Can I have some advice for a new boater in the Manchester Area

[Thegravyboat]

Hello, I am hopefully soon to be owner of a boat, currently located in Manchester and aspiring single hander. I considered the RYA helmsman course but no centres are particularly local, and expect it'll be £££ & perhaps a bit OTT.  I don't want the certificate and would prefer to get to know my own boat. A friend found someone to give her a days training on her own boat elsewhere. Does anyone know someone who does training near Manc, or feel competent to help a newby learn the basics (probably on 21st May)? Can pay a bit / feed /water. I hope to rope some friends for next few legs but I could find myself alone before I feel confident, so be good to have some options too, and lovely to meet some Boaters if anyone could be on call. 

Also would appreciate any route suggestions. I have to work my way from Bridgewater (Nr Eccles) to London toon. Canal Plan says to head towards the Trent and Mersey (via Preston brook) but someone recommended a detour towards Leeds as they said it's a great route. Thoughts? There is no major rush and I'm tempted as I was born in Yorkshire, but it is a pretty long detour! Im not committed to staying in London and may turn around and come back

Lastly I have read on some forums to not dilly dally as passing through Manchester /the Bridgwater, or avoid weekends, but they didn't really elaborate why. Is it dodgy? Or certain spots?

[Scholar Gypsy]

5 hours ago, Thegravyboat said:

Hello, I am hopefully soon to be owner of a boat, currently located in Manchester and aspiring single hander. I considered the RYA helmsman course but no centres are particularly local, and expect it'll be £££ & perhaps a bit OTT.  I don't want the certificate and would prefer to get to know my own boat. A friend found someone to give her a days training on her own boat elsewhere. Does anyone know someone who does training near Manc, or feel competent to help a newby learn the basics (probably on 21st May)? Can pay a bit / feed /water. I hope to rope some friends for next few legs but I could find myself alone before I feel confident, so be good to have some options too, and lovely to meet some Boaters if anyone could be on call. 

Also would appreciate any route suggestions. I have to work my way from Bridgewater (Nr Eccles) to London toon. Canal Plan says to head towards the Trent and Mersey (via Preston brook) but someone recommended a detour towards Leeds as they said it's a great route. Thoughts? There is no major rush and I'm tempted as I was born in Yorkshire, but it is a pretty long detour! Im not committed to staying in London and may turn around and come back

Lastly I have read on some forums to not dilly dally as passing through Manchester /the Bridgwater, or avoid weekends, but they didn't really elaborate why. Is it dodgy? Or certain spots?

You might want to repost this as a new thread, as I think that will get you more responses. But here are two thoughts:

• the CRT handbook is well worth looking at. There are two versions, written and DVD. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/a-guide-to-boating/boaters-handbook
   
• the route via Leeds is indeed more spectacular, but it does involve the tidal Trent from Keadby (near Scunthorpe) to Newark. That is more demanding, and (without knowing you at all!) you might want to wait until you have a bit more experience of handling the boat (or can find someone to come with you) and also have dealt with any teething problems with your engine etc. For example the tidal trent is not a good place to discover that you have a load of crap at the bottom of your fuel tank, as it may get shaken up and block the filters.

 

[Thegravyboat]

Thanks. I thought it may be better to post where some people who know Manchester have been before.

Boaters handbook looks perfect thing to have on hand when I'm uncertain. Thanks for the suggestion. Scanning it is reminding of things. I did a narrowboat holiday to get some experience but was a year ago now so felt rusty. 

Having read the London Boaters forum I'm terrified of pissing people off or wrecking the biggest purchase in my life!

[Scholar Gypsy]

5 hours ago, Thegravyboat said:

Thanks. I thought it may be better to post where some people who know Manchester have been before.

Boaters handbook looks perfect thing to have on hand when I'm uncertain. Thanks for the suggestion. Scanning it is reminding of things. I did a narrowboat holiday to get some experience but was a year ago now so felt rusty. 

Having read the London Boaters forum I'm terrified of pissing people off or wrecking the biggest purchase in my life!

Don't be terrified, just take sensible precautions (and, like a house, get insured!).

[ditchcrawler]

I would head off the Bridgewater to the Trent and Mersey, one little lock at Preston Brook and then nothing until Middlewich. where you have one double and after that singles. by now you should be getting a feel for things. At Middlewich you could turn right and then go down the Shropie or carry straight ahead on the T&M where a few days later you get  the chance to do Harecastle Tunnel, thats the way I would go if single handing.

[Peter X]

Thegravyboat: You don't need to do a formal course, just talk someone who's done some boating into coming along with you and teaching you at least for the first day, preferably for several days. If you don't hang about you could get to Birmingham in time to take part in the BCN Challenge on your way south (26-27 May); it's one way to get to know your boat. I'm looking for the opportunity to crew for someone on that this year! Don't worry about London, you'll be an experienced boater compared to most of the people moored around you by the time you arrive down here.

[frahkn]

18 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I would head off the Bridgewater to the Trent and Mersey, one little lock at Preston Brook and then nothing until Middlewich. where you have one double and after that singles. by now you should be getting a feel for things. At Middlewich you could turn right and then go down the Shropie or carry straight ahead on the T&M where a few days later you get  the chance to do Harecastle Tunnel, thats the way I would go if single handing.

Welcome to the forum.

I would take the right at Middlewich and go down the Shropie, the series of locks up to Harecastle are not called 'heartbreak hill' without reason and might be off-putting for a single hander.

I plan to go from Marple via Preston Brook and the Shropie but I think it will be a bit earlier than the 21st.

But feel free to PM me nearer the date in case our trip times coincide, the wife and I would be glad to help if we can.

Frank.

[ditchcrawler]

5 minutes ago, frahkn said:

Welcome to the forum.

I would take the right at Middlewich and go down the Shropie, the series of locks up to Harecastle are not called 'heartbreak hill' without reason and might be off-putting for a single hander.

I plan to go from Marple via Preston Brook and the Shropie but I think it will be a bit earlier than the 21st.

But feel free to PM me nearer the date in case our trip times coincide, the wife and I would be glad to help if we can.

Frank.

I just find the so called Heartbreak Hill a bit better spaced than Audilem  Adderley and Tryley locks

[Neil2]

On 4/28/2017 at 00:35, Thegravyboat said:

Hello, I am hopefully soon to be owner of a boat, currently located in Manchester and aspiring single hander. I considered the RYA helmsman course but no centres are particularly local, and expect it'll be £££ & perhaps a bit OTT.  I don't want the certificate and would prefer to get to know my own boat. A friend found someone to give her a days training on her own boat elsewhere. Does anyone know someone who does training near Manc, or feel competent to help a newby learn the basics (probably on 21st May)? Can pay a bit / feed /water. I hope to rope some friends for next few legs but I could find myself alone before I feel confident, so be good to have some options too, and lovely to meet some Boaters if anyone could be on call. 

Also would appreciate any route suggestions. I have to work my way from Bridgewater (Nr Eccles) to London toon. Canal Plan says to head towards the Trent and Mersey (via Preston brook) but someone recommended a detour towards Leeds as they said it's a great route. Thoughts? There is no major rush and I'm tempted as I was born in Yorkshire, but it is a pretty long detour! Im not committed to staying in London and may turn around and come back

Lastly I have read on some forums to not dilly dally as passing through Manchester /the Bridgwater, or avoid weekends, but they didn't really elaborate why. Is it dodgy? Or certain spots?

The detour via Leeds has a lot going for it, some would argue the Leeds Liverpool between Barnoldswick and Skipton is the most attractive section of the whole network. But for a first time single hander I wouldn't advise it.  Apart from the issue of either coming down the tidal Trent or recrossing the Pennines, there are dozens of swing bridges to negotiate, most of them between Skipton and Leeds, and they are not user friendly especially for a lone boater.

As far as Manchester and the Bridgewater goes, well you won't be loitering there in any case they don't call it the Bridgewater expressway for nothing...

I would also go straight on at Middlewich, like Brian I find the Shroppie locks much more tedious than the Cheshire Locks (what some insist on calling Heartbreak Hill) and at certain times the bywashes on some of the Shroppie locks can be vicious.  You can also die of boredom on those long straights.  

 

[frahkn]

Well, horses for courses, you like what you like.

I much prefer the Shropie, the locks are mostly in attractive settings, Nantwich and Market Drayton are pleasant and useful towns and the long cuttings are unique on the system. But of course it is the longer route.

The first time I did heartbreak hill two of us went from Longport to Middlewich in a (summer) day and it almost killed me! Perhaps that early experience has permanently coloured my view.

 

Frank.

 

Edited April 29, 2017 by frahkn

[AndrewIC]

Be aware that there is a long stoppage on the Bridgewater west of Boothstown Basin - the planned reopening date was supposed to be late May, but I heard a rumour that it has been delayed. I assume your boat is on the Manchester side of that stoppage, and if the stoppage is still on when you want to go, you will have not have the L&L option anyway. I assume your boat is a narrowboat, otherwise you'll come to a halt somewhere short of Middlewich! Oh, and for a newbie single hander I'd turn right in Middlewich and go down the Shroppie. The locks are IMHO easier and you won't have Harecastle tunnel to contend with.

[Jim Riley]

Hire boaters get maybe 1/2 hour training then learn on the way. Single handing isn't hard, just takes a little longer. Wear a self inflating life jacket if worried, or as a mate says, if you fall in , stand up! Most canals aren't deep.

Coming out of Manchester on the Rochdale , you can book volunteer help via CART. Same on the Wigan flight. Don't know about peak forest.

A day or two bumbling along and you will be fine.

 

[Thegravyboat]

Thanks for all the advice. I will skip Leeds as you say... It's a good reason to come back.  

So I'm thinking of a short cruise up to Castlefield - will I be okay finding a visitor mooring? Id like to stay a week bu read somewhere they may only allow 2 days, is that true?

Then I'll turn around back along bridgewater - no good places to moor? 

I gather I can have 7 days on a CRT licence and could buy 7 more. After 14 days what would happen if I was still on the bridgewater?

Kate

[Jamboat]

According to Peel who own the Bridgewater you can only moor 24 hours anywhere on the canal & I don't know if Sonny, their enforcement guy, is still working for them but he is/was very keen by all accounts. 

I love the Bridgewater canal, once you get past the long boring bit through Stretford & Sale it's beautiful. Stockton Heath is good for shopping, & there are some lovely rural mooring spots before you get to Preston Brook, where I doubt Sonny patrols  

[Thegravyboat]

To get to new Islington I have to do the 9 locks right? 

[Richard10002]

I thought that Sonny was/is the manager of Preston Brook Marina, and had heard that he may no longer be the enforcement officer. 

Whether he is, or he isn't, he didn't do much enforcement on the boat that has sunk after several years moored in the same spot by Little Bollington Underbridge. 

[Jim Riley]

4 hours ago, Thegravyboat said:

To get to new Islington I have to do the 9 locks right? 

Yes. They oft have lots of water coming over the top, check the bywashes, clear the detritus, makes the gates easier to open. And it's 10 locks cos there is one between Piccadilly Basin and new islington.

You'll be expert at locks then.

[DHutch]

Topic split, please see here for the original ; 

 

[Mac of Cygnet]

On ‎30‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 16:03, Jim Riley said:

Yes. They oft have lots of water coming over the top, check the bywashes, clear the detritus, makes the gates easier to open. And it's 10 locks cos there is one between Piccadilly Basin and new islington.

You'll be expert at locks then.

You missed a lock out! (Sorry to be picky)

[Peter X]

So how is TheGravyBoat getting on? Are you confident at handling your boat yet? Have you reached the ever-popular canals of London, and if so do they meet your expectations?