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This post is about a CRT crane barge called “The Pride of Sherwood” The name of the boat is the only place you will find any pride! People who know me will know it takes quite a bit to make me lose my cool but today I am very sorry to say I did. People who know me will also know I am extremely keen “pro” CRT and nothing that has happened today has changed my mind. We have just had an excellent demonstration of what CRT is up against from right within their very own ranks. Please excuse me while I have a rant! There we were having a delightful little trip down The Erewash. We completed the entire trip to the summit yesterday and enjoyed it but got a little frustrated by the number of paddles/anti vandal locks that were out of action. We decided to keep a log of which paddle gear had issues on the return journey so we could drop an email to CRT reporting our findings. We caught up with a CRT lengths man who was carrying out extremely thorough checks on all the structures, lock gates and paddle gear along his route. He was a cheerful chap and after checking our plans he agreed not to turn any locks against us but to use our passage to assist him with his checks – seeing the paddles and gates opening and assisting us as we went on our way and recording his findings. At the last lock he had to check he bade us farewell but warned us that a team were supposed to be bringing a wide crane barge up today and there was a strong possibility we might meet them. Sods law would predict that is we did it would be on a narrow section so we were glad of getting a heads up. A short time later every cyclist that passed us started warning us that there was a big barge stuck under a bridge ahead. We locked through Sandiacre lock and the warning was that it was after the next lock. A lady who lived aboard a boat in the next pound warned us the pound was very low, all their boats were listing badly as they had been left high and dry by the CRT guys letting water down through the lock to try and get the crane barge free as it was grounded under a bridge in the mouth of the lock. We knew a friend of ours was tied in the next pound and so knowing there was little point in us arriving at the next lock and getting in the way and being unable to get anywhere close to the bank because the pound was so low so we bumped along the middle until we came to our friends boat and tied to him. I made some lunch and Dave walked ahead to see what the problem was. This was the problem: Dave told the CRT guys we were waiting to come down the lock but had tied round the corner to keep out of their way. They now had the barge in the lock but it was stuck again. It was fairly obvious to us the reason it was stuck was because they had already removed so much water from the pound it could not get out of the lock. Dave suggested they needed water let down from the next lock but they were intent on trying to winch the barge through. Their tug was still down below the lock and had been pushing the barge into the lock. Dave walked the short distance back to the previous lock and let water down, He let a significant amount down but when you are a distance away and out of sight of the problem it can be hard to know if you have let enough down. In the mean time I walked down to the problem lock. I found one guy holding a rope (that was not doing a lot) another guy busy with the winch (and tightening up the dolly he was winching from) the third younger guy was standing with his arms folded watching. I approached and stated the obvious – “you are still stuck then” Yes replied the young guy. What is the problem? I asked. He started to tell me that the problem was they has very poor management indeed – that the entire system had gone to pot since BW had been taken over by CRT. They didn’t have enough staff and they were all overworked and their policies were all wrong. “So instead of standing there moaning about your managers why don’t you just walk up to the next lock and let some water down?” Why? Because he did not really care - He had been stuck on this job all day, had not had anything to eat all day and it was almost time to knock off! I saw red! I told him that maybe he didn’t care and maybe he hadn’t eaten all day but he better start caring because we had planned to be off the canal and away that day and if he could stand there with his arms folded taking that attitude then why on earth had my husband been bothered to go and let water down to help them out? He had no way of knowing how much water needed to be let down or what was happening back here in the lock! I said it is quite obvious to me, as someone who has experience of crewing a deep draughted ex-BW workboat, that all they needed to do was bring more water down and float the thing free. At that the guy’s attitude changed completely. He didn’t seem to have any idea they were causing an obstruction. He went to get a windlass but one of the other guys (who had come out in a van to help them) said he would drive up to the next lock and let more water down. Looking at this huge and apparently high powered vessel I was surprised that it was not self-propelled. I asked about this and was told that the engine was broken on it. At that point another boater arrived below the lock hoping to lock up. We explained the problem. Just then Dave appeared with our boat. He had let enough water down to allow us to move again and decided if he came down to the lock then perhaps we could snatch the crane barge clear of the lock. Carrie~Lou was harnessed and after a couple of gentle attempts at towing Dave gave a hearty snatch and the combination of that and there being a little more water coming down and the beast was free. The CRT guy who appeared to be the skipper was extremely grateful for our help. The young chap seemed to disappear. I pondered on the fact that they had to use a vessel like that with a tug because the engine was broken – it must be a very expensive bit of kit and if it is not working properly it must be a bit of a liability for them. I mentioned this to one of the local people and they told me that there was nothing wrong with the engine or gearbox! I was told there was a mattress round the prop and none of them knew how to get it off! Now this bit might be hearsay but to be honest to see them unsuccessfully trying to winch a boat out of a lock when it was blindingly obvious to anyone with an ounce of knowledge about boating that it just needed more water under it has led me to believe that this lot were a bunch of spanners! If you are going to flush water down from a short pound then don’t expect your boat to float when it arrives at that pound. It needed water bringing down from two or three locks up. There was plenty of it on the higher pounds they could bring down, all the bywashes were running well. Never mind trying to blame CRT for poor management – that guy ought to get off his butt and go and manage some water himself! The other boater waiting to come up the lock probably hit the nail on the head. He said the problem with CRT as managers is they make their staff work now and they can’t get away with shirking like they have in the past. I find it deeply concerning that some CRT staff seem willing to unleash a tirade of negative stuff about their organisation to the very people who are paying their wages when what they should be doing is acting as ambassadors for the organisation. Ok that is my rant over! Sorry I just needed to vent!

Mod edit: "I don't like TheDogHouse"

Is no-one worried about the missing marker pens...?

When ever I see a photo like this and that statement I always think to my self, who is the bugger in a 3ft wide boat that is only using one gate on the Oxford to make them leak like that .

This is getting far to complicated and is going to get in the way of the fun, especially if it is wet, which will result in someone having to be inside updating for most of the weekend. I suggest a big map of the bcn with monopoly style pieces and a long stick to push them round when a telegram is sent to show latest known position, updated every day. perhaps if I hadn't been posting on my phone I would have attached a big smiley to this looking at the next comment. I am grateful for everybody trying to make this work but perhaps nexty year we can make it work properly, has anyone tried to involve the rest of the BCN boats with this?? It is all about raising awareness of the BCN, not just a CWDF sub-challenge event.

Sabina H built 1929 for Harkers rebuilt fairly extensively in the 60's and used by P Horlocks of Mistley as a sulphuric acid tanker on the East coast. When retired from trade used as a liveaboard on the Thames. Became a sinker and was at Greenwich waiting to be cut up. Gradually rebuilt over many years as a cruising home

Having recently acquired a clammeter for £30, I have become a huge fan overnight. It's enabled me to work out what's wrong with my system (Victron's not properly set up from the beginning). Basically, I had been charging my expensive AGMs much too slowly. It looks as though I have lost a lot of capacity, but will try to measure that properly and do a conditioning charge over the weekend. But yes, a voltmeter is better than nothing.

By keep changing your 'name' (four times is it ?) no one knew it was you they were voting for.

I lost my car key once which was a ridiculously expensive programmable one so, reluctant to spend more on a key than the old banger was worth I disabled the immobiliser, broke the steering lock, hot wired the car and fitted an ignition switch to start it and never left anything of value in a car I couldn't lock. When the time came to send the car off to the scrap man I was cleaning all my rubbish out and found the key between the driver's seat and transmission tunnel.

The problem with a buoyancy aid is that it will not turn you over in the water so an unconscious boater falling in face down will drown because the buoyancy aid will hold their face under the water. Only a suitably sized life jacket will actually turn over an unconscious person. I would have thought that in a tunnel there is just as much chance of being knocked off and (at least) 'dazed' by hitting the roof or some other 'projection' as there is of falling off fully conscious. Dont mess about with buoyancy aids get a lifejacket. A fully automatic (inflates when you hit the water) 150 Newton lifejacket (generally accepted as a minimum to support an unconscious adult can be had for as little as £60-£80. Being a particularly 'negative buoyant' person I went for a 275 Newton auto life jacket (Brand new with warranty) £86 off ebay. Edit - here is a suitable one at £83 including delivery With 275 Newton’s of buoyancy this lifejacket conforms to European standard EN 399. Differing from standard gas lifejackets because it has greater turning force because of the additional buoyancy - so it will guarantee to turn you into the upright position once in the water even in heavy protective clothing. This lifejacket is recommended for use in all weather conditions. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Challenger-Worksafe-275N-Red-Automatic-Lifejacket-/201087423763?pt=UK_SportingGoods_LifeJackets_PFDs_SM&hash=item2ed1be9513

Don't post it then! save it for a yachtie's forum, as not much interest here.

That's you sorted - like Paddington Bear - what about the keys??

I thought you had abandoned the "put up the fees" idea, in favour of "reduce the costs and you will get more boats and more income and more marinas" cloud cuckoo land idea. At every turn your ideas are debunked as unworkable. At every turn you accuse others of snide comments. At every turn your selective amnesia as to your own behaviour deepens. Frankly, you take cluelessness to a new level

Not much interest in clueless yachtsmen out on a jolly wasting the lifeboats time, hope their there for a while and learn from it.

Chubby... PM me.. Remind me again...location...? Is it Southall ? If I came out to you...do you have : parking for my one car..? Accomodation for me in a sleeping bag...? the ability to buy me some beer..? Bob

Then you will have to use your natural wit and charm You're stuffed, aren't you Richard

To avoid this terrible experience, I have one of those devices on our key ring that sounds an audible alarm when you whistle a particular tune, that way, you'll never be without these vital accessories again. Before anyone asks, "Where do you buy one from?", I do not know, as I found it by chance on the towpath! P.S. The magic whistling tune is 'We'll Meet Again', by Vera Lynn

OK. Is this where your bluff and blustering bully tactics kick-in? I am not saying as you will see if you read my post correctly what is correct I said "if" it is so. It was reported elsewhere that the dropping of the RMP was the issue with the other members and of course as per the OP links etc. it has been suggested that it is your fault through your attuitude that has made them resign. I don't know which is the case or if it is due to other reasons but you may wish to throw a little more light on it. All I was saying was that if they have resigned over RMP then the organisation may be better off without them and get some others with a wider vision but as usual you throw your toys about looking for something that is not there. Nice (but failed) attempt to change the subject with your comments on my membership of the IWA. I guess time will be the telling of what the future holds for the ACC and its "council"