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March of the Widebeams


cuthound

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10 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I bet the hire boaters held a different opinion about what was causing the chaos as you went through on your 12ft widebeam!!!

 

:giggles:

 

I know you're local to Reading Mike but it doesn't sound like your familiar with the western end of the K&A at Easter. I'm not sure why you'd imply that anyone thought it was my boat that was the issue? (Well I do know really, you're just prejudiced - you weren't there to see what was happening.) Anyway my boat handling skills are fine, I can steer at tickover or hold my boat in the same position without it moving if necessary, so a big boat in itself doesn't cause chaos and it certainly wasn't my boat that was the issue.

 

A couple of the hire boat crews were apologising and I was chatting to a few of the other (non hire) narrowboaters at locks and swing bridges and although the conversation stayed good humoured they just shrugged their shoulders and told me it was a normal part of the Easter madness.

Edited by blackrose
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  • 1 month later...
On 08/10/2019 at 19:40, Trevor Lyons said:

 Yes, I'll have the fuel tank cleaned; presumably one can use red diesel for heating in Europe? Are separate tanks required?

I see your name is on the DBA members list now. Check the DBA knowledge base for much info re continental cruising - e.g. it is not possible to use red diesel for any purpose at all in the Netherlands. It's OK for heating in France and most other countries, but two completely separate tanks are mandatory.

 

Here is not really the place for it, but your fore end bitts behind a high bulwark and the line passing through a hawse hole is fine for mooring, but will make make lock work extremely difficult.

 

Tam

Edited by Tam & Di
clarity
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On 10/10/2019 at 17:38, Dharl said:

Just been doing a bit of research on the "WB Progress" and found the following on the website "tring History" which might go to give a definative answere on the matter......  https://tringhistory.tringlocalhistorymuseum.org.uk/Canal/c_chapter_14.htm

............ A substantial scheme on converting the waterways as a whole into a wide canal was put in hand by the former owners between the wars and all the locks can accommodate craft 14ft x 70ft.

Been busy enjoying myself and only just seen this  ?

 

The Tring History article does give the correct dimensions for Progress, and we took 12'6" (sorry Pete H) x 75' wideboat Progress London-Braunston several times and on to Samson Road twice, so locks are rather longer than BWB say. Other infrastructure was not suitable widened, but the only problem we had was a bridge at Leamington, and that was only because I raised the coaming height by about 9" when I converted it for us to live on, and we had to hold it hard against the towpath to avoid scraping on the offside of the arch. It was in the 60s and we did meet quite a few narrowboats, both loaded and empty, but the only difficulty we had was once meeting a pair as we were about to enter a bridgehole - we just had to boat to allow for that possibility..

 

Tam

Edited by Tam & Di
clarity
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On 12/10/2019 at 17:47, Ray T said:

When ever I have met Tranquil Rose crew they have always been very polite and above all they know how to handle a wide boat

Sadly that has not always been my experience.

Although they have been absolutely fine the last couple of times we encountered them, a few years back I saw them being incredibly aggressive down in the Hemel Hempstead area.

I can't say whether it was under the same ownership, or whether any of the crew are still involved, but whilst their behaviour was still a lot better than the infamous Reverend, it certainly wasn't acceptable.  Hopefully it was a one off.

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1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

Although they have been absolutely fine the last couple of times we encountered them, a few years back I saw them being incredibly aggressive down in the Hemel Hempstead area.

What's a few years 5years, 10years?

 

 

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6 hours ago, Tam & Di said:

The Tring History article does give the correct dimensions for Progress, and we took 12'6" (sorry Pete H) x 75' wideboat Progress London-Braunston several times and on to Samson Road twice, so locks are rather longer than BWB say.

 

Tam

No need for apologies, and I will not be apologising either as all I do is quote the figures from the gauge tables = PROGRESS GUC12497 (05 June 1936) - 75'0'' x 12'1½'' - but at least they got one of the dimensions correct :captain:

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  • 3 weeks later...
3 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Luckily the boat I was with was only 25 feet otherwise we would have struggled with this bloke moored here.

20191203_121944.jpg

Those canvas covers front and back are a real pain in the proverbial when crossing their boats to operate the lock/swing bridge.

 

Crossing over the roof is the only option, which can be quite slippery, especially in hobnail boots!

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3 minutes ago, furnessvale said:

Those canvas covers front and back are a real pain in the proverbial when crossing their boats to operate the lock/swing bridge.

 

Crossing over the roof is the only option, which can be quite slippery, especially in hobnail boots!

You need to dig them in good and proper for health and safety purposes.

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  • 2 months later...
3 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Today's one parked up in one of the S bends between Napton and Braunston, just as well the hire season has only just started and doesnt meet a loaded pair coming the other way.....

 

And with another boat behind it, that’s going to make it difficult if 2 boats meet there, bad enough when there is no one there.  Of course that spot has a nice view across the field, and is still a close walk to the bridge and your car.

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I thought they were dying out: these are the first posts this year on this topic.

 

The photo does show one of those moments when, if approaching, you think "Oh good Lord, please don';t send another boat coming round that bend".

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15 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Today's one parked up in one of the S bends between Napton and Braunston, just as well the hire season has only just started and doesnt meet a loaded pair coming the other way.....

There was one by the road bridge between Barby & Willoughby too the other day on the North Oxford (Br 85). It’s not the widest canal there at best. 

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9 minutes ago, frangar said:

There was one by the road bridge between Barby & Willoughby too the other day on the North Oxford (Br 85). It’s not the widest canal there at best. 

Late last year was one near where there is the floating pontoon and mooring in the offside by the Willoughby bridge, the boat was not on its mooring but if it had returned there would not have been much space to get past.

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