Leeds & Liverpool shortboat "NIDD"

[bargemast]

You've presumably made up your minds, but we NEVER have anyone jump off Friesland. We mostly lassoo something from the boat, and working from the boat to the bank is the norm. Very occasionally there is nothing to catch onto and someone might have to step off in a dainty manner, but why couldn't Roz steer while you stepped off?

 

 

That's exactly the question that I often ask when people are talking about their difficulties throwing ropes etc. in most cases (not all) man are physicly stronger and so should be having less difficulty with the rope handling, but very often they don't seem to trust their female partners at the wheel, probably because they are worried that the women are better than they are.

 

On most commercial barges it's the man doing the heavier work, which is perfectly normal and to me the way it should be done.

 

Graham, it would be a shame if you sell the barge and have regrets later, that is of course if you still like living and cruising on NIDD, if you have enough of it anyway then fair enough.

 

Peter.

[Bargenidd]

Hi Tam & Peter,

 

Roz's injury was caused when she jumped/stepped off the barge onto an uneven wild canal bank where we decided to moor up for the night. There was nothing to tie onto at the water's edge and unfortunately, she jerked her knee and heard a pop as she obviously landed badly! The circumstances were far from ideal as there was a wind, so she knew that it would have been hard for me to control the barge until she had the bow rope secured. Even on a familiar stretch of canal, there is no guarantee that where you aim to stop will be available and you have to make a choice. The decision to sell the barge has not been made lightly and it is not the end of boating for us as we have bought a cruiser which will be much easier for Roz to handle while I do the ropes and any "jumping" off as required. She often takes the barge controls while underway, but does not feel comfortable mooring it or going through locks. She has no interest in doing a course either. This is just a new chapter for us and will be our eight boat. The cruiser will provide us with some new facilities and possibilities, but I will miss the space on Nidd. If we have a lottery win, I will be first in line at a shipyard to have a 23.99 meter barge built to my spec with all the gadgets and facilities...

 

Best wishes

 

Graham

[bargemast]

Hi Tam & Peter,

 

Roz's injury was caused when she jumped/stepped off the barge onto an uneven wild canal bank where we decided to moor up for the night. There was nothing to tie onto at the water's edge and unfortunately, she jerked her knee and heard a pop as she obviously landed badly! The circumstances were far from ideal as there was a wind, so she knew that it would have been hard for me to control the barge until she had the bow rope secured. Even on a familiar stretch of canal, there is no guarantee that where you aim to stop will be available and you have to make a choice. The decision to sell the barge has not been made lightly and it is not the end of boating for us as we have bought a cruiser which will be much easier for Roz to handle while I do the ropes and any "jumping" off as required. She often takes the barge controls while underway, but does not feel comfortable mooring it or going through locks. She has no interest in doing a course either. This is just a new chapter for us and will be our eight boat. The cruiser will provide us with some new facilities and possibilities, but I will miss the space on Nidd. If we have a lottery win, I will be first in line at a shipyard to have a 23.99 meter barge built to my spec with all the gadgets and facilities...

 

Best wishes

 

Graham

 

 

Hi Graham, Roz's injury sounds quite serious and I can understand that you made this hard decision now.

 

But if you arrive somewhere where it's not easy enough to jump off just like that with a barge that's drifting along, wouldn't it be much easier to drop your anchor (if your winch and anchor are in the condition they should be) and keep the barge in position by just idling in forward gear, that way she's not going anywhere while keeping the bow against the bank, and you can take all the time you need to sort things like mooring-spikes etc out, and use a gangplank instead of jumping off into the unknown while doing that.

 

I wish you lots of pleasant and easy cruising and mooring up with your cruiser, and if you ever manage to win the lottery, it may be easier to get a barge built to your spec of 19.99 meter which makes life easier, and for the time being no fuss with the TRIWV Regs.

 

 

ATB and a quick recovery for Roz,

 

Peter.

[Bargenidd]

Hi Peter,

 

Nidd has a forward and aft heavy anchor with lots of heavy chain and strong rope, but no winch! Using one of them & having to haul it back on board would really only be in an emergency. Roz's injury was such a simple fall, but has had serious consequences. Honestly, when I said she "jumped", it would be more accurate to say she stepped of as it was only a few feet, but she was unlucky to land on uneven ground, or her foot was not straight. The bow is the highest point of the barge so she was perhaps 2 1/2 feet over the bank and the bow was touching the bank. It was just "one of those things".

 

I'm familiar with the TRIWV regs, but it's nice to dream of a big floating home with new spotless bilges, a silent generator, bow & stern thrusters, hot tub etc......

 

Best wishes

 

 

Graham

Edited September 11, 2012 by Bargenidd

[bargemast]

Hi Peter,

 

Nidd has a forward and aft heavy anchor with lots of heavy chain and strong rope, but no winch! Using one of them & having to haul it back on board would really only be in an emergency. Roz's injury was such a simple fall, but has had serious consequences. Honestly, when I said she "jumped", it would be more accurate to say she stepped of as it was only a few feet, but she was unlucky to land on uneven ground, or her foot was not straight. The bow is the highest point of the barge so she was perhaps 2 1/2 feet over the bank and the bow was touching the bank. It was just "one of those things".

 

I'm familiar with the TRIWV regs, but it's nice to dream of a big floating home with new spotless bilges, a silent generator, bow & stern thrusters, hot tub etc......

 

Best wishes

 

 

Graham

 

 

Hi Graham,

 

without the winch you'll never use your anchor of course to make tying up an easier task, as it would take a lot of force to get it up again, so not worth the hassle.

 

Getting ashore, as usual from close to the bank you can never trust what you see, unless it's a real quay, as overgrown grass can hide away all sorts of unexpected (and often nasty) surprises. I once stepped in a fairly deep invisible hole with one leg, and pulled a muscle which took a good (bad) month to heal, you can't be careful enough !

 

Until you win the lottery, keep on dreaming about your new barge with all possible mod cons, during this dreaming, you don't have to have the money, and while dreaming you can change everything you want on her for free too.

 

If you really have the cash, you may go for one as big as possible for your cruising area, so you have plenty of room for crew to look after you, and even a deckhand that will jump (step)off the barge to hammer in a mooring spike, or to pass the rope through a ring, to tie up when needed.

 

"Dreams are my reality"

 

Peter.

[C0lin Rigby]

The NIDD is on the south bank of the Trent,  close to the Trent Bridge cricket ground.  It has been there for some years, and the owners are intending in fitting it out as a house boat.

[jenevers]

16 hours ago, C0lin Rigby said:

The NIDD is on the south bank of the Trent,  close to the Trent Bridge cricket ground.  It has been there for some years, and the owners are intending in fitting it out as a house boat.

Are you sure it’s not Humber Keel NIDD cos Short Boat NIDD is for sale in France I think.

 

https://www.apolloduck.eu/boat/barges-peniche/649694#map

[Dav and Pen]

There were photos of Nidd passing through the lock at Berry au Bac posted on a Facebook site within the last month.