A Big Thank You

[matchman]

Well here goes my first post.

I have been viewing your site as a guest for over 12 months.

The information and help I have gained from posts links etc ( I have been through them all) has been invaluable.

So a big thanks to every one.

Try to keep it short.

I bought my first NB in July 08 57"- 3"semi trad (my surveyor measured it) I did not know what a semi trad was till I read this forum!

The boat is new but the surveyor says its a budget boat Liverpool hull lots of MDF but it gaves us the layout we wanted at the price we could afford (well we did stretch ourselves a bit but you do when you waited for years to have one)

Only moved boat from Northwich to its mooring at Bosley top lock so still lots of learning.

Carried out a few ideas off the forum ie locked up my fuel and water nothing to complicated.

Hope to start cruising later this year.

Going North first Family in Huddersfield probably a bit of a challenge from info I have read but no pain no gain.

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Matchman,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

The first boat is always exciting and a steep learning curve. Since starting to live aboard over 4 years ago, this forum has been a great help in understanding problems and learning things that we knew nothing about.

 

Its also very reassuring to know that whatever you take on, someone else has been there and done it before you and is able to share there experiences with you through the forum.

 

Have a great 2009 afloat and keep up the posting

 

Roger

[NB Phoenix]

Hi Matchman

 

Welcome to the forum and happy cruising

[gaggle]

have a ball mate , i do the huddersfied every year and it is great.

[matchman]

have a ball mate , i do the huddersfied every year and it is great.

Thanks.

Anything tips on this trip?

Me and the wife are both 60 but reasonable fit still playing active sports !

[gaggle]

come across pounds that were completly empty and worried about filling them from the next pound up , apart from one boater on the upper pound wondering why his boat was on the bottom the empty pound were no problem.

stay slow and in the middle to stay off the bottom.

saddlesworth brilliant.

[Neil TNC]

Thanks.

Anything tips on this trip?

Me and the wife are both 60 but reasonable fit still playing active sports !

 

Yes...contact Martin Clark of Pennine Waterways.

If he is about he will come out and help you do his beloved HNC :-)

[matchman]

Yes...contact Martin Clark of Pennine Waterways.

If he is about he will come out and help you do his beloved HNC :-)

Thanks will contact Martin before I set off if I know how to contact him Tel Email ?.

I see your on the Shannon ?

I have cruised some of the shannon and erne. on hire boats Carrick Craft

I have a place in Tarmonbarry Co roscommon so over there quite a bit.

Have a small aluminium fishing boat which I use on the shannpon in that area (mainly fishing)

[bottle]

Matchman

 

Welcome to the boating world and this forum.

 

Further to Neil's post have a look at a site that Martin Clark is involved with http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/index.htm

[Debby]

You might be able to tempt us to give you a hand with the Marple flight..........Preferably on a Saturday, as long as I'm not working.

[Matthew Dowson]

Thanks.

Anything tips on this trip?

Me and the wife are both 60 but reasonable fit still playing active sports !

 

I only got as far as Diggle last summer and was turned back, as cabin was too high- its a very upright one. I think if I'd brimmed my water tank the night before at the bottom of the locks up to Diggle I'd have been OK, but no time to do it at the top. It's a lovely canal, as it gets very little traffic its v.quiet. Hopefully with the change in policy on tunnel transits it'll get busier. Stalybridge was impressive, great fish and chip shop. You sort of appear in the centre of town as you rise up in the lock (preceded by a short tunnel). Have fun, let us know how you get on.

[matchman]

I only got as far as Diggle last summer and was turned back, as cabin was too high- its a very upright one. I think if I'd brimmed my water tank the night before at the bottom of the locks up to Diggle I'd have been OK, but no time to do it at the top. It's a lovely canal, as it gets very little traffic its v.quiet. Hopefully with the change in policy on tunnel transits it'll get busier. Stalybridge was impressive, great fish and chip shop. You sort of appear in the centre of town as you rise up in the lock (preceded by a short tunnel). Have fun, let us know how you get on.

Never thought of height restrictions ! looked up lengths and widths of locks etc to check my boat will fit.

Do you measure the height of the boat from the water line to its highest point above to give you a boat height for tunnels bridges etc?

[Derek Porteous]

Never thought of height restrictions ! looked up lengths and widths of locks etc to check my boat will fit.

Do you measure the height of the boat from the water line to its highest point above to give you a boat height for tunnels bridges etc?

 

If you have a Liverpool boat you should be OK. I went through in a 55ft Liverpool Boat a couple of years ago. The tunnel was fine, althought the first pipe bridge on the east side of the tunnel removed my aerial fo rme.

 

Derek

[matchman]

You might be able to tempt us to give you a hand with the Marple flight..........Preferably on a Saturday, as long as I'm not working.

Thanks for the offer.

Not going until july as we have a wedding in the family which has taken over our lives and put our first years cruising on the back burner (its wonderful having 3 daughters 2 grand daughters and a wife dont know how to make boys)

We also live in Macc

[Neil TNC]

Thanks will contact Martin before I set off if I know how to contact him Tel Email ?.

I see your on the Shannon ?

I have cruised some of the shannon and erne. on hire boats Carrick Craft

I have a place in Tarmonbarry Co roscommon so over there quite a bit.

Have a small aluminium fishing boat which I use on the shannpon in that area (mainly fishing)

 

I would have thought Martin would have turned up!

As others have said you can contact him through his Pennine Waterways website.

http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/

(Martin like people to contact him through his "unspamy" link)

The TNC HNC passages are at:

http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_03/Tour03_5.html

http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_03/Tour03_29.html

 

We are now based on the Shannon-Erne at Riversdale Barge / Ballinamore, more due to the fact that I wanted Earnest in a reasonably priced marina, where it would be looked after, rather than abandoning it for months on end on the Grand Canal (which you can as long as you have your 80 Euro mooring and locking permit.)

As I prefer to boat south we registered Earnest with the Shannon (free).

Are you in the new development beside the river?...what do you think of Keenan's, now they have their big extension?

We are fairly well known by the Shannon lockies. Liam at Tarmonbarry keeps saying he is going to buy a wide-beam narrowboat...my answer is always wait a bit longer, untill the price (in Euros) is even cheaper.

I am not looking forward to the weakness of Sterling when I next go back, we found provisioning / eating out was expensive before Sterling started it's collapse. TNC last nite was at our local 'Spoons...from being empty just after Xmas, it was now packed, loads of crinklies were eating their ham and eggs for £2-99 and by the evenings end they were out of Green King IPA @ 99p/pint.

Perhaps we can meet up if our paths cross at Tarmonbarry...I expect you would not mind cadging a trip on the Royal, when the Shannon end opens up (prob not until April 2010)

[Matthew Dowson]

Never thought of height restrictions ! looked up lengths and widths of locks etc to check my boat will fit.

Do you measure the height of the boat from the water line to its highest point above to give you a boat height for tunnels bridges etc?

 

Yes, they place a huge set square over your boat, so you want you hull sitting as low in the water as possible so top up all tanks - diesel too. If you're a pump out perhaps don't empty it prior to the ascent if poss, I'll take lots of coal on as well next time. Contact BW North West for full details. There's a previous post on here about this, so search for Standedge Tunnel.

[saltysplash]

welcome aboard shipmate

 

All will be revealed as you explore those still waters....and if you get into a spot of bother,,,,,,,ropes are very handy for towing the old girl backwards to the next winding hole

[estwdjhn]

What is the headroom required for the Huddersfield? The front of my cabin seems rather above the average in height, and I really fancy trying Standage tunnel one day...

 

Welcome bty - your just down the cut from me - I moor in Macc centre, bridge 37...