fuel boats camden

[Natasha Mia Wilson]

Hi! Are there any fuel boats planning a trip to the Camden area before the weekend perchance?

 

Tasha

[Tim Lewis]

Hi! Are there any fuel boats planning a trip to the Camden area before the weekend perchance?

 

Tasha

 

As far as I aware Dominic on Baron is the only fuel boat trading down there at the moment, the Lonon Boaters Facebook page has his details

 

Tim

[Lady Muck]

I think another out of town fuel boat - Hyperion? was planning to start doing a run as far as Little Venice but no further than that. Indus/Pictor still on hols, spoke to them yesterday.

Baron - Dominic - 07534674128

https://www.facebook.com/baron.coalgasdiesel/about

Here's the London Boaters Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/73933281285/

Don't rely 100% on the fuel boats, or you will end up running out. You can buy fuel from marinas too, so it's best to plan your journey so you have a full tank before you get into the busy central area.

If you want to order from a fuel boat and you want to get any service at all, (it's not necessarily that easy!) then here's a c+p from London Boaters Facebook group

When you order services from a service boat, be very clear about where you are and be patient, this is canal time. Everything happens slower than on land. They might arrive a few days either side of when you expect them. Its best to send a text, with a clear description of the boat - name, type of boat, location - use the correct canal names/bridge numbers and names/lock numbers and names. A 'blue boat in Hackney' is too vague. There are also two 'Viccy Park locks' so be clear. If you flag them down in a busy area and they dont stop, its because they can't stop. Working boats are really heavy and they don't have brakes, unlike a modern narrowboat, they have to plan to stop and it can take a few boat lengths to do so. They have to be aware of liability, being commercial boats, so they won't risk stopping if they don't think its safe. Baron and Indus and Pictor coal boats take orders only, won't always stop if you try flagging them down. If you're not going to be in you can always agree to pay by internet bank or leave some cash somewhere. And if you want pump out, bear in mind they don't really make much money out of it, it takes ages to do, demand far outstrips supply, so if you order something else you are more likely to get service. And make sure you leave room for working pairs to navigate, if we make it hard for them, rafting up too far into the navigation channel, then we'll be stuffed because they won't be able to serve us

And finally if you are moored somewhere shallow and busy and you've ordered one bag of coal, good luck with that - there is more business out there for the fuel boats than they have time to serve at the moment. Those who get the most reliable service from the fuel boats order regularly and plenty.