Just back from sunny wales

robin · Post by **robin** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:45 pm

were my average speed for the week was about 3tuts

But I was "driving" a 20 ton barge powered by a 50bhp diesel and no wheels, so not too shabby.

Anyway, the forum engine thing flaked out on me by the time I got to page 3 of all the updated threads, so have now given up trying to catch up on the other threads (how useless this style of forum is for properly making sure you read all the posts you want to!).

In the unlikely event that someone has posted something they wanted me to read, best bump the thread ...

Cheers,
Robin

thinfourth · Post by **thinfourth** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 10:01 pm

50Bhp

Thats alot for a narrow boat

Hope you had a good time

robin · Post by **robin** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 10:17 pm

Pretty sure that's about what they have - they're isuzu marine diesels - the smallest in that range is 25bhp, but I am sure I asked the guy last year and he said they were 50bhp variants - then again, he might have no idea! In reality you only use between 1000 and 1500 rpm anyway, so probably no more than 5bhp most of the time (I guess the old horses were about 1bhp

).

On the Llangollen canal there is actually a pretty strong current and you need a reasonable amount of power to drive the boat against it - problem is that there is also almost not enough water in the canal and so when you try and give it some rough love, you just bury the stern into the canal floor and the boat doesn't go anywhere

Also the flat bottom doesn't help cornering - it just drifts and drifts until you run out of canal or talent

Cheers,
Robin

Post by **campbell** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:34 pm

robin wrote:Also the flat bottom doesn't help cornering - it just drifts and drifts until you run out of canal or talent

Much like an Elise

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:37 pm

LOL, thats what i was going to say.

good to have you back Robin

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 5:26 pm

Our boat has about 35 bhp, but that is at 200 rpm....

Our boat is also round bottomed so handles well but weighs 25 tonnes so takes some stopping! The Llangollen is too shallow, my parents got a few miles down it and had to turn back.

You lucked in with the weather!

If anyone is after a boating holiday my dad was in the business for 25 years and has some useful contacts....

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:50 pm

RICHARDHUMBLE wrote:If anyone is after a boating holiday

Copious quantities of alcohol would be required for me

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:55 pm

Pubs are conveniently located every half day

robin · Post by **robin** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:29 pm

G&T on the back deck soon after engines are started - it seems like it will be dull as hell, but it is a real laugh (though I agree sun and booze help!).

Cheers,
Robin

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:28 pm

robin wrote:G&T on the back deck soon after engines are started - it seems like it will be dull as hell, but it is a real laugh (though I agree sun and booze help!).

Cheers,
Robin

Isn't there a drink/drive (or whatever they call driving a boat

) law?

I have visions of lots of drunken fools crashing into each other, with lots of swearing

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:29 pm

RICHARDHUMBLE wrote:Pubs are conveniently located every half hour

Not so bad then

robin · Post by **robin** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:27 am

rossybee wrote:
robin wrote:G&T on the back deck soon after engines are started - it seems like it will be dull as hell, but it is a real laugh (though I agree sun and booze help!).

Cheers,
Robin
Isn't there a drink/drive (or whatever they call driving a boat ) law?

I have visions of lots of drunken fools crashing into each other, with lots of swearing

No one cares - if you have an accident and you are drunk then you will probably end up paying for it rather than getting insurance to pay for it - but most minor knocks and bumps just result in a bit of banter rather than anything else (people are forever crashing and bashing these boats, it's not like cars - the people who really care get moorings off the canal side to avoid constant rough love).

The boat companies tend not to hire the boats out to stag parties and the like, so generally it's sensible drinking rather than 3 bottles of aftershock with a pint of baileys as a chaser, before breakfast.

Being sensible types we just get the kids to drive when we're a bit jaded after a heavy lunch - no doubt there's laws about that too, but nobody has ever complained

Cheers,
Robin

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:35 am

hic indeed

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:14 am

Most boats are mild steel shells and a few dents just adds character. Ours is a 1940's tug made from 3/8" iron boiler plate and the girlfriend managed to dent that when she crashed into another boat driven by a woman

Happens all the time no insurance for diving per say, no license, etc but supposedly in theory you could be done for drunk in charge of a motor vehicle as you are on a public right of way, I don't think that would stick though. Also anyone can drive a narrow boat, no age restrictions etc.

The only boats you have to be careful with ate the plastic cabin cruisers, they go crunch....

Did anyone fall in? I tried so hard not to laugh at the g/f when she first fell in, she was floundering around, splashing alot pretending to drown, until I told her to stand up. Generally the canal is less than 3' deep

It was almost worth the withdrawal of privileges....

Post by **campbell** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:25 am

robin wrote:
Being sensible types we just get the kids to drive when we're a bit jaded after a heavy lunch - no doubt there's laws about that too, but nobody has ever complained

It's a pity they can't disembark without falling in though