Travelling

[Black Ibis]

OK, so now we have everything sorted re: Lucky Duck, i am contemplating the trip back from Birmingham to Cambridge.

 

Just wondered whats a reasonable distance/number of locks to travel in a day, given that we're relatively new to boating? How long would you reckon that journey would take? I have to take time off work you see, so i'm trying to work it out

[SarahB]

I use this for an estimation of how long:

 

http://www2.mihalis.net/canal/cgi-bin/index.cgi

 

Sarah

[Tusses]

OK, so now we have everything sorted re: Lucky Duck, i am contemplating the trip back from Birmingham to Cambridge.

 

Just wondered whats a reasonable distance/number of locks to travel in a day, given that we're relatively new to boating? How long would you reckon that journey would take? I have to take time off work you see, so i'm trying to work it out

 

My maiden voyage when my boat was dropped in the water was around 16 miles and 2 locks. I think it was getting on for 10:30 am when the crane left. and about 5pm when I moored up outside my house.

 

It was the beggining of Feb and bl00dy freeeeezing !!! - so that was enough for one day !

 

When its warmer / lighter (like now) you can get more miles per day ... 6am to 8pm ??? hard going, but can eat the miles up

 

hope that helps

[Maverick]

I always reckon an average of 3 mph. Travel for 7 hours do 21 miles. Not usually far out.

[Black Ibis]

From Canalplan (thanks Sarah!) it says it will be a total of 9 days, 230 miles and 79 locks! eep! we should give it at least 2 weeks then!

[tullemor1]

From Canalplan (thanks Sarah!) it says it will be a total of 9 days, 230 miles and 79 locks! eep! we should give it at least 2 weeks then!

 

Plan to use a lot more time than what is stated in the canal planner, and give room for bad weather and that you might get tired. I did 30 locks in one day, but afterwards I couldn't even peel potatoes and we needed to take the next day "off".

[The Drunken Duck]

Like Maverick we calculate on 3 mph. Also we allow 20 mins for a lock. We don't rush

 

So if you add up the miles and the number of locks. Then divide that total by 3. You have how many hours it will take to do that section of the canal.

[Keeping Up]

Remember the journey includes broad locks, narrow locks, Guillotine locks, manned locks, unmanned locks, broad canal, narrow canal, downstream river (Nene), upstream rivers (Gt Ouse and Cam), tidal waters (Salters Lode to Denver), deep waters, shallow waters, the Middle Levels, and in fact just about every type of boating you can have. It's a wonderful trip full of variety, but the journey time could be quite unpredictable with the possibility of waiting for more water, or less water, or the right tides, etc. Allow more time than you think you'll need, you'll probably need it.

[NB Alnwick]

OK, so now we have everything sorted re: Lucky Duck, i am contemplating the trip back from Birmingham to Cambridge.

 

Just wondered whats a reasonable distance/number of locks to travel in a day, given that we're relatively new to boating? How long would you reckon that journey would take? I have to take time off work you see, so i'm trying to work it out

 

A lot depends on the design of your boat - although 20 minutes per mile and 20 minutes a lock is a good average. A deep draughted boat (anything over three feet) on shallow canals will struggle to make a mile in half an hour. We always expect to make no more than a mile every half hour and take it as a bonus when we arrive earlier than expected. Fortunately our average time through locks is in the region of 10 minutes so the words 'Swings' and 'Roundabouts' come to mind!

[SarahB]

Plan to use a lot more time than what is stated in the canal planner, and give room for bad weather and that you might get tired. I did 30 locks in one day, but afterwards I couldn't even peel potatoes and we needed to take the next day "off".

 

We did 139 miles and 133 locks in 9 days and probably not more than 8ish hours a day and canal planner says 8 days so not far off really. I agree about the number of locks in a day being the killer - we did a stretch through Berkhamstead/Cow Roast and that was lock after lock. Very knackered at the end of that day!

[dor]

I always work on three lock/miles/hour, although you can punch this on some locks, r.g. the Audlem flight, especially if you have someone working ahead.

 

I've done Wheelock to Harecastle in under six hours single-handed, but I wouldn't use that as a yardstick!

 

Also, how long do you want to spend looking around? I meet a guy on some locks once who had been doing the 4-counties, and he was well pi**ed off - "about all I've seen in the last week is that bloody roof in front of me and hardly had time for a drink".

[alan_fincher]

My feeling, if it's not a deep drafted boat, or too shallow a canal, in that 3 miles per hour between locks isn't a bad yardstick,

 

I've never really been comfortable with a lock taking as long as a mile though. If it's not busy, you can often do 2 locks in the time taken to travel a mile.

 

But if you turn up at a major flight, and there are twenty boats queued waiting to go through.......

 

There's no right answer really. We can easily do the Marsworth flight (7 locks) in under an hour if we are on our own. If it get's busy, you can struggle to do it in two.

 

Alan

Edited April 26, 2008 by alan_fincher

[Maffi]

Caen Hill up 16 locks single handed 2 Hours 54 Minutes.

 

Caen Hill down 23 locks 8 crew 5 Hours. Go figure

[debbifiggy]

Remember the journey includes broad locks, narrow locks, Guillotine locks, manned locks, unmanned locks, broad canal, narrow canal, downstream river (Nene), upstream rivers (Gt Ouse and Cam), tidal waters (Salters Lode to Denver), deep waters, shallow waters, the Middle Levels, and in fact just about every type of boating you can have. It's a wonderful trip full of variety, but the journey time could be quite unpredictable with the possibility of waiting for more water, or less water, or the right tides, etc. Allow more time than you think you'll need, you'll probably need it.

That's sound advice, especially if you are still new to boating. It takes time to get used to all the different types of situations you encounter from different lock types, canal vs river, up vs down etc. Whatever you do, take it steadily, do it safely and enjoy :-)

D

[Keeping Up]

Caen Hill up 16 locks single handed 2 Hours 54 Minutes.

 

Caen Hill down 23 locks 8 crew 5 Hours. Go figure

An illustration of Parkinson's law as applied to canals ? Work at a lock expands so as to occupy all the crew available.

[MoominPapa]

Remember the journey includes broad locks, narrow locks, Guillotine locks, manned locks, unmanned locks, broad canal, narrow canal, downstream river (Nene), upstream rivers (Gt Ouse and Cam), tidal waters (Salters Lode to Denver), deep waters, shallow waters, the Middle Levels, and in fact just about every type of boating you can have. It's a wonderful trip full of variety, but the journey time could be quite unpredictable with the possibility of waiting for more water, or less water, or the right tides, etc. Allow more time than you think you'll need, you'll probably need it.

Very good advice. We just brought our new boat home along some of the same route and had to take a break for a week whilst the Nene flow went down. The weather is improving now, which will help. Bad weather can slow you down a lot, as can short daylight hours. Don't forget that you will need to book passage times 24 hours in advance at Stanground and Salter's Lode, which will cost you time since you'll have to be conservative to be sure of making the booked time. Salter's Lode passage times depend on the tides and can, in extremis, involve a long wait. It's probably best to talk to the Lock-keeper sooner rather than later to get advice.

 

Don't assume you can do heroic amounts - two or three long days are OK, but not ten in a row.

 

Enjoy the trip, and the new boat.

 

MoominPapa.

 

P.S. I assume the weather is OK now. I'm currently holed up in California, but I'll be back at the end of the week to claim my newly-machined pump casing from Baldock!

[Berty]

Hi,

 

We recently did Keynsham (on the Kennet & Avon) to Richmond (on the Thames) in 10 days. (Plus 5 days sitting at Aldermaston for a stoppage at Padworth Swing bridge!)

 

Canal planner said 10 days at 8 hours per day; we probably averaged 10 hours per day.

 

It wasn't a tremendously rushed pace, but there wasn't a lot of time to stop and look around. When we go back, I'll aim for a 20 day journey, with plenty of time to look at places on the way past, and also time spare to hide inside if it's raining

 

Cheers,

Berty

[Liam]

We bought our current boat from Cowroast Marina and bought it back up on the Bridgewater with, according to the canal route planner, 199 miles and 121 locks in 7 days. It was the best time out boating I have had

[bargeeboy]

We just bought a boat back from Bill Fen near March

Left Sat before last at 09.30 tied up in Fotheringhay 19.00

Left 7.00 tied up Northampton 19.30

 

Started this Sat left Northampton at 08.00 Bottom Buckby 14.00

Then hassle took nearly 5 hours up and over instead of usual 3 we can do with a loaded pair.

Arrived at Alvecote Sunday afternoon

So 1 extra day from Cambridge to March and 1 extra day Alvecote to Birmingham

So 6 days actually bit if you start On a Sat and finish the folowing Weekend it should be a leisurely cruise.

[PaddingtonBear]

Another issue is the condition of the boat especially the mechanics. It will take a few days (months, years?) to understand the quirks of you boat esp. if it has been laid up for a time. Take a basic good quality tool kit and some rag. I would recommend taking it easy until you understand what the boat is telling you. Make sure YOU do the basic checks (oil, water diesel, batteries, ropes etc) before setting off and very importantly use the lock keepers at Stanground, Marmont Priory and Salters Lode well in advance of arriving as they are mines of local information and they have total control over whether you proceed or not. They are all very approachable but their overriding responsibility is flood control and as such boaters take very much second place. Very good luck and as we moor at Bill Fen we hope to see you both around the Fens soon but beware boating is addictive!! and just remember it is not a race.

Edited April 28, 2008 by PaddingtonBear

[pwl]

First trip - contingency. Our ex-hire is SERIOUSLY underpropped as we found out on our first trip. We cant break wash even if we try so dont assume you can do 3 or 4 LMPH until you know you can. We took a day and a half to get from Rugby way to Calcutt. When she is out the water later in the year that will get fixed. Take a basic toolkit and Swarvega just in case and early on find out the correct fanbelt / throttle cable / stop cable and carry spares. We lost a fanbelt on an early voyage and its a long way to call the 'AA'. Having said all that I hope you enjoy having your own boat. Knowing you can look at the weather and 'go out' for the weekend is very addictive.

 

P

Edited April 29, 2008 by pwl

[JohnSallyCharlie]

Isleham lock to Ely 4 1/2 hours without stopping and no traffic.

 

Now thats chilling out

 

 

 

peace

[nbtafelberg]

Chrertsey Meads River Thames

Down to Teddington

Out on the Tideway = note this for timing we arrived at Teddington at about 1:20pm which was ideal to go straight out on the tide

In at Brentford

Up to Packet Boat Marina Water Point

 

Would have been quicker but we got weeded on the GU 4th lock

 

10:00 AM

to

12:00 MIDNIGHT

 

TAFELBERG - with me

HAYLEY - with Chris

Edited June 5, 2008 by clevett

[mykaskin]

Chrertsey Meads River Thames

Down to Teddington

Out on the Tideway = note this for timing we arrived at Teddington at about 1:20pm which was ideal to go straight out on the tide

In at Brentford

Up to Packet Boat Marina Water Point

 

Would have been quicker but we got weeded on the GU 4th lock

 

10:00 AM to 12:00 MIDNIGHT

 

So a nice leisurely trip then. We did the following:

 

Penton Hook to Northolt

30 miles, 18 locks

07:13 - 17:05

 

Would have been quicker - but I fell in!

 

See the log here (towards the bottom of the page):

 

http://shoestring.zapto.org/pics/Northampton/index_2.html

 

 

Cheers,

 

Mike