best boat in the cut

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Is there room for a fat one !

[Felshampo]

Hi all

A bit of flesh on the bones. Tench, an original Josher, was owned for many years by my friend Tony Gregory, long term enthusiast from the late 50s/ early 60s.

With fellow boaters Bob Derricot ( Seaford ) and Keith Christie ( Lynx ) they formed Midland Canal Transport and helped to keep carrying going through the 70s/80s, along with Glynn and Rosemary Phillips with Aquarius. Tony, Bob and Keith featured in the " Golden Age of Canals" programme a few years ago, Glynn and Rosemary have been boating with the Fullers recently with a loaded pair to promote the Ashby restoration project.

Tony sold Tench and a colleague, Sparky Williams,was a later owner, though there may have been interim others. Sparky had much work done by Ian Kemp at Dadfords Wharf, on the Stourbridge flight and I remember it a few years ago on the dock at the Bonded Warehouse in Stourbridge when Sparky blacked it. If I recall correctly, it had no engine at that time. Sparky sold the boat subsequently and I don't know what happened later. Good to see it looking in fine fettle these days, despite the fender kickers flagging up the Calor bottle and uncovered pulleys. When I started boating in the 60s, I recall squatting on a bucket in the engine 'ole for a lavatory, with a flywheel spinning nearby my ear. In some respects, things were better in those days....but only those who remember will understand!

Cheers

Dave

"We were appier in them days even though we wus poor"

[Laurence Hogg]

 

Hi all

A bit of flesh on the bones. Tench, an original Josher, was owned for many years by my friend Tony Gregory, long term enthusiast from the late 50s/ early 60s.

With fellow boaters Bob Derricot ( Seaford ) and Keith Christie ( Lynx ) they formed Midland Canal Transport and helped to keep carrying going through the 70s/80s, along with Glynn and Rosemary Phillips with Aquarius. Tony, Bob and Keith featured in the " Golden Age of Canals" programme a few years ago, Glynn and Rosemary have been boating with the Fullers recently with a loaded pair to promote the Ashby restoration project.

Tony sold Tench and a colleague, Sparky Williams,was a later owner, though there may have been interim others. Sparky had much work done by Ian Kemp at Dadfords Wharf, on the Stourbridge flight and I remember it a few years ago on the dock at the Bonded Warehouse in Stourbridge when Sparky blacked it. If I recall correctly, it had no engine at that time. Sparky sold the boat subsequently and I don't know what happened later. Good to see it looking in fine fettle these days, despite the fender kickers flagging up the Calor bottle and uncovered pulleys. When I started boating in the 60s, I recall squatting on a bucket in the engine 'ole for a lavatory, with a flywheel spinning nearby my ear. In some respects, things were better in those days....but only those who remember will understand!

Cheers

Dave

 

Well said Dave, that was when you found parts of the cut where the "iron crosses" grew!!

Edited July 16, 2014 by Laurence Hogg

[dave moore]

Not poor, just a different environment......fewer services, more initiative needed, a much greater sense of camaraderie and support. Many boats carried a block and tackle to unstick boats, along with tarpaulins to drop behind leaky gates. I don't advocate a return to those days, the infrastructure is in much better condition these days, a good thing, though I deplore the carping, signposted world that the cut has become. Suppose I'm just a grumpy old git!

 

Dave

[John Williamson 1955]

Sod your narrowboats. You can keep them all

And a polite "Thrrrpppptttt!" to you too.

[dave moore]

I'd far rather keep mine than anything else. Bluntly, I fail to understand why you maintain an internet presence on a site which has little relevance to the type of boating you enjoy. Horses for courses, I suppose.

 

Dave

[John Williamson 1955]

I'd far rather keep mine than anything else. Bluntly, I fail to understand why you maintain an internet presence on a site which has little relevance to the type of boating you enjoy. Horses for courses, I suppose.

 

Dave

I for one, enjoy Naughty Cal's view on things, partly because it's a view from outside, which is often valuable.

 

Bloomin' fingers, typing faster than my brian can keep up with...

Edited July 16, 2014 by John Williamson 1955

[dave moore]

The life of Brian?..?

[peterboat]

I like NC s view on life too thin boats fat boats short boats and long boats I love them all

 

Peter

[Phil Ambrose]

I'd far rather keep mine than anything else. Bluntly, I fail to understand why you maintain an internet presence on a site which has little relevance to the type of boating you enjoy. Horses for courses, I suppose.

 

Dave

Hmm that's not a serious post is it? NC joined for the same reason that I and others did, even though at the time I joined we were living on a 40ft x 12ft GRP cruiser.

The reason was simply a love of the water, just because someone does not cruise in a ditch doesn't exclude them surely?

Forum members cover all types of boating, even lumpy water and they all bring something to the table.

Phil

[RLWP]

Hmm that's not a serious post is it? NC joined for the same reason that I and others did, even though at the time I joined we were living on a 40ft x 12ft GRP cruiser.

The reason was simply a love of the water, just because someone does not cruise in a ditch doesn't exclude them surely?

Forum members cover all types of boating, even lumpy water and they all bring something to the table.

Phil

I find her posts a valuable reminder that the glories of the Midlands canals are only a small (but the best) part of the scene

 

The CRT user group meetings are similar where I find myself alongside Dutch barge owners (ok), steamboat owners (yes), powerboat owners and dinghy sailors (huh?).

 

CRT owns many reservoirs with a variety of users

 

All part of the rich madness of owning boats

 

Richard

[Laurence Hogg]

Having done a awful lot of hours both offshore and in tidal in a full length narrow boat, I too can appreciate Naughty Cals view, but he should experience how a narrow boat performs at sea too.

[craftycarper]

Having done a awful lot of hours both offshore and in tidal in a full length narrow boat, I too can appreciate Naughty Cals view, but he should experience how a narrow boat performs at sea too.

. Think he is a she

[Naughty Cal]

Having done a awful lot of hours both offshore and in tidal in a full length narrow boat, I too can appreciate Naughty Cals view, but he should experience how a narrow boat performs at sea too.

Who's he?

 

And I think I will pass on the narrowboat at sea!

[Phil Ambrose]

Who's he?

 

And I think I will pass on the narrowboat at sea!

Norty, norty girl! LOL

Phil

[FadeToScarlet]

Who's he?

And I think I will pass on the narrowboat at sea!

Where's your sense of adventure?

[b0atman]

Surely naughty cal has some value to add to this forum for me it confirms that going out on water with no towpath is a no no .P.s I used to live in the north sea and have boated approx. 70 mile off shore in a 12 footer brucker and a 35 ft lifeboat.water was like a millpond.

[Felshampo]

Not poor, just a different environment......fewer services, more initiative needed, a much greater sense of camaraderie and support. Many boats carried a block and tackle to unstick boats, along with tarpaulins to drop behind leaky gates. I don't advocate a return to those days, the infrastructure is in much better condition these days, a good thing, though I deplore the carping, signposted world that the cut has become. Suppose I'm just a grumpy old git!

Dave

And when you try and tell that to the young people of today......they don't believe you!

[mango]

Our boat is better

 

Richard

But how can you compare Owl Class with Fish Class.

[Burgiesburnin]

If I ever get one then mine will be the best boat on the cut. Argue about that.

[Laurence Hogg]

But how can you compare Owl Class with Fish Class.

 

You cannot. As far as FMC are concerned neither classes existed they are modern enthusiast "terms". FMC classified their motor boats by engine size, ie 9hp, etc.

[adam the wanderer]

My boat is not the best boat.

However to me she is beautiful.

I named her, I saw her from lump of steel to completion, well nearly completion, ongoing project.

Its the only thing in my life I have had almost total control over

I love my boat, I care not if in others eyes she's not the best boat

She's mine, all mine, not the kids, not that cruel bastard I married, but mine.

And thats it really.

That is the best comment yet in my opinion

Its a bit narrow proper boats are big and wide which is why canals are big and wide up North so that proper boats like mine can sail on them

 

Peter

 

lol

I am from Hull my dad used to have a humber barge bigger up north lol

[adam the wanderer]

Boating is in every British persons blood there was a time when we used go around in boats/ships sticking flags in everything we found then say it was ours

 

 

ps We called it an empire

[NigelMoore]

Reminds me of the “Destroyer” series, wherein Chiun claims America was only discovered on his own first arrival.

 

Along which lines of course, Britain itself was only discovered and claimed as late as 26 January 1988 by an Aussie.

[mango]

 

You cannot. As far as FMC are concerned neither classes existed they are modern enthusiast "terms". FMC classified their motor boats by engine size, ie 9hp, etc.

Thanks. I didn't know that. I was just teasing Richard, whose boat is an old hire boat.