The Ribble Link

[MarkHez]

Living on the Lancaster Canal, I have a question about the Ribble Link. The engine in my boat is a Robin DY42 single cylinder diesel, it's a 10hp engine but the 10inch prop I've got fitted won't let it rev enough to make more than about 3.5mph, and about 4hp. Is it possible to do the upstream sections with such a low top speed? Will I get washed out to sea / sink / die?

 

Thanks

Mark

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

Time your trip so you will not be punching the tide, choose a neap tide as they are slower. Have a good long anchor chain and a good anchor ready to use. Make sure the bitter end is secured. (the other end to the anchor) Leave the river lock with the incoming tide and phone Preston dock for access advice.

[Iain_S]

The Ribble link depends on punching the tide; at least it did when we did it a few years ago. I worked out that the link operates on spring tides, to the Lancaster if high tide is in the morning, and to Tarleton if the high tide is in the afternoon. The result is that in the former case, you have to punch the tide on the Douglas, (which is the real slow bit!) and then have the tide with you for a while on the Ribble until the tide turns so that the arrival at the link is on a fallng tide.

 

From the Lancaster, it's leave as soon as possible on a rising tide, punch the tide on the Ribble, and then have it with you up the Douglas.

 

Travelling down the Douglas to the Ribble was the critical part: if you can't make Savick Brook in time, it's carry on to Preston. (We thought we might have to do this) When we came back from the Lancaster to Tarleton, we got there early, and had to wait for the tide to fall far enough for the flood gates on the lock to be opened, after which the convoy sailed through the lock, with both top and bottom gates open.

 

The skipper's Guide might be a help.

 

It says::

 

 

ensure that the engine of your boat is capable of travelling comfortably at a minimum of 5 knots (approx. 6 miles per hour) in still waters.

 

I suspect that a max. speed of 3.5m.p.h would necessitate some forward planning and lateral thinking, probably mooring at Preston on both out and home jouneys.

 

Iain

[rgreg]

If you're unsure whether your boat will be powerful enough, you can arrange a tow across through Mayor's boatyard, Tarleton. I know others who have done this and the price has not been unreasonable.

[Tom766]

Blimey I've been thinking of buying a viking23 yoghurt pot with a 10hp engine. 

Knowing my luck navigating it along the ribble to the Lancaster would def end in disaster. 

My other choice was a shetland 4 plus 2 with 40hp, sods law it's too wide for single locks!! 

[magpie patrick]

4 hours ago, Tom766 said:

Blimey I've been thinking of buying a viking23 yoghurt pot with a 10hp engine. 

Knowing my luck navigating it along the ribble to the Lancaster would def end in disaster. 

My other choice was a shetland 4 plus 2 with 40hp, sods law it's too wide for single locks!! 

 

I have a vking 23, with a 10hp engine - it will easily go fast enough to do the Ribble Link - I did it in the 62 foot narrow boat I owned at the time, however I'd have far mor confidence in the Viking. 

However make sure the fuel tank is big enough! I'm guessing I'd need all my 20 litres to do the journey with confidence

[Tom766]

Ah that's very useful info, thanks so much.. 

Hopefully I'll be able to travel 'with' the tide as I go north to join the Lancaster.. 

[john6767]

2 hours ago, Tom766 said:

Ah that's very useful info, thanks so much.. 

Hopefully I'll be able to travel 'with' the tide as I go north to join the Lancaster.. 

Not sure if that was intended as a literal comment or not, but the unique thing about the Ribble Link as that you are pushing against the tide most of the way.

[haggis]

1 hour ago, john6767 said:

Not sure if that was intended as a literal comment or not, but the unique thing about the Ribble Link as that you are pushing against the tide most of the way.

and the incoming tide which is against you as you leave Tarleton lock is pretty strong. 

 

 

[Midnight]

In my experience Tarleton could be a problem as it's a pretty strong current on the incoming tide. Not sure what happens if you wait but I suspect you wouldn't reach the link in time and would need to overnight in Preston docks.
Leaving the link may not be such a problem if you creep down to the Ribble from the rotating lock and wait for the tide to ease. I once had an engine problem at the lock which took about 30 minutes to solve. When we reached the Ribble the boats that left 30 mins before us were still just a few hundred yards in front. The second time I went with a local boat they suggested the 'creep method' which seemed to work.

[Tom766]

Sorry, a bit lost here. Tides go in and out, can't I pick a time when I'm going with the tide from Tarleton? 

[Midnight]

15 minutes ago, Tom766 said:

Sorry, a bit lost here. Tides go in and out, can't I pick a time when I'm going with the tide from Tarleton? 

There is only a small window to get from Tarleton to the Link. Boats usually go out against the flood to get there before Savick Brook level drops . In theory you could delay until the tide eases and go to Preston docks but you should really ask the Lockies they will advise best.

[JohnEW2912]

No you can't. You make the journey around the turning of the high tide. So, heading north from Tarleton you leave punching against the incoming tide and when you turn into the Ribble you're going up river against the outgoing tide.

 

You can't pick a time either. The transit is at a set time to coincide with the tides so the actual start time will vary. Coupled with the fact that only one way transits happen on a day and there are some days when no transits can be done it means the dates you can transit are quite limited.

[TheBiscuits]

4 minutes ago, Tom766 said:

Sorry, a bit lost here. Tides go in and out, can't I pick a time when I'm going with the tide from Tarleton? 

 

No.

 

If you wait for a falling tide at Tarleton there won't be enough time or water to get into Savick Brook, unless you're in something much faster than a narrowboat.

 

The usual timings get you to the junction of the Douglas and the Ribble at around slack water, so you have to push the flood tide on the way to Astland Lamp / 5 Mile Perch and are against the ebb for the rest of the journey.

 

Coming the other way there is a bit more leeway as the water depth limit is the rotating sea lock on Savick Brook so they will let you out as soon as there is enough water over the cill.  This means if you can punch harder against the incoming tide you can get started up the Douglas before slack water at Astland Lamp.

 

[Tom766]

Ah that all makes sense. Just wish the boat in considering had more than a 10hp outboard, although it's a viking 23 which is light. 

[magpie patrick]

1 hour ago, Tom766 said:

Ah that all makes sense. Just wish the boat in considering had more than a 10hp outboard, although it's a viking 23 which is light. 

 

My Viking will do 7-8mph though the water on a 10hp engine - easily fast enough and will outstrip most of the narrow boats making the passage - you could easily be last out of Tarleton and first in at Preston!

[Tom766]

Ahh, confidence building now 😎😅

Hey I'm viewing this viking in a mo, anything to look out for 😁

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, Tom766 said:

Hey I'm viewing this viking in a mo

 

Watch out for the horns - can give you a nasty puncture wound.

 

 

 

[Mad Harold]

6 hours ago, Tom766 said:

Ahh, confidence building now 😎😅

Hey I'm viewing this viking in a mo, anything to look out for 😁

Deep scratches around the bows if it has been used extensively on canals.Not a problem,as they can be filled with gel coat filler.If it is out of the water check the hull gelcoat for "bubbles".Could mean water ingress under the gelcoat,or osmosis(very rare) Repairing a grp hull is fairly easy,so nothing to really worry about.

Check for leaking windows (very common on grp boats) as they are usually difficult to fix.Also leaking roof vents, although these are easier to fix.

The two most expensive items on a grp boat are the canopy and the engine,so both need a good dose of looking at.Lots of other things,fitout,equipment,water provision,cooking equipment and how much work is needed to bring it to your standard.

Then the same look around you would give any boat (not just grp) does it look cared for?does it look like a floating pig pen?has the vendor bothered to wash it before offering it for sale?is it clean and tidy inside?does it smell of damp?

is the toilet empty?and does it stink?

Best of luck with the viewing,and please let us know how you get on.

[Tom766]

Thanks all, no horns apart from the barely audible one on roof. Yep, engine and canopy were the good bits. Bad bits were yes all the windows appear to leak. Electrics very basic, gas appliances work and BSS till Nov 23 👍

So, just wondering... Who'd share a lock with a narrowboat? Will my yoghurt pot be cracked like a nut? 

Be kind 😎

[Mad Harold]

6 minutes ago, Tom766 said:

Thanks all, no horns apart from the barely audible one on roof. Yep, engine and canopy were the good bits. Bad bits were yes all the windows appear to leak. Electrics very basic, gas appliances work and BSS till Nov 23 👍

So, just wondering... Who'd share a lock with a narrowboat? Will my yoghurt pot be cracked like a nut? 

Be kind 😎

I am fairly happy to share a lock in my grp boat with a steel narrowboat going down,providing the narrowboat has a line around a bollard,but not going up,even with a line around a bollard.

The turbulences on  some locks is fierce enough to swing the boats about.

I would rather wait to have the lock to myself.

[TheBiscuits]

16 hours ago, Tom766 said:

Who'd share a lock with a narrowboat? Will my yoghurt pot be cracked like a nut? 

 

The technique is simple: heaviest boat in the lock first, lightest boat out of the lock first.

 

When in the lock position the GRP boat along the centre of the narrow boat so you don't get leverage causing a nutcracker effect.  

 

There's a lot of rubbish talked by people on either steel or GRP boats about sharing locks, but if you follow the above two rules you'll be fine.  You will probably have to explain the concept to nearly every boat you share a lock with though!

 

 

[Tom766]

Great advice👍

[cuthound]

7 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

The technique is simple: heaviest boat in the lock first, lightest boat out of the lock first.

 

When in the lock position the GRP boat along the centre of the narrow boat so you don't get leverage causing a nutcracker effect.  

 

There's a lot of rubbish talked by people on either steel or GRP boats about sharing locks, but if you follow the above two rules you'll be fine.  You will probably have to explain the concept to nearly every boat you share a lock with though!

 

 

 

Yes, this was explained to me on my first holiday hire as "steel in first and out last".

[magpie patrick]

53 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Yes, this was explained to me on my first holiday hire as "steel in first and out last".

The yoghurt pot will beat you to the next lock anyway, so let them leave first and they'll have it ready for you