,Winnie the Pooh and Piglet want a boat

[Trollspindle]

You know you always get that one chap that comes onto forums and then asks lots of really stupid questions about all kinds of things that proves he has absolutely no clue whatsoever and is probably a complete idiot?

Well hello everyone, my name is Steve, and I have a few questions…

By way of introduction, I suppose you should know that I am a Fifty something self-employed Artist Blacksmith and am planning, or at least looking into planning a permanent move onto a live aboard Narrow boat with my wife, son and the dog and the cat. My Son plans to bring his own Spider (Brazilian White knee). My wife and I know nothing about Narrow boats except we both at separate times, and now at the same time, have held a dream to live on one.

We are renting a house in Cornwall at the moment, but Helen is training to be a child nurse and would like to work and live near York so that she can be near her Mum and as I was born in Yorkshire, I should I suppose, make some kind of effort to live there for a while at least. The “plan” is to CC on an up and down and roundabout route on the Rippon, York, Pocklington and Aire and Calder navigations to try to keep within a 60mile or so radius of the Hospital she eventually finds herself working in. We are very used to long commutes, living in Cornwall and training in Plymouth is about an hour and twenty minutes at the moment, though we have not totally ruled out marina-ing up for a year if we can find a cheap enough location.

OK, so that’s the “back of an envelope” plan, now to the first of the stupid questions...

Am I right I thinking that a 57-foot boat is about as big as this location can handle, I seem to remember reading that some of the locks cannot take the larger boats.

How intimidating/difficult are the tidal stretches of the system? If it helps, just think of us as Winnie the Pooh and Piglet and ask yourself how we would cope.

Are we likely to fall foul of CRT as long as we follow the 14 day rule but try to stay an hour or so away from York for most of the time?

 

If anyone is up that way, or knows it well, and you have any suggestions for routs and stopovers for the novice narrow boaters please chip in.

we can’t do anything yet for at least a year, so there will be plenty of stupid questions to come, I apologise in advance.

 

[matty40s]

have you seen how high the rivers flood up there??

Most of the area is serious waterways designed for large barge movements, yes, there are some small canals, but can you legitimately CC the area?

sell the son,dog and cat (collect conkers to get rid of his spider too) - get a marina or on line mooring at first, then try to stay away from it as a test/learning curve.

If you don't manage it, then keep your mooring.

[Opener]

Not strictly a boating answer but I'm assuming that you have experience of York traffic? At the best of times any road journey involving any bit of York is a '..think of a number and double it..' exercise.

York Marina does have narrows and is fairly close to the city and claims not to be affected by floods which the Ouse seems to do every time it gets bored.

There are visitor moorings right in the city centre so there are bound to be members with experience of getting/mooring there.

[peterboat]

Anything is possible its just how much pain it creates in your life. I remember the hospital being north of the center but within the ring road and it being very busy to say the least. I worked in Imphal barracks which is south of the center and traveled from church fenton it was a trog and all done on side roads. My ex worked by the minster she used to walk in from the barracks as it was easier and cheaper than parking the car at her works. My thoughts are that this is not the ideal place to start of boating life due to flooding and poor commuting, having just come back from cornwall I know what you mean about traffic but york is worse. Choose rotherham/sheffield/doncaster hospitals for an easier boating life or a marina in york

[Joe Bourke]

A 57 foot boat, narrow or wide should have no problems navigating in the areas you mention. A 60 mile radius of York is a large boating area, with many marinas and mooring options, and prices.

[howardang]

A 57 foot boat, narrow or wide should have no problems navigating in the areas you mention. A 60 mile radius of York is a large boating area, with many marinas and mooring options, and prices.

 

With particular reference to the Pocklington Canal, it is a beautiful and unspoilt canal but not the easiest of destinations to reach, involving the tidal Ouse either from the Goole direction or from Selby. Once reached the only proper moorings are at Melbourne and they are 48 hour visitor moorings, so although within striking distance of York, I don't think it is a practical place for a C.C. visiting boater.

 

However, there is a small number of permanent moorings in Melbourne basin and occasionally one or more comes up. Why not ask the CRT mooring officer about suitable vacancies. There have been one or two boats on these moorings with families, with families, who have managed to live and work in the York area very happily and it is a lovely spot to moor.

 

Good luck with your plans.

 

Howard

[Alan de Enfield]

I think that you will struggle with commute of a '50 mile radius'.

For example Nottingham to York is within the 50 mile radius, but is 80 miles by road and about 1hr 40 minutes (on a good day).

 

I lived in North wales and for many years commuted 48 miles into Manchester, it was dual-carriageway / motorway for the complete distance except the last 500 yards,

It used to take me exactly 1 hour door-door, leaving at 06:30 in the morning.

 

After a few years, (Summer & Winter) it became a real 'chore' and that was with 'free-flowing' traffic.

 

Maybe before you commit to a location, take a few days holiday in the area and try driving into the city from various directions during the 'rush hour'.

 

Before our move to N. Wales I plotted on the atlas times taken around 'where I needed to be' - It was a very peculiar shape - a bit saucepan-shaped with a long 'corridor' (pan-handle) close to the main roads, but very close in for the areas 'in town'

[Athy]

 

 

 

 

Maybe before you commit to a location, take a few days holiday in the area and try driving into the city from various directions during the 'rush hour'.

 

 

Good advice. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to seek mooring locations near railway stations too; York, as a railway centre, probably has good services from various directions, though I have not looked any up.

[Arthur Brown]

The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask.

 

60 miles is too far for a regular commute without support, trains can help but usually drop you off somewhere you don't want to be.

 

Attempting to move little for work or school purposes will bring you to the notice of CaRT

 

Have you sorted out where you will do your blacksmithery?

[Joe Bourke]

There was a blacksmith type chappy on a barge at Knottingley on the Aire & Calder, don't think he's there now. Anyway, he used to make Victorian style lamp posts, fancy ornamental types with copper tops on. He used to get the cast iron bases made for him and finished them off on the boat. I think it was a Keel type barge about 61x15'.

[Trollspindle]

have you seen how high the rivers flood up there??

Most of the area is serious waterways designed for large barge movements, yes, there are some small canals, but can you legitimately CC the area?

sell the son,dog and cat (collect conkers to get rid of his spider too) - get a marina or on line mooring at first, then try to stay away from it as a test/learning curve.

If you don't manage it, then keep your mooring.

I have no idea of the river conditions to be honest Matty, but they do sound challenging and as novice boaters we thought we should get as much expert advice as possible before doing anything that can't be changed if needed. Just to put another spanner in the works, swmbo has just told me that Yorkshire is not the only option, just the one she was thinking about due to being close to family. we also have family still in Cornwall so as long as we are fairly rural, I'm happy to try most places between Bristol and York

Not strictly a boating answer but I'm assuming that you have experience of York traffic? At the best of times any road journey involving any bit of York is a '..think of a number and double it..' exercise.

York Marina does have narrows and is fairly close to the city and claims not to be affected by floods which the Ouse seems to do every time it gets bored.

There are visitor moorings right in the city centre so there are bound to be members with experience of getting/mooring there.

Thanks Opener, we have visited York over the years, but never commuted in or around it

Anything is possible its just how much pain it creates in your life. I remember the hospital being north of the center but within the ring road and it being very busy to say the least. I worked in Imphal barracks which is south of the center and traveled from church fenton it was a trog and all done on side roads. My ex worked by the minster she used to walk in from the barracks as it was easier and cheaper than parking the car at her works. My thoughts are that this is not the ideal place to start of boating life due to flooding and poor commuting, having just come back from cornwall I know what you mean about traffic but york is worse. Choose rotherham/sheffield/doncaster hospitals for an easier boating life or a marina in york

Thanks Peter,

A 57 foot boat, narrow or wide should have no problems navigating in the areas you mention. A 60 mile radius of York is a large boating area, with many marinas and mooring options, and prices.

That's good to know, thank you Joe.

 

With particular reference to the Pocklington Canal, it is a beautiful and unspoilt canal but not the easiest of destinations to reach, involving the tidal Ouse either from the Goole direction or from Selby. Once reached the only proper moorings are at Melbourne and they are 48 hour visitor moorings, so although within striking distance of York, I don't think it is a practical place for a C.C. visiting boater.

 

However, there is a small number of permanent moorings in Melbourne basin and occasionally one or more comes up. Why not ask the CRT mooring officer about suitable vacancies. There have been one or two boats on these moorings with families, with families, who have managed to live and work in the York area very happily and it is a lovely spot to moor.

 

Good luck with your plans.

 

Howard

Melbourne basin, I will look it up many thanks

I think that you will struggle with commute of a '50 mile radius'.

For example Nottingham to York is within the 50 mile radius, but is 80 miles by road and about 1hr 40 minutes (on a good day).

 

I lived in North wales and for many years commuted 48 miles into Manchester, it was dual-carriageway / motorway for the complete distance except the last 500 yards,

It used to take me exactly 1 hour door-door, leaving at 06:30 in the morning.

 

After a few years, (Summer & Winter) it became a real 'chore' and that was with 'free-flowing' traffic.

 

Maybe before you commit to a location, take a few days holiday in the area and try driving into the city from various directions during the 'rush hour'.

 

Before our move to N. Wales I plotted on the atlas times taken around 'where I needed to be' - It was a very peculiar shape - a bit saucepan-shaped with a long 'corridor' (pan-handle) close to the main roads, but very close in for the areas 'in town'

That is very sound advice, thanks Alan

[Trollspindle]

The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask.

 

60 miles is too far for a regular commute without support, trains can help but usually drop you off somewhere you don't want to be.

 

Attempting to move little for work or school purposes will bring you to the notice of CaRT

 

Have you sorted out where you will do your blacksmithery?

The plan is to move about quite a bit, that's why we were looking at a vaguely circular route with a few side destinations to keep CaRT happy but still be roughly central to one fixed point, I guess we could do that much more easily in the midlands, or just get a permanent mooring if push comes to shove.

tr son is home educated so schools are not an issue as such, but collage may be in a years or two.

Not sure about work space at the moment, I have heard about a guy on the Kennet and Avon who works from a converted butty, that may be one option, I don't make large items, so probably have just a wee bit more kit than your average farrier, like I said, it's early days.

There was a blacksmith type chappy on a barge at Knottingley on the Aire & Calder, don't think he's there now. Anyway, he used to make Victorian style lamp posts, fancy ornamental types with copper tops on. He used to get the cast iron bases made for him and finished them off on the boat. I think it was a Keel type barge about 61x15'.

Ta Joe, I would think there would be opportunity for picking up work at yards on the system as we go as well, maybe even a place in some kind of museam setting or other, who knows?

[PaddingtonBear]

If the Midlands are an option you should try and track down Dennis, he would be sure to show you hid hay as up

[Alan de Enfield]

If the Midlands are an option you should try and track down Dennis, he would be sure to show you hid hay as up

 

I have tried, but I give in !

[PaddingtonBear]

Oops should read "which way is up"

[ditchcrawler]

I have no idea of the river conditions to be honest Matty, but they do sound challenging and as novice boaters we thought we should get as much expert advice as possible before doing anything that can't be changed if needed.

If you read the canal mags there is a column from Steve Haywood. His boat was trapped on the Ouse for weeks, into months, the only way to get to the boat was with what I would call a speed boat. He had to abandon it in the end only returning when the levels dropped. If you do Facebook he is also there

edit

here is a link https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=889911161104999&set=a.528935510535901.1073741825.100002583698556&type=3&theater

Edited September 20, 2016 by ditchcrawler

[Trollspindle]

 

I have tried, but I give in !

Dennis?

If you read the canal mags there is a column from Steve Haywood. His boat was trapped on the Ouse for weeks, into months, the only way to get to the boat was with what I would call a speed boat. He had to abandon it in the end only returning when the levels dropped. If you do Facebook he is also there

edit

here is a link https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=889911161104999&set=a.528935510535901.1073741825.100002583698556&type=3&theater

 

I will try and track it down Ditch thanks for the heads up

[magictime]

as I was born in Yorkshire, I should I suppose, make some kind of effort to live there for a while at least

 

What do you mean, 'effort'? I wasn't born here but I know God's own country when I see it!

 

(Seriously though, it is a beautiful place to go boating.)

 

Speaking personally, I don't know that I'd want to centre a CCing lifestyle around York itself, because of possible flooding issues and that tidal stretch of the Ouse. But it's certainly struck us (as Yorkshire boaters) that the waterway and railway networks up here are such as to make CCing while commuting to a major city a viable option. If you worked in Leeds, for instance, you could cruise quite extensively on the L&L, Aire and Calder, Calder and Hebble, Rochdale, Huddersfield Broad and Selby canals while always mooring within walking distance of a railway station no more than an hour from Leeds. No doubt a car would open up further options, although I don't know what your journeys would be like (no experience of driving around here).