Jam 'Ole run

[Hairy-Neil]

 

Oh, and just to add. The boat was anything but shiny until quite recently - it was remarkably un-shiny in fact. It is only shiny now because the place he keeps it gave him a free repaint in recognition of just how long he has moored with them, and his long term contribution to the canals.

 

IIRC, Corona's last full repaint was circa 1994...

[kingofthecut]

I`m not sure when Trevor acquired Corona but he had it in 1967 so that makes 45 years at least

 

 

 

I am sure he told me 1st January 1970 but even if that is when he bought her there is no reason why he may not have been on her in '67. Alternatively my memory is failing me and I remember wrongly!

 

He does an interview on a Jam 'Ole DVD (back on topic ) where he mentions his history with her but I don't have it to hand.

[FadeToScarlet]

Our ex-working boatman captain on Pisces used to hand brake the GU ground paddles (without gloves!), I tried it a couple of times and soon gave up, resorting to winding them down. I did (and still do) hand brake geared gate paddles, using the round bar. Now that really was a familiar sound on the Southern GU in the 60's.

 

I normally try and do this, but got several cuts when we were down that way from rust flakes, and found that, often, the paddles would stick and need a good twist, then suddenly drop down all of a sudden. Ratehr irritating.

[mykaskin]

South GU Ground Paddles, lifting the pawl high breaks the rack a little reducing the drop speed. Hand winding them is dangerous and difficult due to the need to hold the pawl and wind at the same time - often forcing the use of wrong hands. When leaving the top of a lock single handed I have to put all the paddles down on both side before the boat leaves the lock on it's own.

 

GU centre or gate paddles on the top gates I usually wind down due to their weight and the small number of turns needed.

 

GU bottom paddles I will slow on the spindle where the paddle will go down under it's own weight.

 

Most other paddles I also do the same, including T+M ground paddles. I also work in an office and not had any major issues with my hands. Best not to wear gloves as these can get caught up.

 

Thumblining gates unnecessarily does slow things down, but keeps your hand in the practice so things work when you don't have someone to rescue it when it all goes wrong.

 

I've not yet seen another working boat intentionally crash a gate open, so it obviously don't happen often.

 

The top gate at Hillmorton on that Jam 'ole video crashed shut because of a "professional" boat mover who obviously wasn't by the mess he made of getting the boat into the lock from the lock landing below. Ideally a paddle is lifted before the gate is shut to assist it closed, a small bump isn't going to break anything!

 

It seems people think that locks, paddles and gates are made from bolsa wood, well its not yet the case, these are heavy built structures, and I bet all the tricks in the trade were used throughout the war years without major infrastructure issues.

 

The major damage seems to come from pleasure boats having (often silly) accidents, not from robust intentional usage, that I can see.

 

 

I normally try and do this, but got several cuts when we were down that way from rust flakes, and found that, often, the paddles would stick and need a good twist, then suddenly drop down all of a sudden. Ratehr irritating.

 

Find the bit everyone else slows it down on, usually fairly smooth, and a bit of ginger rust helps you slow it down!!

 

BTW - you are better letting it get up a good speed, and then breaking it before it reaches the bottom to get over sticky bits.

 

I have the utmost respect for the boaters and their practices but the canals have moved on. I prefer to see the ex-working boats operated alongside modern boats and not in conflict with them (although this is of course an ideal as I probably upset another canal user every day due to the nature of ex-working boats).

 

Obviously there are things you don't do when in good company so to speak, but there is no reason not to practice them where possible, and I have just as much right to enjoy the canal as they do.

 

Mike

Edited September 13, 2012 by mykaskin

[pete harrison]

It seems people think that locks, paddles and gates are made from bolsa wood, well its not yet the case, these are heavy built structures, and I bet all the tricks in the trade were used throughout the war years without major infrastructure issues.

 

Mike

This is certainly not the point I was making as I have always believed in letting the boats and the water do the work as much as possible. My point was more to do with the actions of some current ex-working boaters being in conflict with the 'modern way' in which the canals are used and so damaging the reputation of all ex-working boaters. There is a very weak argument being presented about maintaining tradition but it seems to me that few of these ex-working boaters actually have any empathy with tradition anyway, instead picking out the bits that suit them. I have also expressed my concerns that much less experienced boaters such as hirers are probably liable to copy what the ex-working boaters are doing (they may have a perception that people on ex-working boats are professionals) and subsequently causing themselves injury or damage to to canal infrastructure.

[alan_fincher]

South GU Ground Paddles, lifting the pawl high breaks the rack a little reducing the drop speed.

Hmmmmm.....

 

I have heard quite a few people claim that, but if I'm honest, when I observe them actually trying it the paddle looks to go down about the same speed as it would have had they not bothered......

 

I remain unconvinced, but am happy for you to show me sometime, and try and change my mind.

 

I genuinely don't know whether I believe the ground paddles paddles are likely to ever be damaged by dropping unrestrained or not. It was once common practice, of course, but equally one encounters broken paddles, so one knows they are capable of breaking.

 

What is certainly true is that nowadays, once away from the GU, a lot of locks actually display notices telling you to wind paddles down, and not to let them just fall. Again, I realise that at any location the presence of such a sign doesn't actually mean damage will be done if you ignore it. I have certainly been told by lock-keepers not to let the Ham Baker gear fall on its own - I then stop doing it only to the point they can no longer see me, because the strong consensus is they don't understand it is designed specifically to allow it.....

[David Schweizer]

Hmmmmm.....

 

I have heard quite a few people claim that, but if I'm honest, when I observe them actually trying it the paddle looks to go down about the same speed as it would have had they not bothered......

 

I remain unconvinced, but am happy for you to show me sometime, and try and change my mind.

 

I genuinely don't know whether I believe the ground paddles paddles are likely to ever be damaged by dropping unrestrained or not. It was once common practice, of course, but equally one encounters broken paddles, so one knows they are capable of breaking.

 

What is certainly true is that nowadays, once away from the GU, a lot of locks actually display notices telling you to wind paddles down, and not to let them just fall. Again, I realise that at any location the presence of such a sign doesn't actually mean damage will be done if you ignore it. I have certainly been told by lock-keepers not to let the Ham Baker gear fall on its own - I then stop doing it only to the point they can no longer see me, because the strong consensus is they don't understand it is designed specifically to allow it.....

I cannot remember exactly where it was, but somewhwere on our way back to Napton from Wordsley, there was a flight of locks where the ground paddles had a chain and ring around the rod below the rack, Initially I thought this was to prevent the rack from disengaging from the pinion, however as the chain was still slightly loose when the paddle was fully closed, I can only assume tha it was there to prevent the paddle from disapearing if the pin stoppng the paddle was broken by the falling paddle.

[alan_fincher]

I cannot remember exactly where it was, but somewhwere on our way back to Napton from Wordsley, there was a flight of locks where the ground paddles had a chain and ring around the rod below the rack, Initially I thought this was to prevent the rack from disengaging from the pinion, however as the chain was still slightly loose when the paddle was fully closed, I can only assume tha it was there to prevent the paddle from disapearing if the pin stoppng the paddle was broken by the falling paddle.

I certainly noticed that feature on some Birmingham and Fazeley locks.

 

I can't recall having ever noticed this before, but that could be poor memory, rather than I never have done!

[Speedwheel]

So do you claim to be able to hand brake a ground paddle on the Southern GU with 100% reliability then ?

 

It is not like many ground paddles, and there is absolutely nothing round you can get hold of.

 

Only if you can restrain the rotating square taper is it possible - I certainly can't manage that with anything approaching reliability, and whilst I'm not Mr Muscles, I'm probably a lot stronger than many people who'll wish to "drop" those paddles.

 

The design of a Southern GU ground paddle, though, means you either need leather gloves, or at least leather palms!

 

Many people will not even be able to get the pawl back off "sans windlass", let alone do a controlled drop without one.

 

(...... and I still think Mike was saying it is still fine just to let them free fall, anyway!).

 

Are they that difficult? Coming up last month I definately remember doing it. I didn't think anything of it and I certainly don't have leather hands.

 

The pawls Mike is talking about do work quite well. You have to pull them up quick and hard and use the top to brake the rack.

 

(Actually thinking about it, possibly I do a combination of both. Maybe that's why it doesn't kill my hands)

[kingofthecut]

Back to the point i'm presuming that there isn't one this year then?!

[mykaskin]

I understand Tim is hoping there is. He's hired a boat, and I think Nutfield is doing it...

 

Mike

[kingofthecut]

I understand Tim is hoping there is. He's hired a boat, and I think Nutfield is doing it...

 

Mike

 

Doesn't seem to be much about it then? Usually at least a bit of hype by now.

[mykaskin]

Doesn't seem to be much about it then? Usually at least a bit of hype by now.

 

You know Tim, all quiet and shy. :-)

 

Mike

[kingofthecut]

He's normally on the phone begging us to come if numbers are short

[jake_crew]

Back to the point i'm presuming that there isn't one this year then?!

It is 13th - 21st October 2012 (according to HNBC)

 

The 2010 schedule is below :-

Day 1: Braunston leave 9am, Atherstone arrive ~8pm

Day 2: Atherstone leave 4:30am, Braunston ~3:30pm, Buckby ~5:30pm, Weedon arrive ~8:00pm

Day 3: Weedon leave 4:30am, Stoke Bruerne 8am, Soulbury3 3:20pm, Grove Lock (nr Leighton Buzzard) 5:30pm

Day 4: Grove leave 4:30ish, Marsworth 8am, Berko 11:30pm, Apsley 2pm, Ricky 6pm

Day 5: Ricky leave 7am, Assemble fleet at Cowley ~10am, head en masse to Tescos's 11:30, then round to Jam Ole for 2pm, then off to Willowtree Marina

Day 6: Willowtree leave 4:30am, 9:45am Ricky, Apsley 2pm, Berko 5pm, Bulbourne ~8pm

Day 7: Bulbourne leave 6am, Stoke Bruerne ~7pm

Day 8: Stoke leave 7am, Buckby 11am, Top of Bruanston 12:45am arriving Bottom of Braunston about 2pm.

 

However 13-21 is 9 days so, like you, I await definite info.

[kingofthecut]

13-21 is the sat morning to sun evening. The only boats in the re enactments ever to do it in the 7 days as in leaving braunston at 9am saturday and arriving back at 9am sat morning was Greyhound and Australia in 1995 with Ronny Withy, Les Lapworth, Steve Powell and I and even then we were late because by 9am we should have been oiled up ready to start again!

[onionbargee]

I think, as quite often is the case, that terminology that people use is often the cause of confusion and then the arguments discussions.

 

In my understanding, to drop a paddle means to lower it. Whether that be by winding it down or using one's hand as a brake (I do both depending on the design of the paddle gear).

 

I would like to think that if I said to most people on this forum "just go and drop that paddle over there" they wouldn't just pull off the pawl and let the hole thing rocket down*... would they???

 

 

*- apart from the GU worm gear (we've been through that before).

i took it to mean dropping it to slam down on it's own, not slowing it in any way, so pardon me if we have our wires crossed.

[jeannette smith harrison]

Without starting the whole issue all over again

does anybody have a def answer on if its on or not this year

as i cant seem to even get a straight answer from Braunston

[Mike Tee]

One comment seemed to think this was starting 13th Oct - tomorrow.

 

Is it now a non event?

 

Or is it a secret until it is all over?

[alan_fincher]

Also interested, but in view of nothing concrete on here, Facebook, or on Braunson Marina's web-site, I'm guessing it is not happening ?

 

I would expect to have seen evidence of the usual suspects converging on a start position by now!

 

I've now also asked the question on Facebook.

 

EDIT:

 

cheshire~rose advises via FB that Nutfield seems to be involved.....

 

From "Friends of Raymond" web-site.....

 

13 - 20 October: Nutfield will lead the Jam 'Ole Run - Braunston to Southall and back

 

It is anticipated that three boats will join Nutfield on the run.

 

Captain will be Nick Scarcliffe, and crew will be Duncan Oxley - any support in the form of day-by-day lock-wheelers will be very welcome. If you're able to get out and help, for an hour or a day, or at a specific location, call Nick to check where the boats are - his number is 07900-490403. Best call during the evenings, once they've stopped going - remember it is going to be fairly intensive boating, and Nick might not be able to get to the phone during the day! The expected schedule will be:

 

Saturday 13th: Depart Braunston 8am, to Cosgrove.

Sunday 14th: Depart 7am, to Marsworth (bottom)

Monday 15th: Depart 7am, to Hunton Bridge

Tuesday 16th: Depart 7am, to Southall.

 

Wednesday 17th: Depart 7am, to Hunton Bridge

Thursday 18th: Depart 7am, to Marsworth

Friday 19th: Depart 7am, to Linslade - Nutfield will be stopping there for Wyvern to put two more coats of varnish over the new paintwork for us. The other boats will go on to Cosgrove.

Saturday 20th: Other boats depart 7am, to return to Braunston. I'm sure that any help offered after Nutfield has stopped will be much appreciated!

 

Raymond seems to be "in dock" I think, so only Nutfield and (it suggests) 3 others ??

Edited October 12, 2012 by alan_fincher

[alan_fincher]

Still confused, because elsewhere it is suggested Raymond is involved.

 

Only other boat I have seen specifically mentioned as maybe involved is Corona.

[Mike Tee]

So by my reckoning, that should put them at Stoke Bruerne top around 4:00pm or just after.

 

Looks like Atherstone has been missed out.

[jeannette smith harrison]

Have just spoke to Tim Coghlan & he tells me only three boats

Corona, Nuttfield & one other boat with himself bringing up the rear.

He is planning to tie up on tue 16th for the night @ Cowley.

in his words just a pleasant queit run without upsetting anyone.

 

Sorry forgot to mention app Atherstone is not on

this time around.

[kingofthecut]

Have just spoke to Tim Coghlan & he tells me only three boats

Corona, Nuttfield & one other boat with himself bringing up the rear.

He is planning to tie up on tue 16th for the night @ Cowley.

in his words just a pleasant queit run without upsetting anyone.

 

Sorry forgot to mention app Atherstone is not on

this time around.

 

Not quite sure I'm seeing the point then? Am still waiting at bottom of Atherstone for Tims call lol! Well, in Polesworth facing the wrong way

Edited October 12, 2012 by kingofthecut

[Hairy-Neil]

Not quite sure I'm seeing the point then? Am still waiting at bottom of Atherstone for Tims call lol! Well, in Polesworth facing the wrong way

 

I guess Tim thinks it's his bat and ball and he'll damned well play with it how he likes....