Where are all the boats 2.

[johnmck]

After travelling up from Cropredy yesterday,  we moored with the mast in view at Wormleighton. 

This morning was truly carp. Heavy rain, high winds. Ideal weather to sit tight and watch the rugby.

 

By 1400, the weather turned, so off we set.

 

Now it's Saturday.  By the time we started down from the summit pound, we fully expected to meet a string of hire boats ascending.

 

We were wrong. Hardly a boat passed us down to the Folly. Emptied and watered up, then moored up just around the bend and went to the Folly for sustenance. 

 

Where have all the boats gone?

[ditchcrawler]

They are all on the Coventry, I met over 20 between  Fazeley and Fradley this morning let alone that have passed this afternoon 

[Wanderer Vagabond]

8 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

They are all on the Coventry, I met over 20 between  Fazeley and Fradley this morning let alone that have passed this afternoon 

Yes, we found it quite busy there, and along the Trent and Mersey to Fradley, then we went up the Ashby.....tumbleweed city! Going back it was equally busy along the Coventry and T&M but once on the Staffs & Worcs, again not a lot moving. Funny 'cos I really like the Staffs & Worcs, especially at Tixall.

[Midnight]

Passed only two boats on the curly, only us and a small cruiser at the BCLM, the first night. Birmingham centre was the quietest I've seen it, we could have moored anywhere. Only one other boat at Merry Hill. Heading up to Llangollen next so expecting things to change.

[gatekrash]

10 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Yes, we found it quite busy there, and along the Trent and Mersey to Fradley, then we went up the Ashby.....tumbleweed city! Going back it was equally busy along the Coventry and T&M but once on the Staffs & Worcs, again not a lot moving. Funny 'cos I really like the Staffs & Worcs, especially at Tixall.

Bottom end of the S&W was dead quiet last week too. No boats moored at Wolverley, even on a sunny Saturday afternoon by the pub. Kinver VMs had a few boats but plenty of space. We passed 1 boat moving all day. Bizarrely when we went up the Stourbridge the next day we met boat after boat coming down through Stourton. They must have all been hiding up there.

 

From where we are in the marina at Droitwich we are right opposite the entrance and normally see a fair number of ABC and Black Prince boats going up / down the Droitwich canal, but I reckon I saw maybe 2 go by for the few days we were there either end of our trip.

 

 

[Quattrodave]

Im not surprised there's very few hire boats, at the price they charge its cheaper go abroad and hire a boat...

[Torblimey]

Quite a few on the Oxford heading north.

Still moored up near shipton lock as weather was terrible ( rained so hard a small river found its way through a gap in a porthole rubber and soaked a few things), had about five go past already this morning.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, NarrowboatTor said:

Quite a few on the Oxford heading north.

Still moored up near shipton lock as weather was terrible ( rained so hard a small river found its way through a gap in a porthole rubber and soaked a few things), had about five go past already this morning.

 

And there is at least one more on its way down in your direction. Steerer in a big warm coat and waterproof trousers, this fine summer morning!

[Lily Rose]

11 hours ago, johnmck said:

After travelling up from Cropredy yesterday,  we moored with the mast in view at Wormleighton. 

This morning was truly carp. Heavy rain, high winds. Ideal weather to sit tight and watch the rugby.

 

By 1400, the weather turned, so off we set.

 

Now it's Saturday.  By the time we started down from the summit pound, we fully expected to meet a string of hire boats ascending.

 

We were wrong. Hardly a boat passed us down to the Folly. Emptied and watered up, then moored up just around the bend and went to the Folly for sustenance. 

 

Where have all the boats gone?

 

I can tell you where I should have been when you headed down Napton flight.

 

I should have been headed up it on my way to Cropredy!

 

Unfortunately I discovered diesel in my engine oil (see separate thread) so now we're stuck in the marina until I can get someone to identify and fix the cause.

 

So that's one fewer boat out on the cut at the moment. Don't know how long for 😥

[Torblimey]

3 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

And there is at least one more on its way down in your direction. Steerer in a big warm coat and waterproof trousers, this fine summer morning!

I actually put the chimney back up and lit a fire last night, it was 11'c outside brrr.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, NarrowboatTor said:

I actually put the chimney back up and lit a fire last night, it was 11'c outside brrr.

 

Yep, not surprised. I've been giving the cheap chinese diesel heater quite a beating this last couple of days. They really are good bits of kit for the money!! 

 

 

[Torblimey]

4 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Yep, not surprised. I've been giving the cheap chinese diesel heater quite a beating this last couple of days. They really are good bits of kit for the money!! 

 

 

Oh yes! Fitted the air type to my brother's caravan, £90 and it heats it to 35'c in minutes for next to nothing.

Now he complains it's to hot 🥵 

They do coke up with deposits pretty quick tho easy to clean.

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

Just had a quick run from Apperley Bridge L&L to Dewsbury, only seen 2x boats moving in two days and they were both the “The Boat Co North” hire boats.

[IanD]

1 hour ago, Quattrodave said:

Im not surprised there's very few hire boats, at the price they charge its cheaper go abroad and hire a boat...

So are you suggesting they should charge less? If so, how would that leave them with a viable business?

 

Boat hire on the canals is expensive because the costs of running a narrowboat hire business in the UK are high, and have gone up significantly in recent years.

Edited July 7, 2024 by IanD

[MtB]

14 minutes ago, NarrowboatTor said:

Oh yes! Fitted the air type to my brother's caravan, £90 and it heats it to 35'c in minutes for next to nothing.

Now he complains it's to hot 🥵 

They do coke up with deposits pretty quick tho easy to clean.

 

Not my experience, never had one coke up and I've got three! 

 

I had one that seemed to have coked up but on dismantling it I was wrong. Can't remember what the fault was right now but I was kicking myself as I was so sure it must be coked up I bought a new burner assembly before taking it to bits. DOH, what an idiot!!

 

[Torblimey]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

Not my experience, never had one coke up and I've got three! 

 

I had one that seemed to have coked up but on dismantling it I was wrong. Can't remember what the fault was right now but I was kicking myself as I was so sure it must be coked up I bought a new burner assembly before taking it to bits. DOH, what an idiot!!

 

After the first year of use, quick nylon bead blast soon sorted it.

Tweaked the settings as it looked a bit rich 🤔

 

But yes was chatting to a hire boater last week and even he said it's getting expensive combined with the horrible weather.

Though he did say nothing still beats it.

[MtB]

8 minutes ago, NarrowboatTor said:

After the first year of use, quick nylon bead blast soon sorted it.

Tweaked the settings as it looked a bit rich 🤔

 

But yes was chatting to a hire boater last week and even he said it's getting expensive combined with the horrible weather.

Though he did say nothing still beats it.

 

Yep that's exactly what I was expecting to find having had my first one for six months and abused it by running it on "low' most of the time then turning it off without a quick blast on full power. Then when it wouldn't start, stupidly I assumed it was coked like in your photos as all the websites said this is what they do. But on taking it to bits it was immaculately clean inside! I don't think I ever found the fault. My memory is bad these days but I think it just worked again on reassembly. Probably battery voltage too low....

[Torblimey]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

Yep that's exactly what I was expecting to find having had my first one for six months and abused it by running it on "low' most of the time then turning it off without a quick blast on full power. Then when it wouldn't start, stupidly I assumed it was coked like in your photos as all the websites said this is what they do. But on taking it to bits it was immaculately clean inside! I don't think I ever found the fault. My memory is bad these days but I think it just worked again on reassembly. Probably battery voltage too low....

But hey for £90 you can get around x12 for the cost of a webasto kit and fitting.

Not saying that's a good thing design or build wise although they do certainly work.

 

Just had 2x hire boats go past heading towards Oxford in rain like stair rods atm, all smiles with phones out laughing at the weather.

[5239]

12 hours ago, Midnight said:

Passed only two boats on the curly, only us and a small cruiser at the BCLM, the first night. Birmingham centre was the quietest I've seen it, we could have moored anywhere. Only one other boat at Merry Hill. Heading up to Llangollen next so expecting things to change.

I wonder if that’s my mate at the BCLM, we spent a winter bumping into each other on the BCN. Do you remember if the front rail was bent down in the middle? That’d be him. 
(Yeah I know there’s lots of small cruisers about but I’m hoping he’s still pottering about)

Otherwise very busy here at Stoke Bruerne with boats. Have ideal spot to trade but it’s pissed down all weekend. Looks like another day in the pub. Damn. 
 

I dunno what to make of the refurbished museum. I’d like to say it’s better but I think I preferred a small museum crammed with stuff than a bigger one that feels empty. 
The tunnel brush is still one of my favourite items in there. 
The Café seems to do a very good trade which is pleasing to see. 
 

Edited July 7, 2024 by beerbeerbeerbeerbeer

[ditchcrawler]

In a queue of 3 at Wood end and three of us came through the swing bridge at Fradley junction together, also boats coming up from Alrewas. Had to wait for a boat at Armitage Tunnel and again 2 followed me through, been meeting boats all day.

[johnmck]

We are on the M1 of the canal system now, twixt Wigrams and Braunston. Ten boats moving. Very quiet for this section.

[Stroudwater1]

17 hours ago, johnmck said:

We are on the M1 of the canal system now, twixt Wigrams and Braunston. Ten boats moving. Very quiet for this section.

🤣
As well as the number of boats It’s like the M1 in other ways too, including Braunston locks and tunnel. Appreciate some can’t won’t venture up those.  
 

Poor steering, 

lack of awareness of the back turning when you turn the front and vice versa.

Won’t /can’t stop when the other vehicle is obviously the nearest to a narrowing.

Cant wait to see what’s happening and hover at all.

Going too fast for the conditions.

Headlights on full beam in the tunnel.

Traveling very slowly in good conditions and not letting people past - hogging the middle lane in other words.

Dodgy parking when off the motorway leaving no space for other vehicles.

 

 

At least there’s a rush “hour” then nothing much moving after 3.30 and before 8.30. 

 

[David Mack]

On 07/07/2024 at 12:16, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

Otherwise very busy here at Stoke Bruerne with boats.

We came through Stoke Bruerne on Tuesday and the volunteer lockie (great chap who helped us all the way down the flight), said it had been very quiet this year compared to last, and that he had heard that the hire companies have few boats out. The Wyvern base at Linslade had boats three abreast when we came past on Wednesday, so can't have many out. And even a passerby on the towpath in Mikton Keynes commented that he'd never seen so few boats moving on the canal.

[5239]

Just goes to show one person’s busy is another person’s not so busy. Mind a lockie ought to have a better over all idea so expect he’s right. 
 

All I can say Friday afternoon seemed busy. I came up them locks and out of the 7 it’s possible I crossed paired boats coming down in all but 2 of the pounds and I’d paired up at the bottom. While having a pint I watched a fair few pass too. 
Maybe Stoke Beuerne has a Friday rush hour 😃
 

 

 

 

[SLC]

We went down the Stoke Bruerne flight yesterday, Wednesday, at about 2pm and never met another boat. In fact of the 7 that passed us before then, four were in Blisworth tunnel!