powered, you’d run out of juice,

it’s a 24hr challenge,

naturally you wouldn’t be allowed to use you gennie, 

so boating in the dark wouldn’t work, 

 

and you’ve got no pole/shaft,

so you’d get stuck on the first bend. 

Advertisement for them 👍,

they’d let me take it out for free,

 

 

(they don’t really charge £100 an hour do they? …naah, £20 or something???)

We have 1-hour (£80-£95), 2-hour (£120-£135) and 3-hour (£160-£175) trips available

[ditchcrawler]

28 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Wot?

 

One of those Go Go things for hire at Gas Street?

😃

They have all gone, I did wonder if they had left the electric turned on

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

We have 1-hour (£80-£95), 2-hour (£120-£135) and 3-hour (£160-£175) trips available

what you mean we?

 

you mean you’ve found their prices?

or that’s the CRTHeritage boat trip prices you run?

or…are you hiring your boat out?

 

[Rob-M]

20 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

what you mean we?

 

you mean you’ve found their prices?

or that’s the CRTHeritage boat trip prices you run?

or…are you hiring your boat out?

 

Yes, that was copied from the go boats Birmingham web site.