john6767 Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Which looks verging on the un-navigable in parts of your video - is it as bad as it looks? (Interesting choice of hire route too) Not un-navigable at all, but there is a lot of rubbish in there, much much more than any other section of the BCN that we saw over the weekend (second was Tame Valley). We had one weed hatch trip of the way up, did not dare have more as Tawny Owl was on our tail, and 3 weed hatch trips on the way down. To be fair on the way down, one was to clear a car wiring loom we picked up at the bottom of Ryders Green locks, and then one at Pudding Green Junction so we had a nice clear prop for a refreshing tank down the New Main Line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FadeToScarlet Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Nahhh, it's a bit slow, and Darlaston takes for ever, but we only had one weedhatch trip on that section, that was on Monday Richard Weedhatch? You were lucky... We had about 5 or 6 stops to clear the weed with the cabin shaft, and countless reverses of the prop. We did about 45 minutes of bowhauling in total, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Weedhatch? You were lucky... We had about 5 or 6 stops to clear the weed with the cabin shaft, and countless reverses of the prop. We did about 45 minutes of bowhauling in total, too. It isn't luck, it's planning Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nine of Hearts Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 It isn't luck, it's planning Richard You weren't going that fast. Oh. Planning. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Ibis Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Blog of Sunday's adventures: http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2011/06/bcn-24-hour-marathon-challenge-2011.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 Many thanks to all of you for the terrific photos and videos. I am feeling homesick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Ahab Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 Thanks to all who took the time to post pictures and video's -good stuff. The hire boat in John's day two video is from Napton Narrowboats from their Elite fleet ?Victoria, we hired a sister boat last April - we didn't however do the BCN!! We kept meeting the guys on Victoria. We met them at the foot of the 21 on friday night, again going south nr Darlaston on Sunday pm and much to our surprise we moored in front of then at the Dog and Doublet on Monday evening. We got chatting to them in the pub - they were a great bunch and had really enjoyed all the action around Walsall. That bit is a "never do", I'm afraid. Apparently it's badly polluted up there, so it's out of bounds and I can't see it getting cleaned up in time for 2012. Team Tawny Owl went up there in 2009 (IIRC), and look what happened to them... We pushed up to the end a couple of years ago - the middle section is very narrow and shallow. Its a shame the Ridgeacre Section was lost - there are a whole host of abandoned canal to explore around hilltop - about four or five miles. Here's what we did, can't be asred work out all the points. It was just good fun to get stuck into some locks. Boat...Dove, draught 36" Length 70-6", crew Me and Andrea. Set off from top of Perry Bar locks 8:00 up Aston up farmers bridge new main line All the loops up Smethwick old main line up Oldbury locks on to Navigation winding hole (question) back down Oldbury Down Spon Lane Down Ryders Green Locks On the Tame Valley Up Rushall Locks Had a kip. Now 12:30 On the W&E Down Walsall Locks Into Walsall town arm Broke our record and did 72 locks in one day Andrew It was good to see you at Titford. We went on a lock fest and clocked up 86! (but 9 were duplicates which dont count for points) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Ahab Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 Wand'ring Bark had a great 1st Marathon. I have no idea how many points we managed but we passed through 90 qualifying locks (99 in total) and our route was: Wolv 21 Tipton Factory locks Brades Titford Spon Lane locks Smethwick locks and Engine Arm The loops Worcester Bar Farmers bridge Digbeth Basin Aston Locks Perry Barr and Tame Valley Walsall canal to Town Arm. My blog of the trip can be found here: http://captainahabswaterytales.blogspot.com/ It was really good to meet to many people who love the BCN - especially the grizzly bits. Found a lovely mattress with steel rods in the Tame Valley on the way out. I had the devil of a job to get it off, all in the pouring rain. See you all next year. Maybe I need to do a bit more route planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 That's three of us that bloody mattress has had now! Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odana Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 That's three of us that bloody mattress has had now! Richard All this forum bed-hopping on the BCN. Shocking behaviour I say. Just shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dove Posted June 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 That's three of us that bloody mattress has had now! Richard I'll take some lifting gear next time we go up that way and remove it shall I. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Ahab Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 That's three of us that bloody mattress has had now! Richard The pain is that it got away before I could grab it so its still out there.... waiting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 And so began the legend of The Great Mattress of Tame Valley Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stagedamager Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 We're up there next week I'll keep my eye out.... Does anyone want it if we find it? Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 No, it would be a pity to spoil the fun, chuck it back in when you've finished with it Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stagedamager Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 Ok but if you change your mind.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dove Posted June 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 No, it would be a pity to spoil the fun, chuck it back in when you've finished with it Richard But don't chuck it back in the same place, or it just wouldn't be fun... Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 But don't chuck it back in the same place, or it just wouldn't be fun... Andrew We need a new mattress for our fixed double... will it suit do you think.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dove Posted June 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 We need a new mattress for our fixed double... will it suit do you think.. Don't think so, it's been bladed three times and I ripped it a bit with the shaft. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Ahab Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 And I removed a chunk of the stiffening... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 And I removed a chunk of the stiffening... So it wasn't a memory foam one then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 So it wasn't a memory foam one then? Ooh no, it was a pretty good quality sprung one from what I saw. With a length of twin and earth attached for some reason, which made removing it from our prop more interesting Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulcatchpole Posted June 4, 2011 Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 "With a length of twin and earth attached for some reason" Richard Oooh, don't be all coy Richard, you know what that was for... PC Oh, sorry, this isn't the CWDF Libel Thread is it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Booth Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Thank 'ee kindly for that. Went up a damn sight faster than we came down as a result. Even so, I didn't have a dry stitch on by the time we got to the top. After all that crawling up the Walsall it was nice to give it the beans down the Mainline so we could get home in time for some of Odana's chicken soup. Yum. I'd like to thank you both for setting the locks for us going down the Ryders Green locks, it was a big help. You might be wondering why we didn't catch you up in the flight. We got stuck in the first lock and had to get BW out to free us (Two hours delay). We had a great time over the weekend and hope to do it next year. Saw Team Tawny Owl in the pub and regret not introducing ourselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 I'd like to thank you both for setting the locks for us going down the Ryders Green locks, it was a big help. You might be wondering why we didn't catch you up in the flight. We got stuck in the first lock and had to get BW out to free us (Two hours delay). We had a great time over the weekend and hope to do it next year. Saw Team Tawny Owl in the pub and regret not introducing ourselves. I think Sue waved to you. We're fairly harmless - as long as you aren't holding us up at locks.... Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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