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River flow on the Aire and Calder navigation


Les Kay

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I'm quite new to cruising the canal system, have been cruising continuously for the last three months and have yet to encounter any rivers, especially a commercial navigation like the Aire and Calder. What I would like some advice on is cruising this route in the next couple of weeks, whether I should have any particular concerns over the strength of flowing water.

 

I have a Thornycroft BMC 1500 engine, which runs fine. Need I worry whether the power of my engine will be sufficient?

 

An anchor and chain is recommended, are there any sources that detail correct use of anchor and chain?

 

Is there any sensible reason I shouldn't be plying this route at this time of year?

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I'm quite new to cruising the canal system, have been cruising continuously for the last three months and have yet to encounter any rivers, especially a commercial navigation like the Aire and Calder. What I would like some advice on is cruising this route in the next couple of weeks, whether I should have any particular concerns over the strength of flowing water.

 

I have a Thornycroft BMC 1500 engine, which runs fine. Need I worry whether the power of my engine will be sufficient?

 

An anchor and chain is recommended, are there any sources that detail correct use of anchor and chain?

 

Is there any sensible reason I shouldn't be plying this route at this time of year?

 

Engine power wise you will be just fine. In normal conditions the river sections of the A&CN are very benign, not much different from the canalised sections TBH.

 

Even with a bit of fresh on its not that troublesome. To be totally sure just venture onto the river sections when the boards indicate green rather than amber.

 

Anchor wise, there are lots of discussions on here which a search will unearth, but being honest I don't always 'ready' the anchor when on the Aire, depending on conditions but more often than not I do on the Aire between Knottingley and West Haddersly flood lock.

 

Same for the Calder really.

 

Have a read of this, though note the reference to commercial carrying is out of date since the demise of the commercial traffic on the vast bulk of the navigation.

 

http://www.bluestarsurveys.co.uk/acn_sg.pdf

Edited by The Dog House
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As NC says, the A&C is quite "volatile" and much depends on how much rain has fallen in the Dales overnight.

 

If you're at all concerned, best to ring CRT that's what we did the last time and they predicted the flood gates at Knostrop would probably be closing mid afternoon, which they did.

 

Whether your BMC 1.5 is up to the job depends on what it's pushing!

 

But the issue for most narrowboats pushing a current is not so much lack of power as the risk of overheating. If your engine is cooled by a skin tank, the chances are it may not be big enough for conditions when the engine is working really hard. You probably want about 10 square feet of skin tank for that engine, ideally, if it is a lot less than this it might not be sufficient.

If you are "raw water" cooled there should be no problem at all.

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

I bought my Norman 20 from a guy at Lemonroyd Marina late last summer and thought it such a nice friendly place I took over the mooring. Ive spent some peaceful time leaning on the rail at Lemonroyd Lock looking downriver and it has never looked dodgy even after/during rain. I've only used the canal sections so far so wouldn't know what the river section from Lemonroyd is like though I've watched plenty of cruisers and n.bs coming and going with no probs whatsoever. However an anchor would always be best kept readied and in fact I think it's a required B.W rule.

 

The n.b owners I've talked to say its a very pleasant river to cruise but obviously weather conditions must be taken into account and the old 'better safe than sorry' rule must apply!

Edited by northerntrades
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I bought my Norman 20 from a guy at Lemonroyd Marina late last summer and thought it such a nice friendly place I took over the mooring. Ive spent some peaceful time leaning on the rail at Lemonroyd Lock looking downriver and it has never looked dodgy even after/during rain. I've only used the canal sections so far so wouldn't know what the river section from Lemonroyd is like though I've watched plenty of cruisers and n.bs coming and going with no probs whatsoever. However an anchor would always be best kept readied and in fact I think it's a required B.W rule.

 

The n.b owners I've talked to say its a very pleasant river to cruise but obviously weather conditions must be taken into account and the old 'better safe than sorry' rule must apply!

 

Not AFAIK, and not now, either. I always find the section downstream from Lemonroyd rather eerie, since it was re-routed after the big breach some years ago, but if the flow were anything to be concerned about, the flood gates upstream (Knostrop) and down (Castleford) would be closed anyway.

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I bought my Norman 20 from a guy at Lemonroyd Marina late last summer and thought it such a nice friendly place I took over the mooring. Ive spent some peaceful time leaning on the rail at Lemonroyd Lock looking downriver and it has never looked dodgy even after/during rain. I've only used the canal sections so far so wouldn't know what the river section from Lemonroyd is like though I've watched plenty of cruisers and n.bs coming and going with no probs whatsoever. However an anchor would always be best kept readied and in fact I think it's a required B.W rule.

 

The n.b owners I've talked to say its a very pleasant river to cruise but obviously weather conditions must be taken into account and the old 'better safe than sorry' rule must apply!

 

The Aire at Castleford at it's junction with the Calder - April 2012. We were hemmed in Castleford cut by floods at the time.

 

 

CGJf7VAl.jpg

 

DOI5sJrl.jpg

 

 

Normally it's fine but it can get tricky to impassable after heavy rain, so I would't say it 'never looks dodgy' TBH.

 

ed. to re size pics.

Edited by MJG
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The Aire at Castleford at it's junction with the Calder - April 2012. We were hemmed in Castleford cut by floods at the time.

 

 

CGJf7VAl.jpg

 

DOI5sJrl.jpg

 

 

Normally it's fine but it can get tricky to impassable after heavy rain, so I would't say it 'never looks dodgy' TBH.

 

ed. to re size pics.

 

Well that's the point, isn't it? It doesn't look dodgy in your pics - in fact it looks like the proverbial millpond. But I wouldn't like to be on either the Aire in the foreground) or the Calder (entering at centre) at those levels. I remember rather apprehensively setting off with Cotswoldsman and Stan up the Calder from there immediately the flood gates were opened, and being rather glad I was accompanied.

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Well that's the point, isn't it? It doesn't look dodgy in your pics - in fact it looks like the proverbial millpond. But I wouldn't like to be on either the Aire in the foreground) or the Calder (entering at centre) at those levels. I remember rather apprehensively setting off with Cotswoldsman and Stan up the Calder from there immediately the flood gates were opened, and being rather glad I was accompanied.

 

It's deceptive looking at still pictures TBH - the flow that as on at the time was very noticeable from memory and the turbulence caused because it's a confluence quite obvious (I think you can just make some out in the left of the bottom picture).

 

At that point of course the flood lock was closed (The lock landing as you can see is flooded) and the lock at Lemonroyd was closed too. We too set out just as they opened it and yes we did have to punch noticeably harder than we normally did to get back up river (Dodging lots of floating debris too). We met a Dutch barge coming the other way with the flow and he seemed to be going a fair old lick as he passed us!

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If it's not a legal requirement to carry an anchor, it surely ought to be imo.

 

As I said - I've watched the river at Lemonroyd on only a few occasions last summer though as I also said, not adverse weather conditions - and it has naturally looked very pleasant and benign.

 

I ended my reply by saying that 'weather conditions must be taken into account' and was somewhat conscious that even with this I might be offending the OP by stating the obvious.

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Indeed - lots of rivers are quite benign most of the time. The Aire is no exception.

 

Too true MJG. Having said that even a 'benign' river will kill you stone dead if you give it the chance. It's all about watchin' the glass and local knowledge most of the time isn't it?

 

I should have made it clear that when I said 'the Aire never looked dodgy' I was referring to the occasional sunny days I spent chatting to people and daydreaming by the lock at Lemonroyd last summer. icecream.gif

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It is worth remembering that when travelling downstream and turning off the river into a canalised section, the current will tend to carry you downstream as you turn, so always try to keep towards the upstream bank of the canalised section as you turn in. The flow of the river should then carry you towards the centre of the canal. This effect is one reason why you shouldn't go out when the river is in flood as the flow of the river will push you passed the canal before you can turn. It's no problem at low/normal river flows, or when working upstream. In faster flowing rivers or tideways, it is often best to turn and face the flow above and before manoeuvring into a canal section or lock. You can then use your engine to control the boat much more effectively.

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