Help wanted from Watford to Hackney

[Fraz]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post on this great forum so a big hello to the community )

I'm looking for some help getting my narrowboat from watford to hackney wick on the canal this weekend before the stoppages on the 2nd november. Is anyone free to assist me? I have had experience on a small cruiser but am new to big narrowboats.. so some help would be fantastic. I know its

short notice but i'm happy to pay for time and expenses.

Any help finding someone would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Francis

Edited October 30, 2015 by Fraz

[Wanted]

Hi Fraz, I would help but am not in town, are you a member of the London Boaters Facebook page? It will be worth a shout there as well.

 

Failing that, a baptism of fire won't be as bad as all that, how bigs your boat?

 

Good luck,

 

Rob

[The Boater]

I am sorry I wasn't able to help you but you wouldn't have wanted to end up with my shingles ! Good luck if you go for it, but if you decide to wait until after the closures I will be happy to help you then.

Ian.

[Peter X]

I'm the man for this job I think; no payment wanted, having crewed for a few other people on the forum (see several topics in Crew Swap) I feel that the going rate for crew is just to supply cups of tea and food, and a bed for the night where necessary.

I'm free for Saturday and Sunday and my 60+ Oystercard will mean the travel costs me nothing; this trip sounds do-able in the two days, even in the limited daylight, as long as you make an early start each day.

The only small problem is that if you don't have wifi aboard I might have to neglect my IT support work a bit during the trip.

I'll send you a PM shortly with my phone number.

[Tecka]

Nice one Peter, I was just about to offer but being in Brumagen presently and under the given age for the card you have in your possession means you out quote me - so to speak, on travel costs.

 

If anything falls through shout again on here.

[Peter X]

When I tried to send the PM with my phone number I got a message "The member Fraz cannot use the messaging system" so I don't know whether it got through. I can't see why the software should stop a new member from receiving messages? If you didn't get it, I'm not keen to put my phone number on the open forum for privacy reasons, but I think the answer would be for you to make a few more posts (anywhere except the Virtual Pub forum) which when you get to 5 should allow you to read a message. I'll keep an eye on things through the day.

[Peter X]

While I’m waiting for Fraz to return and make a few posts so I can send him my phone number, I’ll add a bit more relevant information and ask a few questions which other people on here may be able to help with.

 

What I can do:

I've been on a few narrowboat trips and I'm comfortable with operating locks, making tea and all the other miscellaneous help you can expect from crew; all you'll need to do is steer, and if you want I can help with that. I know the theory of doing the more tricky manoeuvres, but mostly my steering experience consists of just chugging along for a bit while the skipper takes a break.

 

Timetable (today and Saturday morning):

I’ll be out away from the computer but reachable on the phone from about 6pm to 9pm this evening. I’d reckon to either go to Watford late today so as to sleep on the boat then make a dawn start, or first thing Saturday, which would mean me getting up very early so as to reach the boat before too much daylight has gone; it’s important to talk to arrange when and where to meet up in case there’s a problem getting a mobile signal, although that’s not usually difficult so near to London. I’m assuming of course you do mean Watford in Middlesex not the Watford on the Leicester branch!

 

Saturday night mooring:

I’d expect to have got past Bulls Bridge by then and as far along the Paddington Arm as possible before dark, but am aware that finding an overnight mooring may become harder as we approach central London; bearing in mind that we won’t be needing facilities, just somewhere to tie up, where would the panel suggest?

 

The stoppages in London on Monday 2^nd which Fraz referred to:

Does anyone know where these are? I could carry on boating for part of Monday if that helps.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Saturday night moorings:

 

• Pleasant rural-ish moorings (unusually on the offside, ie left hand side) at Horsenden Hill, between Northolt and Perivale. To be honest I would think that's far enough in a day.
• Not bad just before Harlesden (the Grand Junction pub), say half a mile after you cross the North Circular.
• Then - and this may be a bit busy, I have not cycled along there for a while - opposite Kensal Green Cemetery.

[Peter X]

Looking into the stoppages, I doubt they're an issue, because the only ones I could find for Monday 2nd Nov in the area are at Mile End and lock 10, which are beyond the Hertford Union junction, so the Hertford Union should provide a way through to Hackney Wick?

 

Anyway, meanwhile I'm preparing myself to be able to do the trip this weekend if invited, hope it happens. As stated, I'll be out about 6pm to 9pm today, and hope to make contact with Fraz after that. The most likely plan may be that I get up the Metropolitan line to Croxley early in the morning and meet at lock 79, the first one south of Watford?

[mark99]

Lock 79 is Common Moor lock and easily got to from Croxley tube. I'm guessing the boat is at Cassio Bridge which is close-ish /north to Lock 79.

 

I'll see you tomorrow probably as I'm heading t'other way.

[Peter X]

Wave as you pass mark99!

I came home from Croxley tube after I'd gone from Iver to Cassio Bridge on nb Iona in August. On that occasion I got a bit lost in the woods walking up there from the lock, but this time I'll have the advantage that I've seen a map.

 

I'm off out now but will return to the topic later in the evening when I get home.

[mark99]

Wave as you pass mark99!

I came home from Croxley tube after I'd gone from Iver to Cassio Bridge on nb Iona in August. On that occasion I got a bit lost in the woods walking up there from the lock, but this time I'll have the advantage that I've seen a map.

 

I'm off out now but will return to the topic later in the evening when I get home.

 

I don't want to scare you but I think someone was murdered in those woods and the body found in there few years back. Try not to think about that!

[Fraz]

Wow, I'm so pleasantly overwhelmed with the all these amazing offers of help. Thank you all so much

 

Unfortunately the plot of my journey has had a slight twist...

 

I was unaware that on route by lorry from Macclesfield to Watford, the unusual roof mounted fuel tank that provides diesel to the stove inside the boat was, due to the vibrations of the road, spilling diesel through the vents all over the outside of the boat, which in turn has taken off all the black paint on half the boat. So I've now got to hose down, scrap and clean off all the diesel and re black the hull. D'oh!

Note to self and anyone else with this set up: empty or seal the fuel tank before putting it on a lorry!

 

I'm guessing by the time I've done this work there will probably be far too many stoppages along the route to make it to hackney.

 

Anyway, despite all this I'm still happier than a pig in sh*t to be the owner of my first Narrowboat, and to discover this awesome community of fellow enthusiasts

Edited October 30, 2015 by Fraz

[Peter X]

Fraz, I'm sorry to hear of your diesel tank problem, not least because I was getting my hopes up of doing my first bit of boating since August!

 

I don't think you need to be worried about stoppages preventing you reaching Hackney, because unless I've missed something the real deadline there is 4th January when Kentish Town Lock gets closed until 11th March. Even then I suppose if you feel brave you could go down the Thames from Brentford to Limehouse if you can find a suitably experienced person (not me) to pilot you! Before 4th January there's just a one day problem with the Islington Tunnel on 1st December.

 

So once you've cleaned up the diesel and restored your blacking, and you certainly must sort that out before putting the boat in the water, I'd be delighted to get the chance to crew for you to Hackney Wick. As mentioned above, I think it can be done at this time of year in two days with an overnight stop at Perivale or Harlesden, if you make an early start to use the daylight and keep moving until sunset. Day two especially will be slow progress past all the moored boats.

 

Please post on here to let us know how your repairs are going and when you'll be ready to move. If I'm not available at the time to help, someone else probably will be, especially if you can give a little notice of the dates. Ideally midweek is better for me than a weekend.

[Dekazer]

I think the stoppage the OP is referring to is probably this one: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/5241/hertford-union-canal-east-london

[bottle]

Tangent...

 

When I saw Watford, I immediately thought of Watford on the Leicester line and the stoppage on the Buckby flight from Monday.

 

Ah, well.

[Peter X]

I think the stoppage the OP is referring to is probably this one: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/5241/hertford-union-canal-east-london

Ah! I hadn't found that notice. The mention I'd found of the Mile End works was only a limited description which talked about Mile End and omitted the little matter of the closure of the Hertford Union.

 

So Fraz, if you still want to reach Hackney Wick before the new year:

 

(1) Unless either you've been very busy overnight sorting out your spilt diesel and blacking and have already got down to the Slough Arm, or the start of the Hertford Union closure gets delayed, you are too late to use the Regent's Canal.

 

(2) You can do it if you go the exciting way, down the Thames from Brentford to either Limehouse or Bow. The good news is that the only stoppage in the way of that is 16th to 20th Nov at Three Mills Lock on the Lea. The bad news is that the Thames through central London is a serious river trip. There are various topics which will tell you the details, and I've never done it except as a passenger on a big boat, but in case you don't know I'll summarise it thus:

You need a VHF radio and someone qualified to use it.

Your schedule has to work with the tides.

As you go down the river it gets steadily tougher and busier, and you will meet some very big boats which can create a lot of wash.

The turn at the end into Limehouse is famous for being tricky. Otherwise you face more miles on a big river until you go into Bow.

Probably you ought to have someone aboard who's done the trip before in a narrowboat; if you're interested in doing it, there are people on this forum who've done it and one of them might turn out to help you.

PS: There would appear to be a window over Christmas for you to get through by the Regent's Canal; the Mile End stoppage is scheduled to finish on 21 Dec, then you're OK until the Islington stoppage begins on 4 Jan. If I were in your shoes I'd plan to go then.

[Fraz]

Hey Peter

 

Am aiming to finish the work in 2-3 days at which point your help would be very much welcome if you are still available. I guess I will be aiming to find a nice spot between angel tunnel and Vicky park as the idea of the Thames sounds a bit too scary unless I could find a free/affordable/insured skipper who can take us. I will keep you updated of my progress! Looking forward to it

[Tim Lewis]

I hear on the grapevine (London Boaters) that two boats have sunk in Old Ford Lock (Assuming the one by Victoria Park) which is going to stop a few people getting to the Lea!

 

Tim

[Peter X]

I hear on the grapevine (London Boaters) that two boats have sunk in Old Ford Lock (Assuming the one by Victoria Park) which is going to stop a few people getting to the Lea!

 

Tim

 

So this area now becomes impassable for a while for two reasons:

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit-pdf/Old_Ford_Lock_Bow_Wharf.pdf

If this grapevine is correct, there is no access to the junction from the west until the boats are recovered, which I suppose means anything from a few days to a few weeks? My guess is that CRT will find a way to clear the lock by 21 Dec.

In any case the CRT stoppage to sort out the banks at Mile End closes the other two canals meeting at the junction anyway from Monday 2 Nov to Monday 21 Dec.

 

Fraz, I'm happy to turn up when you're ready to help you move. It sounds as if you're thinking of doing it during the week, perhaps Wed 4 and Thu 5, which suits me better than a weekend because my busiest time for my IT support work is a Saturday and Sunday. I go into an office at Putney two days a week, usually Tuesday and Thursday, but they're flexible about it and I should be able to shift those days about especially if I have a little warning.

 

Something which worries me is this elephant in the room: How aware are you of the difficulties of mooring in the ever-popular central London area, roughly Kensal Green to Hackney and perhaps a little way up the Lea from there? As long as your boat works, getting to anywhere west of the stoppage is the easy bit. Staying around there for six weeks until the stoppage ends might be harder, do you have a cunning plan? Then when you do get to Hackney Wick, are you planning to stay around there and do you have a mooring to enable you to do that? This topic may suddenly become a bit controversial I fear!

[Fraz]

Haha, i love a bit of controversy but i'm afraid i will fail to add that kinda spice to the topic..The reason i wanna go to Hackney Wick is that I absolutely love the River Lea, but more importantly i have a studio there and wanna easily move stuff on to boat as at the moment its pretty much a shell inside. Fingers crossed mid week cruising in the post.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Fraz

[patty-ann]

Keep posting as you travel..I love to hear voyages new and good luck..oh and big welcome to the forum...

[Peter X]

OK Fraz, I just thought I'd better mention the subject of central London moorings in case you weren't aware of the potential difficulties. Although where you take the boat is your choice as owner, and the role of crew is to help you get there, it wouldn't be responsible of me to just do that then disappear into the nearest Tube station without you knowing that CRT take more than a passing interest in the pattern of a boat's movement in that area. Maybe you'll be OK for that six weeks if you move a mile or two in the same direction one morning every so often, others can advise.

 

If it's important to you to get through to Hackney Wick sooner rather than wait around Islington/Haggerston until 21 Dec, the trip down the Thames is possible, but scary as you say. You'd have to be confident in your engine, and that your boat was suitably prepared to keep the water out, and that someone with the right knowledge was aboard. In the absence of a volunteer, you could ask a professional boat mover for an opinion and a quote to get you from Brentford to Limehouse/Bow, and if that becomes your plan I can happily help you get as far as Brentford and would also enjoy a trip down the Thames for the experience if I got the chance.

 

Otherwise it sounds then as if we're provisionally on for Wednesday and Thursday, and I'd recommend the schedule I outlined earlier:

Day one: I get up very early, check my IT stuff, get across London and meet you at lock 79, maybe about 8am. Down 11 locks on the GU then it's level for the rest of the afternoon and we overnight at about Perivale.

Day two: Cast off at the crack of dawn while the crew makes breakfast (plenty of time before the first lock) so as to get to Islington asap and leave plenty of time to find a mooring.

 

Please post again to let us know how the work on the boat is progressing and whether Wednesday morning works for you. Once you have 5 posts I think I'll be able to PM you with my mobile number so we can talk about the details.

[mark99]

Perivale opposite golf course is a good mooring. Shallow in parts but if you drop off passenger with boat pole, you can find the odd deeper spot. Our boat pole has a piece of tape round it set at draught of rear end (deepest bit) of boat.

 

NB you will pass our boat above Black Jacks Lock. 10 points if you spot it. (It's well hidden).

Edited November 2, 2015 by mark99

[Fraz]

Thanks for the tips guys

 

I've been on a 32ft cruiser for the last 6 weeks and found it pretty easy to find a spot and park, but as you say, i suspect 58ft will be more difficult when in more central areas.

 

I've been making good progress with the boat and will be applying the second coat of black paint today. The guys at the boat yard have recommended that I black the bottom of the boat too. I've had conflicting opinions of whether it's worth doing this. I've also had conflicting advice on whether it's worth doing more than 2 coats of black on the rest of the boat.. Any thoughts?

 

Peter, thanks for your advice, i've messaged you now that I'm allowed!