Urban boaties where are you?

[dessiato]

BoatieBoy is in the process of buying a boat
1950s Dutch tug
View attachment 333660

Nice boat. Is it in the UK?

 

[BoatieBird]

Nice boat. Is it in the UK?

Yes, on the Grand Union

 

[chainsawjob]

Been chatting to someone from a sailing club we're thinking about joining, to get back into dinghy sailing, perhaps racing too. Miss being out on the water.

 

[dessiato]

Been chatting to someone from a sailing club we're thinking about joining, to get back into dinghy sailing, perhaps racing too. Miss being out on the water.

There's one local to us which has been asking for people to man their rescue boat. I'm thinking of doing powerboat 1, and 2, to be able to volunteer.

It can't be as difficult as the skipper's ticket.

 

[chainsawjob]

Haven't got a boat anymore. Last one was used for a bonfire (not by us!), after almost rotting away in a garden.

 

[chainsawjob]

There's one local to us which has been asking for people to man their rescue boat. I'm thinking of doing powerboat 1, and 2, to be able to volunteer.

It can't be as difficult as the skipper's ticket.

Used to do that. We took it in turns, those of us racing. Didn't need qualifications then. I mostly was the second person, but think I had a go driving. Can't recall, 15 + years ago. Nice thing to do.

 

[chainsawjob]

No, can't be as hard as skipper's, and you've got that iirc? dessiato

 

[heinous seamus]

A wee dinghy I built. 6'7" long.

 

[dessiato]

View attachment 346559

A wee dinghy I built. 6'7" long.

That's beautiful.

 

[shakespearegirl]

We just did our powerboat course, now eying up boats..

 

[BoatieBird]

This weekend we're helping the boy (finally) move his boat from Hemel Hempstead up to where we are in Northamptonshire.
It's all very exciting!

He was planning on doing it on his own, with just his (not very keen on the whole boatie thing) girlfriend to help, but we pointed out that the journey involves 48 locks and he's agreed that he could probably do with some help
So we've drawn up a rota involving me, Mr B and a few old boatie mates, including Mr Lizzieloo.
Wish us luck!

 

[StoneRoad]

This weekend we're helping the boy (finally) move his boat from Hemel Hempstead up to where we are in Northamptonshire.
It's all very exciting!

He was planning on doing it on his own, with just his (not very keen on the whole boatie thing) girlfriend to help, but we pointed out that the journey involves 48 locks and he's agreed that he could probably do with some help
So we've drawn up a rota involving me, Mr B and a few old boatie mates, including Mr Lizzieloo.
Wish us luck!

Good luck !
48 locks over how far ?

I know a few people who did "up" the Caen Hill "staircase" a number of years ago - some of the team were more used to the low rise locks in the Midlands and were "quite tired" [aka totally knackered] after the experience. Apparently it was quite fun but a couple of them needed a day off to recover !

 

[Sasaferrato]

View attachment 346559

A wee dinghy I built. 6'7" long.

You have a real talent,

 

[BoatieBird]

Good luck !
48 locks over how far ?

Not sure of the mileage, but it'll be over 4 days.
Most of the locks are in the early part of the journey, so I have volunteered for Sunday

 

[pinkmonkey]

Its good to have help for that bit, remembering the summer when we had Maggot with us and it was a heatwave. I had an asthma attack by one of the locks in Berkamstead, we had to keep forcing the dog to stand in the bywash to cool down. Good times and memories.

 

[BoatieBird]

Its good to have help for that bit, remembering the summer when we had Maggot with us and it was a heatwave. I had an asthma attack by one of the locks in Berkamstead, we had to keep forcing the dog to stand in the bywash to cool down. Good times and memories.

I don't think we'll be troubled by the heat this weekend

 

[moose]

That's a beautiful little boat, heinous seamus ! Exactly how a wooden dinghy should look.

 

[BoatieBird]

I took the menfolk down to Hemel this morning and did the first few locks with them before walking back to the car and heading home.
I'm a bit jealous tbh, but someone has to stay at home with the dogs.

They did let me stop the traffic and operate the swing bridge at Winkwell by way of compensation

 

[Saffy]

How exciting BoatieBird.

 

[shakespearegirl]

We now own a boat, yet to get it in the water as waiting for a spot in the marina… ca not wait to get out on it

 

[Elpenor]

Hope the trip goes well BoatieBird I have run a few stretches of the GUC in races, Tring onwards in the direction of London, also from Birmingham to Weedon Bec. Not sure if the route will go past some of those (in the opposite direction though). It’s quite pleasant along there. Some nice pubs too.

My mate once made the fatal error of turning left at Braunston when running from Brum to London

 

[shakespearegirl]

We’ve decided to put it in the water for 3 weeks before the prices go crazy for the summer.. still waiting for a space in the marina yard hopefully being around will get them to open a spot up for us

 

[StoneRoad]

Got the Miller lifted at the end of last week [delayed by covid] - she needs an official look over for the hull and the deck re-caulking ... so that is a few weeks on the hard.

Plus a load of barnacles etc need to be scraped off the propeller and new anodes put on ...

Miller's not in this shot, but Brown water in the marina ! [suggest you go and read the description / caption for the explanation]


whn - brown marina par StoneRoad2013, on ipernity

 

[dessiato]

I've just found I can get Nautical Channel via Amazon Live.

That's some serious TV watching for a few days. But not till I've finished my exams.

 

[shakespearegirl]

In the water!

 

[heinous seamus]

My mates boatyard burned down last week. There's a crowdfunder here if anyone wants to help:

Help raise £5000 to Help Peter rebuild his buisness, everything he had was destroyed by fire. He is one of the last traditional wooden boat Builders left.

 

[heinous seamus]

I posted some photos of this boat under construction earlier in the thread. Here it is in the sea:

 

[StoneRoad]

"Winter" overhaul work - that was seriously delayed by covid & other factors is progressing nicely [no images, yet].
Hull above waterline & areas of deck have been re-caulked - wooden boats WILL leak unless you keep this work in tip-top condition ...
Hull painting up to undercoat & first coat of antifoul applied. Now I'm working out where the Bo'top line should be.
Internal work - like inside lockers also progressing well - if you ever want to be a human pretzel, try repainting inside cabin lockers - in comparison the cockpit ones are really easy. Also some internal varnishing and other work underway.
At home, we've washed almost all the "soft" furnishings, bedding etc.

It's been a busy few weeks, we only get six weeks on the hard as part of the mooring charges and especially as the boat is over 90minutes drive away - including driving through Carlisle ...

 

[Chilli.s]

I dont think my little boat is going to get any use at all this summer, just like last summer

Luckily its fiberglass so only maintenance was cutting the grass around it

 

[BoatieBird]

Like for the easy maintenance Chilli.s, sorry that you're not getting to use it much atm.

This coming weekend we're helping the boy to paint his boat, he's 20 on Sunday and we got him the paint as his birthday present!
The weather doesn't look great (although it changes every time I look at the forecast) so we're going to take it under a large road bridge a couple of miles away - this will almost guarantee a weekend of wall to wall sunshine