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Posted

I remember Jim putting the Gardiner in Elizabeth, one of the passions we did not share. ( the ones we shared being Tandems and Morgans).

He was a good engineer.

 

Happy times,  but we had to move to the midlands for our careers.

Posted

I (vaguely) remember that under the foredeck of Eileen was where Jim stored his home made wines.  When he lifted the deck and got a few out, you were in trouble. They were dangerously palatable.  Especially with birthday mince pies on Christmas Day morning.  The Parsnip should probably have been covered by international treaties on weapons of mass destruction.

 

Where are Eilwen, Elizabeth and Pig now?

 

N

Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, Loddon said:

He owned a boat called Eileen as well very similar to that picture, as I said I tried to buy it from him but he wouldn't sell :(

 

I was offered it but didn't buy it. Pretty sure it was not converted though. Planked deck as I recall it. Definitely the boat pictured by Ray T. Would have been mid 00s then I remember it going past at Lot Mead. It was that Eileen I was thinking of. Specifically remember it as it was going through ice one morning and the front end of the base plate was out of water so it was doing a really good job of it of breaking it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had Jim Mac's ex wife's windlass for £4. Nice windlass actually an old cast iron single socket Oxford pattern job. Still got it somewhere.

 

That Elisabeth boat did get around. One day on the Trent in heavy fog it went broadside onto a bridge and buckled the cabin. The dog ended up in the water but was okay. 

 

That's what he told me anyway. Could be an apocryphal tale. 

 

Although I dislike the design of Elisabeth it's actually quite a nice boat. Sold a few years ago but no idea where it went. 

 

 

Edited by magnetman
Posted
20 minutes ago, magnetman said:

 

I had Jim Mac's ex wife's windlass for £4. Nice windlass actually an old cast iron single socket Oxford pattern job. Still got it somewhere.

 

That Elisabeth boat did get around. One day on the Trent in heavy fog it went broadside onto a bridge and buckled the cabin. The dog ended up in the water but was okay. 

 

That's what he told me anyway. Could be an apocryphal tale. 

 

Although I dislike the design of Elisabeth it's actually quite a nice boat. Sold a few years ago but no idea where it went. 

 

 

First time I met Jim was at Stoke Bruerne at Christmas before I owned a boat, walking down the towpath passed them drinks were forced into our hands and then Jim showed us round his boat, a short while after they had set the cooker on fire with the Christmas dinner

Posted (edited)

I think Jim lived on ELIZABETH for maybe 50yrs or more. His home made wines were seriously powerful - and palatable! ELIZABETH's interior was an Edwardian gem.

We sat and talked at length after Mig left. Not a happy time. Later with a new partner he took ELIZABETH to France and cruised extensively, even considered building a canalside business there, but I believe authoritarian problems got in the way eventually. There was also mention of skinny dipping from ELIZABETH in the Med. Can't confirm that though. There was a little fracas when tied in a French basin somewhere, when Jim stuffed either a prosthetic hand or a rubber glove from the hawser hole in the fore end for a joke. Someone alerted the authorities and a search for a body began!

 

More recently his health suffered and I believe he is in care somewhere.

 

Talking about other people's stuff (and a complete aside), when we were tied up at Tooley's in Banbury in '83, Louise remarked on the nice little rag rug in the little caravan by the dock. Herbert promptly said "you can have it". Same caravan I believe that the Rolt's stayed in when they got back from Ireland and found CRESSY still not on dock. Only door mat sized and we still have it, so maybe we are stepping in the Rolt's footsteps!

Edited by Derek R.
  • Greenie 1
Posted
11 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

I think Jim lived on ELIZABETH for maybe 50yrs or more. His home made wines were seriously powerful - and palatable! ELIZABETH's interior was an Edwardian gem.

We sat and talked at length after Mig left. Not a happy time. Later with a new partner he took ELIZABETH to France and cruised extensively, even considered building a canalside business there, but I believe authoritarian problems got in the way eventually. There was also mention of skinny dipping from ELIZABETH in the Med. Can't confirm that though. There was a little fracas when tied in a French basin somewhere, when Jim stuffed either a prosthetic hand or a rubber glove from the hawser hole in the fore end for a joke. Someone alerted the authorities and a search for a body began!

 

More recently his health suffered and I believe he is in care somewhere.

 

Talking about other people's stuff (and a complete aside), when we were tied up at Tooley's in Banbury in '83, Louise remarked on the nice little rag rug in the little caravan by the dock. Herbert promptly said "you can have it". Same caravan I believe that the Rolt's stayed in when they got back from Ireland and found CRESSY still not on dock. Only door mat sized and we still have it, so maybe we are stepping in the Rolt's footsteps!

 

11 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

There was a little fracas when tied in a French basin somewhere, when Jim stuffed either a prosthetic hand or a rubber glove from the hawser hole in the fore end for a joke. Someone alerted the authorities and a search for a body began!

Yes.  Good old Jim.  He told me that story as well.  Also the one about side-swiping a bridge on the Trent in thick fog.

Posted (edited)
8 minutes ago, koukouvagia said:

 

Yes.  Good old Jim.  He told me that story as well.  Also the one about side-swiping a bridge on the Trent in thick fog.

 

That too. Must have been a terrifying experience. Done the Trent twice now from Keadby to Cromwell. Not a piece of water I would do again, what with Coasters coming up behind and meeting tanker barges at Gainsborough, 'sunken islands' and 'boils'. Glad to get into Nottingham - and that's saying something.

 

An 'era' has passed, but the memories remain.

Edited by Derek R.
Posted

Got a text

2 hours ago, Derek R. said:

I think Jim lived on ELIZABETH for maybe 50yrs or more. His home made wines were seriously powerful - and palatable! ELIZABETH's interior was an Edwardian gem.

We sat and talked at length after Mig left. Not a happy time. Later with a new partner he took ELIZABETH to France and cruised extensively, even considered building a canalside business there, but I believe authoritarian problems got in the way eventually. There was also mention of skinny dipping from ELIZABETH in the Med. Can't confirm that though. There was a little fracas when tied in a French basin somewhere, when Jim stuffed either a prosthetic hand or a rubber glove from the hawser hole in the fore end for a joke. Someone alerted the authorities and a search for a body began!

 

More recently his health suffered and I believe he is in care somewhere.

 

Talking about other people's stuff (and a complete aside), when we were tied up at Tooley's in Banbury in '83, Louise remarked on the nice little rag rug in the little caravan by the dock. Herbert promptly said "you can have it". Same caravan I believe that the Rolt's stayed in when they got back from Ireland and found CRESSY still not on dock. Only door mat sized and we still have it, so maybe we are stepping in the Rolt's footsteps!

got a text out of the blue from Jim once ‘ where do you think the boat is ?’

Basel. 
I went back to the day job.

  • 1 month later...
Posted
49 minutes ago, David Mack said:

There's a lot of boat there for £8k. If you have somewhere to moor it.

It definitely won't fit at my place in Marple :)

  • Haha 1
Posted
13 hours ago, sparrowcycles said:

It definitely won't fit at my place in Marple :)

89'4" x 16'8"  and don't ask about the air draft! That's a bit of a beast. You're right, I don't think we could manage to shoehorn it onto the Upper Peak.

At over 24m does it require a qualified skippper/crew when under way?

Posted
20 minutes ago, BilgePump said:

89'4" x 16'8"  and don't ask about the air draft! That's a bit of a beast. You're right, I don't think we could manage to shoehorn it onto the Upper Peak.

At over 24m does it require a qualified skippper/crew when under way?

 

I think the 24m limit means that when used for commercial operations the master's certification has to be a full Boatmaster's Licence and not one of permitted equivalent qualifications such as the RYA IW Helmsman that can be used for Cat A and B waters.

 

For pleasure use it wouldn't apply.

 

  • Greenie 1
Posted

Two boats have been past in the last week that have lain empty and abused for a few years.

Kestrel was evicted from CRT waters and has been on the Nene unlicenced for about 6 years, finally rescued by Malcom Burge in a deal with the EA.

20220129_131125.jpg.0c8f796509204c1588eb512a3ace13fb.jpg

Archimedes also came past looking not too bad considering its 10 years with no love shown, Ara wasnt following though.

 

 

20220129_131023.jpg

  • Greenie 2
Posted
7 hours ago, matty40s said:

Two boats have been past in the last week that have lain empty and abused for a few years.

Kestrel was evicted from CRT waters and has been on the Nene unlicenced for about 6 years, finally rescued by Malcom Burge in a deal with the EA.

20220129_131125.jpg.0c8f796509204c1588eb512a3ace13fb.jpg

Archimedes also came past looking not too bad considering its 10 years with no love shown, Ara wasnt following though.

 

 

20220129_131023.jpg

 

Archimedes has spent time at Brinklow recently having some love 🙂

155 Fulbourne Strip Out Long Weekend Brinklow 28th November 2021_2.JPG

  • Greenie 1
Posted
42 minutes ago, Loddon said:

The nicest British barge you will ever see.

 

W ell, it has a Gardner engine AND a Rayburn, so it can't be bad.

 

69' X 14'? Ideal liveaboard for cruising on the Grand Union.

Posted
1 minute ago, Athy said:

W ell, it has a Gardner engine AND a Rayburn, so it can't be bad.

 

69' X 14'? Ideal liveaboard for cruising on the Grand Union.

Too tight for the GU, it draws about 4ft, I  wouldn't want to take it up there 😱

Posted
6 hours ago, Loddon said:

Too tight for the GU, it draws about 4ft, I  wouldn't want to take it up there 😱

Exactly.

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