Jump to content

First Mate Guide website

Rich

By Rich
in General Boating

 Share

Featured Posts

Albion Influencer

Albion

Posted
Posted

Does anyone know what has happened to Carole Sampson's website www.canalmate.co.uk? It hold all then gen on update to the guides.

They live and cruise permanently in France now I'm pretty sure, so it's quite possible that they have given up on the UK guides. I have no proof of that but it is a possible scenario. We have passed them a couple of times during our French cruising.

Roger

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rich Rising Star

Rich

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I know they were intending to go abroad but hoped somehow to keep the guides and website going.

 

It's rather sad that if it has all fallen through there will be no more updates on the existing guides.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hastings Collaborator

Hastings

Posted
Posted

I know they were intending to go abroad but hoped somehow to keep the guides and website going.

 

It's rather sad that if it has all fallen through there will be no more updates on the existing guides.

 

We're one of the major retailers of the First Mate Guides, and even we are not sure what the latest is. We're making enquiries, and will report as soon as we can.

 

Meanwhile, we have most of the titles in stock, though not all on our website are available (we'll update it as soon as we have information). So please ring if you want a guide, rather than ordering from the website.

 

CanalBookShop.co.uk

at Audlem Mill

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Rich Rising Star

Rich

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The Sampsons are definitely alive and well in France. First Mate guides are run now by Arnie Kinbrum and are available from various places. A search First Mate Guides brought up various places

Any info on updates availability?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hastings Collaborator

Hastings

Posted
Posted

The Sampsons are definitely alive and well in France. First Mate guides are run now by Arnie Kinbrum and are available from various places. A search First Mate Guides brought up various places

 

Has anyone got any contact details for Arnie Kinbrum? We've been a major retailer of the Guides for several years, but are running out, and need new supplies! Please leave details here, or ring 01270 811059. Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 year later...
Mick and Maggie Rising Star

Mick and Maggie

Posted
Posted

Carole Sampson has decided to cease publication of her extremely useful First Mate Guides, mainly because she is now based on the continent. However, she has made the Guides available for download in return for a donation to cover the costs of maintaining the site.

 

The guides have been converted into PDF documents that you can print them or as in my case load onto my Kindle. I have always found the guides enormously useful, as they go into far more detail about shops and other facilities on the system than the conventional guides can possibly have space for.

 

Print versions of the guides are available in some chandler emporiums. If you want a print version of the guides - I would get them now while they are still available.

 

The downloads can be found here, please leave a donation to ensure that the website where the guides are hosted can continue to remain on-line. http://www.firstmateguides.co.uk/

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hastings Collaborator

Hastings

Posted
Posted

We at Audlem Mill bought all the remaining stock that Carole had left in March, and they sold very quickly. However, I know that Kings Lock Chandlery at Middlewich has several copies each of three or four of the titles, and there might be some left at The Boat Shop on the Braunston flight.

 

Otherwise, the download method is the only way to get these excellent guides.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cheshire~rose Veteran II

cheshire~roseDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I have three copies of the guides:

 

Four Counties and Cheshire Rings,

Leicester Ring Canals (including The Ashby & Erewash)

Northwest Waterways

 

 

(I may have a Birmingham one somewhere too but can't lay my hands on it at present)

 

They have all been donated to The Chesterfield Canal Trust and I am open to offers for them if anyone is interested. I can post them, they are all used but are in good condition - the only exception being the Northwest one which has a cover that is a bit tatty round the ring binding but all good inside. I can supply photos of them if needed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
churchward Veteran II

churchward

Posted
Posted

Won't the information in the First Mate Guides be rather out of date now?

Not really. Some of it may be out of date but quite a lot does not change quickly. Things like Doctors surgeries etc. do no move very often. I have been gong to the same place for 20 years now.

 

I can quite confidently say that the canals are pretty much in the same place too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bettie Boo Experienced

Bettie Boo

Posted
Posted

 

Carole Sampson has decided to cease publication of her extremely useful First Mate Guides, mainly because she is now based on the continent. However, she has made the Guides available for download in return for a donation to cover the costs of maintaining the site.

 

The guides have been converted into PDF documents that you can print them or as in my case load onto my Kindle. I have always found the guides enormously useful, as they go into far more detail about shops and other facilities on the system than the conventional guides can possibly have space for.

 

Print versions of the guides are available in some chandler emporiums. If you want a print version of the guides - I would get them now while they are still available.

 

The downloads can be found here, please leave a donation to ensure that the website where the guides are hosted can continue to remain on-line. http://www.firstmateguides.co.uk/

 

 

 

Hi Mick & Maggie,

 

Great link - went there yesterday and down loaded a couple of the guides, that will be relevant to us when we do find ourselves in a position to start cruising. I left a donation, but have NO idea what these guides are worth in PDF form, so not sure that the donation I left would be suitable. I don't want the lady who took the time & effort to create them to think I was taking the wee wee.

 

Can you kind folks give me an idea of their monitory value so I can correct my donation if I was way off please? I appreciate these guides are dated, however knowing where to get fuel, boat parts and groceries in places we are unfamiliar with will be of massive practical value - not positive about this, but can only assume the locks / bridges & tunnels will still be in the same locations as well :)

 

Ta

 

B~

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hastings Collaborator

Hastings

Posted
Posted

As we said above, we sold these excellent guides. The price for a paper copy was £12 for the guides printed in colour, and £10 for those solely in black and white. But I can't imagine that the author Carole Sampson would expect that much, as you may need to print the pages you want.

 

Some aspects of the guides may be a bit out of date, as the data were correct as about 3-5 years ago, but things don't change too fast, though canals don't often move!

 

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 6 years later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.