Where can I go with a 9' beam?

[AJLElectronics]

Viking 26 on the Avon near Bidford.  I know that I can go to Stratford and back down to Tewkesbury, perhaps up or down the Severn and G&S. I can also do Stroudwater I think as far as Brimscombe. However, is there some way that I can plan a route that will be compatible?  For instance (I know it's too narrow), up the Stratford canal into Birmingham or (sadly not I believe) visit Fradely Junction by some other route.

 

It would be nice if there was a "satnav" app that took the boat dimensions and gave you a route if possible, or even highlighted the waterways that could be navigated.

Edited July 5 by AJLElectronics

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, AJLElectronics said:

t would be nice if there was a "satnav" app that took the boat dimensions and gave you a route if possible, or even highlighted the waterways that could be navigated.

 

there is ;

 

CanalPlanAC — Canal Route Planner

 

Simply put in your boat dimensions and any preferences (such as 'no' to tidal rivers) tell it where you want to go from and go to and it'll give you  the route, or, say "not possible".

[MtB]

9 minutes ago, AJLElectronics said:

Viking 26 on the Avon near Bidford.  I know that I can go to Stratford and back down to Tewkesbury, perhaps up or down the Severn and G&S. I can also do Stroudwater I think as far as Brimscombe. However, is there some way that I can plan a route that will be compatible?  For instance (I know it's too narrow), up the Stratford canal into Birmingham or (sadly not I believe) visit Fradely Junction by some other route.

 

It would be nice if there was a "satnav" app that took the boat dimensions and gave you a route if possible, or even highlighted the waterways that could be navigated.

 

The country is broadly cut in half by narrow-only waterways.

 

South of the narrows you can do the K&A from Reading to Bristol, The Thames from London to Oxford and a fair bit further, and the Grand Union to Braunston then (nearly but not quite) Brum.

 

North of the narrows, who cares! 

 

 

[AJLElectronics]

7 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

there is ;

 

CanalPlanAC — Canal Route Planner

 

Simply put in your boat dimensions and any preferences (such as 'no' to tidal rivers) tell it where you want to go from and go to and it'll give you  the route, or, say "not possible".

 

Thank you.  I put in what I assumed is impossible, Bidford to Fradley and as expected got a lot of fails.  However there was one which failed for a reason that makes no contextual sense...

 

Possible route: River Avon - Warwickshire (Upper Avon Navigation) -- River Avon - Warwickshire (Lower Avon Navigation) -- River Severn (main river - Worcester to Gloucester) -- River Severn (main river - Stourport to Worcester) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Stourport Basins: Broad Route) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Stourport Basins: Narrow Route) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Stourport to Stourton) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Stourton to Aldersley) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Aldersley to Autherley) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Autherley to Great Haywood) -- Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Fradley to Great Haywood)

 

The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Stourport Basins: Broad Route) from Severn - Stourport Broad Locks Entrance is on the list of optional waterways for the following reason: narrow boats should normally use the narrow locks

If you want to plan a route along this waterway, turn it on from the "Exclusions" tab in your preferences

[MtB]

 

Oh and the River Wey down to Godalming. A charming trip. 

[nicknorman]

2 hours ago, AJLElectronics said:

 

Thank you.  I put in what I assumed is impossible, Bidford to Fradley and as expected got a lot of fails.  However there was one which failed for a reason that makes no contextual sense...

 

Possible route: River Avon - Warwickshire (Upper Avon Navigation) -- River Avon - Warwickshire (Lower Avon Navigation) -- River Severn (main river - Worcester to Gloucester) -- River Severn (main river - Stourport to Worcester) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Stourport Basins: Broad Route) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Stourport Basins: Narrow Route) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Stourport to Stourton) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Stourton to Aldersley) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Aldersley to Autherley) -- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Autherley to Great Haywood) -- Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Fradley to Great Haywood)

 

The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Stourport Basins: Broad Route) from Severn - Stourport Broad Locks Entrance is on the list of optional waterways for the following reason: narrow boats should normally use the narrow locks

If you want to plan a route along this waterway, turn it on from the "Exclusions" tab in your preferences

You can lock up from the river to Stourport basin using either the wide locks or the narrow ones. They are in parallel. Narrowboats should use the narrow locks to save water. But the Staffs and Worc after Stourport basin is narrow only so you can’t go beyond the basin.

[Tony Brooks]

9 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Oh and the River Wey down to Godalming. A charming trip. 

 

and the Basingstoke Canal for much, but not all its navigable length - unless the Authority has cleared the land slip, which I doubt.

[john6767]

CanalPlanAC will let you set the length and width of the boat, if it is saying you can do the route you tried, then you did not set the width correctly in the preferences.

 

From the Avon all you have access to is the Severn and the G&S (the Stroudwater is under restoration and is not connected to the network). The only way to go further is the go accross the Bristol Channel from Sharpness, then then on to the K&A, which would then give you access to the Thames, and other waterways linked to that including the GU which would let you go back to the midlands, including crossing over the Avon on a aqueduct in Warwick!

[AJLElectronics]

12 minutes ago, john6767 said:

From the Avon all you have access to is the Severn and the G&S

Very helpful. Thank you.

[Onewheeler]

In that boat you should be able to get down the tidal Severn to portishead given good weather and tides, then up the Bristol Avon to Bristol. Also across from Sharpness to lydney harbour but I'm not sure of the status of the latter at the moment. It's a good trip!

[AJLElectronics]

17 minutes ago, Onewheeler said:

In that boat you should be able to get down the tidal Severn to portishead given good weather and tides, then up the Bristol Avon to Bristol. Also across from Sharpness to lydney harbour but I'm not sure of the status of the latter at the moment. It's a good trip!

 

That is something I have in mind, as the tidal Severn is right outside my window! All I find when researching though is "Don't go there".  Even the Nicholson book which claims to include the Severn, pretends that it doesn't exist south of Gloucester docks.  That is very frustrating to me, because when someone tells me I can't do something, I like to find out the reasons and then find a method of doing it.  

[Wafi]

7 minutes ago, AJLElectronics said:

That is something I have in mind, as the tidal Severn is right outside my window! All I find when researching though is "Don't go there".  Even the Nicholson book which claims to include the Severn, pretends that it doesn't exist south of Gloucester docks.  That is very frustrating to me, because when someone tells me I can't do something, I like to find out the reasons and then find a method of doing it.  

The recommendations include taking a pilot in which case they'll confirm your boat is suitably prepared, but it should eb fine if it's in good shape. There are a few websites and blogs with lots more information. If you have sufficient experience of navigating in (very) tidal waters to be able to do it safely without a pilot, you'll also understand why almost everyone should take one. If at any point you think the recommendation is unnecessary or excessive, you're almost certainly on the wrong side of the Dunning-Kruger curve and should definitely take the pilot!

 

It's on my to-do list. I have decades of experience of sailing in very tidal waters, and will probably still take a pilot for the local knowledge.

[AJLElectronics]

1 minute ago, Wafi said:

It's on my to-do list. I have decades of experience of sailing in very tidal waters, and will probably still take a pilot for the local knowledge.

 

I wouldn't have a problem with so doing, I am bold but not stupid! Give me a wave as you go past. 

[Tim Lewis]

11 hours ago, AJLElectronics said:

Viking 26 on the Avon near Bidford.  I know that I can go to Stratford and back down to Tewkesbury, perhaps up or down the Severn and G&S. I can also do Stroudwater I think as far as Brimscombe. However, is there some way that I can plan a route that will be compatible?  For instance (I know it's too narrow), up the Stratford canal into Birmingham or (sadly not I believe) visit Fradely Junction by some other route.

 

It would be nice if there was a "satnav" app that took the boat dimensions and gave you a route if possible, or even highlighted the waterways that could be navigated.

 

You won't get very far up the Stroudwater from the G & S unless you are a trail boat

[Francis Herne]

9 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

 

You won't get very far up the Stroudwater from the G & S unless you are a trail boat

First post says a Viking 26 which should be trailable, so OP can do it (or anywhere else in the country > 9ft beam) if they really want.

Edited July 6 by Francis Herne

[Onewheeler]

2 hours ago, AJLElectronics said:

 

That is something I have in mind, as the tidal Severn is right outside my window! All I find when researching though is "Don't go there".  Even the Nicholson book which claims to include the Severn, pretends that it doesn't exist south of Gloucester docks.  That is very frustrating to me, because when someone tells me I can't do something, I like to find out the reasons and then find a method of doing it.  

I've done it from Bristol in a narrowboat. Couldn't get a pilot so we followed another boat with one. The exciting bit was when the other boat stopped under the new bridge. Called him on the radio, he was taking the alternator off as the engine was overheating. The other exciting bit was singlehanding down the Avon to portishead. Couldn't see portishead due to mist. Grateful for the GPS and relieved when the pier came into view.

 

Also done the trip to lydney. Easy but the timing is very important. Leave Sharpness half an hour before high water, let the tide take you upstream, when you get to the far bank you'll be taken back downstream and a nifty turn into the harbour. You'll have booked the EA to open the gates ready for you. We did it for the harbour festival, there was a brass band on the quay playing for those in peril on the sea 😂

[Bargebuilder]

2 hours ago, Wafi said:

The recommendations include taking a pilot in which case they'll confirm your boat is suitably prepared, but it should eb fine if it's in good shape. There are a few websites and blogs with lots more information. If you have sufficient experience of navigating in (very) tidal waters to be able to do it safely without a pilot, you'll also understand why almost everyone should take one. If at any point you think the recommendation is unnecessary or excessive, you're almost certainly on the wrong side of the Dunning-Kruger curve and should definitely take the pilot!

 

It's on my to-do list. I have decades of experience of sailing in very tidal waters, and will probably still take a pilot for the local knowledge.

I can only speak from personal experience, having crossed both The Wash and navigated the tidal Severn from Sharpness to Portishead and then up to Bristol in my NB. On neither trip did I take a pilot or follow another boat and neither trip was particularly demanding in terms of navigation.

 

Of the two, I found the Severn to be the most straightforward because the navigation marks are superb, with leading marks that are unmistakable.

 

It's important that in both cases you do all the 'homework' and it's essential that the weather is calm and forecast to stay that way all day in the case of The Wash, and for a few hours in the case of the Severn.

 

The boat must be prepared for lumpy conditions, vents taped up, fuel tank checked for sludge, a new fuel filter and several spares etc.

 

I used and would highly recommend the use of the Navionics App, download to a phone and tablet so you have a backup. It shows you exactly where you are and where the shallow bits are and makes either voyage easily doable without a pilot.

 

I have done some coastal sailing, so I wasn't put off by those who talk of sea monsters and other terrors, and we were rewarded with trips that were both memorable and great fun. In fact, we may do the Severn again next year. 

 

 

[Francis Herne]

On a bit of a tangent, the only places I can think of with a specific 9' beam restriction:

 

Dutton stop lock and thus the tunnels at Barnton/Saltersford/Preston Brook. Profile above water might be tight in a cruiser.

Jesus Lock on the River Cam (9' 8", others on the Great Ouse system are a bit over 10').

 

You're a bit wide for the Mon & Brec and everything else [over 7ft] is over 12ft unless I've forgotten something.

Edited July 8 by Francis Herne

[fatmanblue]

As well as Avon, Severn, G&S, into the basin at Stourport and into the basin at Worcester (and indeed in Stratford) you can go up the Droitwich almost as far as Droitwich itself (bridge 15).

 

In a Viking you can probably get up the Avon almost as far as Alveston weir.