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'Mad' narrow boaters to navigate The Wash to Bedford

Ray T

By Ray T
in General Boating

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mrsmelly Veteran II

mrsmellyDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Solid proof that the NHS need more funding for mental health problems. I was in Bristol docks last week speaking with four narrowboats that had just come down from Sharpness bless em.

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Scholar Gypsy Veteran

Scholar Gypsy

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22 hours ago, Proper Charlie said:

Yes, we did this a couple of years ago and we are both as mad as a box of frogs. Fact!

Us too.

 

More recently, here's a group going under the M25, at Dartford (you can see the shadow of the bridge). Great fun.
 

dsc_3241.jpg

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Jim Riley Experienced

Jim Riley

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Great fun. I've done the tidal links on the Ouse and the Trent, great fun, would like to do the Ribble link one day, but this is the next level from that. 

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Scholar Gypsy Veteran

Scholar Gypsy

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3 hours ago, Jim Riley said:

Great fun. I've done the tidal links on the Ouse and the Trent, great fun, would like to do the Ribble link one day, but this is the next level from that. 

It's great fun. My planning resources are  here, hoping to do the trip again in 2019.  I did get a bit carried away with the gadgets, although depth sounder was quite useful.

https://nbsg.wordpress.com/washing/

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

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20 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I love reading about these kind of things but I think I'll stick to the safety of the canals for now!  Eek - what about the big waves??

Suspect you very carefully select your weather window, and tide times, and avoid any days after strong northerly or north easterly winds. 

 

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mrsmelly Veteran II

mrsmellyDonate to Canal World

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1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Suspect you very carefully select your weather window, and tide times, and avoid any days after strong northerly or north easterly winds. 

 

AND do it in a proper boat shaped boat not a bath tub with a lid on and windows you can push in with one hand. The weather off the coast of the UK can change even on a fab day like today even when weather bods say its going to be lovely many boats over the years have been caught out even with boat shaped boats by sudden unanounced storms. I think many people who take narrowboats to sea have no sea going experience and simply have not been out there in any, let alone bad weather. 

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

Posted
Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

AND do it in a proper boat shaped boat not a bath tub with a lid on and windows you can push in with one hand. The weather off the coast of the UK can change even on a fab day like today even when weather bods say its going to be lovely many boats over the years have been caught out even with boat shaped boats by sudden unanounced storms. I think many people who take narrowboats to sea have no sea going experience and simply have not been out there in any, let alone bad weather. 

I'm currently on the North Norfolk coast, the wind was f6 gusting 7 northerly last week. Outside the harbour was pretty bumpy even a couple of days afterwards (not in a narrowboat). 

 

Eta. And don't underestimate the effect of an onshore breeze. 

Edited by rusty69
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mrsmelly Veteran II

mrsmellyDonate to Canal World

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2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I'm currently on the North Norfolk coast, the wind was f6 gusting 7 northerly last week. Outside the harbour was pretty bumpy even a couple of days afterwards (not in a narrowboat). 

I think its probably because we have been to sea many times that we understand what its about. If my only boating was on a narrowboat then I may think too it was a sensible thing to do. I havnt personaly taken a boat out to sea for over thirty years but having been in a mere force 8 on a proper sea going yacht on more than one occasion and been in Hurricane force in the arctic circle on a substantial warship I aint ever taking a bathtub to sea!! sheltered waters!!! or otherwise.

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

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5 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

I think its probably because we have been to sea many times that we understand what its about. If my only boating was on a narrowboat then I may think too it was a sensible thing to do. I havnt personaly taken a boat out to sea for over thirty years but having been in a mere force 8 on a proper sea going yacht on more than one occasion and been in Hurricane force in the arctic circle on a substantial warship I aint ever taking a bathtub to sea!! sheltered waters!!! or otherwise.

The lifeboat hasn't been out much this year yet. 

 

http://www.wellslifeboat.org/

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doratheexplorer Veteran

doratheexplorer

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7 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

I think its probably because we have been to sea many times that we understand what its about. If my only boating was on a narrowboat then I may think too it was a sensible thing to do. I havnt personaly taken a boat out to sea for over thirty years but having been in a mere force 8 on a proper sea going yacht on more than one occasion and been in Hurricane force in the arctic circle on a substantial warship I aint ever taking a bathtub to sea!! sheltered waters!!! or otherwise.

I think people might be comforted by their experience of car ferries and cruise ships etc.  I've been out to sea in a small boat in waves which was told, werent that bad - I was terrified!!!

29 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Suspect you very carefully select your weather window, and tide times, and avoid any days after strong northerly or north easterly winds. 

 

There are female members on here?  I was beginning to wonder

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mrsmelly Veteran II

mrsmellyDonate to Canal World

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Just now, doratheexplorer said:

I think people might be comforted by their experience of car ferries and cruise ships etc.  I've been out to sea in a small boat in waves which was told, werent that bad - I was terrified!!!

I think you could well be correct. Peeps go on cruise ships and cross channel ferries and subconsciously they think their narrowboat will be the same. Its fine in very good weather as yes they are bouyant but.........................

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