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Tow Needed Please

Gert Lush

By Gert Lush
in General Boating

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Gert Lush Gongoozler

Gert Lush

Posted
Posted

Hi all


I am new to this site so would like to say hi and glad i've found you. l wonder if any one is able to help us please," we had a dream" so we brought a canal boat as a project....... a 37ft springer, ok enough said on that it's been a long costly lesson over the past two years.. We are on the Kennet and Avon just past Aldermaston trying to get to Reading where we are having our boat taken out of the water so we can have a new engine and a desperately needed strip and paint job all over.


On Sunday we developed a serious problem with the engine we got a hole in the piston it was a very scary moment on board thick smoke and an engine that was running so fast it sounded like it was going to take off. We are so grateful to lovely boaters who came to our rescue, particularly the folks we had come through the locks with who towed us with their boat as far as they were going, just past Aldermaston..The engine is now dead and the Canal and River Trust came out to us and have quoted a small fortune.to tow the boat to Reading, and we really don't want to spend any more money trying to repair an engine that's coming out. (Thats been the main part of the long costly lesson so far and if i had longer i'd tell you about that sorry episode.) Would anyone be able to help us please or know anyone else who might be able to tow us there or part way, we'd be willing to pay, tea and butties are standard. I think we're about 10-12 miles from where we need to be, I look forward to any offers of help or advice folks, Many thanks Sandra


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b0atman Veteran

b0atman

Posted
Posted (edited)

I hope you get a tow from some one .
I thought RCR where supposed to loan outboards for you to get to your location ?
Have you spoken to the office tell them you are on this site and people are interested in the way RCR handle this problem .
What level of cover do you have as I thought this new Insurance would cover the cost of engine up to a certain amount.

Yes martin I got it wrong I read CRT as RCR so oops too early for my old eyes.

Edited by b0atman
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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

I hope you get a tow from some one .

I thought RCR where supposed to loan outboards for you to get to your location ?

Have you spoken to the office tell them you are on this site and people are interested in the way RCR handle this problem .

What level of cover do you have as I thought this new Insurance would cover the cost of engine up to a certain amount.

Who mentioned RCR?

 

To the OP - welcome to the forum hope you get sorted.

 

I also suggest you stick a large notice in a couple of the boat windows

 

'TOW NEEDED PLS. HELP'

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted (edited)

Why not have the engine changed at the boatyard Aldermaston? They are reasonably competent people.

 

They have a crane come down once a month too, to lift boats in and out and they do shot blasting and boat painting and blacking. Or the used to at least...

 

 

MtB

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
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Gert Lush Gongoozler

Gert Lush

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Hi all

Thank you for all your responsesI really do appreciate them, I have put some notices in the windows so hope we might get a response. We did try Aldermaston but as we want to do some of the work ourselves stripping paint/interior stuff, they said they don't have the facilities/insurances to let us work on it, they were also much more expensive regarding the engine change. Things really do seem much more expensive in general on the K&A.

As for CRT they didn't offer an outboard but looked at the boat engine and pointed out all the things we already knew, piston blown engine died, would cost thousands to re-build................They did however quote in excess of £600 to tow us, I enquired about the first 2 hours free towing, yes that was right, but it depends from where the tow boat has to come from so that might take up the first two hours! Then you have to pay for the boat to get back to where it came from once it's towed you! Definatley won't be renewing with them next year.

I will post on the K&A facebook site as well, great idea! you don't have too many of them when your stressed out,but i am determined to get our boat to Reading and turn her from an ugly ducking to a beautiful swan even if i have to pull her along meself, LOL

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Posted
Posted

Hi all

Thank you for all your responsesI really do appreciate them, I have put some notices in the windows so hope we might get a response. We did try Aldermaston but as we want to do some of the work ourselves stripping paint/interior stuff, they said they don't have the facilities/insurances to let us work on it, they were also much more expensive regarding the engine change. Things really do seem much more expensive in general on the K&A.

As for CRT they didn't offer an outboard but looked at the boat engine and pointed out all the things we already knew, piston blown engine died, would cost thousands to re-build................They did however quote in excess of £600 to tow us, I enquired about the first 2 hours free towing, yes that was right, but it depends from where the tow boat has to come from so that might take up the first two hours! Then you have to pay for the boat to get back to where it came from once it's towed you! Definatley won't be renewing with them next year.

I will post on the K&A facebook site as well, great idea! you don't have too many of them when your stressed out,but i am determined to get our boat to Reading and turn her from an ugly ducking to a beautiful swan even if i have to pull her along meself, LOL

I do now think you mean River Canal Rescue (RCR) and not Canal and River Trust (CRT)

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Yes the Aldermaston yard can be awkward sods to do business with in my personal experience, but if you think they are expensive, wait till you get to the Thames!

 

Where on the Thames are you heading? Do you have somewhere lined up where you are happy with the costs? Most of the Thames yards make Aldermaston look cheap.

 

And when you say CRT wanted £600 to tow you, are you sure you don't mean RCR? I didn't realise CRT offered a towing service!

 

RCR = Rive Canal Rescue

CRT = Canal and River Trust

 

 

MtB

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I guarantee you will get a tow today, provided you have a prominent sign people can read. Canal people are a good lot, just read the one about the sinking in Kingston. Good luck!

 

Don't underestimate the lack of traffic on the K&A though.

 

I once cruised for a whole day in August without seeing another moving boat.

 

 

MtB

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Gert Lush Gongoozler

Gert Lush

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi all


I am new to this site so would like to say hi and glad i've found you. l wonder if any one is able to help us please," we had a dream" so we brought a canal boat as a project....... a 37ft springer, ok enough said on that it's been a long costly lesson over the past two years.. We are on the Kennet and Avon just past Aldermaston (Sulhampstead ) ltrying to get to Reading where we are having our boat taken out of the water so we can have a new engine and a desperately needed strip and paint job all over.


On Sunday we developed a serious problem with the engine we got a hole in the piston it was a very scary moment on board thick smoke and an engine that was running so fast it sounded like it was going to take off. We are so grateful to lovely boaters who came to our rescue, particularly the folks we had come through the locks with who towed us with their boat as far as they were going, just past Aldermaston..The engine is now dead and the Canal and River Trust came out to us and have quoted a small fortune.to tow the boat to Reading, and we really don't want to spend any more money trying to repair an engine that's coming out. (Thats been the main part of the long costly lesson so far and if i had longer i'd tell you about that sorry episode.) Would anyone be able to help us please or know anyone else who might be able to tow us there or part way, we'd be willing to pay, tea and butties are standard. I think we're about 10-12 miles from where we need to be, I look forward to any offers of help or advice folks, Many thanks Sandra



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bottle Veteran II

bottle

Posted
Posted (edited)

true but it would have been better to ask the Mods to move the original there.

 

Sandra I see you posted whilst I was posting, no apology necessary, I will report this thread so that the Mods can put the original request here and delete the duplicate.

 

You cannot delete the mods will sort it. biggrin.png

Edited by bottle
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bizzard Veteran II

bizzard

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Posted

With the ''Please give us a tow'' sign displayed and there are two of you I'd start bow hauling it from the towpath. Fix a long line from about a third of the way along from the bow. handrail will do. A bit of a body harness made out of straps or webbing will make it more comfortable for the hauler, while the other person steers. Any passing boat is then bound to feel sorry for you and give you a tow. And all the time your hauling your getting that bit closer to Reading and keeping fit. smile.png

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PhilR Experienced

PhilR

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Posted (edited)

I agree with Bizzard. That is an almost guaranteed method of getting the offer of a tow from a sympathetic boater.

 

And you should achieve somewhere between 1 and 2 mph bow hauling a relatively light Springer.

Edited by PhilR
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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I hope you get a tow from some one .

I thought RCR where supposed to loan outboards for you to get to your location ?

Have you spoken to the office tell them you are on this site and people are interested in the way RCR handle this problem .

What level of cover do you have as I thought this new Insurance would cover the cost of engine up to a certain amount.

Yes martin I got it wrong I read CRT as RCR so oops too early for my old eyes.

I think you were right first time

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