Keeping to the right

[ditchcrawler]

Completely but are those punt poles strong enough to be used as a shaft on a NB?

I have one.

[David Schweizer]

 

stair case hand rails from a timber yard preserve them with coloured cuprinol to match boat

just a point noticed broken pole thrown into hedge above cropredy lock perfect for kindling I hope some one clears some one elses rubbish up.

 

 

 

There's no law which says that boat shafts have to be ash. Spruce used to be used for some, but I think they were generally 'grown' poles rather than machined from a big tree.

 

Tim

 

True but it is common sense, Ash has the ability to absorb impact and bend under pressure without shattering which is why it is used for axe and hammer handles etc. Spruce (which is what most handrails are made from) can shatter when under pressure and could result in a sharp broken end penetrating your chest if you are leaning hard on it. It's your choice.

Edited October 6, 2014 by David Schweizer

[David Mack]

_{Well here is a postcard from yesterday.}

 

_{Hand signals didn't make a lot of difference to the punts, who ambled around all over the place.}

 

_{We didn't hit any - though one did bump into us. A great trip - you can just see WILLOW in front of us.}

 

So are we now in the winter season when motorised craft are allowed up the backs?

 

How far up did you go?

[FadeToScarlet]

Completely but are those punt poles strong enough to be used as a shaft on a NB?

The aluminium ones are, I've got one and I'll never buy another wooden shaft now.

[Scholar Gypsy]

So are we now in the winter season when motorised craft are allowed up the backs?

 

How far up did you go?

 

Yes - 1 October to 31 March, although a number of punts expressed some surprise at seeing us there!

 

We turned just above Silver Street bridge. I will put a compendium of photos on my blog in a day or two.

[Black Ibis]

So are we now in the winter season when motorised craft are allowed up the backs?

 

How far up did you go?

Both Willow and Scholar Gypsy got to the Mill Pond where we winded and returned. Powered boats are allowed 1 Oct - 31st March

 

Edit: I see SG go there first!

Edited October 6, 2014 by Black Ibis

[Timleech]

 

 

True but it is common sense, Ash has the ability to absorb impact and bend under pressure without shattering which is why it is used for axe and hammer handles etc. Spruce (which is what most handrails are made from) can shatter when under pressure and could result in a sharp broken end penetrating your chest if you are leaning hard on it. It's your choice.

 

I've seen some very nasty breaks in ash shafts

 

As I've said, spruce was commonly used in the past.

 

Tim

[Black Ibis]

Pictures from our Backs trip on Sunday http://severnerwillow.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/sunshine-and-chaos/

[Dharl]

thanks for sharing the pics! looked a great trip!

 

 

How many of you went on the trip? was it just Willow and SG ?

[David Schweizer]

 

I've seen some very nasty breaks in ash shafts

 

As I've said, spruce was commonly used in the past.

 

Tim

 

Ash will break under extreem pressure (or if it is starting to rot) but because it possess a medulary ray, the break is usually across the grain, which will cause far less injury than spruce, which does not have a medulary ray, and usually breaks with the grain, producing someting akin to a spear,

[Timleech]

 

Ash will break under extreem pressure (or if it is starting to rot) but because it possess a medulary ray, the break is usually across the grain, which will cause far less injury than spruce, which does not have a medulary ray, and usually breaks with the grain, producing someting akin to a spear,

 

I know little of the technicalities of wood structure but, if it is a 'grown' pole, surely the grain will always be lengthwise?

 

Tim

[John Holden]

 

I know little of the technicalities of wood structure but, if it is a 'grown' pole, surely the grain will always be lengthwise?

 

Tim

Medulary rays are cross grain.

[David Mack]

Both Willow and Scholar Gypsy got to the Mill Pond where we winded and returned. Powered boats are allowed 1 Oct - 31st March

 

Edit: I see SG go there first!

When I regularly punted the Cam I reckoned you could get a shallow draft narrowboat round to the Granta, but I never got to try it.

[mykaskin]

If I want someone to pass the wrong side, I usually point at the other boat, and then with my hand in the direction of travel wave down the large expanse of water into which they should go!

[Paul C]

If I want someone to pass the wrong side, I usually point at the other boat, and then with my hand in the direction of travel wave down the large expanse of water into which they should go!

 

Great - so there' s 2 opposed unofficial 'conventions' on hand signals. Hence why I ignore them, unless they're blindingly obvious. Lets all stick to the official sound signals instead....

[ditchcrawler]

 

Great - so there' s 2 opposed unofficial 'conventions' on hand signals. Hence why I ignore them, unless they're blindingly obvious. Lets all stick to the official sound signals instead....

I see come across a lot more hand signals I understand than I do sound signals

[GUMPY]

The aluminium ones are, I've got one and I'll never buy another wooden shaft now.

Been using Aluminium poles for 15years, never broken or bent, you just have to remember not to use them as a lever, that's what the boarding plank is for.

[Guest]

 

Great - so there' s 2 opposed unofficial 'conventions' on hand signals. Hence why I ignore them, unless they're blindingly obvious. Lets all stick to the official sound signals instead....

Being deaf, I don't always hear them when the boat is at a distance. Caused a problem/argument recently.

[John V]

I see come across a lot more hand signals I understand than I do sound signals

 

 

signals or gestures ?

[ditchcrawler]

 

 

signals or gestures ?

I think I understand gestures but I could of course be wrong as I don't normally stop and ask people to explain them

[Daiboy]

Would be fun to pass a punt, lean over and grab the pole shouting "thank you". I saw someone using a hand gesture the other day (not to me you understand) but it looked like he was showing someone how to polish a boat pole !!

[Ray T]

Would be fun to pass a punt, lean over and grab the pole shouting "thank you". I saw someone using a hand gesture the other day (not to me you understand) but it looked like he was showing someone how to polish a boat pole !!

 

Even more when I was a manager in BT one of the lads on the group was accused by another motorist of giving him a "cupped hand" gesture at a road junction and cutting him up in the BT van.

[ValandPete]

Pictures from our Backs trip on Sunday http://severnerwillow.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/sunshine-and-chaos/

[Scholar Gypsy]

When I regularly punted the Cam I reckoned you could get a shallow draft narrowboat round to the Granta, but I never got to try it.

 

Maybe next time. It didn't look that encouraging yesterday - here we are, having turned around .... (For the benefit of others, you are talking about the section off to the right).

 

Edited October 6, 2014 by Scholar Gypsy

[FadeToScarlet]

When I regularly punted the Cam I reckoned you could get a shallow draft narrowboat round to the Granta, but I never got to try it.

There's a gravel bar right outside the Granta, and the mill pool itself is only 18" or so deep.

 

Only two boats have been there in recent years- I took our old boat around, but we ran aground on the gravel by the Granta; and NB Squire did the same today.

Would be fun to pass a punt, lean over and grab the pole shouting "thank you". I saw someone using a hand gesture the other day (not to me you understand) but it looked like he was showing someone how to polish a boat pole !!

The trick is to.grab it from one of the bridges.