FirstRateFirstMate Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 Well ladies and gentlemen of Canalworld it has finally happened. We've been fouled! And the water in this pound is too low! So we've pulled up onto some stakes in the water as we wait for RCR in the morning. Oh, didn't I mention we're in a place called Newton Heath? I've read the stories and I eagerly await the morning, I'll post some updates if anything interesting happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 And there was me expecting yet another brexit thread..... What do you mean by 'you've been fouled'? Where on earth is Newton Heath? Godforsaken north I'm imagining.... Once you've been stuck for a week, they generally send a RNLI lifeboat. (If they don't tell you to wade ashore!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstRateFirstMate Posted March 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 (edited) You are indeed correct, Newton Heath is within Greater Manchester. Any forum search result under 'Newton Heath' displays a large amount of people saying to under no circumstances moor here. We've a mattress caught around the propeller, it's twisted round there pretty good. General updates: I've been dozing on and off but have heard a not insubstantial number or car horns and police sirens Edited March 29, 2017 by FirstRateFirstMate Spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billh Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 The first (and last) time our prop was fouled in Newton Heath, it was a big piece of coir matting put in the cut by British Waterways to promote plant growth . It was supposed to be tied to the stakes that you are moored to but had rolled into the channel. Some poking about with a shunter's pole (no weed hatch) cleared things ,so we motored on, butty behind. Couldn't travel breasted up as most lock gates wouldn't open fully. It's the Rochdale Canal for those from darn sarf who haven't guessed . Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Calling 'First Rate First Mate', calling 'First Rate First Mate'.. Did you survive the night? Over... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstRateFirstMate Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Alive, over! We are still fouled but awaiting engineers from RCR and CRT to arrive on scene. Over night the canal level dropped to around 3 inches leaving us stranded on the bottom at a sharp angle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) Oh heck - that's a rather bleak picture! Glad to hear you survived though, and I hope the combined resources are able to get you on your way very soon. Good luck! ETA - your mooring lines are untidy and your cabin shaft is incorrectly stowed. You can't come on here with a name like that and miss these details. Now, whilst you're waiting for Thunderbird 2 to pitch up, take a bit of Brasso and some elbow grease to that mushroom vent! Edited March 30, 2017 by Sea Dog 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanM Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Look on the bright side, it might be easier at the moment with no water around you to actually see what has fouled your prop rather than jabbing aimlessly through the weedhatch, not being able to see the offending item due to murky water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstRateFirstMate Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Well the first of the canal rescuers have turned up, most of the locals are unexpectedly friendly too. Still fouled though. And yes Sir! To the metal polish immediately Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Vectis Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) Oh heck! I read your post last night and thought 'Why don't they just run a bit of water down ?' I can see why not now. Whats that to the right of the pic ? A dredgings tip ? ETA I reckon you've got more pressing things on the agenda @pres. The Brasso can wait! Edited March 30, 2017 by Victor Vectis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstRateFirstMate Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 There is a big thick mucky bank that we are caught on, the mattress has made a bit of a mess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesthenuke Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Looks like you need some wire cutters. I am darn sarf so cannot bring you some, but is anyone on here local and could deliver some to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstRateFirstMate Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 We have a set of bolt cutters on board and have done the best we can but some are just too tight. We're hoping that the engineer from RCR will bring an angle grinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_P Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 11 hours ago, FirstRateFirstMate said: You are indeed correct, Newton Heath is within Greater Manchester. Any forum search result under 'Newton Heath' displays a large amount of people saying to under no circumstances moor here. We've a mattress caught around the propeller, it's twisted round there pretty good. General updates: I've been dozing on and off but have heard a not insubstantial number or car horns and police sirens Confession time. About 5 years ago, I got a mattress round my prop in Newton Heath. Another forum member was coming the other way and we spent a fair while getting it off (wire + wadding is tough!) The mattress was far too heavy to drag out so I let it drop back into the murky depths to die. It seems the mattress still lives and has attacked again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_P Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 12 minutes ago, FirstRateFirstMate said: We have a set of bolt cutters on board and have done the best we can but some are just too tight. We're hoping that the engineer from RCR will bring an angle grinder There's a lot of wire there which could easily be cut away. Keep snipping at it and you'll find the tighter bits begin to loosen. I reckon you could have that off in less than 2 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstRateFirstMate Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 5 minutes ago, Dave_P said: Confession time. About 5 years ago, I got a mattress round my prop in Newton Heath. Another forum member was coming the other way and we spent a fair while getting it off (wire + wadding is tough!) The mattress was far too heavy to drag out so I let it drop back into the murky depths to die. It seems the mattress still lives and has attacked again! SABOTAGE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_P Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Newton Heath would probably be a contender for the worst place on the network to be stranded, narrowly edging out Darlaston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Spring wire is usually hardened/toughened steel and tends to wreck wire cutters. One can buy special cable wire cutters with harder than normal blades... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_P Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 2 minutes ago, FirstRateFirstMate said: SABOTAGE! Having seen the mattress in your picture, I can safely say ours was bigger. Mattress lobbing would seem to be a popular pastime in those parts. 1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said: Spring wire is usually hardened/toughened steel and tends to wreck wire cutters. One can buy special cable wire cutters with harder than normal blades... I have a set of big bolt-cutters now. Will go through anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 On 30/03/2017 at 10:50, Dave_P said: Having seen the mattress in your picture, I can safely say ours was bigger. Mattress lobbing would seem to be a popular pastime in those parts. I have a set of big bolt-cutters now. Will go through anything. Ah but have you tried wielding them within the confines of a weedhatch? Small is infinitely better... On 29/03/2017 at 20:00, FirstRateFirstMate said: Well ladies and gentlemen of Canalworld it has finally happened. We've been fouled! And the water in this pound is too low! I'd suggest one of these is a direct result of the other... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_P Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 2 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said: Ah but have you tried wielding them within the confines of a weedhatch? Small is infinitely better... Depends on how big your weedhatch is, surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstRateFirstMate Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 We've tried bolt cutters, prying with a mooring pin and almost everything else. It's just a case of waiting for RCR now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstRateFirstMate Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Update: After growing the additional six elbows it takes to remove ths boats weedhatch it has become apparent there is nothing more we can do. If the engineer is not here within one hour then CRT are going to refill the pound and physically pull us by hand up to the next lock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_P Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 My advice? Keep trying, there's plenty of snippable wires in the pic. Personally I'd rather get it off myself even if it took me all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Possible silly idea. Can the prop be taken off reasonably easily? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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