Casio Bridge Lock - winding hole

[Ernie]

We passed the winding hole at the bottom of Casio Bridge Lock yesterday (Watford). There are two boats moored in the winding hole and ‘make shift’ signs hanging from a chain across the winding hole advising that turning is not allowed.

 

100 yards further south, there is a sign at the marina entrance advising that turning in their entrance is not allowed and that anyone wanting to turn should use the official winding hole at the bottom of Casio Bridge lock!!!

 

Anyone know the story on this ???

[Speedwheel]

The bit that is now blocked off just belwo the lock is the official winding hole.

 

What has happened is that the owner has illegally excavated the old water cress beds and is trying to connect the canal to a lake that is hidden behind the trees. There is currently action being taken by numerous different authorities against them and they are possibly going to try submitting a planning application.

 

The whole site is currently for sale (or at least was) for about 500k.

 

Please complain to BW about the winding hole being blocked.

Edited September 4, 2010 by Speedwheel

[jenlyn]

We passed the winding hole at the bottom of Casio Bridge Lock yesterday (Watford). There are two boats moored in the winding hole and make shift signs hanging from a chain across the winding hole advising that turning is not allowed.

 

100 yards further south, there is a sign at the marina entrance advising that turning in their entrance is not allowed and that anyone wanting to turn should use the official winding hole at the bottom of Casio Bridge lock!!!

 

Anyone know the story on this ???

 

Spoke to BW about this some time ago, I was told its not an official winding hole. . . . British Waterways excuse I think bcos they only have rules and regs, no laws. The amount of bridge hoppers and unlicensed boats between Harefield and Hemel is a bloody joke, the truth of it is, they dont really have any clout and are F****d. Oh and while I am on a rant, if they did some dredging, there would be somewhere to MOOR between Harefield and Hemel

Edited September 4, 2010 by jenlyn

[alan_fincher]

Oh and while I am on a rant, if they did some dredging, there would be somewhere to MOOR between Harefield and Hemel

Strange post....

 

There must be more opportunities on that bit than most.

 

Places we have used recently include....

 

Widewater

Stockers

Rickmansworth

Lot Mead

Common Moor

Kings Langley

Home Park

Apsley (including the bit you moored in a few months back!).

 

all with no depth issues whatsoever, but there are countless others.

 

Surely with most modern boats can get against the bank more places than you can't on that stretch ?

[jenlyn]

Strange post....

 

There must be more opportunities on that bit than most.

 

Places we have used recently include....

 

Widewater

Stockers

Rickmansworth

Lot Mead

Common Moor

Kings Langley

Home Park

Apsley (including the bit you moored in a few months back!).

 

you only come onto the cut now and again, i live on it, cant see that you can comment on the topic with any real knowledge, sorry

 

all with no depth issues whatsoever, but there are countless others.

 

Surely with most modern boats can get against the bank more places than you can't on that stretch ?

[alan_fincher]

you only come onto the cut now and again, i live on it, cant see that you can comment on the topic with any real knowledge, sorry

I'm kind of surprised you haven't worked out many of the places your boat should easily go against an edge then.

 

If in doubt, one can always try it, (even those of us with "no real knowledge").

[magpie patrick]

I'm kind of surprised you haven't worked out many of the places your boat should easily go against an edge then.

 

If in doubt, one can always try it, (even those of us with "no real knowledge").

 

That's the second time I've seen Jenlyn take on someone who knows what thety are talking about, and the second time I've seen Jenlyn lose...

[Slim]

Not the worlds most prolific poster but I'm driven to to comment!! (a) I was recently told by a BW employee that the winding hole below Casio lock is on private land and therefore NOT an official turning point and therefore they (BW) could therefore do nothing about it being blocked.

 

(b)Bridge blockers (or what ever you want to call them) are more than a pain in the Watford/Rickmansworth/Harefield area. Last week, at about 3.30 pm, there were no more than 4 x 50" moorings available between Stockers lock and the one above Batchworth lock. (can't remember what it's name is!! I,together with two other two boats following me down took up three of them. What happened to those looking for a visitors mooring later in the day? Why were there so few available? Because of individuals who spend their entire life "cruising" between Harefield and Rickmansworth. (if a certain boat named after a previous Queen wishes to challenge this statement please feel free) The 14 day in 1 calender year notice is ignored totally. Do BW take any notice, No! I've been told by several people (could name names but value paintwork) that the BW reps leave you alone in the Rickmansworth area as long as you keep your head down.

 

I could rant on but life's too short.

signed

A Community Charge, Water rate, TV licence and any other tax you're expected to pay payer (AKA an idiot!)

[Dovetail]

Plenty of places to moor from Harefield and Hemel apart from Ricmansworth something strange about this place boats stay from one year to the next you see the same boats same place year in year out.

[Slim]

Don't dispute there are other places to moor. My point was that the [b]visitor[/b] moorings at Rickmansworth are taken up by people who are taking th p**s out of we mere mortals. Also that BW (or their employees) don't give a hoot.,

[jenlyn]

That's the second time I've seen Jenlyn take on someone who knows what thety are talking about, and the second time I've seen Jenlyn lose...

 

Take on?? lol, two fruitcakes from the same basket, you dont half talk some rubbish at times, lose what? i made a comment, get a life. Alan and yourself can be very sad people at times, namely whenever i comment on here, very droll

[Keeping Up]

I saw your boat Jenlyn as I came past recently. I nearly stopped to say hello. Now that I have read this thread and know what sort of person you are, I am glad that I didn't bother.

[Strads]

Well yet again Jenlyn confirms what a complete and utter #### he is -

supprised he ventured that far north and with a shallow draft widebeam !! his comments are at the polite odd as there are mooring spaces for deep drafted boats - if you look them out, but probably further from the pub or station than he would like... the expression of a plonker come to mind, but then again his previous knowledge respect for canal use has been very defient.
probaly wears blinkers,,

and citing that Alan dosnt know etc shows he dosnt check follow his blog/posts and nor note his cruising by...


dont disagree re the blocked winding hole being blocked being a pain, regardless of who "owns" bw should manage, ditto moving on all the P155 takers around ricky....and some other honey pot places...

happy days

time bw charged wide beams double or boats by sq metre....

Edited February 1, 2016 by DHutch
language

[jenlyn]

I saw your boat Jenlyn as I came past recently. I nearly stopped to say hello. Now that I have read this thread and know what sort of person you are, I am glad that I didn't bother.

what sort of person am i? i made a comment about bridge hoppers and unlicensed boats, then had a person try to redicule my comments as usual. As for being glad you didnt stop, thats up to you, I have plenty of freinds on the cut, i tend to speak my mind, some dont like it, i cant help that

 

Well yet again Jenlyn confirms what a complete and utter #### he is -

 

supprised he ventured that far north and with a shallow draft widebeam !! his comments are at the polite odd as there are mooring spaces for deep drafted boats - if you look them out, but probably further from the pub or station than he would like... the expression of a plonker come to mind, but then again his previous knowledge respect for canal use has been very defient.

probaly wears blinkers,,

 

and citing that Alan dosnt know etc shows he dosnt check follow his blog/posts and nor note his cruising by...

 

 

dont disagree re the blocked winding hole being blocked being a pain, regardless of who "owns" bw should manage, ditto moving on all the P155 takers around ricky....and some other honey pot places...

 

happy days

 

time bw charged wide beams double or boats by sq metre....

firstly, i dont drink, so i dont look for pubs, secondly, if BW want to charge me more for a widebeam, thats fine, i can afford it, thirdly, i get my widebeam around the system quite well thankyou and tend not to hog moorings for more than 3-4 days:captain: as for calling me a twat, you dont know me at all, so please choose your words with a little more respect

Edited February 1, 2016 by DHutch

[alan_fincher]

The bit that is now blocked off just below the lock is the official winding hole.

Back on topic, I'm not sure if the terms official winding hole or unofficial winding hole have any real meaning ?

 

For example the one in Berkhamsted, (by the station), is never recognised by BW, or most canal guides, but as Berkhamsted was formerly the highest point of navigation by most 14 foot wide-beam barges, there can be no doubt that this is the winding hole they used.

 

FWIW, (which I don't think is much!), some 35 to 40 year old canal guides list the Cassio Bridge one, but others do not. If you download a boater's guide from Waterscape, it does not appear - but then neither do lots of recognised, (but possibly "unofficial" !), 70 foot winding holes.

 

Incidentally, the (short) winding hole beyond Heygates Mill on the Wendover Arm has also been blocked by somebody putting a chain across the stream into which you turn. Not a show-stoper, since they added the current new one by extending the navigable part of the arm, but I would still be interested why it's been done.

[alan_fincher]

i made a comment about bridge hoppers and unlicensed boats, then had a person try to redicule my comments as usual.

I made no comment whatsoever on your comments about bridge hoppers and/or unlicensed boats, did I ?

 

I simply questioned your assertion that there is no mooring space between Harefield and Hemel because of BW's failure to dredge, and pointed out the many places where there are usually moorings to be had. Nothing more.

 

Anyway, it appears the "bridge hoppers and unlicensed boats" discussed by you others can generally get against the bank, and I think most of those posting here who boat that stretch probably have a fair idea of whether it is less well dredged than other bits of the same canal.

[mark99]

I would hazard a guess it's to stop unwelcome, uninvited boaters taking the p*ss and mooring where they are not welcome?? or to make it obvious not to enter.

 

Last time I went to Ricky (it was some time ago) I noticed a couple of shabby boats had crept up the river Gade and moored in private land taking up an area (usually used as a prime "swims" by the fisherman whom rent this river) - looked moored long for a long time.

 

Mark

 

""Incidentally, the (short) winding hole beyond Heygates Mill on the Wendover Arm has also been blocked by somebody putting a chain across the stream into which you turn. Not a show-stoper, since they added the current new one by extending the navigable part of the arm, but I would still be interested why it's been done.

""

Edited September 5, 2010 by mark99

[blackrose]

I've been between Harefield and Hemel several times - most recently last June when I took my boat up to Wankwell to black it. I've never had any problems finding moorings.

[Hairy-Neil]

last June when I took my boat up to Wankwell

 

Is that a freudian slip.....