Smug gits hands up!

On or around Sat, 17 Sep 2005 23:25:47 +0100, Tom Woods enlightened us thusly:

there's a 4mph speed limit, hardly any point.

4mph is far too fast IMO and ends up causing a lot of damage to the towpath and wildlife. (semi-rant over). The other thing which really hacks me off is the 'first time hirer' who doesn't know to slow down whilst passing other boats. Partly blame the boatyards who hire them out for not making this very clear.

Hehehe, I've visions of landy owners chucking perkins engines on ropes out the back to try and slow down - well, they are only fit for use as anchors!! How DO you slow a canal boat down, Martyn? Engage reverse? Badger.

Basically, yes. It's about the only time reverse is of any real use. (apart from when you're going downhill, obviously). :-)

What, you mean it doesn't have Hill-Descent-Control??? How primative! Does it have a low-box for those really steep gradients? ;-) Badger.

Or that coasting past fishermen only to then hit full throttle when you are 5 yards past them doesn't help much...

Speaking as an occasional hirer, the people who most piss me off are the early-retirers who spend all their time polishing their bits and looking down their noses at the hire boats.

I don't understand the concept of hiring the slowest form of transport known to man in order to rush from one place to another.

TBH, I know rather a lot of "early-retirers", who have decided to spend 7/12 or so cruising around the best BW have to offer. None of them spend much time polishing their brasswork...

I _do_ know 'the type' you mean though, usually moored up for 4/12 on a Permanently Cruising basis, can't manoeuvre any better than the worst first time hirer and generally the curse of anyone who cares about the waterways. They clog up waterpoints, moor on bends, overnight by locks and then moan about 'townies' paying no respect.

Most people I know who spend a larger part of their life on the waterways prefer 'hirers' :-)

By far THE WORSE type though, are the early retirers who have a mooring at the end of their garden, and their own narrowboat - course, it's only for the Grandchildren to play on you see...

Absolutely. 1.4mph (av) is more than fast enough to get 'somewhere'. After all, it's not as though the towpath has booking in times. Cruise, stop, sleep...

On or around Mon, 19 Sep 2005 19:40:54 +0100, Mother enlightened us thusly:

true nuff. Although I've a hankering to do Wigan to Leeds and back, which would require a bit off effort, especially in a week :-)

actually, a fortnight would be better. original plan was Liverpool to Leeds, but I suspect most of the hire boats come from Wigan, and as such, Wigan to Leeds makes more sense. I'm not sure you can do Liverpool to Leeds and back in a week, in any case. Wigan to Leeds and back in a fortnight sounds quite nice though.

If you happen to be on the grand union about a mile south of kingswood junction you can pay your respects to Bridge Cottage, which is where we used to live.

There's also a pub there which is alternately called the Old New Inn or the Tom o' the Wood, depending on who's refurbished it last. sometimes good, sometimes less so. I believe it was closed for another refit last time I was there. When we first went there it was a nice, quiet country pub. Then it got bought by a wide boy from brum, and went downhill fast. later, after we moved away, it got better again.

up by kingswood junction is the Navigation, which last I was there did good food and ale.

We're doin' the entire Warwickshire ring next year (only 93 locks for Charlotte to do). This can easily be done in a week (97 miles) provided you keep a steady heading and start early, finishing late. I can't be arsed with that, so we're thinking of doing it in two weeks.

In every sense, going slower on a narrowboat is the same buzz as going faster in a car. Navigating some sections is akin to off-roading, in that slow is better in many circumstances, leaving more control, with short bursts of power when you need it.

Take your time, I'll meet you on the cut ;-)

BTDT, about 8 years ago now. Very nice circuit - starting at Braunston? There's one day where you go through industrial Brum - not a single point worth stopping at. We dedicated a day to just keeping going - the girls kept the beer and sandwiches flowing and the boys ran a well-oiled (in all senses) lock drill. Fun, in its own way.

shocking memory. Braunston was last time. We did Warwickshire ring from Rugby.

Clifton Cruisers by any chance?

We've used them lots - not stuffy, basic but clean. Under new ownership now.

We've done a fair part of it - in stages, at different times. We reckoned it'd be nice to actually do the whole lot - if only to see how much of it has changed over the last 'n' years :-)

On or around Tue, 20 Sep 2005 20:50:51 +0100, Mother enlightened us thusly:

hehe. can't afford it these days - what ever happened to the "camping cruisers" you used to get - standard work-boat with canvas top and a basic galley and facilities. We had a lot of fun with one of them, and a damned sight less to hire than the boats with all the mod cons including colour TV, DVD etc. I'd go off on a boat to get away from all that s**te.

Still fancy doing the leeds and liverpool, though. Has the added advantage that one can drive down the road to wigan pier, I assume...

Absolutely. You can still hire them, but it's getting harder as market forces and British Waterways 'rools' don't like them for some reason. There are a couple of Trusts and yoof groups which still have them and hire for short periods.

On or around Tue, 20 Sep 2005 21:16:27 +0100, Tim Hobbs enlightened us thusly:

we took a boat through the middle of brum when they were busy building the norwich union building. quite surreal, boating through a giant building site.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 20:50:51 +0100, Mother scribbled the following nonsense:

That would mean you surfacing before the ungodly hour of 11am...... I doubt that you could do that ;-)