Ray T Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 (edited) Just got back from Braunston after our first cruise of 2017. Got absolutely soaked, very cold, but enjoyed it. Got to admit it though I am becoming a fine weather boater. Managed Braunston to Calcutt top lock in 2 hrs 15mins coming back, no other boats on the move. Although the ice was only about 1/8" thick it fetched much of the blacking off at the waterline. Edited January 14, 2017 by Ray T 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogless Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Nice to put a name to a face at Braunston. I don't log on anymore here, I'm happier on Thunderboat forum, but had to log in today to answer a PM, so felt I should reply to this. As the 'arctic blast' hasn't really materialised, we're going to head down the Oxford to Banbury. Good to meet you, Rog and Jane 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoominPapa Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Nice to put a name to a face at Braunston. I don't log on anymore here, I'm happier on Thunderboat forum, but had to log in today to answer a PM, so felt I should reply to this. As the 'arctic blast' hasn't really materialised, we're going to head down the Oxford to Banbury. Good to meet you, Rog and Jane Rog, A pity you don't turn up here very often; I hope you'll come back more in the future. Hope to see you out and about on the cut. Cheers, MP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Rog, A pity you don't turn up here very often; I hope you'll come back more in the future. Hope to see you out and about on the cut. Cheers, MP. I will ditto this. What's the attraction to thunder blast or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted January 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Nice to put a name to a face at Braunston. I don't log on anymore here, I'm happier on Thunderboat forum, but had to log in today to answer a PM, so felt I should reply to this. As the 'arctic blast' hasn't really materialised, we're going to head down the Oxford to Banbury. Good to meet you, Rog and Jane Lovely to meet you both as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily Rose Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 (edited) We did our first cruise of 2017 yesterday at 2.45pm. We went all the way from Sunrise Basin to Sunset Basin, where we turned opposite Ray's boat, and back! The ice had mostly cleared from the marina but there was still plenty on the canal so we cut short our planned trip to Birdingbury for fear of losing blacking as it's not due to be renewed for over a year yet. Couldn't see any sign of damage but we didn't go far, or fast, and the ice was very thin and already broken by the two boats we met heading towards Calcutt. Edited January 22, 2017 by MrBeethoven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capri sun Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 hi MrBeethoven I thought the water was turned off to the jetties so we never came up as we winterised our boat by completely emptying all the water Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted January 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 (edited) I'm not going into the in's and out's whether our blacking was of "adequate quality", but just a couple of photo's to show what an 1/8" of ice can do. Having the boat re blacked next week. Edited January 22, 2017 by Ray T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily Rose Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 hi MrBeethoven I thought the water was turned off to the jetties so we never came up as we winterised our boat by completely emptying all the water Roger We were there from Wednesday to this morning but I think the water was only off last night, possibly the night before as well but not Thursday night. At least one burst pipe was the result! Even when water is off you can fill containers at the facilities buildings where each has a tap operating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily Rose Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 (edited) I'm not going into the in's and out's whether our blacking was of "adequate quality", but just a couple of photo's to show what an 1/8" of ice can do. 20170116_102732.jpg 20170116_102744.jpg Having the boat re blacked next week. Hi Ray, I couldn't see any damage, and certainly nothing like that, on our boat but then we only went a few hundred metres slowly through ice which was probably also 1/8" but it was already broken. I was a bit puzzled why you did it but I understand now. I'd have kept going as well if we were due a blacking soon. Sean Edited January 22, 2017 by MrBeethoven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 I'm not going into the in's and out's whether our blacking was of "adequate quality", but just a couple of photo's to show what an 1/8" of ice can do. 20170116_102732.jpg 20170116_102744.jpg Having the boat re blacked next week. I hope they are doing your blacking in a heated shed this time of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily Rose Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 Ray, When we went down to Banbury a few months ago we saw contractors pruning on the offside from Napton onwards resulting in very effective widening at many tight points. Did you notice if anything has been done between Napton and Braunston? Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted January 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 Ray, When we went down to Banbury a few months ago we saw contractors pruning on the offside from Napton onwards resulting in very effective widening at many tight points. Did you notice if anything has been done between Napton and Braunston? Sean Some pruning done in 2015 but none last year. The stretch between Napton Junction and Shuckborough really need some attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily Rose Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 The stretch between Napton Junction and Shuckborough really need some attention. Indeed it does, that's why I was hoping it might have had some given that they were doing from Napton Junction southwards a few months ago. Still it's only January, maybe they'll do some work in the other direction over the next couple of months. But I'm not counting on it! Perhaps they don't think it matters much as that's such a quiet stretch of canal with hardly ever a need for boats to pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyndj Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Ray, When we went down to Banbury a few months ago we saw contractors pruning on the offside from Napton onwards resulting in very effective widening at many tight points. Did you notice if anything has been done between Napton and Braunston? Sean There has been some severe pruning work done around Braunston a few weeks ago, I don't know how far they went though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 I hope they got, or will get, as far as the Fenny Compton Endless Moorings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Or even the endless moorings in Cropredy!! Insert cheeky smilie here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Or even the endless moorings in Cropredy!! Insert cheeky smilie here. Not too much offside vegetation nuisance there, at least not last time I saw (November); also, it's straightish and wide in parts. The Fenny ones twist like an eel and much of their length is quite narrow; occasionally, a glimpse of offside bank through the dense bushes shows how wide they could and should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily Rose Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 I encountered the contractors between Napton Junction and The Folly, working southwards, in October. By the time we headed back up from Banbury a week later they had got much further south. I can't remember where I saw them but it wasn't as far south as Fenny. However they told me there was another boat (or two) working up from the Oxford end and that the whole lot was due to be done over the winter so hopefully much of it, including Fenny, has been done by now. Someone on the forum must know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 I encountered the contractors between Napton Junction and The Folly, working southwards, in October. By the time we headed back up from Banbury a week later they had got much further south. I can't remember where I saw them but it wasn't as far south as Fenny. However they told me there was another boat (or two) working up from the Oxford end and that the whole lot was due to be done over the winter so hopefully much of it, including Fenny, has been done by now. Someone on the forum must know. Classic, Mr. Beethoven! That should improve the quality of at least some of our 2017 journeys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily Rose Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Classic, Mr. Beethoven! That should improve the quality of at least some of our 2017 journeys. Should do if the stretch from Napton to the Folly is anything to go by. I remember big improvements near Napton Marina and also the bend just to the north of the Bridge Inn (RIP). If they carried on doing such a good job there should be much improvement elsewhere as well If only they had continued in the other direction towards Braunston! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Not too much offside vegetation nuisance there, at least not last time I saw (November); also, it's straightish and wide in parts. The Fenny ones twist like an eel and much of their length is quite narrow; occasionally, a glimpse of offside bank through the dense bushes shows how wide they could and should be.Airight,alright, I get the point. I do agree I do agree though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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