Needing info on having a boat moved by road...

[Journeyman36]

This might well be in the wrong section, I couldn't find a more suitable header in the options though.

I've bought a boat and been scammed. I won't go into the details of that unless people ask for that info.

 

My issue now is this: The boat is on the Oxford canal and I need it on the Grand Union, either Herts or Bucks. The boat can't cruise north as it won't fit though Napton locks and going south isn't possible until the Spring due to stoppages and water levels. So I'm left needing to crane the boat out and have it moved by road. It's a 70ft by 7ft beam. I've made a few calls but as yet not had any quotations - no one seems to want to the business enough to make a call!

So I'm looking for advice, contacts - anything that might help.

 

Due to time constrains I cannot wait until May to get the boat here and because of the HS2 viaduct going into place, that's when it's likely to be able to pass north along the GU from the Thames.

I'd appreciate any advice you have...

 

Thanks in advance.

Mike

Update:

Due to the many questions and much speculation I've decided to provide a few points to lay minds at rest. Though I suspect those prone to speculation will carry on regardless.

I tried 4 times to get the boat through lock 10 at Napton.
CRT were called and knew the boat - it had been stuck in the lock 6 months earlier, for 4 days. It needed to be winched from the top gates to remove it.
Following an FOI request to the Trust I have the data on the lock along with photographs, the lock was surveyed a few weeks after that first incident.
The boat was dry-docked at Tooleys. Measurements show the boat to be (in places) a little over 60mm wider across the baseplate than the narrowest part of the lock.

The boat is iron-hulled but a steel baseplate was fitted in 1989. The boat was not aligned correctly when this was done.

That should cover it. Speculation over...
 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by Journeyman36
Additional information added

[Mike Tee]

Can you explain why 70’ x 7’ won’t go through Napton locks? Is it slightly oversize or not straight?

Edited December 23, 2023 by Mike Tee

[Rob-M]

Are you certain it won't fit through Napton locks, has it been tried and failed.

[MtB]

Same question from me as Mike Tee above. 70ft x 7ft would usually be expected to fit through Napton, although most boats are 6ft 10in not 7ft. Is this a historic perhaps, that is actually a little wider than 7ft extactly?

 

Where on the Oxford is the boat now? There are two stages to lifting a boat. 

 

1) Get the boat to a wharf where a crane and big lorry can get alongside the canal. If you say where the boat is, people here will tell you the nearest wharf.

2) Book a transport firm e.g. Tuckeys to send a crane and a lorry.

 

But at first sight none of this is necessary, as cruising to the GU via Napton is surely possible. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by MtB
Clarify a point.

[BEngo]

Havd you tried AB Tuckey?  They have their own brand and truck and can certainly move a 70x 7.

 

N

[Jon57]

5 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

Are you certain it won't fit through Napton locks, has it been tried and failed.

Why as the poster been scammed more to the point. 

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

Why as the poster been scammed more to the point. 

 

 

I find myself wondering if the advice that 70ft won't fit through Napton is part of another scam in the making.

 

 

[Paul C]

Its quite possible its bent or overwidth, so while in theory its dimensions are 70'x7', in practice it occupies a rectangle over those dimensions, which means it gets stuck in narrow locks. I remember a case where someone bought a boat and mentioned they want to moor it on the Llangollen. They got stuck in Hurleston locks, the boat wasn't straight, they sued and won.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Paul C said:

Its quite possible its bent or overwidth, so while in theory its dimensions are 70'x7', in practice it occupies a rectangle over those dimensions, which means it gets stuck in narrow locks. I remember a case where someone bought a boat and mentioned they want to moor it on the Llangollen. They got stuck in Hurleston locks, the boat wasn't straight, they sued and won.

 

 

Ah so you hold the OP has been scammed by flogging them a bent boat? 

 

The narrow, pinch-point lock in Napton was fixed by widening it a couple of summers ago, was it not? Or did that get cancelled due to covid? 

 

Dear OP, why do you think it won't go through Napton? Have you tried?

 

 

 

 

[Journeyman36]

1 hour ago, Mike Tee said:

Can you explain why 70’ x 7’ won’t go through Napton locks? Is it slightly oversize or not straight?

It's 60mm too wide at the base and a little banana shaped

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

Are you certain it won't fit through Napton locks, has it been tried and failed.

Tried and failed many times. Believe me, it won't go through. Hence my needing to go to the expense of a lift

1 hour ago, MtB said:

Same question from me as Mike Tee above. 70ft x 7ft would usually be expected to fit through Napton, although most boats are 6ft 10in not 7ft. Is this a historic perhaps, that is actually a little wider than 7ft extactly?

 

Where on the Oxford is the boat now? There are two stages to lifting a boat. 

 

1) Get the boat to a wharf where a crane and big lorry can get alongside the canal. If you say where the boat is, people here will tell you the nearest wharf.

2) Book a transport firm e.g. Tuckeys to send a crane and a lorry.

 

But at first sight none of this is necessary, as cruising to the GU via Napton is surely possible. 

 

I've Tried Tuckeys, they haven't come back to me.
The boat is currently at Banbury and as I'm a GU boater it's an area I'm not familiar with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

53 minutes ago, Paul C said:

Its quite possible its bent or overwidth, so while in theory its dimensions are 70'x7', in practice it occupies a rectangle over those dimensions, which means it gets stuck in narrow locks. I remember a case where someone bought a boat and mentioned they want to moor it on the Llangollen. They got stuck in Hurleston locks, the boat wasn't straight, they sued and won.

That is a part of the problem here, with the boat being slightly bent.

[haggis]

Another boat moving by trailer is Ray Bower. Like Tuckeys he has been moving boats for years

[Journeyman36]

50 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

Ah so you hold the OP has been scammed by flogging them a bent boat? 

 

The narrow, pinch-point lock in Napton was fixed by widening it a couple of summers ago, was it not? Or did that get cancelled due to covid? 

 

Dear OP, why do you think it won't go through Napton? Have you tried?

 

 

 

 

You seem to think I'm being less than honest here... can I ask why that is?
Why make assumptions? I made it clear in my post that I'd not be going into the details of the scam unless people asked. It's not relevant to the question I'm asking. I need some help, some useful advice. Not a debate on the validity of my statement.

[MtB]

6 minutes ago, Journeyman36 said:

I've Tried Tuckeys, they haven't come back to me.
The boat is currently at Banbury and as I'm a GU boater it's an area I'm not familiar with.

 

 

Hmmm that's odd. They are very reliable (if expensive) in my experience. Maybe they know the boat and some history or other makes them prefer not to get involved. 

 

I'd imagine Sovereign Wharf right there at Banbury wold take a crane and lorry. Have you asked them? 

 

 

[Journeyman36]

2 minutes ago, haggis said:

Another boat moving by trailer is Ray Bower. Like Tuckeys he has been moving boats for years

Thank you, I'll try them today

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Journeyman36 said:

You seem to think I'm being less than honest here... can I ask why that is?
Why make assumptions? I made it clear in my post that I'd not be going into the details of the scam unless people asked. It's not relevant to the question I'm asking. I need some help, some useful advice. Not a debate on the validity of my statement.

 

No not at all, but why mention the scam at all if you don't want to discuss it, or answer the inevitable questions mentioning it will provoke? 

 

 

[Journeyman36]

2 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Hmmm that's odd. They are very reliable (if expensive) in my experience. Maybe they know the boat and some history or other makes them prefer not to get involved. 

 

I'd imagine Sovereign Wharf right there at Banbury wold take a crane and lorry. Have you asked them? 

 

 

Tuckys don't yet have the boat name, I've made a call and sent an email asking to be quoted is all.
I'll try Sovereign Wharf, thank you for that.

[MtB]

But you offered to go into details if asked! 

 

11 hours ago, Journeyman36 said:

I won't go into the details of that unless people ask for that info.

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Journeyman36 said:

Tuckys don't yet have the boat name, I've made a call and sent an email asking to be quoted is all.
I'll try Sovereign Wharf, thank you for that.

 

Tuckeys will want to know the wharf you want it lifted from and as you don't yet know, this may be why they haven't been able to quote. 

 

Also, try asking in Tooleys yard in Banbury. They are helpful people in there and although they don't lift, they are bound to know where to do it and whose crane to book. 

 

Closed on Mondays which can be annoying! 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by MtB
Spelling

[Journeyman36]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

No not at all, but why mention the scam at all if you don't want to discuss it, or answer the inevitable questions mentioning it will provoke? 

 

 

What I mention in my post is of my choosing and not something I need to justify.
I'm happy to talk about the scam, as I stated. But it isn't relevant to my question. I came looking for help and getting the boat moved is my priority, once I get that information then perhaps I'll spend some time feeding the vultures.

[Tonka]

14 minutes ago, haggis said:

Another boat moving by trailer is Ray Bower. Like Tuckeys he has been moving boats for years

Ray Bowen is the name you mean

[Tony Brooks]

1 minute ago, Journeyman36 said:

What I mention in my post is of my choosing and not something I need to justify.
I'm happy to talk about the scam, as I stated. But it isn't relevant to my question. I came looking for help and getting the boat moved is my priority, once I get that information then perhaps I'll spend some time feeding the vultures.

 

I would just point out that you stated that your boat was 70 ft by 7ft beam and of recent years that size will fit through Napton, so in trying to understand why you said it would not fit you were questioned about it so anyone who wanted to offer help could fully understand the situation. You do not need to justify anything, but if you, like so many others, do not provide the full information you must expect to be questioned. Initially, you did not even give a location close enough for detailed help to be offered, but you did say I'd appreciate any advice you have...     The advice you were given was that 70' x 7' should fit through Napton locks nowadays. I initially took t that you may well have been misinformed based on history.

[MtB]

So it looks as though this boat is actually about 7ft 2in. I can see that still not going through. Its really quite difficult to build a boat that width so I'm dead curious about how this came to be. My best guess is this is a historic that has spread with age. 

 

The OP says however, the baseplate itself is the widest part. This isn't consistent with a spreading historic. 

[Journeyman36]

2 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I would just point out that you stated that your boat was 70 ft by 7ft beam and of recent years that size will fit through Napton, so in trying to understand why you said it would not fit you were questioned about it so anyone who wanted to offer help could fully understand the situation. You do not need to justify anything, but if you, like so many others, do not provide the full information you must expect to be questioned. Initially, you did not even give a location close enough for detailed help to be offered, but you did say I'd appreciate any advice you have...     The advice you were given was that 70' x 7' should fit through Napton locks nowadays. I initially took t that you may well have been misinformed based on history.

And I have happily answer any questions regards the size and shape of the boat. Same goes to questions about whether or not I had tried to get the boat through. The questions I do not see as being relevant are those regards the scam.
Now, if anyone had directly asked me about that I'd have answered, no-one did.
I deliberately limited the amount of detail because being new here, I wasn't sure what level to pitch this at and how much detail would be allowed.
I do expect questions - why would I not?
Anyway, thanks for your help.
 

[Chewbacka]

22 minutes ago, Journeyman36 said:

Tuckys don't yet have the boat name, I've made a call and sent an email asking to be quoted is all.
I'll try Sovereign Wharf, thank you for that.

Based on rough information they can give a vague estimate, but to give a quote they need to know exactly what you want.  eg who provides the crane at each end, where are you loading/unloading the boat, is there an access charge to use the wharf etc. etc.

[Captain Pegg]

A recent customer of mine told me of his experience of communications with a supposed boatmover that on enquiry via FB he concluded to be a scammer.

 

Hence I’d be grateful if @Journeyman36 could at least confirm if the scam they mentioned involved a boat mover?

[dmr]

Is this a historic boat, or even a wooden boat?

A possibly issue is ensuring the structure is strong enough to lift out with a crane.

I have seen a couple of old boats in very poor condition on the Oxford in the past.