BCN Challenge 2014 - 24 & 25th May

[Laurie Booth]

....but you knew he would be along....

eventually...

[john6767]

I could be interested in joining your crew, as this is an event I keep meaning to have a go at.

 

I'll have to see if it clashes with the Three Rivers Race though, as I'm determined to enter that in my own boat this year (I crewed for a friend in 2011, but haven't been able to take part for the last two years, and now I have an unfathomable longing to spend the night drifting somewhere along the lower Bure, waiting for the wind).

 

I wouldn't call myself an expert on the BCN, but I am a native Brummie, and have trodden quite a few of the towpaths in my youth.

The BCN Challenge is Sat 24th May to Sun 25th May (the late May Bank Holiday weekend).

[tree monkey]

You lik trees...

like or lick i admit to one but not the other

[PhilR]

Ok, i'm thinking of doing this!

 

 

I can thoroughly recommend it and if you need crew I'm sure you will find lots of people on here willing to help.

 

I reckon the optimum number of crew is 4.

I have twice done over 100 locks with 4 of us. Great fun and the locals (even the anglers) have always been very friendly.

[RLWP]

A crew of four? We have never had a crew of less than nine

 

Our first crew was recruited by an appeal to the forum, it works. You'll probably make some friends for life, like we did

 

In the unlikely event that you have no crew, with the finish at Hawne Basin you should be able to make a respectable score, see some interesting parts and only do three locks.

 

Richard

[john6767]

Just filled in the entry form. If anyone wants one just PM me your email and I can send it to you, or you can email bcnschallenge at gmail.com for one.

 

Yet another shameless plug for my time-lapse of the event, this is last years, the others are on my YouTube page as well

 

A fun bit is from 30:40 where we catch a boat up on the Walsall approaching Tame Valley Junction, he takes the turn onto the Tame Valley wide, and I get him on the inside. But as we need to clear the prop we stop in the gauging point, and I clear the prop in the time it takes him to just catch us up again, you see his bows just get in front, but then we get off and get head of him. Memories of a fun time in glorious weather.

 

A crew of four? We have never had a crew of less than nine

 

Our first crew was recruited by an appeal to the forum, it works. You'll probably make some friends for life, like we did

 

In the unlikely event that you have no crew, with the finish at Hawne Basin you should be able to make a respectable score, see some interesting parts and only do three locks.

 

Richard

Indeed you could, but which 3 would you do, you have 4 choices.

[RLWP]

Indeed you could, but which 3 would you do, you have 4 choices.

 

I'm not making it that easy for him!

 

Richard

[Nine of Hearts]

You'll probably make some friends for life, like we did

 

With all due respect, you don't know that yet.

 

Did you see the Ma Pardoe's suggestion. A mutual friend conjectured you may be up for that.

[john6767]

 

With all due respect, you don't know that yet.

 

Did you see the Ma Pardoe's suggestion. A mutual friend conjectured you may be up for that.

How far is it from Hawne Basin?

[RLWP]

 

With all due respect, you don't know that yet. *

 

Did you see the Ma Pardoe's suggestion. A mutual friend conjectured you may be up for that.

 

Will there be beer?

 

Richard

 

*I assume you thought I meant the length of my life

Edited January 15, 2014 by RLWP

[PhilR]

A crew of four? We have never had a crew of less than nine

 

By heck. They must have been tripping over each other.

[RLWP]

By heck. They must have been tripping over each other.

 

Not usually. One steering, one making tea, two shopping - you soon get them allocated

 

Actually, I don't mind taking a lot of crew. I like getting people onto the BCN who haven't seen it before

 

Richard

[PhilR]

 

Not usually. One steering, one making tea, two shopping - you soon get them allocated

 

Actually, I don't mind taking a lot of crew. I like getting people onto the BCN who haven't seen it before

 

Richard

Well, I fully support your reasons - and I bet everyone had a great time

[Victor Vectis]

Indeed you could, but which 3 would you do, you have 4 choices.

Do I recall someone recently mentioning optimisation software?

 

By heck. They must have been tripping over each other.

No, it was only Richard ( ) who fell in the year before last!

 

[Nine of Hearts]

 

Will there be beer?

 

Why, naturally. And I meant no aspersions as your longevity. You will be fine as long as you keep taking your medicine (see above).

 

How far is it from Hawne Basin?

 

Well, Withymoor Island is about 3.5miles by boatie from Hawne Basin, and Ma Pardoe's (or the Old Swan as it is more formally known) is about 1/2 a mile up the Halesowen Road from there. It is a most excellent venue, and anyone who has been to the Smethwick Bonfire Rally will be familiar with the quality of the beer.

[system 4-50]

So how social is this event? Could it be that I end up doing 24 hrs boating without seeing a soul, then come to the finish to find various cliques disappearing off to favourite haunts? Is the sociability in the selection of the crew ie boat-sized or is it the whole group of competitors?

[PhilR]

So how social is this event? Could it be that I end up doing 24 hrs boating without seeing a soul, then come to the finish to find various cliques disappearing off to favourite haunts? Is the sociability in the selection of the crew ie boat-sized or is it the whole group of competitors?

 

The sociability is what you want to make of it. You will almost certainly meet lots of other participants during the 24 hours (+ before and after). But for me, interacting with the locals on rarely used parts of the system is one of the highlights.

Edited January 16, 2014 by PhilR

[RLWP]

So how social is this event? Could it be that I end up doing 24 hrs boating without seeing a soul,

 

Possibly

 

then come to the finish to find various cliques disappearing off to favourite haunts?

 

No. If you finish where Tawny Owl is, you won't escape that easily

 

Is the sociability in the selection of the crew ie boat-sized or is it the whole group of competitors?

 

For example, last year we finished at Longwood boat club. We, and a few other crews went and looked at the bar in the boat club which appeared to be closed. So, a crew organised some cars and several crews went to the Manor Arms. When we returned, Tawny Owl disgorged tables and chairs, several crew we already knew produced whatever food they had, and then we mopped up any other crews, organisers or whatever into a convivial (voluntary) picnic.

 

You are already in a super clique anyway - you post here

 

Richard

Edited January 15, 2014 by RLWP

[Mrs Tawny Owl]

As Richard said, at the end we all like to get together and share food beer etc. Does depend on the weather a bit though. last time at Walsall we all trooped to the pub and dripped / steamed through the evening then mostly went back to boats in small groups.Was VERY wet though.

 

But last year picnic on the towpath which was lovely.

 

If lots of extra boats are intending to join in then socialise I can see I'll need to make more cake Can't let Tawny's reputation down.

 

The challenge is fun all sorts of going's on like meeting Dust and Diesel on the titford flight, 2 70 footers crossing in a pound about 80 feet long, that needed co-operation.

 

Don't worry if you should find yourself in a lock flight ahead of Tawny, you'll suddenly find extra crew and be through the flight in no time, can't have people holding us up . We are very polite and helpful though, and if you have a problem we, or just about any of the other boats will help if we can.

 

the BCN is a lovely experience, do come.

 

Sue

[Little Else]

We only knew people online when we took part in our first challenge, it was great to put names to faces and we were made very welcome. The trip to the pub isn't a secret, it's usually discussed in this thread before hand and word spread around to anyone participating who isn't on CWDF. Last years supper was fun and was open to all who wanted to participate. I hope we can do something similar this year. What you get out socially depends on what you want to put in.

[Victor Vectis]

 

and if you have a problem we, or just about any of the other boats will help if we can.

 

For instance, Factory Junction late Saturday evening.

 

Red Wharf, heading south, comes across Atlas in trouble. They had ridden over something lurking on the bottom and dislodged their rudder. At almost the same time Diesel & Dust comes out of the lock. Then 5 mins later Team Tawny comes round the corner, like the cavalry in a western! So where there was one boat, now there are four.

Problem fixed we all went on our separate ways, rejoicing.

 

We also provided entertainment for the folk in the adjacent pub garden

[john6767]

We only knew people online when we took part in our first challenge, it was great to put names to faces and we were made very welcome. The trip to the pub isn't a secret, it's usually discussed in this thread before hand and word spread around to anyone participating who isn't on CWDF. Last years supper was fun and was open to all who wanted to participate. I hope we can do something similar this year. What you get out socially depends on what you want to put in.

 

For instance, Factory Junction late Saturday evening.

 

Red Wharf, heading south, comes across Atlas in trouble. They had ridden over something lurking on the bottom and dislodged their rudder. At almost the same time Diesel & Dust comes out of the lock. Then 5 mins later Team Tawny comes round the corner, like the cavalry in a western! So where there was one boat, now there are four.

Problem fixed we all went on our separate ways, rejoicing.

 

We also provided entertainment for the folk in the adjacent pub garden

Your 2 posts at the same time tickled me, are you sat next to each other, do you talk or just via the forum .

 

With this year finishing at Hawne Basin that should at least give somewhere indoors if the weather is not good during the afternoon.

 

Don't worry if you should find yourself in a lock flight ahead of Tawny, you'll suddenly find extra crew and be through the flight in no time, can't have people holding us up . We are very polite and helpful though, and if you have a problem we, or just about any of the other boats will help if we can.

 

Three years ago we were on the receiving end of that help going down Rushall, with just 2 of us Tawny caught us up. We did manage to keep ahead all the way to the finish though!

[Little Else]

Talk? What's that? We've been together too long to talk! Like our finances we keep our forum activity quite separate.

[system 4-50]

Sorry, this is just not enough information. I shall have to attend in person to find out more.

Edited January 15, 2014 by system 4-50

[Tom and Bex]

As the above posts, we had a great time last year and were made to feel very welcome by the crew of tawny and others on Sunday evening - we might even being some food this time instead of eating everyone else's!

 

Really really looking forward to it and just received confirmation today that my annual leave form had been signed so this thread is very timely for me.

 

Planning has started already but still really need to get the application form sent off. Also looking forward to the finish being on the southern BCN as haven't cruised that way much.

 

Surprised to come 2nd last year in our first year but feel everyone will be watching us more closely this time! All our crew from last year have already confirmed they'll be there with or without me - they said if I couldn't get the time off work they would hijack the boat anyway!

 

Hope to see many of you there again this year. If you've never entered before give it a go.

 

Tom

Diesel & Dust