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Boat Hire for 2020


Naughty Cal

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1 hour ago, Naughty Cal said:

As it stands at the moment I do think that the Chesterfield is our favourite option. Purely because it is local to us but we can't do it on our own boat. 

 

Our only slight doubt is that the boats are older boats and are both semi trad whereas we would have by choice opted for a cruiser stern. 

Whilst I am in total agreement that the cruiser stern is the best of all the narrowboat sterns dont discount the semi trad. My missus fancied one so we bought one this time and they are not a bad compomise. In some ways they are a bit better than a cruiser and deffo better than an orrible so called trad stern.

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6 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Whilst I am in total agreement that the cruiser stern is the best of all the narrowboat sterns dont discount the semi trad. My missus fancied one so we bought one this time and they are not a bad compomise. In some ways they are a bit better than a cruiser and deffo better than an orrible so called trad stern.

I think it depends on whether you regard steering as a solitary or social activity?  Different people have different views....

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2 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I think it depends on whether you regard steering as a solitary or social activity?  Different people have different views....

Oh yeah I know it takes all kinds innitt. It was my opinion as all my posts are. I dislike trad sterns. We new we didnt want one but I wanted a Hudson and that was all he built at the time so we had one. I was not sorry to see the back of it. The boat was great but we went back to a cruiser stern and then this semi trad. We shall not be having another trad.

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3 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

You are never committed to do a ring. You can turn back at any point before the half way distance if you aren't keeping pace when half way through the hire period. And once you pass half way the quickest way home is to keep going so it's just the same as turning half way through the hire period on an out and back.

 

It's only a problem if you are a bit daft.

 

JP

 

The only problem with rings for hirers, especially first time hirers, is the way the hire companies optimistically market them. 

 

For example they "sell" the Four Counties Ring as a weeks hire, which it is if you dont mind cruising for 9 hours a day.

 

Many first time hirers slip behind schedule without realising it, because the half way point isnt clearly defined, and they haven't bothered to plan properly, just taking the hire companies word for it.  As Dora says, they then feel compelled to press on regardless to the finish which can lead to a fractious relationships for those on board, rather than a relaxing and enjoyable holiday.

 

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I think it depends on whether you regard steering as a solitary or social activity?  Different people have different views....

We would like to be able to have the two of us and the dog at the same end of the boat!

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2 hours ago, cuthound said:

 

The only problem with rings for hirers, especially first time hirers, is the way the hire companies optimistically market them. 

 

For example they "sell" the Four Counties Ring as a weeks hire, which it is if you dont mind cruising for 9 hours a day.

 

Many first time hirers slip behind schedule without realising it, because the half way point isnt clearly defined, and they haven't bothered to plan properly, just taking the hire companies word for it.  As Dora says, they then feel compelled to press on regardless to the finish which can lead to a fractious relationships for those on board, rather than a relaxing and enjoyable holiday.

 

 

 

 

 

The big three hire companies - ABC, Black Prince and Anglo-Welsh - are all clear about how many hours the Four Counties will take and list it as an option for 7 days or more. They seem to give equal billing to rings and out-and-back routes.

 

Although I have met hirers who really don't have a clue where they are going I think anyone who has the foresight to ask on here is probably capable of making a decent enough plan to suit their own requirements. That's why I think it's best to try and give them facts around the questions they ask and preferences they state rather than give an opinion based on what you might do yourself.

 

Personally I'd like to have a crack at the Warwickshire Ring on a weekend hire in mid-summer with one of those sleep 10/12 boats used for stag parties and have two crews working in shifts through daylight hours.

 

Bring back the TNC!

 

JP

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11 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

We would like to be able to have the two of us and the dog at the same end of the boat!

 

Yes a semi-trad has the gas locker at the back, so the cover forms a seat for two people.

 

Our old dog always used to sit there on our semi-trad share boats, so we called it the "cuthound seat".

 

Here Mrs Hound and Buster demonstrate the seating on a semi-trad.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/soOcCZ3Rj5c58ZIE5J5Mr4wAKn4FOmpRKFEcA8rS0tz

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12 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

We would like to be able to have the two of us and the dog at the same end of the boat!

Don't worry, we manage two of us and a much large dog than yours, on the back of our trad. We're in our 60's (well, the dog is not) so gunnel hanging is not involved.

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19 hours ago, Trento said:

Try the Lancaster Canal, with a trip down to Glasson Dock.

The whole trip can be done within the week.

 

That would be a trip to do in Naughty Cal, not a hired narrowboat - because they could complete the ring by going Glasson to Preston via Morecambe Bay and the River Ribble. 

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4 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

So it it feasible to do the length of the Chesterfield and back to base again in 6 days?

 

Which is essentially what you end up with when hiring due to pick up times and drop off times. 

 

 

It can be done with about 6-7 hours cruising each day but it is well worth it!

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6 minutes ago, bigray said:

It can be done with about 6-7 hours cruising each day but it is well worth it!

Thanks. We are not overly concerned about putting in long days.

36 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

That would be a trip to do in Naughty Cal, not a hired narrowboat - because they could complete the ring by going Glasson to Preston via Morecambe Bay and the River Ribble. 

Yes we don't want to do waters that we can do with Naughty-Cal.

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I would have thought going the Trent and Chesterfield is too similar to what you are used to.

 

Why not take the opportunity to experience a part of the system that is all narrowboats.  My suggestion would be to hire from the Napton area and do the Warwickshire ring, as long as you don’t mind a busy week.  You would be able to see rural and also urban by going into Birmingham, and both wide and narrow locks.

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17 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

We would like to be able to have the two of us and the dog at the same end of the boat!

I find even semi trad tricky with a dog, it makes it hard for her to get on and off .. I would definitely go for a cruiser stern

 

Also I don't think there is any point in having a narrow boat unless you have to get it through a 7ft wide gap ... why would you?... So definitely I would suggest narrow canals for at least part of your journey.

 

As for hire companies I like Oxfordshire Narrow Boats and  shire cruisers ... I am not so keen on Alvechurch, some of their fleet is very old and tired (IMO) ... I think Napton are pretty good but I have never hired from them.

 

Wherever you go on whatever boat I hope you have a great time!

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34 minutes ago, NickF said:

 

 

Also I don't think there is any point in having a narrow boat unless you have to get it through a 7ft wide gap ... why would you?.

You may find some of the, not always charitable, comments about wide beam boats on canals enlightening! But yes, if you haven't "done" any narrow canals, they would be a new and different experience.

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56 minutes ago, NickF said:

I find even semi trad tricky with a dog, it makes it hard for her to get on and off .. I would definitely go for a cruiser stern

 

Also I don't think there is any point in having a narrow boat unless you have to get it through a 7ft wide gap ... why would you?... So definitely I would suggest narrow canals for at least part of your journey.

 

As for hire companies I like Oxfordshire Narrow Boats and  shire cruisers ... I am not so keen on Alvechurch, some of their fleet is very old and tired (IMO) ... I think Napton are pretty good but I have never hired from them.

 

Wherever you go on whatever boat I hope you have a great time!

Paradoxically I found a semi-trad ideal with a dog as the dog could be contained without having to hide it in the cabin 

 

!st Ade's pooch managed to walk straight off the cruiser stern of our hire boat last summer...  thankfully the doggy life jack comes with a carry handle you can em up by! 

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51 minutes ago, magpie patrick said:

Paradoxically I found a semi-trad ideal with a dog as the dog could be contained without having to hide it in the cabin 

 

!st Ade's pooch managed to walk straight off the cruiser stern of our hire boat last summer...  thankfully the doggy life jack comes with a carry handle you can em up by! 

 

I found the same, much easier to keep a hound contained on a semi-trad.

 

Also we hired a cruiser stern with our first rescue dog for her first boat trip. She hated being forced to lie on the boards directly over the engine. Next time we hired a semi-trad and she was much happier sitting on the seat over the gas lockers.

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2 hours ago, john6767 said:

I would have thought going the Trent and Chesterfield is too similar to what you are used to.

 

Why not take the opportunity to experience a part of the system that is all narrowboats.  My suggestion would be to hire from the Napton area and do the Warwickshire ring, as long as you don’t mind a busy week.  You would be able to see rural and also urban by going into Birmingham, and both wide and narrow locks.

We wouldn't do any of the Trent and the Chesterfield for the most part is narrow! It's our only local waterway we can't do with NC.

 

 

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1 hour ago, cuthound said:

 

I found the same, much easier to keep a hound contained on a semi-trad.

 

Also we hired a cruiser stern with our first rescue dog for her first boat trip. She hated being forced to lie on the boards directly over the engine. Next time we hired a semi-trad and she was much happier sitting on the seat over the gas lockers.

Good point ... our dog has always been really sure footed and never fallen in off the boat.

 

The year after she had to have her eye out she fell off the bank on the blind side a few times but she got used to it after that!

 

 

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8 hours ago, NickF said:

 

As for hire companies I like Oxfordshire Narrow Boats and  shire cruisers ... I am not so keen on Alvechurch, some of their fleet is very old and tired (IMO) ... I think Napton are pretty good but I have never hired from them.

 

Do mean boats bearing the Alvechurch name or others in the ABC group?

 

That isn't my experience of hiring them and seeing a constant line of new hire boats being turned out at Alvechurch Marina. Same with Black Prince at Stoke Prior.

 

JP

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14 hours ago, NickF said:

SDC13157.JPG.50dae7d94c93f3c94db07b7ce14caa4b.JPG1293071635_ALucycomp.JPG.ad3477239119af22c23b5416c2e8fb18.JPG

Good point ... our dog has always been really sure footed and never fallen in off the boat.

 

The year after she had to have her eye out she fell off the bank on the blind side a few times but she got used to it after that!

 

 

Sydney has fallen off Naughty-Cal plenty of times now. Pretty sure he will manage to fall off hire boats as well. No doubt he will fall off in Blegium at Easter and in Norfolk later in the year!

 

We think he just likes a swim now every now and then :rolleyes:

 

20180720-140119.jpg

 

20180624-065215.jpg

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20 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

1st Ade's pooch managed to walk straight off the cruiser stern of our hire boat last summer...  thankfully the doggy life jack comes with a carry handle you can em up by!

To be fair - the dog was staring intently at the water and the pads on his paws totally failed to grip the steel deck (although i don't dispute that if a tennis ball had floated past he'd have launched himself straight at it without a second thought).

 

Second the vote for doggy life jackets with handles!

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Pretty sure we have decided on the Chesterfield Canal now for this break.

 

Now we know that it can suffer from weed growth during the summer months so would we be better off doing this at the beginning of the year or towards the end?

 

Thinking either April time or October?

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28 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

Pretty sure we have decided on the Chesterfield Canal now for this break.

 

Now we know that it can suffer from weed growth during the summer months so would we be better off doing this at the beginning of the year or towards the end?

 

Thinking either April time or October?

Cheshire Rose of this parish is the one to ask about The Chesterfield.

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19 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Pretty sure we have decided on the Chesterfield Canal now for this break.

 

Now we know that it can suffer from weed growth during the summer months so would we be better off doing this at the beginning of the year or towards the end?

 

Thinking either April time or October?

I’d go early rather than late. If we have one of those odd summers where the sun shows itself the weed can hang on into autumn. 

We always find our quickest progress on the Chessy is when there’s an inch or two of ice! 

Not wanting to put you off in your choice, but if you’re social boaters that like a friendly pub mooring rather than being out in the sticks I’d study a current map.

There’s still pubs open, but not ideally placed for a normal days boating, especially if you want to do different stops on the way back. 

We often go from Retford to Cinder Hill Lock above shireoakes in a long day. A short walk down the path from there is The Hewitt Arms, the best proper pub on the canal. Not a lot between there and Retford though, unless you fancy a night in Worksop or a noisy stop by the A1 at the Chequers. The same applies above Shireoakes, gorgeous days boating up the locks but crap pub and not very inspiring mooring when you get there. But as I said, not a problem at all if you like a quiet spot for the night with a view, there’s plenty of those along it’s length from Stockwith to Kiveton. 

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