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"President" and "Kildare".


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Apologies to those who I have appeared to upset with my post.

Yes, my knowledge of historical boats is very limited. Yes the lovely chap on the Kildare told me that it was a boat men's cabin.

As I have not seen many historical boats I did feel that they were fantastic examples. On my three year hunt for a narrowboat to purchase for myself, I've seen 5 year old boats in worse condition than these 105 year old boats.

As I appreciate that most of you have 1000 times more knowledge and experience than me, I would hope that you will not take offence at each point of my learning, please

Not having a go at you at all, only the attitudes of some of the people connected with President and Kildare. I certainly think that if you're telling members of the public about history, and demonstrating boats, then you must get all of your facts and techniques correct.

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When the pair came to Upwell, a crew member explained to me that the Friends Of President, or whatever they are called, keep the boats in working condition rather than showroom condition on purpose, as this more authentically depicts their appearance during their original working "lives". So if the showroom shine isn't apparent, it's intentional. This seems fair enough; it's a viewpoint which has been gaining ground in land-based vehicle preservation of late too.

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Apologies to those who I have appeared to upset with my post.

Yes, my knowledge of historical boats is very limited. Yes the lovely chap on the Kildare told me that it was a boat men's cabin.

As I have not seen many historical boats I did feel that they were fantastic examples. On my three year hunt for a narrowboat to purchase for myself, I've seen 5 year old boats in worse condition than these 105 year old boats.

As I appreciate that most of you have 1000 times more knowledge and experience than me, I would hope that you will not take offence at each point of my learning, please

I am certainly not upset by post, and I am pleased that you have bought this subject up. I have been involved with 'historic' narrow boats for over 40 years and I am still learning, and I suspect I always will be.

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As I understood from what I was told, where boating on the Grand Junction was concerned, the butty was a family boat unconnected with the steamer, the latter being an all-male preserve. The family had to work all the locks, and going down the other side from the Cowroast is where the "Three Lengths" came into operation, the lockwheelers changing over at Boxmoor and Hunton Bridge change lock.

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When the pair came to Upwell, a crew member explained to me that the Friends Of President, or whatever they are called, keep the boats in working condition rather than showroom condition on purpose, as this more authentically depicts their appearance during their original working "lives". So if the showroom shine isn't apparent, it's intentional. This seems fair enough; it's a viewpoint which has been gaining ground in land-based vehicle preservation of late too.

Where this may be true of some narrow boats, and quite common in the later days of canal carrying, it is certainly not true of F.M.C. Ltd. Steamers.

 

I have heard this said several times by these multi-user 'historic' narrow boat operators and their crew but to me it is an excuse for their lack of understanding / empathy and unwillingness to learn that there is considerably more to traditional boating than dressing up, bouncing off bridges all day then going to the pub. Boating with 'historic' narrow boats was a way of life, not just a job or a means of getting from A to B, and every aspect was just as important as the next - from efficient boating practices (which is entwined with presentation - everything has its place for a reason) to hanging plates in the cabin.

 

And the showroom shine is irrelevant as it is easy to see through. There are several members of this Forum who can look at a boat (modern or 'historic') and instantly know whether its owner / operator has an understanding of what 'historic' narrow boats are all about.

Edited by pete harrison
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