First trip of the year... A different approach

[Adam and Hayley]

Fancied a cruise last week but didn't want to risk rubbish weather so this was our backup plan!



Ok ok max speed 4 knots and we were too wide to fit in the lock but it made a pleasant weekend

[Adam and Hayley]

[SteveHall]

Ive always liked the idea of doing this - how much red tape do you have to go through?

I live right on the Rochdale canal.

[Adam and Hayley]

Almost none!

Found a wharf to launch from and asked permission

Applied for a day license from http://canalrivertrust.org.uk
(15 quid for the day I think and 25 quid for a week)

Printed out the license

Showed my insurance certificate at the wharf

Reversed down the narrow slip

Job done!


Mines too wide to fit in a lock so could only go on the one section but seeing as that was 22 miles including a 3/4 mile long tunnel it was no problem at all

A lock key (yep, we bought it before we knew we were too wide) was 12 quid

ALL the narrow boaters were lovely and amused. We had several "I like your fenders" comments and an offer to share a barbecue!

On tick over we were pulling a speedy 4.2 knots but most narrow boats were going faster than that.

Good mooring practice
Good places to pull over for a pint
Good chance to mess around with fish finders and chartplotters (chartplotters don't show canals but iPads do)
Good chance to get your RIB off the trailer and oil/adjust everything

Really good fun

[Barrowboy]

Originally Posted by SteveHall

Ive always liked the idea of doing this - how much red tape do you have to go through?

I live right on the Rochdale canal.

Hmmmmm, not wishing to put a dampener on your ambition Steve but I have a narrowboat and certainly wouldn't want to go anywhere near the canals in my rib.

Often very shallow when off the main line middle section, regularly see narrowboats go aground when passing each other on bends...

Shedloads of garbage to snare with your outboard, builders' rubbish sacks being a particularly troublesome occurence when wrapped around the prop and the ubiquitous shopping trolley, of course..

Our narrowboat weighs approx 16 tons and anything fibreglass comes off decidedly second-best in any contact I can assure you.

FFS avoid the busy school holiday season because you've seen nothing as comic/tragic as an inexperienced narrowboat helmsman/woman fresh from their hand-over, 'guiding' 58 feet of steel hire boat (with many tons of concrete ballast) through our green and pleasant countryside.

Anyway, don't let me put you off!

[kerny]

Looks like you had a good day for it and different I bet you turned a few heads also you must have a more up market canal system than where I'm from. :lol. Nice pics too.

[Chris Caton]

n there's me just thinking about about organising a Searider canal cruise

[Barrowboy]

Originally Posted by Chris Caton

n there's me just thinking about about organising a Searider canal cruise

Start in Bootle on the Leeds-Liverpool Chris?

First one to receive a slug through the toobs wins....

Second prize goes to the Rib that arrives in Albert Dock complete with engine.

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by Barrowboy

Start in Bootle on the Leeds-Liverpool Chris?

First one to receive a slug through the toobs wins....

Second prize goes to the Rib that arrives in Albert Dock complete with engine.

I was thinking somewhere a touch more scenic, maybe through the tunnel to Llangollen by the way, has you mobile dried out yet

[Landlockedpirate]

Bridgewater canal through Stockton Heath and Lymm may work. No locks, decent depth and a better class of scrote round there. Lots of pubs along the route and from my limited experience (day boot booze cruise) it pretty wide for most of its length.

[Barrowboy]

Originally Posted by Chris Caton

by the way, has you mobile dried out yet

No.

Apologies for thread hijack guys 'n' gals

[kerny]

Originally Posted by Chris Caton

I was thinking somewhere a touch more scenic, maybe through the tunnel to Llangollen by the way, has you mobile dried out yet

It would be interesting to see a rib crossing the aqueduct at Trevor.

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by kerny

It would be interesting to see a rib crossing the aqueduct at Trevor.

think we'll walk it first

[Adam and Hayley]

Oho

[HUMBER P4VWL]

What hulled boat is that with the sit tubes?


Hi res Anglesey pics

Alex Whittaker / Shedpix Donations for Round Anglesey Macmillan 2014 https://www.justgiving.com/Rib-net

[Adam and Hayley]

Humber ocean pro 6.3

Before




After





Retube last year
Textured hypalon
I'm v happy with the result

[Chris Caton]

looks like a nice job

[Adam and Hayley]

Last one I promise:

This is as we come out of the "Husbands Bosworth tunnel"

bath tub - YouTube

[whackywoody]

Originally Posted by Adam and Hayley

Humber ocean pro 6.3

Before

Attachment 94426


After

Attachment 94427



Retube last year
Textured hypalon
I'm v happy with the result

Looks smart with the dark tubes and obviously a good setup with the 4 stroke Honda