Harecastle Tunnel air draft

[casper ghost]

Hello all...

A friend of mine wants to go through Harecastle tunnel and asked me if his boat would go through, I don't know as i've not done it.

His boat is unusual in that the cabin sides are near vertical and the rear cabin upsweep is very exagerated making his boat high at the sides. far higher than mine..

Does anyone know the air draft of the tunnel at a width to allow the sides to go through?

Thanks.. Casper

[alan_fincher]

I thought somebody else might have answered this, and as I've not been through since the late 1970s, I'm probably not the best person to advise.

 

However, it occurs to me that the former decaying tow-path has since been removed, making it possible for boats to use the centre of the arch, rather than one side of it, as used to be the case.

 

Therefore, I would have thought that unless a boat was unusually high, air draught in there should not be the problem it once was, (although I think the arch has sunk a little further in recent years, possibly ?).

 

I think if open to doubt, I'd measure the boat carefully, then consult the BW office for the area.

[steelaway]

Hello all...

A friend of mine wants to go through Harecastle tunnel and asked me if his boat would go through, I don't know as i've not done it.

His boat is unusual in that the cabin sides are near vertical and the rear cabin upsweep is very exagerated making his boat high at the sides. far higher than mine..

Does anyone know the air draft of the tunnel at a width to allow the sides to go through?

Thanks.. Casper

 

 

You should be OK bu ring --- 01606 723800

 

Alex

[denboy]

there are /was hanging chains on the entrance if you touch them then you wont fit there is one very low bit in there

[5thHorseman]

Because of leakage on the aqueduct just up the Macc they have reduced the water levels by about four inches which gives you extra clearance. The are chains on the south portal to the tunnel to test for air draught. We have a a fairly high air draught and are based at Etruria so we go through the tunnel a dozen or so times a year.

The comment about the tunnel "just when you thought the tunnel cannot get any lower - it does! is true. A section of the tunnel has sunk so the point of contact is no longer the hull against the side wall but the handrails against the roof because you are now up under the curvature of the roof, the worst section is only about 100yds long

Take it easy as you go through, I insist no one is on the back to distract me and no light is showing that is likely to ruin my night vision, turn on the cabin lights to give you side illumination down the sides and you should be OK. The tunnel steps down and each lowering of height is painted with reflective paint. Our boat is usually a pussy-cat as far as steering is concerned but if I push the speed too much in the low section she starts to fish tail, so cut your speed and pootle through that part.

It is useful to show a white light for a reference point to those following so they keep a reasonable distance as convoys can be up to a maximum of eight boats.

Enjoy - it's an experience not to be missed. Oh and watch out for the skeleton

 

5th

[the grinch]

Oh and watch out for the skeleton

 

5th

and the ghost light half way through (i've seen it!!)

[Night Hawk]

Oh I'm sorry, compared to Chirk tunnel, you could get a bus thru' the Harecastle. The nice BW chap there told us all about how low it is...NOT!

 

Kids loved the skeleton though...and what a noise those fans make when the doors slam closed behind you!

 

It is a fairly straight tunnel so you can crank up the revs!

[alan_fincher]

Does anybody actually know a quoted maximum height for Harecastle, please ?

 

We are very lightly ballasted at the front, and consequently higher than many narrow boats, even with a full water tank.

 

We entertained thoughts of doing Harecastle this summer, but I'm starting to wonder if we could have a problem.

 

No dimensions quoted in BW's maximum craft dimensions document.

 

EDIT:

 

I've now found several sources that quote a stunningly low figure of 5 ft 9 ins - that sounds desperately pessimistic, and would rule us out.

 

This old thread sounds closer to reality.....

 

Old Harecastle Air Draft Thread

Edited May 20, 2009 by alan_fincher

[nb Innisfree]

Does anybody actually know a quoted maximum height for Harecastle, please ?

 

We are very lightly ballasted at the front, and consequently higher than many narrow boats, even with a full water tank.

 

We entertained thoughts of doing Harecastle this summer, but I'm starting to wonder if we could have a problem.

 

No dimensions quoted in BW's maximum craft dimensions document.

Went through Harecastle last autumn, at the lowest point my head just brushed the roof, I am 6' exactly and stood 18" above the waterline so that makes 7' 6" air draught. The BW man barely glanced at my boat when I reported to him, it's not critical like it used to be,

[alan_fincher]

Went through Harecastle last autumn, at the lowest point my head just brushed the roof, I am 6' exactly and stood 18" above the waterline so that makes 7' 6" air draught. The BW man barely glanced at my boat when I reported to him, it's not critical like it used to be,

Thanks - a much more sensible answer than the clearly rather silly 5' 9".

 

We'll be fine then.

[Chris J W]

Oh I'm sorry, compared to Chirk tunnel, you could get a bus thru' the Harecastle.

 

Don't remember Chirk tunnel being particularly low?

[casper ghost]

I know my friend has been through Chirk tunnel, though he had to put padding on the cabin upsweep sides as they did hit the roof!

[Timleech]

I've just been out to measure the dredger mentioned in the old thread.

the front legs are roughly 1700mm above the water, and 1850 across. They did catch a few times on the roof, but there was always a few inches of theoretical clearance. The limiting factor was the height of the back-actor in the centre, I had to drop it down at the very lowest points, but the arch is quite 'flat' at the low points.

(I had a metric-only measure in my pocket )

 

 

Tim

[Richard T]

The worm hole (Gosty Hill) is lower than Harecastle. Alan having seen pictures of Chalice you should be OK. I've always found it better to be the first boat in a convoy then you set the speed and you don't catch up slow ones in front and run the risk of loosing steerage.

[casper ghost]

The worm hole (Gosty Hill) is lower than Harecastle. Alan having seen pictures of Chalice you should be OK. I've always found it better to be the first boat in a convoy then you set the speed and you don't catch up slow ones in front and run the risk of loosing steerage.

 

I agree, Gosty Hill is very low, I had to duck right down the whole time. It starts off low and after a bit it gets even lower.. My friend is going to his boat with a tape measure...