The Fat Ones are revolting.

[mrsmelly]

2 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

 

The one thing I would say Mike, is that you can't base any view you might have of wide beams on (say) the Grand Union on what it was like when you were doing it really quite a few years ago now.

Back then I was fairly relaxed on the topic - there wen't many, and those there were didn't tend to move much.

Now the number of wide beams is mushrooming at an alarming rate - my guess is it would be no exaggeration to suggest there are now at least 5 times the number there when you were last regularly there, (quite possibly more than that).

 

What was not a particularly significant issue has now ballooned into what I consider to now be very bad news indeed.

And of course the problem grows with every passing year, with reliable evidence that virtually every new boat being craned in on the Grand Union is a wide beam, and almost no new narrow boats now being built, (or at least not a significant proportion now of new boat deliveries).

 

I don't know how to solve the problem, but a problem it most certainly now is.

I  am not against widebeams in fact they are much better than narrow in most ways especialy river handling and comfort however as Alan says very recently probably within only the last ten years their use has exploded.I am on the K and  A soon to exit having been down the K and A to Bristol and back and when I last did this trip not long ago in 2003 I dont recall seeing  more than the few charity wide beams such as the  Bruce trust have always had and this trip I have seen literaly in the hundreds, similar on the GU, two canals entirely unsuited to  such craft. When two last week approached a bridge hole from opposite directions both over 12 foot and prob nearer 14 foot beam it was mayhem and novel to watch.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, matty40s said:

.....and another one. 70 x 12 feet, going to Calcutt......this ones owners are saving money for the licence hike by having only one rope on the boat. ......and not getting the bowthruster tube blacked (although this may be offered as standard by Collingwood as none of their boats lifted in here in the last 2 years   have had it blacked ).

 

 

I must be missing something here, how does only one rope save.......... doh! Gotcha ? Actually as a widebeam owner I don't mind paying a bit more, as long as the money is spent on keeping the canals in good order. However I do mind money being spent by CRT on a rebranding so quickly after the last one.

5 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

Ah, but it is not moored on a narrow bit, on a bend, and with masses of heavily overhanging tress opposite.

You really must try harder!

Sorry i'll moor like a complete t***t next time ...... ?