Chimney up or down on south Oxford?

[Dave123]

Morning all,

As per title really. Heading towards the south Oxford at Napton junction and given the current spring-like weather thought it would be nice to keep the stove on. It has been ages since I went this way. Having spent too long on wide canals, I have forgotten whether it is a bad idea to keep the chimney on (for at least as far as Banbury)? Are there any very low bridges? 

 

[Dr Bob]

39 minutes ago, Dave123 said:

Morning all,

As per title really. Heading towards the south Oxford at Napton junction and given the current spring-like weather thought it would be nice to keep the stove on. It has been ages since I went this way. Having spent too long on wide canals, I have forgotten whether it is a bad idea to keep the chimney on (for at least as far as Banbury)? Are there any very low bridges? 

 

You're certainly ok to Banbury but that's as far down we've been. No bridges low enough to take down our chimney.

[Scholar Gypsy]

There are several bridges on the summit between Napton & Fenny that will take your chimney off if you don't get the alignment right. 

[Athy]

The only chimney-altering bridge I can think of is the one at Aynho. We have often done the Napton to Fenny section and have not needed to worry about our chimney.

It depends, of course, on how tall your chimney is!

[Nightwatch]

Depending on how tall and which side the chimney is, the small left bridge just north of Claydon locks can catch you out.

[roland elsdon]

If your chimney is on the left (conventional side) and you are heading from top of marston doles to banbury there are angled bridges where you are likely to take off a chimney. Heading north it is less likely but some of the lift bridges are tightin long chimneys. We have a short chimney on our forward cabin because the ejit who fitted it out put the chimney on the wrong side.

[Nightwatch]

I hadn't thought about left or right (P or S) being the correct side. 

[Athy]

11 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

I hadn't thought about left or right (P or S) being the correct side. 

Not for saloon, as opposed to back cabin, chimneys, no.

Anyway, the towpath switches from one side to the other during that stretch so everyone has a chance of missing the bridges.

[b0atman]

Cropredy marina stretch water is high at the moment .

[MtB]

Nell Bridge will have your chimley off a treat if the River Cherwell is high. In fact you won't get through it at all at times of high rainfall. This might include now, someone on the spot can perhaps advise? 

[Dr Bob]

First time we did the south oxford last year, very green and novice, it did not strike us as a problem at all. Of course you have to allign right to get in a hole. More of a problem was the shallow insides of bends where you could loose steering with boats coming the other way. Taught us that you have to rev slower than on the broad canals.

[Sea Dog]

I've done the full length of the Oxford Canal with a 5 foot chimney without taking it down.

Mind you, I was in a canoe! 

 

And... (at the risk of paraphrasing a joke I've used before)

So it seems you can have your kayak and heat it!  

[Peter X]

If it's cold/wet enough that you need a fire on, and I expect it is, then you probably need a chimney to get enough draw. I can't remember any especially low bridges on the South Oxford (but beware Osney bridge on the Thames in Oxford if you go that far), but the answer is to be ready to take a chimney down in a hurry if need be. This means having a damp rag handy so you can grab it without burning your hands, and depending on the chimney's location having a crew member available who knows what to do.

[alan_fincher]

2 hours ago, Nightwatch said:

I hadn't thought about left or right (P or S) being the correct side. 

 

1 hour ago, Athy said:

Not for saloon, as opposed to back cabin, chimneys, no.

Anyway, the towpath switches from one side to the other during that stretch so everyone has a chance of missing the bridges.

I disagree.

Ideally all narrow boat stove chimneys would be on the left hand side.

Why, because that's what keeps them away from overhanging branches when moving to the right to pass someone, and also what stops them grazing on tunnel arches in tunnels that allow two way traffic.

Unfortunately lots of boat fitters (amateur or professional) don't seem to have grasped this point.

Both our boats that have had full cabin accommodation have had the chimney "wrong side", and it's a pain in the backside, meaning accidental damage is far more likely.

[Dr Bob]

1 minute ago, alan_fincher said:

 

I disagree.

Ideally all narrow boat stove chimneys would be on the left hand side.

Why, because that's what keeps them away from overhanging branches when moving to the right to pass someone, and also what stops them grazing on tunnel arches in tunnels that allow two way traffic.

Unfortunately lots of boat fitters (amateur or professional) don't seem to have grasped this point.

Both our boats that have had full cabin accommodation have had the chimney "wrong side", and it's a pain in the backside, meaning accidental damage is far more likely.

Spot on Alan. I would have thought this was obvious but obviously not. If you keep to the right then you want the chimney on the left.

[alan_fincher]

2 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Spot on Alan. I would have thought this was obvious but obviously not. If you keep to the right then you want the chimney on the left.

I have in the past contemplated the reason that a lot of stoves end up on the right, whereas on the left would be better.

One thing I note is that where boats have any kind of side corridor or walkway, (for example beside a lengthways double bed, a non walk through bathroom or dinette), it is far more common for the corridor to be on the right than on the left.   As a result U-shaped kitchens, and other fitted units are often also on the left, so radiators end up on the right, where the lower hull linings are not covered in stuff, and hence that often dictates a stove is put on the right also.

So going on from that, why do beds, bathrooms, dinettes, U-shaped kitchen etc usually end up on the left?  In "trads" at least, I have often assumed it is because the engines used tend to have their cooling pipes (and hence skin tanks) on the left, hence meaning that any steps or walkway past the engine is likely to be on the right.  So if the corridor is forced to the right by the engine, it remains on that side to pass beds, bathrooms, dinettes, etc.

[roland elsdon]

I was taught to pass chimney to chimney... because narrowboats  always have their chimneys on the left. 

[rusty69]

I ran our stove without a chimney for a couple of years. Didn't seem to make too much difference.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Photo from Nells Bridge  https://www.facebook.com/groups/davejellybeancanalforum/permalink/1788542047865002/

 

Also there is a stoppage at Grants Lock as one of the top paddles is I gather stuck in the up position. CRT on the way.

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by Scholar Gypsy

[matty40s]

10 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Photo from Nells Bridge  https://www.facebook.com/groups/davejellybeancanalforum/permalink/1788542047865002/

 

Also there is a stoppage at Grants Lock as one of the top paddles is I gather stuck in the up position. CRT on the way.

 

Only one of the paddles works there anyway, so when it breaks  up or down, theres a stoppage

[Athy]

1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

 

I disagree.

 

With what?

[Dr Bob]

36 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

 as one of the top paddles is I gather stuck in the up position.

 

That's not going to get under a bridge on the south oxford then.

[roland elsdon]

We have to run short cutter on oxford because of the bridges. Im stone deaf by fenny compton..ive lost so many long pipes over the years, and a good few chimneys

[Scholar Gypsy]

22 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

That's not going to get under a bridge on the south oxford then.

Sorry I was answering the Q from Mike the Boilerman ...

[billS]

1 hour ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

 

 

Also there is a stoppage at Grants Lock as one of the top paddles is I gather stuck in the up position. CRT on the way.

 

We were stuck above the lock last night. CRT were out at 9 this morning but could not free the paddle. The two on duty had to leave to deal with flooding at Fenny and they reckoned they might need to get stop planks in to get down to the obstruction. We reversed back to the winding hole at tramway.