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BCN Challenge 2015

Dave_P

By Dave_P,
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Dave_P

Dave_P Donate to Canal World 353

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What do people think of the new rules? I was thinking of just pottering about a bit this year. But I have a 55' boat which looks like close to the optimum length for points scoring. Should I go for a highly improbably win?

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john6767

john6767 545

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What do people think of the new rules? I was thinking of just pottering about a bit this year. But I have a 55' boat which looks like close to the optimum length for points scoring. Should I go for a highly improbably win?

As you say a 50' plus boats are the optimum (mr smug with 50ft boat here biggrin.png), so this year it should be a year for mid length boats. I don't believe you will win though, a boat with a butty will win for sure. A 50ft boat with a 21ft butty is the optimum, you then get the additional 5 points per mile, and 2 points per lock, although of course with that setup you would go for distance not locks in my opinion.

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Dave_P

Dave_P Donate to Canal World 353

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As you say a 50' plus boats are the optimum (mr smug with 50ft boat here biggrin.png), so this year it should be a year for mid length boats. I don't believe you will win though, a boat with a butty will win for sure. A 50ft boat with a 21ft butty is the optimum, you then get the additional 5 points per mile, and 2 points per lock, although of course with that setup you would go for distance not locks in my opinion.

I might be able to rustle up a 16' butty....

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Rob-M

Rob-M 778

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Had a read of the rules tonight and I see there is no bonus points for full length working boats this year. Will that mean some of the working boat owners may not take part...?

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matty40s

matty40s 4392

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Had a read of the rules tonight and I see there is no bonus points for full length working boats this year. Will that mean some of the working boat owners may not take part...?

don't think it will stop them all though....

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Odana

Odana 37

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21' butty available for hire....

Though she is a bit on the thin side so overplating might be a steep cost - normally stays where she doesn't get bumped..

 

We did Winsford Flash. Not sure about Titford Pools though - getting close was hard enough!

Edited by Odana
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Victor Vectis

Victor Vectis Donate to Canal World 833

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21' butty available for hire....

Though she is a bit on the thin side so overplating might be a steep cost - normally stays where she doesn't get bumped..

 

We did Winsford Flash. Not sure about Titford Pools though - getting close was hard enough!

Hmmmmm.

 

I'm wondering what exactly constitutes a 'boats length of the end of the navigation' when it comes to the Titford Pools. In the past we've winded in the junction just beyond the bridge.

 

Is the extra 5 or 10 points worth the risk of venturing further?

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john6767

john6767 545

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Hmmmmm.

 

I'm wondering what exactly constitutes a 'boats length of the end of the navigation' when it comes to the Titford Pools. In the past we've winded in the junction just beyond the bridge.

 

Is the extra 5 or 10 points worth the risk of venturing further?

I would take Titford Pools to mean that you go into one or both of the pools, and I guess to a boat length from the far side. The junction is before you get to the pools, and as you say is the normal defined turn point on the Titford Canal. That is still defined in the same way this year "Titford Branch Canal to the Navigation Winding Hole and return". The thing about the pools is for the additional photographic opportunity, which is on top of actually doing the branch.

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Keeping Up

Keeping Up Donate to Canal World 744

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I did ask the organisers the same question, and I got the following reply:

 

"Yes you can get a full length boat into both pools but the entrances are shallow so please go slowly. Although the entrance is tight you should have no problem with the pool directly under the motorway and it is deep.The other pool is shallower but should not provide you with major problems.

Because the photographic opportunities is a new feature this year we will be very flexible and evidence that you have had a go will be sufficient."
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dove

dove 6

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Hmmmmm.

 

I'm wondering what exactly constitutes a 'boats length of the end of the navigation' when it comes to the Titford Pools. In the past we've winded in the junction just beyond the bridge.

 

Is the extra 5 or 10 points worth the risk of venturing further?

Went in with Dove last year, just don't go under the M5 unless you're Tawny Owl :)

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john6767

john6767 545

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I did ask the organisers the same question, and I got the following reply:

 

"Yes you can get a full length boat into both pools but the entrances are shallow so please go slowly. Although the entrance is tight you should have no problem with the pool directly under the motorway and it is deep.The other pool is shallower but should not provide you with major problems.

Because the photographic opportunities is a new feature this year we will be very flexible and evidence that you have had a go will be sufficient."

 

Thanks for that, I hsd a similar response when asking about photographs in general. The photographic opportunities to me give the incentive to try some things that we have not done before, and Titford pools is certainly one that we will be having a go at.

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Kustomcut

Kustomcut 16

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Hi All,

just a quickie last year I purchased and printed out a map of the BCN it was pretty big and used in many of my planning tactics (not to much success).

I am really peved that I have waylaid the digital file as I want to print again and do some marking up, any idea of any online digital maps available for purchase as PDF or printable files?

I have the laminated Heron map just wanted a biggie like my last one that I printed out on about 10 pages of a4 and stuck on a wall.

Any ideas appreciated

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Victor Vectis

Victor Vectis Donate to Canal World 833

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Hi All,

just a quickie last year I purchased and printed out a map of the BCN it was pretty big and used in many of my planning tactics (not to much success).

I am really peved that I have waylaid the digital file as I want to print again and do some marking up, any idea of any online digital maps available for purchase as PDF or printable files?

I have the laminated Heron map just wanted a biggie like my last one that I printed out on about 10 pages of a4 and stuck on a wall.

Any ideas appreciated

One of the three things I miss now I no longer work in a school is access to a photocopier.

 

A couple of years ago I photocopied the relevant pages from the Pearsons guide and had great fun cutting and sticking them together. I stuck the finished map on the back of the door into my cubby 'ole.

I showed my finished effort to some Y11 students. They smiled and nodded politely, convinced I'm sure, that Mr M had flipped his lid!

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john6767

john6767 545

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Hi All,

just a quickie last year I purchased and printed out a map of the BCN it was pretty big and used in many of my planning tactics (not to much success).

I am really peved that I have waylaid the digital file as I want to print again and do some marking up, any idea of any online digital maps available for purchase as PDF or printable files?

I have the laminated Heron map just wanted a biggie like my last one that I printed out on about 10 pages of a4 and stuck on a wall.

Any ideas appreciated

I don't know if this is the Heron map that you have

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Birmingham-Canal-Navigations-Heron-Maps/dp/1908851015

 

it is quite big. What I did not realise before I bought one is that it is printed on both sides, so it you want to see all the BCN at once you need to buy 2 of them!

 

For general thinking about it, I just use a photo copy of the BCN map from the Nicholsons map of the waterway of Great Britain, it is only A4 though.

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Kustomcut

Kustomcut 16

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Yes have that heron one maybe get scanning so I can tape it and put on the wall, and begin my grand plan, although looking at the map so far this morning has completely overtook my day, maps are not always good things to look at on days off.

How many will be starting at a 3 x bonus section can see the W&E been pretty packed it was just me and another working boat who started there last year then I headed round towards the throng coming up from Salford junction a convoy of boats in the lovley spring drizzle.

Time to dust off the blue bean bag and get the kids all psyched up again although getting a little harder to do that this year round, I thought they enjoyed the moment I took the canopy down between star city and proofhouse even if it did drop a small amount of hail on us.

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junior

junior 510

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We started at Salford Junction last year and there was quite a posse of us, about 8 boats iirc all moored at Star City overnight.

In the morning a group of us were stood on the pontoon having a polite discussion about how we would determine who set off up the lock flight in what order, deciding to go in order of arrival at Star City the night before. At that point behind us 'Diesel & Dust' (i think) had untied and sloped off silently towards the locks. The conversation ended abruptly with everyone running for their boats and motoring round the corner to the start point!

 

I've had a brief look at the rules for this year and can't see what the 'extra points' starting places are. Are there any?

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Kustomcut

Kustomcut 16

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We started at Salford Junction last year and there was quite a posse of us, about 8 boats iirc all moored at Star City overnight.

In the morning a group of us were stood on the pontoon having a polite discussion about how we would determine who set off up the lock flight in what order, deciding to go in order of arrival at Star City the night before. At that point behind us 'Diesel & Dust' (i think) had untied and sloped off silently towards the locks. The conversation ended abruptly with everyone running for their boats and motoring round the corner to the start point!

 

I've had a brief look at the rules for this year and can't see what the 'extra points' starting places are. Are there any?

Yes this year you get 7 extra points for starting in a x3 bonus area as per the areas on the planner.

So everyone is heading up the W&E :)

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