Newbie advice

[Sproz]

Hi,

I've joined the forum after plunging back into the dark world of owning plastic boats (after a few yrs break!!) so hello fellow boaters!

Anyway, the last boat we had was on the Lancaster so no locks, tunnels etc! this one is currently in Willington, Derby on the T&M and we plan to start cruising back up tut north this weekend, but ,alas here's a few questions, please go easy if they sound daft to you experienced folk!

Will a 6ft10" beam plastic boat go through Harecastle and Preston brook tunnels ok? (the windscreen folds down) anything else I should know with sizes on the route north?

I'm leaving its current mooring as its no use to me and plan on leaving the boat at various places on the way up and coming back to it very couple of weeks to move further up, how strict are the inspectors for the 14 day rule, or is there a better idea should I want to moor up for say 3-4weeks??? I don't want to spend a fortune but don't want it to get "clamped"

I would like to eventually keep her near Chorley on the LL, does anyone know of a cheap site for long term moorings nearby?? I've googled and found the main ones but wondered if there's some farmer that rents the bottom of the field out cheaply that few know about!!

Thanks for listening, I'm sure there will be more daft questions!!

[Guest]

Hi,

I've joined the forum after plunging back into the dark world of owning plastic boats (after a few yrs break!!) so hello fellow boaters!

Anyway, the last boat we had was on the Lancaster so no locks, tunnels etc! this one is currently in Willington, Derby on the T&M and we plan to start cruising back up tut north this weekend, but ,alas here's a few questions, please go easy if they sound daft to you experienced folk!

Will a 6ft10" beam plastic boat go through Harecastle and Preston brook tunnels ok? (the windscreen folds down) anything else I should know with sizes on the route north?

I'm leaving its current mooring as its no use to me and plan on leaving the boat at various places on the way up and coming back to it very couple of weeks to move further up, how strict are the inspectors for the 14 day rule, or is there a better idea should I want to moor up for say 3-4weeks??? I don't want to spend a fortune but don't want it to get "clamped"

I would like to eventually keep her near Chorley on the LL, does anyone know of a cheap site for long term moorings nearby?? I've googled and found the main ones but wondered if there's some farmer that rents the bottom of the field out cheaply that few know about!!

Thanks for listening, I'm sure there will be more daft questions!!

 

Hello,

 

Beam wise you will be fine - what is your air draft with the screen down?

 

As for the stuff about overstaying I'll leave others on here to respond to..

[Higgs]

I don't think overstaying is a problem everywhere. The busier the place, the more likely it is that it might be a problem. No idea what the BW staff will do. They may find it easier to give some slack in places.

[Sproz]

Hello,

 

Beam wise you will be fine - what is your air draft with the screen down?

 

As for the stuff about overstaying I'll leave others on here to respond to..

 

No idea tbh, I know I can see over the top!!! and I'm only 5ft4!!

[fuzzyduck]

but can you see over the top whilst standing on the surface of the water behind the boat?

 

What boat is it?

[Sproz]

but can you see over the top whilst standing on the surface of the water behind the boat?

 

What boat is it?

 

Hi,

I cannot stand on water!!! but I would guess so, its a 25ft buckingham normal style/size cruiser.

 

Regarding the mooring, BW said it would be best to speak to the local moorings officer in whatever place I end up in, I would like to hope that he may then say,"oh just stick it there, it will be ok for a few weeks" with no charge!!! does anyone know how to contact the moorings officer???

 

Cheers

[Guest]

No idea tbh, I know I can see over the top!!! and I'm only 5ft4!!

 

One of things you must know about your boat is it's dimensions as in air and water draft, length and beam, it's crucial to know these to ensure you can safely pass along the system, in all probability you will be fine in the tunnels you mention but without knowing how much of you boat is above the water it's not possible to say for certain.

 

Hi,

I cannot stand on water!!! but I would guess so, its a 25ft buckingham normal style/size cruiser.

 

Regarding the mooring, BW said it would be best to speak to the local moorings officer in whatever place I end up in, I would like to hope that he may then say,"oh just stick it there, it will be ok for a few weeks" with no charge!!! does anyone know how to contact the moorings officer???

 

Cheers

 

Like this one??

 

[Sproz]

yes it will be..... after a little restoration!!!!!

[Guest]

yes it will be..... after a little restoration!!!!!

 

It's proving a little hard to find a definitive air draft figure for that boat but looking at the pic. I would say you will be fine, plus it's just occured to me that if you are going to go through Harecastle first you will defo. be fine in Preston Brook, Harecastle has a tunnel keeper at either end plus a gauge to check the clearance and they won't let you enter if they think you will be too high anyway.

 

Be aware that Harecastle does have quite a changing roof profile - so the gauge check is roughly what you can expect to encounter as you progress through the tunnel - not what the clearance is as you enter.

[Sproz]

Thanks Martin, I will take some measurements when I collect the boat and maybe ring BW before crashing into the tunnel entrance at a rate of knots and becoming the talking point of the spectators!!!!

p.s. the mrs is calling it scarecastle! I think she will be down below!!

[Guest]

Thanks Martin, I will take some measurements when I collect the boat and maybe ring BW before crashing into the tunnel entrance at a rate of knots and becoming the talking point of the spectators!!!!

p.s. the mrs is calling it scarecastle! I think she will be down below!!

 

Better not show her this then!!

 

If you can bear with the crap steerer weaving his boat about it gives an idea of what to expect....

 

[Theo]

Better not show her this then!!

 

If you can bear with the crap steerer weaving his boat about it gives an idea of what to expect....

 

 

ISTM that the boat was going too fast. Excessive speed makes it really difficult to steer in tunnels (or anywhere else for that matter)

 

N

[Guest]

ISTM that the boat was going too fast. Excessive speed makes it really difficult to steer in tunnels (or anywhere else for that matter)

 

N

 

Whilst of course that is a time lapse the tunnel keepers do advise you keep your speed up and not go too slow (or they did me) - the problem though is when you lose concentration and veer off course you have less chance of correcting your error and then thumping your front cabin corner on the wall and tearing your cratch cover which you haven't thought to move out the way by lowering it -

 

don't ask me how know this...

[mayalld]

how strict are the inspectors for the 14 day rule, or is there a better idea should I want to moor up for say 3-4weeks??? I don't want to spend a fortune but don't want it to get "clamped"

 

It shouldn't actually matter what the chances of getting ticketed are.

 

If you are a reasonable person, you will appreciate that you should comply with the rules, and that if you want to moor for longer than 14 days, pay for a suitable temporary mooring.

[Leni]

Better not show her this then!!

 

If you can bear with the crap steerer weaving his boat about it gives an idea of what to expect....

 

 

Hell's Bells! 'Scarecastle' is right! Even at that speed I was holding my breath waiting to get to the end!

 

Claustrophobic

[WotEver]

... wondered if there's some farmer that rents the bottom of the field out cheaply that few know about!!

If it's mentioned on here, then potentially 10,000 people will know about it

[Guest]

Hell's Bells! 'Scarecastle' is right! Even at that speed I was holding my breath waiting to get to the end!

 

Claustrophobic

 

Whilst it's not the worst in terms of inducing potential claustrophobia it is the tightest one we've personally been through. The real challenge to it is how varied the roof height is, with some changes being quite sudden which you can see from the video...

[Jim Riley]

I've done harecastle and preston brook in a dawncraft 22, plenty of room, even when the roof drops (poss still 9"). An interesting and possibly shorter alternative with lovely views is the Macc, then down the ashton into piccadilly basin, then to castlefield etc. Mind you if you have time a trip down the anderton lift onto the weaver for a couple of days is well worth it too, if you stay on the T&M.

I had a very scary moment in harecastle, - half way thru the outboard cut out dead!!!! It started again first pull...phew!

 

There's offside moorings at adlington on a farm that also takes caravans, it's north of the BW marina at adlington, visible on google earth.

[Ange]

There's offside moorings at adlington on a farm that also takes caravans, it's north of the BW marina at adlington, visible on google earth.

 

They're run by a Mrs Manly. We tried to get a mooring there in 2009 but she had a long waiting list.

 

Might be worth a try though.

[Sproz]

Mrs Manly!!! a proper northern lass then! will look into that.

We hope to keep it short term somewhere near the M6 so I can visit easily to do little jobs etc on my many business trips up and down the country, then have 2 weeks in summer maybe doing the Shroppy and Llangollen or similar. Then nearer to autumn/winter bring it up to as close to Preston as possible to hardstand it and get some work done, I have thought of doing the ribble link as the Lancaster is only a 10min drive but it seems like too much hassle!! the leeds/liverpool at Chorley is only 30mins away by car.

Thanks for all the replies...keep them coming..I'm learning all the time!!

If I get chance I'll try and blog the journey north.

[fuzzyduck]

A Buckingham has about the same Airdraught as a Dawncraft. but beware, the cabin profile is squarer, so there is less room at the corners. so with care, Jim Riley's advice is good.

 

Handy hint no: 138: a flexible "stalk" mounted on your pulpit rail cut to length just a bit higher (an inch or 2) than the highest point on your boat, will give you a few seconds warning of impending doom, if you should accidentally try to get your boat under something that's just a little too low.