BCN Challenge 2014 - 24 & 25th May

[RLWP]

What are you messing about at! We can do four minute locks up Ryder's Green. A seventy foot boat seems to work much better in BCN locks

 

I suppose if you don't know if you are going to stay in reverse it makes a difference

 

Richard

[alan_fincher]

I'm not bitching, but a 50 foot boat clearly cannot cover the miles 7/5 faster than a 70 foot boat, even if you factor in slightly more time at each lock if full length.

 

Even we clearly will have managed to amass far more points using our 50 foot moderately draughted leisure boat, "Chalice" than had we used out 40 foot deep draughted tug, "Sickle".

 

In fact I reasoned that "Sickle" with a draught disadvantage and length disadvantage was an exceedingly poor choice of "Challenge" boat. Not being full length it doesn't get any allowance for being a working boat, unlike most of those that did take part.

 

Maybe give some allowance for being (say) over 60 feet long, but under (say) 60 feet long the factoring by length gives shorter boats no real chance at all. However, if the problem with a full (or near full?) length boat is deemed to be slowness through locks, then why not adjust the points they get per lock, rather than those they get per mile - that would be far more logical, surely?

 

I was told by a seasoned "Challenger" that at least one year they did have some kind of bonus for boats of above a certain draught, which involved having a frame that was passed under your skeg to see if you qualified - clearly if that was once the case, for whatever reason they are now no longer choosing to do this.

[RLWP]

Correct. Boats are no longer measured for draught

 

We came second when that was a factor, even though we have practically no draught at all

 

Richard

[Keeping Up]

After coming up Spon Lane locks it took us (Team Poppy, 68ft) over 5 minutes to make the sharp right turn back towards Oldbury. In a 50ft boat it would only have taken a few seconds.

[RLWP]

After coming up Spon Lane locks it took us (Team Poppy, 68ft) over 5 minutes to make the sharp right turn back towards Oldbury. In a 50ft boat it would only have taken a few seconds.

 

Good grief - it took that long to realise you needed to use ropes!

 

Richard

[Tom and Bex]

What are you messing about at! We can do four minute locks up Ryder's Green. A seventy foot boat seems to work much better in BCN locks

 

I suppose if you don't know if you are going to stay in reverse it makes a difference

 

Richard

At least 1 boat I spoke to said they managed to average less than 3.5 mins per lock, but you're right not trusting reverse did mean we entered locks slightly slower!

 

I need to measure our boat sometime because some of the locks on the Titord did seem very tight even without fenders.

 

It was nice that we had far fewer trips down the weed hatch this year though.

[RLWP]

We had the same problem, and we are definitely 70' plus fenders. We had to be hard against the top gate and perhaps to the offside or the gate wouldn't close. I think it was only the bottom two or three

 

Richard

[Keeping Up]

 

Good grief - it took that long to realise you needed to use ropes!

 

Richard

 

The ropes were a little bit too short!

[Tom and Bex]

I think it was the bottom ones that were tight. That was without rear fenders but with front one.

 

Just looked at our times for farmers Bridge on the way back and it was 49 mins which I make 3.77 mins per lock including waiting to pass another boat at 1 lock which I suppose isn't too bad.

[RLWP]

We had the bow against the far side, one crew member off with the bow line, and one crew member off the back with the stern line on the Spon lane side

 

Richard

[Captain Fizz]

Diesel and Dust has escaped the clutches of Birmingham. Spotted in Rugby yesterday heading towards Braunston.

[Rob-M]

Totally different weekend of boating, managed Saul Junction to Gloucester Docks, then down to Sharpness and finally back to Saul,32 miles and 0 locks over three days. Perhaps next year I'll take the gentle approach around a few miles of the BCN.

[little duck!]

I'm missing our boat, only came home on friday!

[alan_fincher]

Our challenge also formally ended today.

 

We were taking "Chalice" back to her home mooring, but came to the conclusion we would barely be there before we set off again on our next rip.

 

So instead I have managed to borrow a mooring further North, and we instead ended there today, (a combination of push bike and train then being used to retrieve the car!).

 

Stats for the whole trip, (including the challenge bit.....

 

Miles: 275

Locks: 209

Edited June 1, 2014 by alan_fincher

[junior]

I haven't been back on my boat since leaving it very early the morning after the challenge and still have another 48hrs to go.

 

Once back on board I have a bit of a rush to get down to Foxton so I'll not be hanging around, which is a shame as I had my appetite for the BCN severely wetted last weekend. I'll have to head south to Foxton and Braunston before getting back up to Birmingham in July.

[Tom and Bex]

We're moored about a mile or so from Foxton ready for the run down the locks and back to Debdale tomorrow. Both of us are working nights this week so making the most of our last night of holiday!

[matty40s]

I left hawne basin on Monday and then picked a boat up from debdale marina on Wednesday afternoon, moored in Kings Cross this evening you part timers.

 

123 miles, 105 locks, 70 footer, single handing....

Edited June 2, 2014 by matty40s

[Tom and Bex]

Wet did have a day out to go back to Somerse! Plus we had to queue for locks at Hillmorton, Braunston & Watford.

 

But yes we're having an easy jaunt back after the challenge travelling via B&F, Coventry, North Oxford and Welford branch. We're even enjoying the sunshine today at last! Had it been as wet as the challenge weekend we'd have been back days ago.

[john6767]

We left the BCN on Saturday, and came down Stourbridge to Kinver, and yesterday on to Stourport. Very peaceful this morning moored on the river. Looking at the speed the water is going past I think we will have a quick trip to Worcester today.

 

Anyway on more important matters, when are the results out, anyone know?

[junior]

We left the BCN on Saturday, and came down Stourbridge to Kinver, and yesterday on to Stourport. Very peaceful this morning moored on the river. Looking at the speed the water is going past I think we will have a quick trip to Worcester today.

 

Anyway on more important matters, when are the results out, anyone know?

I'm sure I read somewhere that they will be announced on bonfire night.

[RLWP]

The presentation will be on bonfire night. The announcement will be sooner than that

 

Richard

[RichardN]

I left hawne basin on Monday and then picked a boat up from debdale marina on Wednesday afternoon, moored in Kings Cross this evening you part timers.

 

123 miles, 105 locks, 70 footer, single handing....

 

That must need something like 15 days? That's tough.

[matty40s]

4 and a 1/2

[RichardN]

I think I need to go on a typing course or only do one thing at a time

 

I meant that you must have had somthing like 15 hour days which is tough - I simply thought that we normally do 7 or 8 hour days, Debdale from London would probably be about 8 days hence the 15 hours. I am not sure why but I did not see your locks and miles count till after I posted so perhaps should check the maths

[Nine of Hearts]

...I am not sure why but I did not see your locks and miles count till after I posted so perhaps should check the maths

 

Because I am sad, I did do the maths, and I worked out at a fairly modest 3mph, and 8 minutes a lock, you're looking at 12 hours a day to do that distance. Which is very do-able, allowing for 4 hours going, "oooh, this is a nice pub" and 8 hours kip into the bargain. You could even slow down for fishermen on that kind of schedule.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Nine of Hearts