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BCN Challenge 2015

Dave_P

By Dave_P
in General Boating

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Little Else Collaborator

Little Else

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Team Red Wharf enjoying the day, however Captain Bligh not enjoying numerous trips down the weed hatch. We have managed to delay Firefly a little bit by coming out in front of her from the Holly Bank Basin. If they don't want us to do anything similar we can be bribed by Sally's chocolate cake. Isn't it lovely today, it's not raining!

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Paul C Veteran II

Paul C

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We've moored up for the night, after doing the planned route consisting mainly of Old Main Line including the Engine Arm and loops. It was a bit chaotic at Hockley Port, we went in with no other challenge boats in sight and took the obligitary picture at the services. Then I checked the water and decided while we're here, might as well top it up. Upon leaving, a working boat (Dove) and the working boat + butty (Nuneaton and Brighton) appeared! We got out backwards and carried on around the loops, we got "off" the BCN at 4pm and went shopping near Gas Street Basin, and now have found a little spot for the night here. We'll be aiming to set off at the crack of dawn tomorrow. I say crack, more like wedge - definitely before 10am.

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

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20150523_171726_zpss0gk23ki.jpg

 

Big thanks to the crew of Joanne who are towing two day boats.

They let us wind swiftly at Dudley tunnel west end , take a quick shot in the Pensett Arm Basin and go back down before they bowhalled their boats back down.

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Rob-M Veteran II

Rob-M

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20150523_171726_zpss0gk23ki.jpg

 

Big thanks to the crew of Joanne who are towing two day boats.

They let us wind swiftly at Dudley tunnel west end , take a quick shot in the Pensett Arm Basin and go back down before they bowhalled their boats back down.

Did they do a better job of winding than last year...?

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Little Else Collaborator

Little Else

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We are now through the Walsall flight. Lack of water causing problems. One boat trying to rush things a bit without being fully aware of what was going on, sorry chaps but we didn't want to get stuck and neither did Atlas and Malus. Time for tea then strong liquor after Ryders Green.

Edited by Little Else
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tree Rising Star

tree

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:-) after a lovely first day, now looking for a nice place to stop for the night, around angels, to shower, have our tea and walk the wolves.

Enjoy your evening fellow challengers, and catch you all tomorrow :-)

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Paul C Veteran II

Paul C

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I don't know when you did the Factory locks, but when we did them about 20 mins ago both pounds were well down - we got almost stuck getting into the middle lock, and then ran some water down to fill the upper middle pound and let it over the weir.

 

We were going to stay at Gas St Basin or thereabouts but after an hour moored there were bored and with it being such a lovely evening for boating tonight, compared to how the weather will be tomorrow morning, decided to do some more boating and now we're about an hour away from the end point.

 

I guess most of the serious and semi-serious teams will take full advantage of the nice evening and keep chugging along - don't blame you!

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Dave_P Veteran

Dave_PDonate to Canal World

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Got bored of the manor arms and carried on while its dry. Now mooredjust south of catshill junction. Firefly just passed, heading south. A possible contender? Although my money's on a certain wee grp cruiser...

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Paul C Veteran II

Paul C

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Serious question: when the requirements for the photographic evidence say "............AT the services", what counts as at the services? For example, at the end of the Engine arm, the winding hole, services mooring and visitor mooring are all pretty much one and the same - so is a picture of the boat turning good enough, even though its a couple of feet away from the wall and not moored up? Similarly, if one turned at the convenient point at Hockley Port basin, its a few boat lengths away from the service block which is right at the end - would the requirement to be "at" the services, mean just turning isn't good enough, you'd need to reverse on or off the actual services to get the points???

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Ange Veteran

Ange

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TTO just moored up for the night all on our lonesome in Walsall Basin after a very exciting last two locks involving lack of water and the best part of a futon mattress round the prop

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

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Engine Arm, the serviced is at the winding hole so yes.

Hockley port, it isn't so no.

Done hawne basin, Dudley west and the REAL Bunblehole (1/2 hour each way, kiwis shoveling mud in front).

Finished at the Bentley Canal.

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

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I don't know when you did the Factory locks, but when we did them about 20 mins ago both pounds were well down - we got almost stuck getting into the middle lock, and then ran some water down to fill the upper middle pound and let it over the weir.

 

This was the upper pound when we came through, the lower one was the same.

 

20150523_202357_zpsbxo4llvi.jpg

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Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

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This was the upper pound when we came through, the lower one was the same.

 

20150523_202357_zpsbxo4llvi.jpg

 

Always like this Matty they have been leaking for years, we used to un officially dry dock our boats to clear serious prop fouling here in the late 1970's as the water always ran off!

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Paul C Veteran II

Paul C

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Yeah I assumed the pounds/locks were leaky since we were through at a reasonable time, and with the event this weekend assumed that a boat had been through recently. Luckily, although going up the locks are close so nipping ahead to run some water down was a non-issue.

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MoominPapa Veteran II

MoominPapa

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TTO just moored up for the night all on our lonesome in Walsall Basin after a very exciting last two locks involving lack of water and the best part of a futon mattress round the prop

.. and flaming brands hurled at us, and interrupting teenage shenanigans under bridges.

 

MP.

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