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MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL - a guide. June 2018


graemejwalker

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On 01/01/2020 at 12:06, Philip said:

Would 15m rope/warps be needed or required if doing the trip downstream?

By 'downstream' if you mean from Manchester to Ellesmere Port then there's no real need to use the ropes through the locks. They only drop about 15ft and there is virtually no turbulence. We had the lock to our self so at sized 600ft by 80ft there was plenty of room for us to just float about freely. It may be different if you are sharing with a large vessel. 

 

The OP of this thread recommended using them when ascending though because there is a lot of turbulence. I think 15m length should be fine.

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On ‎05‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 22:36, Grassman said:

By 'downstream' if you mean from Manchester to Ellesmere Port then there's no real need to use the ropes through the locks. They only drop about 15ft and there is virtually no turbulence. We had the lock to our self so at sized 600ft by 80ft there was plenty of room for us to just float about freely. It may be different if you are sharing with a large vessel. 

 

The OP of this thread recommended using them when ascending though because there is a lot of turbulence. I think 15m length should be fine.

Thanks

 

I'm going to buy an anchor and chain, can anyone tell me or link me please to the minimum length of chain required and the correct type of anchor? I've had a quick look on ebay but there seems to be various different types of anchor and different chain lengths.

 

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I was recommended by my surveyor who did my MSC ticket that a mud weight or two would be better than an anchor....there’s no flow to speak of and you’ve more chance of getting the mud weight back...it was suggested the tugs & shipping wouldn’t be too happy to find the anchor rope with their props should you have to cut it free. 

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53 minutes ago, Philip said:

Well I have a mud weight. What's the minimum length of rope/chain required to tie to either the weight or the anchor?

I attached mine to my normal anchor chain/rope set up...Off hand its about 6m of chain and about 18m of non floating rope....If you are buying it especially I would say get it for an anchor set up suitable for your boat.....then you just have to buy an anchor if you do any river work etc

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I now have a certificate of seaworthiness for mine (mud weight was sufficient!). Looking to do the trip mid-February and about to send off my completed application with relevant forms. Take it they are ok receiving this by post? I can't email as the certificate of seaworthiness is in paper form.

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20 hours ago, Philip said:

I now have a certificate of seaworthiness for mine (mud weight was sufficient!). Looking to do the trip mid-February and about to send off my completed application with relevant forms. Take it they are ok receiving this by post? I can't email as the certificate of seaworthiness is in paper form.

I’d make a photocopy of the seaworthiness Cert....they last for a year and you might need it again if you do another trip.

 

When I did the transit from the Weston Point to Ellesmere Port Peel needed it all to be posted along with a cheque for payment...it meant I needed to find my cheque book!! 

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16 hours ago, frangar said:

I’d make a photocopy of the seaworthiness Cert....they last for a year and you might need it again if you do another trip.

 

When I did the transit from the Weston Point to Ellesmere Port Peel needed it all to be posted along with a cheque for payment...it meant I needed to find my cheque book!! 

Yep, made a couple of copies of it for that reason.

 

Do the Bridgewater Canal lockies come out to do Pomona lock at the weekend? Looking at doing the Ship Canal on the Monday and locking down into Salford Quays the previous afternoon.

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20 minutes ago, Philip said:

Yep, made a couple of copies of it for that reason.

 

Do the Bridgewater Canal lockies come out to do Pomona lock at the weekend? Looking at doing the Ship Canal on the Monday and locking down into Salford Quays the previous afternoon.

I’m not sure. I know the council didn’t come out at weekends to open the swing bridge at Ellesmere Port...mind you they also “lost” my booking when I turned up midweek leaving me bobbing about in the lower basin...

 

If it hasn’t already been mentioned VHF was very handy even on the short hop from Weston to Ellesmere as I could talk directly to the dredger to make sure it was  alongside before I passed....and to let VTS at Eastham know I was waiting for the council in the lower basin...it can get rough in there when a tug goes past at full chat! 
 

edited to add

 

The bit about VHF was mentioned before...by me in 2018!! Doh!! 

Edited by frangar
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54 minutes ago, Philip said:

Do the Bridgewater Canal lockies come out to do Pomona lock at the weekend? Looking at doing the Ship Canal on the Monday and locking down into Salford Quays the previous afternoon.

You'll have to phone and ask.  It seems they'll only do it when it suits them -- so not even every weekday.

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On 14/01/2020 at 17:57, Philip said:

I now have a certificate of seaworthiness for mine (mud weight was sufficient!). Looking to do the trip mid-February and about to send off my completed application with relevant forms. Take it they are ok receiving this by post? I can't email as the certificate of seaworthiness is in paper form.

When I did it last July I took a screenshot of my certificate using my phone and emailed it to them. I also paid by credit card over the phone.

 

Regarding other points some of you have raised,

For there descent of Pamona Lock the lockies were at the pre-arranged time of 8.30am but I'm not sure they'd do a Sunday.

I didn't really need my VHF because VTS at Eastham were very helpful and had made the 3 vessels coming towards us aware of our presence so they all slowed right down while we passed each other.

The swing bridge at Ellesmere Port was permanently open and I was told it would be for the 'foreseeable future'. However if it is now operational again, the council will usually leave it unlocked for you if you anticipate arriving after normal working hours, and so will the Museum with their chain on the lock.

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Thank you all

 

The Pomona lock situation seems poor value for money if I'm honest; for £30 to be taken through a standard canal lock you'd expect an efficient service 7 days a week, rather than a 'turn up when it suits' approach that it seems to be! 72 hours notice seems excessive too to be honest. Was hoping to go up the Irwell as far as navigable before making for Mode Wheel!

Edited by Philip
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Be very careful  near the limit of navigation on the Irwell,just past Victoria Station. The river bed  becomes shallow with rocks and debris. Also, the level can drop very suddenly if the automatic sluices open at Mode Wheel,usually at times of heavy rain (like the last few months!) . I have seen the river drop by a couple of feet  in a matter of minutes. If you happen to be at the top end  and notice a sudden increase in flow, get out quick as you can and head down stream, otherwise you could be stuck mid river for some time.

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4 hours ago, Philip said:

Thank you all

 

The Pomona lock situation seems poor value for money if I'm honest; for £30 to be taken through a standard canal lock you'd expect an efficient service 7 days a week, rather than a 'turn up when it suits' approach that it seems to be! 72 hours notice seems excessive too to be honest. Was hoping to go up the Irwell as far as navigable before making for Mode Wheel!

When I phoned the book a couple of years ago, I got the impression that the 72 hour notice thing was to give you time to make other plans, if it turned out they didn't want to let you down on the day you wanted to go!

 

We turned right out of Pomona Lock but couldn't go far up the Irwell because of massive bridge works.  It was still worth going and having a look though.

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Spoken to the Bridgewater company, they indeed don't come out on Sundays so it'll be Monday 8am down Pomona. Would like to still go up to the Mark Addy and back on the Irwell so guessing I'll be looking at 9ish or so by the time I get to Mode Wheel. Hope that won't be too tight for reaching Ellesmere Port before dark! By mid February it should be light until 17:45ish.

Edited by Philip
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On 24/01/2020 at 15:39, Philip said:

Bridgewater Co have said the lock keeper can get there for 07:30 to work me through Pomona lock in order to reach Mode Wheel for 08:30. Credit to them for this as 8am is their normal time.

Last July we were booked in at Mode Wheel Lock for 8.30 and we reached Ellesmere Port at around 4,30pm. We maintained a fair pace all the way but in doing so I didn't need to work the engine that hard really. 

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