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BCN Challenge 2014 - 24 & 25th May


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Firstly, they leave the chain off for the challenge so you can windSecondly, you can wind a seventy foot boat in the basin alongside the workshop - justRichard

 

Thanks for the info Richard. 50ft will be no problem,then!

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Thanks for the info Richard. 50ft will be no problem,then!

50ft is a breeze.

Anyone else started positioning moves yet? I'm doing Braunston to Warwick later this week.

Not sure that really counts! We will moving off from Calcutt on the May Day bank holiday weekend, assuming the boat passes the BSC on the 29th April, so will possibly be going the same route as you to Brum.

Edited by john6767
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Anyone else started positioning moves yet? I'm doing Braunston to Warwick later this week.

I'm currently on the BCN and I'm heading off to Sharpness via the Avon later this week. Am I doing something wrong?

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Excuse my ignorance but in the bonus points section of the rules, it refers to single handers with and without remote control. Are remote control boats allowed? Aren't they a bit small?

Not sure it that was tongue in cheek or not, so I will give the serious answer. That is a reference to having remote control on the boat so you can control at least the throttle if not the tiller when off the boat. There was one entrant with that last year who was single handing, despite having a "photographer" on board (read into that what you will).

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So as a few may be aware we were trying to make the challenge a little more by raising money for CRT, using Just Giving website.

So far not bad up to approx. £110 with £40 of that from a contact I have in my job in Mauritius, he thinks its a great idea so happy it is slowly bringing something in.

Anyhow on top of that I have a few work suppliers in the UK who are trying to set me extra challenges and they will pledge a little more.

I have drawn the line however at doing the Farmers Bridge flight then slowly parading round Broad Street wearing nothing but womens undergarments, although I would be ok doing that for a large donation, I would more than likely be arrested and kicked off the challenge.

Hope everyone's plans are underway for good starting points and looking forward to the "small amount of drinking" that will await us at the end.

I have had to repeatedly change my route so I end up no where near a pub/bar/anywhere that sells beer wen we take our 6 hour break.

On a downside I wanted to take the boat out for a repaint, been GRP it needs the previous owners hull paint removing the hull /gel coat roughing up then repainting so anyone know who,what where offers this service?

Then again I will scratch it up going through Gosty Tunnel :)

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Do people keep their starting points a secret? I'm curious to know if anyone else is likely to be setting off from the same point as us.

 

Also, I asked this before I jest and got told to stop being so competitive even though thats not my concern. As it is looking like there is 30+ boats entering this year I'll ask the question from a genuine curiosity point of view.....

 

Say there are 5/6/7/8 boats all planning on setting off from the same place, what's the traditional way of deciding who goes frist? A punch up? First arrived the night before? Most crew? Closest to exact start point????

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Do people keep their starting points a secret? I'm curious to know if anyone else is likely to be setting off from the same point as us.

 

Also, I asked this before I jest and got told to stop being so competitive even though thats not my concern. As it is looking like there is 30+ boats entering this year I'll ask the question from a genuine curiosity point of view.....

 

Say there are 5/6/7/8 boats all planning on setting off from the same place, what's the traditional way of deciding who goes frist? A punch up? First arrived the night before? Most crew? Closest to exact start point????

Yes they do keep them secret, but you can tell us where your are starting from if you want.

 

I would say with the limited routes that are possible this year then inevitably there will be multiple people setting off from the same locations, and probably doing much the same route.

 

As to who goes first, well me of course if we find ourselves at the same start point.

 

Edited to add: You just reminded me of one of the funniest moments on last years challenge, at 30:50, overtaking on the inside as the boat ahead takes the corner wide followed by our 30 second weed hatch where he momentarily get bows ahead of again, before we burn him off!

 

http://youtu.be/j3VRNaM4kKY?t=30m50s

Edited by john6767
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Excuse my ignorance but in the bonus points section of the rules, it refers to single handers with and without remote control. Are remote control boats allowed? Aren't they a bit small?

There is a guy whose boat has a remote control who frequents the Black Country boat festival (windmill end) so I'm guessing he might be a local and therefore possible entrant.

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Yes they do keep them secret, but you can tell us where your are starting from if you want.

 

I would say with the limited routes that are possible this year then inevitably there will be multiple people setting off from the same locations, and probably doing much the same route.

 

As to who goes first, well me of course if we find ourselves at the same start point.

 

Edited to add: You just reminded me of one of the funniest moments on last years challenge, at 30:50, overtaking on the inside as the boat ahead takes the corner wide followed by our 30 second weed hatch where he momentarily get bows ahead of again, before we burn him off!

 

http://youtu.be/j3VRNaM4kKY?t=30m50s

You are all worrying about where you are starting & what if there are other boats at the same place and who goes first ...... the first time we did the 24 Hour Challenge everyone started & finished at Gas Street!!

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Say there are 5/6/7/8 boats all planning on setting off from the same place, what's the traditional way of deciding who goes frist? A punch up? First arrived the night before? Most crew? Closest to exact start point????

We moored at the same place as Firefly on the Friday night last year, just round the corner on the left at the entrance to the Oozells Loop.

 

At about 07:45 another competitor came through from the Sherborne Wharf direction, went out onto the Main Line and reversed back to old Turn.

 

Just before 08:00 Red Wharf followed Firefly out onto the Main Line and, speaking for ourselves RCBA with the reversing business so just loitered for a minute or two, waiting for the off.

 

The first boat appeared to be a bit miffed by having two boats in front of him and forced, quite rudely I thought, past RW. I wasn't too fussed so didn't argue but Firefly shot off, resulting in the first 'SLOW DOWN!' of the day, 08:03 approx, from a boat moored near Sheepcote Street Bridge!

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Cruise control for a narrowboat? Ridiculous!

If it's 7.00am on the Saturday, and you find yourself in a 'jostle' of boats. What's to stop you moving a mile down the cut and then start from there?

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Edited to add: You just reminded me of one of the funniest moments on last years challenge, at 30:50, overtaking on the inside as the boat ahead takes the corner wide followed by our 30 second weed hatch where he momentarily get bows ahead of again, before we burn him off!

 

I enjoyed watching that - fascinating and that turn was classy!
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Cruise control for a narrowboat? Ridiculous!

If it's 7.00am on the Saturday, and you find yourself in a 'jostle' of boats. What's to stop you moving a mile down the cut and then start from there?

 

The extra points available for starting at a certain location.

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The extra points available for starting at a certain location.

 

You may lose points by being caught up in a queue and arrive late at your finish point - trickier than you might think, this BCN Challenge business

 

Richard

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Uncle Richard said it might be a nice thing to update my planner, I imagine to give some of the newer peeps a guide to which junction is where and what not. So I have. Quite a task given the rule changes from the last time it was done, but I think I've got them all. Let me know if it plays up. It probably will. :)

 

http://www.thecatwhowalksbyhimself.co.uk/bcnChallenge.php

 

NB: Don't bother with the rest of the site too much, I set about re-vamping it in 2011 and never quite finished... The road to hell, etc.

  • Greenie 3
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You may lose points by being caught up in a queue and arrive late at your finish point - trickier than you might think, this BCN Challenge business

 

Richard

I have a cunning plan for that! (Although I haven't run it past my Chief Navigation Officer yet)

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