Mike the Boilerman 5777 Report post #1451 Posted October 10, 2019 5 hours ago, Trevor Lyons said: It seems the tribalism continues! I've decided that after all, when my boat (a rather fine-looking wide-beam river launch with a steeply raked seaworthy bow and a counter stern) is ready to go onto navigable waters, I'll take her to Reading, and go downstream to the Thames and to France. I've joined the DBA Barge Association and I look forward to navigating the wide horizons of Europe. I'll leave cruising the K&A until I return to narrowboating in my dotage, perhaps less than a decade away ... Did East Europe Lady build it for you? 2 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matty40s 2701 Report post #1452 Posted October 10, 2019 19 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said: Did East Europe Lady build it for you? I did think this earlier but didnt want to offend our new member.? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike the Boilerman 5777 Report post #1453 Posted October 10, 2019 Just now, matty40s said: I did think this earlier but didnt want to offend our new member.? I thought about it earlier but didn't want to offend East Europe Lady.... ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frangar 685 Report post #1454 Posted October 10, 2019 4 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said: I thought about it earlier but didn't want to offend East Europe Lady.... ? You’ve changed.......??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike the Boilerman 5777 Report post #1455 Posted October 10, 2019 1 minute ago, frangar said: You’ve changed.......??? It was only a fleeting thought! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackrose 1171 Report post #1456 Posted October 10, 2019 On 21/09/2019 at 16:19, Alan de Enfield said: Watch out "the fatties are coming …………………….." Yeah, wideasses rule! 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peterboat 1797 Report post #1457 Posted October 10, 2019 2 hours ago, blackrose said: Yeah, wideasses rule! Just so comfy and so much room you can extend your arms without touching the sides ? and thats because its a proper size boat Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete23 5 Report post #1458 Posted October 11, 2019 (edited) I do apologise in advance...I don’t post much on here, but that in my opinion isn’t nice! Looks like something has pushed out a soft sh.t that has gone all flat. Edited October 11, 2019 by pete23 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackrose 1171 Report post #1459 Posted October 11, 2019 (edited) 53 minutes ago, peterboat said: Just so comfy and so much room you can extend your arms without touching the sides ? and thats because its a proper size boat Proper boats for proper people! ? 3 minutes ago, pete23 said: I do apologise in advance...I don’t post much on here, but that in my opinion isn’t nice! Well let's have a look at yours then. Edited October 11, 2019 by blackrose 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete23 5 Report post #1460 Posted October 11, 2019 I don’t have one thankfully. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackrose 1171 Report post #1461 Posted October 11, 2019 (edited) 8 minutes ago, pete23 said: I don’t have one thankfully. I see. So I do apologise in advance but in that case your opinion on my boat (or any boat) is irrelevant and of no consequence. Edited October 11, 2019 by blackrose 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Loddon 735 Report post #1462 Posted October 11, 2019 How many years ago was it that Blackrose (the boat) did a journey on a canal? More of a river boat I believe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BruceinSanity 396 Report post #1463 Posted October 11, 2019 10 hours ago, blackrose said: Yeah, wideasses rule! In our family, we call that a CON, Clinically Obese Narrowboat. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alan_fincher 2726 Report post #1464 Posted October 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Loddon said: How many years ago was it that Blackrose (the boat) did a journey on a canal? More of a river boat I believe Mike will no doubt tell you that it went a largish way up the GU, at least once. What that doesn't recognise though is that when it did wide beams of this type of dimension were pretty unusual on the GU, so he wouldn't have been passing one moored one after another, or trying to pass ones coming the other way. Back then the presence of a few didn't cause any real problems. Now with virtually every new boat being craned in on the GU being wide, it has really spoilt that waterway for many users. Also the 12 foot plus ones seem to be where much of the growth is. Those of 10 foot or 10 foot 6 inches were marginally less of a problem, but the vast majority going in now seem to be the real monsters. worse again is the move to wheel steering, which few owners seem able to hack. Wide beams are fine in their place, but the vast numbers on the GU is not the right place for them to be. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike the Boilerman 5777 Report post #1465 Posted October 11, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, alan_fincher said: Wide beams are fine in their place, but the vast numbers on the GU is not the right place for them to be. At least you don't have to slow down when passing a line of moored widebeams though.... Edited October 11, 2019 by Mike the Boilerman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GRLMK38 36 Report post #1466 Posted October 11, 2019 48 minutes ago, alan_fincher said: Mike will no doubt tell you that it went a largish way up the GU, at least once. What that doesn't recognise though is that when it did wide beams of this type of dimension were pretty unusual on the GU, so he wouldn't have been passing one moored one after another, or trying to pass ones coming the other way. Back then the presence of a few didn't cause any real problems. Now with virtually every new boat being craned in on the GU being wide, it has really spoilt that waterway for many users. Also the 12 foot plus ones seem to be where much of the growth is. Those of 10 foot or 10 foot 6 inches were marginally less of a problem, but the vast majority going in now seem to be the real monsters. worse again is the move to wheel steering, which few owners seem able to hack. Wide beams are fine in their place, but the vast numbers on the GU is not the right place for them to be. I think "expert" salespeople and naive buyers have a lot to do with it. Wow...it's got a "dream kitchen" and "dream wardrobes" let's not worry about the fact it has a 4mm baseplate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor Lyons 55 Report post #1467 Posted October 11, 2019 (edited) I've only recently discovered this forum. David John, who produces the excellent "CruisingTheCut" Vlogs alerted me to it: What’s the narrowboat forum you mention sometimes in your videos?The forum I gained most of my info from is canalworld.net. It’s got loads of very expert people who chip in but the only thing you have to watch is that sometimes the discussions veer (quickly) wildly off on a tangent, which is unhelpful, or occasionally descend into vitriolic arguments. If you can wade your way through that occasional treacle, it’s good stuff. However, it seems that forum members just can't prevent themselves from calling other peoples boats "pug ugly" or worse, or saying "I don't want to offend" when in reality that's precisely what they want. So, while I'll visit this forum and "wade through the treacle" and "vitriol" to get news and information, in future I'll keep my contributions to a minimum. It's not a question of being thin-skinned (I've a hide like a rhino); I just think that grown-up canal boaters should behave more maturely and treat each other with more respect. Edited October 11, 2019 by Trevor Lyons 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Athy 901 Report post #1468 Posted October 11, 2019 8 minutes ago, Trevor Lyons said: However, it seems that forum members just can't prevent themselves from calling other peoples boats "pug ugly" or worse, or saying "I don't want to offend" when in reality that's precisely what they want. So, while I'll visit this forum and "wade through the treacle" and "vitriol" to get news and information, in future I'll keep my contributions to a minimum. It's not a question of being thin-skinned (I've a hide like a rhino); I just think that grown-up canal boaters should behave more maturely and treat each other with more respect. Some also have a sense of humour. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusty69 3717 Report post #1469 Posted October 11, 2019 1 minute ago, Athy said: Some also have a sense of humour. ....and some don't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billS 531 Report post #1470 Posted October 11, 2019 My eyes are hurting after looking at the last couple of pages. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusty69 3717 Report post #1471 Posted October 11, 2019 Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuscan 284 Report post #1472 Posted October 11, 2019 2 hours ago, alan_fincher said: Also the 12 foot plus ones seem to be where much of the growth is. Those of 10 foot or 10 foot 6 inches were marginally less of a problem, but the vast majority going in now seem to be the real monsters. worse again is the move to wheel steering, which few owners seem able to hack. Wide beams are fine in their place, but the vast numbers on the GU is not the right place for them to be. this is definitely the case in my recent experience Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cuthound 1734 Report post #1473 Posted October 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Mike the Boilerman said: At least you don't have to slow down when passing a line of moored widebeams though.... Depends on how good you are at judging narrow gaps! ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Victor Vectis 613 Report post #1474 Posted October 11, 2019 On 10/10/2019 at 10:40, noddyboater said: Imagine if you’re that person and still around, you’d stand back proudly and think “Look what I’ve done!” Better still stand against a wall and proudly be shot! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackrose 1171 Report post #1475 Posted October 11, 2019 12 hours ago, Loddon said: How many years ago was it that Blackrose (the boat) did a journey on a canal? More of a river boat I believe 7 years ago, full length of the K&A from Reading to Bristol and then Sharpness to Gloucester on the G&S. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
