Tardebigge

[calamity507]

Breakfast, then walk the dogs snd start the climb.Rough idea on time 2 boats, 1 singlehander we are helpingm think it might be a long dAy

[Keeping Up]

Last weekend we set off at 6.30 am (because it was going to get very hot later) with 2 of us on 1 boat. We were immediately caught up by another Forum member (Odana) so then there were 4 of us on 2 boats.

 

Soon we caught up with a single-hander which delayed us by perhaps half an hour before we persuaded him to let one of us pass, in exchange for which we would empty the lock behind us and open the bottom gates for him, and John on Odana would close the top gate behind him too. That gave us 5 people on 3 boats, and we reached the top at 1030 am, exactly 4 hours after we set off.

 

Does that help?

[FadeToScarlet]

That sounds like one of the maths problems my teacher used to like.... "if it takes 5 people on 3 boats 4 hours to do Tardebigge, how long for three people on 2 boats notwithstanding the hot weather?"

[Chickadee]

We find having a bike helps with Tardebigge as some of the locks are a little way apart. When we've done it two of us on one boat my bf rides ahead and sets the lock, I steer in while he rides back down and closes the gates of the last lock. I then get out the boat, close the gates and start that lock off while he rides up ahead and sets up the next one. Can't remember how quick we do it now but we're pretty speedy.

[keble]

... exactly 4 hours after we set off.

 

We did it in June in 4 hours - 2 of us, 1 boat, nobody coming the other way but every lock set in our favour!

It was very hot.

[pete harrison]

I always allow 4 hours from the Queens Head pound (below Lock 29 / Bridge 48) to Tardebigge Top Lock - and that is three handed with a motor and butty pair. We are usually quicker though and do Stoke Prior to Tardebigge Top Lock in 4 hours.

[adam1uk]

I couldn't remember how long we took when we did it in June, so I looked back at my blog for the details -- useful.

 

We started at 7.10 at the bottom of the Astwood flight. Halfway up the Stoke flight, we were joined by two friends who'd come to lend a hand, and we got to the moorings below Tardebigge top lock at 12.15. So five hours for 41 locks. Most of the locks seem to empty overnight, so it's easier going up in the morning than coming down, and at the halfway point we started meeting boats coming the other way, but we never had to wait for a lock.

[steve hayes]

With a clear run (i.e. no Viking Afloat boat with a crew of 8 drunk pirates ) and allowing for a pound refilling or two (often required early doors around locks 33 / 35), as a two up we recon on 3.5 hours.

However it has taken 6 hours on a particually bad trip with a fresh Black Prince crew who instisted on mooring in the pound between each lock before preparing the next !!! unfortunalty the few boats infront of us in the queue failed to get them to change their ways or let anyone past. Deep joy.

[calamity507]

4 hours 10 mins thanks guys

[Tiny]

We give ourselves a day and normally stop on the way down for lunch. (We do a similar thig at Hatton if we are not sharing locks.) On one occassion a boat full of young chaps caught us up so, as we had seen no boats coming up we let them round asking they wound a top paddle to set locks for us for the next 10. This they did and knowing the positions of the local hire fleets it was no surprise that we met no boat coming up in the entire flight. We have been up and down in a weeks holiday as they are nice locks.

[Tiny]

With a clear run (i.e. no Viking Afloat boat with a crew of 8 drunk pirates ) and allowing for a pound refilling or two (often required early doors around locks 33 / 35), as a two up we recon on 3.5 hours.

However it has taken 6 hours on a particually bad trip with a fresh Black Prince crew who instisted on mooring in the pound between each lock before preparing the next !!! unfortunalty the few boats infront of us in the queue failed to get them to change their ways or let anyone past. Deep joy.

 

It is amazing the mentality of some boaters. At Audlem we had a ten man crew behind us who were behind an old couple who did their best but with most locks against. At each lock the mob behind would catch up with us 9banging their boat and locks about in their efforts to get through the last. Then these mental giants would start moaning that they were being held up and stomping off every time we suggested that if they sent some of their crew to set locks and open gates for the old couple we would get on much faster. This idea seemed to raise a red mist in the latest arrival to moan at us until after 10 locks we ran out of moaners. But the concept of helping others to get on yourself seemed totally beyond them though they seemed sober and well educated. Me I was on schedule for 3 hours down the first 12 (record time 42 minutes) by a crew who needed a drink many years back) so was I bothered.

[Ynot]

4 of us going up in May (2 new to boating) 4 hrs 20 mins.

 

4 coming down in May 3hrs 40 mins.

 

2 coming down in June 5 hrs. No world records but satisfying non the less

[David Mack]

However it has taken 6 hours on a particually bad trip with a fresh Black Prince crew who instisted on mooring in the pound between each lock before preparing the next !!! unfortunalty the few boats infront of us in the queue failed to get them to change their ways or let anyone past. Deep joy.

 

My worst experience of this sort was going down the Delph Ninelocks. An elderly couple, he steering, she doing all the work, but not prepared to cross over bottom gates. So once the boat was in the lock she would amble down to open one bottom paddle, then back up, over the top gate and down to open the other paddle. By this time the lock was empty, so open one gate, back via the top gate to open the other, boat moves out and hovers in the tail. She repeats the process to shut both bottom gates, then she gets on the boat and they motor about three lengths to the next lock where she gets off to open the top paddle....

 

They wouldn't allow us (following) to even open gates for them, although we did send someone ahead to fill the locks in front of them.

 

And then about halfway down the flight, their horrible yappy dog ran off, and they both abandoned the boat in the lock to go and look for it....

 

We just tied up in the pound above and went to the pub!

 

David

 

David

[steve hayes]

 

 

We just tied up in the pound above and went to the pub!

 

David

 

Unfortunately not an option on Tardibigge

[Boatingbiker]

Back in Easter 2002 we came up Tardebigge (botton lock by the pub to top lock) in 3.5 hours with a crew of 2 adults and three kids aged 11, 13 & 14.

 

At that time we all swopped around the different tasks with one person walking ahead and setting the next lock. Only met 1 boat coming down and as we set off at 7.00 am met no boats ahead of us. The kids ran out of steam about 3/4 of the way up. The mooring ropes were frozen when we started but we were in shorts and tee shirts by the time we reached the top.

 

Kids rarly come boating now so its just me and the wife, and we don't appear to cover so much ground each day now, and throughly enjoying it.

 

 

On the subject of slow boat in front of us , we once met a week-end hire boat going down into Stratford upon Avon with a crew of son (mid twenty) his youg son of 6-7 and elderly mum with a yappy dog on a length of string that she could hardly hold on to. Son doing all the work in effect single handed and whilst one of our crew assisted it was a long slow decent. Mum was getting tired so I suggestted we normally (not) stop for a brew on such long flights. The bait was taken and after a couple of locks they pulled in and stopped. We of course kept going and moored up at Stratford in the early afternoon. At the time did not think too much of it ....that was until at dusk we heard a boat coming into the basin with headlight blazing, yes the weekend hire boater. I still feel guilty suggesting a brew and would not repeat it again.

 

Boatingbiker

[boatyboy]

We did the Tardebigge last year going up.Another boat started coming up 3 locks behind us.They had bikes.I hate people who roar up setting the locks on bloody bikes,as much as three locks ahead of the one they are in.When there is no way they can see if there is a boat coming down just around the corner. They caught us up in no time.Running to the top of the lock my wife was in,and winding up the paddles before she was happy with her position in the lock.I let it go the first time,but it happened the next lock.I'm afraid i flew off the handle at this guy and his lady to "can you please leave the paddles until i say its ok to help".Which the guy replied...But we are in a hurry Geazer.That was it.I' don't like being called a Geazer!!I told them to go away and wait their turn.(or words i can't tpye here).Which they did much to my wifes relief.Why do people have to be in a hurry so much that they use a bike to do locks because they are in a hurry.This was a private boat.not a hirer.

Forgot to mention what really set me off.As my wife was exiting the lock,they were starting to wind up paddles to empty it before she was past the gates.Hence making the gate slam on so hard it could have damaged the lock.

By now i guess that you have worked out that i hate lock wheelers on bikes.Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[steve hayes]

If there is one flight where a bike is unessecary it's Tardibigge,

[Chickadee]

We used a bike and found it really handy. We never set more than one ahead and only see one or two boats a day anyway. I think a bike is perfect for that flight. Also almost every time we've been up or down it we've been in a hurry for one reason of another so a bike is very handy thanks.

[boatyboy]

We used a bike and found it really handy. We never set more than one ahead and only see one or two boats a day anyway. I think a bike is perfect for that flight. Also almost every time we've been up or down it we've been in a hurry for one reason of another so a bike is very handy thanks.

If you are in a hurry on your holiday.you are on the wrong type of holiday

[Nine of Hearts]

If you are in a hurry on your holiday.you are on the wrong type of holiday

 

Why is it that everytime someone mentions doing anything at any kind of pace, you get a sneering response telling you to get off the canal? I haven't done a single lock flight where I didn't try to get up/down it as quickly and efficiently as possible. I enjoy doing that, and I believe loads of other people take a similar enjoyment in saying, "I did flight x in y minutes". People participate in sports for much the same reason, are they not enjoying themselves either?

 

We did the Tardebigge last year going up.Another boat started coming up 3 locks behind us.They had bikes.I hate people who roar up setting the locks on bloody bikes,as much as three locks ahead of the one they are in.When there is no way they can see if there is a boat coming down just around the corner. They caught us up in no time.Running to the top of the lock my wife was in,and winding up the paddles before she was happy with her position in the lock.I let it go the first time,but it happened the next lock.I'm afraid i flew off the handle at this guy and his lady to "can you please leave the paddles until i say its ok to help".Which the guy replied...But we are in a hurry Geazer.That was it.I' don't like being called a Geazer!!I told them to go away and wait their turn.(or words i can't tpye here).Which they did much to my wifes relief.Why do people have to be in a hurry so much that they use a bike to do locks because they are in a hurry.This was a private boat.not a hirer.

Forgot to mention what really set me off.As my wife was exiting the lock,they were starting to wind up paddles to empty it before she was past the gates.Hence making the gate slam on so hard it could have damaged the lock.

By now i guess that you have worked out that i hate lock wheelers on bikes.Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

Going down Tardebigge on my Jack, I was caught up by a crewed boat. I let them overtake me in the nest pound, then carried on undisturbed at my own pace. Perhaps it's you that has the wrong hobby? Just saying...

[muddywaters]

We have only done Tardebigge once going down, 1 boat 1 lock worker 1 steerer.

Started 8am bottom lock 11am but we did wait for 3 or 4 boats coming up when the lock was set in their favour

[Chickadee]

If you are in a hurry on your holiday.you are on the wrong type of holiday

Like the poster above surely it's up to me how I do my holiday. Also it's not always a holiday. Especially when your Dad books your boat into dry dock on the Avon but then you find out a locks closed on the Avon meaning you have to go the long way round. We'd all booked time off and it wasn't a holiday but it was brilliant fun! And at the end of the day isnt that what it's all about?

[FadeToScarlet]

If you are in a hurry on your holiday.you are on the wrong type of holiday

 

Sorry, but that's rubbish. If I choose to do long days and to work as efficiently as I can, that's my choice. I've got 3 weeks for my cruise this year, and so did Cambridge to London in 9 days. This has meant we're having 4 days in London without moving at all- completely out of the question if we'd just drifted down and pootled about.

 

I can sit around and relax on board any other day of the year. I'm on holiday to go boating, and I for one enjoy 12+ hour days and really getting them ahead.

 

And this hasn't meant I've been dropping paddles or leaving gates open or speeding. We've been working efficiently through locks as speedily as possible. Taking a minute less per lock might not seem like much, but when you're doing 30-40 per day, it adds up.

 

And not a single moored boater has had to tell me to slow down either. In fact, I've had 2 seperate comments thanking me for passing slower than other people.

 

I can sit around on the boat for the rest of the year. I'm determined to make the most of my one lengthy cruise per year.

[adam1uk]

Why is it that everytime someone mentions doing anything at any kind of pace, you get a sneering response telling you to get off the canal? I haven't done a single lock flight where I didn't try to get up/down it as quickly and efficiently as possible. I enjoy doing that, and I believe loads of other people take a similar enjoyment in saying, "I did flight x in y minutes". People participate in sports for much the same reason, are they not enjoying themselves either?

 

Exactly -- it's not about hurrying, it's about being efficient.

[Chickadee]

And not a single moored boater has had to tell me to slow down either. In fact, I've had 2 seperate comments thanking me for passing slower than other people.

 

I can sit around on the boat for the rest of the year. I'm determined to make the most of my one lengthy cruise per year.

 

Yep I've had people thank me for slowing down as well. we're quick when we can be but i'm not a dick.