Still Enjoying Belgium

[Biggles]

Hi all.

 

Not been on here much of late as I've been enjoying Belgium so much.

 

Have a look at the blog. This country has some awesome features.

 

Blog Link

[magpie patrick]

Cool...

 

Are they using both sides of the Strepy-Theiu lift now? When I saw it (16 years ago, probably not that long after it opened) only one looked useable

[Biggles]

Yes both sides are in use.

[Mendip-Locks]

Hi Biggles,

 

I'm an avid follower after being hooked on the build on the blog.

Very interesting stuff over there in Belgium.

[blackrose]

I didn't even realise you'd crossed over to the other side. It looks great.

 

I see you're being bashed about a bit by the commercial barges when you're moored. Don't you use any car tyres between your boat and the bank? I used to use them on the Thames and they really helped when the big passenger boats went past too fast. I realise that loaded barges over there are much bigger but a couple of tyres might help.

 

Apart from that, how are you dealing with the locks with your narrow gunwales? We hear about how unsuitable narrow boats and widebeams are for European waters (mainly from people who don't have narrowboats or widebeams), so I'd be interested to get some first hand views of how you and that narrowboat are getting on.

 

By the way, do you mind me asking how much it cost to get your boat over to Neiuwpoort including cranage?

 

Mike

Edited May 28, 2014 by blackrose

[Timleech]

I'm fairly sure that the use of tyres as fenders is illegal in Belgium, and for good reason. They can snag on lock furniture etc., get ripped off, sink and then get drawn into paddles.

May be permissible to use them only while tied up,that would need checking.

Other fenders are available

 

Tim

[magpie patrick]

I didn't even realise you'd crossed over to the other side. It looks great.

 

I see you're being bashed about a bit by the commercial barges when you're moored. Don't you use any car tyres between your boat and the bank? I used to use them on the Thames and they really helped when the big passenger boats went past too fast. I realise that loaded barges over there are much bigger but a couple of tyres might help.

 

Apart from that, how are you dealing with the locks with your narrow gunwales? We hear about how unsuitable narrow boats and widebeams are for European waters (mainly from people who don't have narrowboats or widebeams), so I'd be interested to get some first hand views of how you and that narrowboat are getting on.

 

By the way, do you mind me asking how much it cost to get your boat over to Neiuwpoort including cranage?

 

Mike

 

Sadly, I wasn't well enough for your trip along the K and A ...

 

But if you want anyone to give you a hand with the locks in Belgium...

Edited May 29, 2014 by magpie patrick

[Biggles]

Hi Biggles,

 

I'm an avid follower after being hooked on the build on the blog.

Very interesting stuff over there in Belgium.

 

Great to have you along.

[Biggles]

I didn't even realise you'd crossed over to the other side. It looks great.

 

I see you're being bashed about a bit by the commercial barges when you're moored. Don't you use any car tyres between your boat and the bank? I used to use them on the Thames and they really helped when the big passenger boats went past too fast. I realise that loaded barges over there are much bigger but a couple of tyres might help.

 

Apart from that, how are you dealing with the locks with your narrow gunwales? We hear about how unsuitable narrow boats and widebeams are for European waters (mainly from people who don't have narrowboats or widebeams), so I'd be interested to get some first hand views of how you and that narrowboat are getting on.

 

By the way, do you mind me asking how much it cost to get your boat over to Neiuwpoort including cranage?

 

Mike

Hello Blackrose

 

As Tim says you can't use tyres here. I have seen a lot of barges that rub marks show where tyres were used but the are missing now.

 

As for this business of being unsuitable vessels for these waterways. A load of bollocks. I can only speak for myself not MR but we have found no real issue at all in handling other traffic or in the locks. It's as I suspected all along, the twits that say they are unsuitable have clearly never done it. I don't think MR has any issues either. The only thing I would say is we are the slowest vessels here, but the deep wide water makes cruising at 5mph the norm on the same reves that 4mph would do on the Gt. Ouse system. Also white diesel is not as expensive as expected. Last 300L was €1.28 from a road station so just over £1.00 p/l

 

The total cost to get here from Ely was about £3500.00 including the cranes.

[Guest]

Biggles, on 29 May 2014 - 08:23 AM, said:

Hello Blackrose

 

As Tim says you can't use tyres here. I have seen a lot of barges that rub marks show where tyres were used but the are missing now.

 

As for this business of being unsuitable vessels for these waterways. A load of bollocks. I can only speak for myself not MR but we have found no real issue at all in handling other traffic or in the locks. It's as I suspected all along, the twits that say they are unsuitable have clearly never done it. I don't think MR has any issues either. The only thing I would say is we are the slowest vessels here, but the deep wide water makes cruising at 5mph the norm on the same reves that 4mph would do on the Gt. Ouse system. Also white diesel is not as expensive as expected. Last 300L was €1.28 from a road station so just over £1.00 p/l

 

The total cost to get here from Ely was about £3500.00 including the cranes.

 

Interesting, and thanks to Mike for asking.

[blackrose]

I'm fairly sure that the use of tyres as fenders is illegal in Belgium, and for good reason. They can snag on lock furniture etc., get ripped off, sink and then get drawn into paddles.

May be permissible to use them only while tied up,that would need checking.

Other fenders are available

 

Tim

Other fenders are available, but tyres are the best. I'd be very surprised if the ban includes using them while moored up. My friend in France has never had any issue where the same ban applies.

[Biggles]

Other fenders are available, but tyres are the best. I'd be very surprised if the ban includes using them while moored up. My friend in France has never had any issue where the same ban applies.

 

One thing is very clear here in Belgium The divide between Flanders and Wallonie is very distinct, but talking to a local Belgique its very evident that there lots of rules and prohibitions and accompanying paperwork . Belgium is not France. I have seen lots of French and dutch barges here and none have tyres for fenders.

[blackrose]

 

One thing is very clear here in Belgium The divide between Flanders and Wallonie is very distinct, but talking to a local Belgique its very evident that there lots of rules and prohibitions and accompanying paperwork . Belgium is not France. I have seen lots of French and dutch barges here and none have tyres for fenders.

 

I can't see what objections anyone could have for hanging a couple of tyres from your boat between the boat and the bank? They're not likely to be ripped off if you're not moving the boat. I'd be interested to know if the ban on tyres includes use on moored boats.

Hello Blackrose

 

As Tim says you can't use tyres here. I have seen a lot of barges that rub marks show where tyres were used but the are missing now.

 

As for this business of being unsuitable vessels for these waterways. A load of bollocks. I can only speak for myself not MR but we have found no real issue at all in handling other traffic or in the locks. It's as I suspected all along, the twits that say they are unsuitable have clearly never done it. I don't think MR has any issues either. The only thing I would say is we are the slowest vessels here, but the deep wide water makes cruising at 5mph the norm on the same reves that 4mph would do on the Gt. Ouse system. Also white diesel is not as expensive as expected. Last 300L was €1.28 from a road station so just over £1.00 p/l

 

The total cost to get here from Ely was about £3500.00 including the cranes.

 

So I guess you don't have angry idiots who never move poking their heads out of their boats and shouting at you to slow down?

Over there they realise that boats are supposed to move about.

 

Thanks for the info... Perhaps one day I'll be joining you - you never know...

Edited May 29, 2014 by blackrose

[Timleech]

 

I can't see what objections anyone could have for hanging a couple of tyres from your boat between the boat and the bank? They're not likely to be ripped off if you're not moving the boat. I'd be interested to know if the ban on tyres includes use on moored boats.

 

So I guess you don't have angry idiots who never move poking their heads out of their boats and shouting at you to slow down?

Over there they realise that boats are supposed to move about.

 

Thanks for the info... Perhaps one day I'll be joining you - you never know...

 

 

I'm fairly sure the ban on tyres was introduced when we were there in the 1970s. I remember being held up at a lock while they waited for divers to clear a tyre out of a paddle culvert. No, it wasn't ours (though we did use them briefly, before the ban).

 

Nobody would tie up on the busy commercial waterways other than to proper facilities, rings or bollards, so it's a totally different scenario to our little ditches.

Despite what some people have maintained on here, my experience was that commercial barges certainly would slow for moored boats where they saw there was a need - ie on the smaller canals and where the mooring was less secure than on the major 'motorways'.

 

Just because somebody shouts at you to slow down it doesn't mean they are necessarily an idiot. It could be the other party who is the idiot.

 

 

Tim

[Biggles]

I've heard no one complaining about speed. If you play in their back yard it's there rules. They have a living to earn. I think they do show consideration where they can, There's high speed areas here clearly marked on my map. It would be mad to moor in these areas as the speed is up to 15kph for the big stuff.

 

Today we were in a water skiing zone with one boat going past us the other way at 50mph+ with a skier in tow. When we hit the bow wave we had spray over us. Its all part of the deal here.

 

If you look at my blog you will see I was lifted 5" out of the water and my uxter was plonked on a linear cill. This mooring was 500m down a side canal. As a big boy went by at the top it caused a tsunami down the canal.

 

[blackrose]

 

 

I'm fairly sure the ban on tyres was introduced when we were there in the 1970s. I remember being held up at a lock while they waited for divers to clear a tyre out of a paddle culvert. No, it wasn't ours (though we did use them briefly, before the ban.

 

Nobody would tie up on the busy commercial waterways other than to proper facilities, rings or bollards, so it's a totally different scenario to our little ditches.

Despite what some people have maintained on here, my experience was that commercial barges certainly would slow for moored boats where they saw there was a need - ie on the smaller canals and where the mooring was less secure than on the major 'motorways'.

 

Just because somebody shouts at you to slow down it doesn't mean they are necessarily an idiot. It could be the other party who is the idiot.

Tim

I am reasonably familiar with the scenario as you put it. I'm not sure where you got the idea that I was suggesting mooring up on commercial waterways without rings or bollards? Also I don't think I said that the slow down shouter in this country was necessarily an idiot, but they often are. Then again since I never feel the need to shout at others to slow down or get shouted at to slow down myself, I may not be as experienced as you in these matters.

 

I've heard no one complaining about speed. If you play in their back yard it's there rules. They have a living to earn. I think they do show consideration where they can, There's high speed areas here clearly marked on my map. It would be mad to moor in these areas as the speed is up to 15kph for the big stuff.

 

Today we were in a water skiing zone with one boat going past us the other way at 50mph+ with a skier in tow. When we hit the bow wave we had spray over us. Its all part of the deal here.

 

If you look at my blog you will see I was lifted 5" out of the water and my uxter was plonked on a linear cill. This mooring was 500m down a side canal. As a big boy went by at the top it caused a tsunami down the canal.

 

Yes I saw that on your blog. I may send you a PM at some point to get the low down on the paperwork involved in moving to the continent. I know you need proof of vat paid and I already have a cevni. Did you have to change your gas regulators or pigtails to European ones?

Edited May 30, 2014 by blackrose

[Biggles]

I am reasonably familiar with the scenario as you put it. I'm not sure where you got the idea that I was suggesting mooring up on commercial waterways without rings or bollards? Also I don't think I said that the slow down shouter in this country was necessarily an idiot, but they often are. Then again since I never feel the need to shout at others to slow down or get shouted at to slow down myself, I may not be as experienced as you in these matters.

 

 

Yes I saw that on your blog. I may send you a PM at some point to get the low down on the paperwork involved in moving to the continent. I know you need proof of vat paid and I already have a cevni. Did you have to change your gas regulators or pigtails to European ones?

 

By all means.