Companion boat for descent of Caen Hill flight

[Nick Hudis]

'Out the Blue', 50' narrowbeam, is intending to go down the Caen Hill flight at Devizes Saturday morning 19 October. We're newish to canal boating, but we've been told that this project will be much easier with two boats together, possibly warped together. Is anyone out there also intending to travel that way that morning? We will have a crew of 3 and perhaps a shore-based friend as well to work the locks.

Thanks, Kate & Nick

 

[Machpoint005]

With 4 people involved you don't need a second boat, except that the helm will have somebody to talk to.

[DaveC]

It's not quicker with two boats, just shares the work load.

 

 

Dave

[Machpoint005]

W*** ?

And there's me thinking narrowboating was fun...

[bottle]

Just go to the top of the locks and wait for another boat to arrive, of course they may be less experienced than you.

 

ps it's not advisable to 'warp' (breast up) the boats together as at, at least one locks on the flight two boats cannot enter at the same time. (it is signed)

Edited October 16, 2013 by bottle

[matty40s]

I did it going up two weeks ago on me tod- 3 hours. Would have been less but for the pairs of boats coming down who were setting 3 or 4 in advance and leaving paddles up behind them.

[pelicanafloat]

I did it going up two weeks ago on me tod- 3 hours. Would have been less but for the pairs of boats coming down who were setting 3 or 4 in advance and leaving paddles up behind them.

That's impressive. We did it in 51/2 hours, and needed two days to recover! And yes we did enjoy it apart from pair of brain deads coming towards us and doing as you describe. I shouldn't point the finger, but as we passed, I asked why they were acting so selfishly, and was told , "we didn't see you coming!" .... Well that's all right then :-)

Edited October 16, 2013 by pelicanafloat

[Arducius]

To be fair, if there isn't another boat coming then it makes sense to set a couple of locks ahead (provided you have the crew to spare) but it's pretty hard to not see people coming up towards you as you have a great view from the top all the way down the flight.

 

I accidentially shut someone out of one of the locks at Foxhangers because I didn't look behind me when I was closing the gates. But at least I apologised and said I'd wait for them at the next lock.

[Jo_]

I read Kate and Nick's post to mean that they're not concerned about the workload but, since it's the first big flight they've done on their boat, it would be good to do it with another more experienced boat. Which is exactly the sort of thing I like doing in our early boating days.

 

If no-one responds on here K&N, then I'd take bottle's advice. Plan your arrival at the top of the flight at tea/coffee time (and when is it ever NOT tea/coffee time) and when another boat comes tootling along, ask them in your best boaty voices if they'd be happy for you to go through together since you're quite new to all this. They'll probably be perfectly happy with the plan. It doesn't really matter how much boating they've done - you can always muddle through together if needs be (but actually you'll almost certainly be amazingly fine with it all).

[Machpoint005]

I did it going up two weeks ago on me tod- 3 hours. Would have been less but for the pairs of boats coming down who were setting 3 or 4 in advance and leaving paddles up behind them.

 

It's amazing how hard it is for some people to see beyond their own nose-ends, and to crank the brain into action. If they had looked, they would have realised that sooner or later the two boats would meet (it doesn't matter where!), and all locks thereafter would be set for both. Unless the lock gates leak.

 

For that reason it's pretty pointless setting locks more than one (maybe two) in advance on a flight.

[matty40s]

 

It's amazing how hard it is for some people to see beyond their own nose-ends, and to crank the brain into action. If they had looked, they would have realised that sooner or later the two boats would meet (it doesn't matter where!), and all locks thereafter would be set for both. Unless the lock gates leak.

 

For that reason it's pretty pointless setting locks more than one (maybe two) in advance on a flight.

funnily enough, the chap in the daft hat set the lock.... said "there's two of us coming down"and then walked back up 4 locks to the pair of boats with 4 crew.

I was rising up the 'one boat at a time lock' and rather than reset the lock, I stuck kettle on and made a cup of tea.

30 minutes or so later, the pair arrived in the lock above and the chap with the silly hat was gesticulating for me to open the 2nd gate. I carried on drinking my tea. He sent the skipper (for he had a skippers hat on) of the other boat down to open the gate. As he came level with me I said "this lock is only one boat at a time due to the coping stone collapse". He barked, "I know that" and then proceeded to the lock gate where he stopped to read the notice telling him that it was one boat at a time and then walked back up to relate this to silly hat man.

The left the paddles up as they departed the lock and even with all the crew they had, didn't leave one to help me shut gates.

Congrats to Galanthus and Galatar, prize plonkers of the Caen Hill flight 2013.

Edited October 16, 2013 by matty40s

[Nick Hudis]

Thank you everyone, advice much appreciated. Date of departure not yet certain, but whenever we do get away, watching out for another boat on the same mission sounds a good plan.

[Gillie]

We usually do the flight on our own as always seem to be there when there are no boats in sight!..

You can set the locks pretty far ahead in the thick (Locks 29 to 44) as you can see if other boats are on the move or not.

If we do share with another boat we don't tie together but usually work as a pair as it is less time consuming going in and out together and much more fun!!

There is as someone said above ..there is one lock ( I think it is 41 but not sure) that is narrower than the rest and you have to single out to go in and out but there are signs on the lock above about it so you are warned...

Hope you enjoy it ..it is a wonderful and very enjoyable experience!..

[nigel carton]

Nick,

 

Sorry I can't help you this time, I'm busy up to the end of the month. The earliest I can pop down is the 4th of nov.

If you can't get help before then, I'd wait for another boat.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

We usually do the flight on our own as always seem to be there when there are no boats in sight!..

You can set the locks pretty far ahead in the thick (Locks 29 to 44) as you can see if other boats are on the move or not.

If we do share with another boat we don't tie together but usually work as a pair as it is less time consuming going in and out together and much more fun!!

There is as someone said above ..there is one lock ( I think it is 41 but not sure) that is narrower than the rest and you have to single out to go in and out but there are signs on the lock above about it so you are warned...

Hope you enjoy it ..it is a wonderful and very enjoyable experience!..

I remember helping two boats stuck in one of the locks last winter.

No. 37 or 38?

 

Glenn

[dmr]

I remember helping two boats stuck in one of the locks last winter.

No. 37 or 38?

 

Glenn

 

its always exciting doing Caan Hill and so sometimes even boaters who should know better forget about that narrow lock.

A half decent lock hobbler might have warned them

...or maybe it was the alcohol in the coffee?

 

............Dave

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

its always exciting doing Caan Hill and so sometimes even boaters who should know better forget about that narrow lock.

A half decent lock hobbler might have warned them

...or maybe it was the alcohol in the coffee?

 

............Dave

Greenie for you,

Made me laff

 

 

Glenn