Whats scarier than meeting a Large Northwich/Woolwich at a Bridge Hole?

[Rufford]

Different is not the word, difficult is the word! The boatmen of yonder years must have been tough as boots to steer a fully loaded working boat!

Anyhow, I've just printed the form for HNBC, are there any more clubs etc that I need to join?

[Tony Brooks]

Well, normally in that situation you know the steerer on the other boat is experienced and can be relied upon to act in a sensible manner within what he can.

 

Unlike the *!&% on the Coventry last week in a large new washer job. My bows were through the bridge when he came steaming around the bend. I had the boat going backwards and was out of the bridge before he even started to slow down. By now my prop-walk had me pretty much across the cut and bank suction prevented me kicking the stern out. Still he kept coming on and despite my gestures asking him to hang back he just kept heading for an ever closing gap between my bow and the bank. He just would not stop. The only way he got through without my bow scraping his cabin side was by his partner pushing us away so he could force his way through. His comment was not thank you or sorry but "i did slow down".

 

Nah - I would rather face any historic boat because I can usually give them the space they need thatnhe pratts in the deep drafted washer jobs.

[twbm]

Different is not the word, difficult is the word! The boatmen of yonder years must have been tough as boots to steer a fully loaded working boat!

Anyhow, I've just printed the form for HNBC, are there any more clubs etc that I need to join?

 

Hmm. You're clearly having some problems, but I've never found it too challenging. Wondering if there's something fundamentally wrong - for example it's not unheard of for a motor rudder to unship at the bottom and still be useable albeit bloody hard work.

[Rufford]

Nah, I just think im really unfit!

[twbm]

In that case the answer to your last question might be 'a gym'!

[Rufford]

I have gym on the back of the boat! However I really dont think I will be doing another 16 hour day, and than god about that!

[Athy]

Rufford, this is delightful and, dare I say, unexpected news - so you resolved your differences of opinion with the miserable old...I mean with the lady owner!

Did she finally include the licence in the price? Did you have to go higher?

 

[Rufford]

Oh no I didnt resolve anything with her, I just put my hands deeper into my pockets and paid the welching 'dear old lady'. And no the license didnt come with it, the worn out sofa's did tho! 58k in the end, but you cant put a price on a good boat...

[mrsmelly]

Try meeting a 600 ton gravel barge coming the other way at Skew bridge Knottingley if you think a Narrowboat is scary !!

 

Tim

[Athy]

Ah, I remember the other day that you had enhanced your offer to £58,000, so at least you did not need to increase it still further.

 

Good on yer! Enjoy the boat, and if ever I meet you I'll rercognise you by the Popeye-the-Sailorman biceps which you will develop through steering her.

[alan_fincher]

_{Ah, I remember the other day that you had enhanced your offer to £58,000, so at least you did not need to increase it still further.}

Personally I think it is quite disgraceful that they accepted a £50K offer and "Rufford" believed the boat was theirs.

 

I know independently that offer was described as "accepted", so I think it was quite out of order then for the vendors to change their mind.

 

I'm pleased for "Rufford", and possibly the price paid is still a not absurd one, but in my book a deal should be a deal and not reneged on.

 

Whilst I would have loved to buy this boat, at least this takes out of the marketplace one piece of stiff competition when another one comes available!

[Athy]

Alan, I totally agree with you - but it was obvious that Our Man Rufford was damn' well going to have that boat, at least he did not have to go up to anywhere near the original asking price which was (from memory) £65,000. The alternative for him woiuld have been to keep looking for another boat for blooming ages and perhaps to have to pay more for it when he found it. I get the impression that he'll soon forget about the financial side and just get on with enjoying his fine boat.

[Guest]

Try meeting a 600 ton gravel barge coming the other way at Skew bridge Knottingley if you think a Narrowboat is scary !!

 

Tim

Sadly no more, haven't seen one all day, zilch. Glum. Edited August 19, 2013 by The Dog House

[mrsmelly]

Sadly no more, haven't seen one all day, zilch. Glum.

Yes Martin its a huge shame. Whilst narrowboats are interesting in their own way they dont have the visual impact and interest of the boats on the commercial waterways and are practicaly all just historic and not genuine working boats any more except a very few. Hopefully the big stuff and the tankers will soon resume.

 

Tim

[FadeToScarlet]

I have gym on the back of the boat! However I really dont think I will be doing another 16 hour day, and than god about that!

If doing any heavy tiller moving, I generally don't try and push or pull it, but lean against it and use my bodyweight and legs.

 

Once going along, if you can find the channel it's easy work, but if you're out of the channel all the time it's bloody hard work! I'm no way near getting the knack and keeping it in the channel all the time, but as you get better you can be in it for longer amounts of time and find it easier going.

[Athy]

Yes Martin its a huge shame. Whilst narrowboats are interesting in their own way they dont have the visual impact and interest of the boats on the commercial waterways and are practicaly all just historic and not genuine working boats any more except a very few. Hopefully the big stuff and the tankers will soon resume.

 

Tim

Perhaps using the word "Impact" with reference to 600 ton boats is tempting fate?

 

When I lived in London I used to see L-cars bearing the legend "Impact School Of Motoring". Not sure how many customers they got.

Edited August 19, 2013 by Athy

[mattlad]

And yes, I do have bow envy, I want the biggest bow!

Sorted!

[Smelly]

Just a guess but is that an anchor handling boat?

[Ian Mac]

I have gym on the back of the boat! However I really dont think I will be doing another 16 hour day, and than god about that!

Have you mastered the forwards roll yet - under full power going straight down the cut, stand on the counter, grasp the tilly with both hands from one side, lean forwards and do a full 360 around the tiller bar, then slack off, great fun and scars the .... out of oncoming boats, as they see feet steering

Take care to land both feet in the middle of the counter, not on your ash strip.

--

cheers Ian Mac - normally best performed in grub st.

[Barry]

Sorted!

 

That's strangely beautiful.....in a plug ugly sort of way

[mark99]

It looks like a training shoe.

[Rufford]

_{Ah, I remember the other day that you had enhanced your offer to £58,000, so at least you did not need to increase it still further.}

_{Good on yer! Enjoy the boat, and if ever I meet you I'll rercognise you by the Popeye-the-Sailorman biceps which you will develop through steering her.}

 

I really could not afford to increase it further, alas now I cannot afford to really do anything on the boat - looks like it will be overdrafts and what not to sort the bathroom out!

And if you ever do spot us, please stop and say hello!

[billS]

Sorted!

 

Count em! Not 1, not 2, but 3 bow thrusters

 

I suppose they have the excuse that the can't get a long enough pole........

[Rufford]

Personally I think it is quite disgraceful that they accepted a £50K offer and "Rufford" believed the boat was theirs.

 

I know independently that offer was described as "accepted", so I think it was quite out of order then for the vendors to change their mind.

 

I'm pleased for "Rufford", and possibly the price paid is still a not absurd one, but in my book a deal should be a deal and not reneged on.

 

Whilst I would have loved to buy this boat, at least this takes out of the marketplace one piece of stiff competition when another one comes available!

 

It was quite out of order for them to change their mind, however my only options were to offer more money or walk away from the deal, and whilst I really wanted to walk away and make a point I also really wanted the boat. I feel I have paid a little over the odds however I do very much like the boat and it fitted in with my timescales, and with a decent bathroom and bedroom and a bit of tarting up I would like to think she will be worth a little more than I paid for her.

 

And Mr Fincher I shall give you first refusal if I do ever sell her!

[mark99]

SNIP

 

I feel I have paid a little over the odds

Think of the value not the price!