Shared Owner Boat Handover in Oxford

[Simon (Hawksmoor)]

Hawksmoor is a shared ownership boat.

First week in September I am taking her from Great Haywood (home base) down to Oxford (down the Oxford Canal) and handing over to another owner for him to do the reverse journey.

I am looking for a suitable handover location

I was thinking in terms of getting a pumpout and diesel at College Cruisers on the Thursday afternoon (I am guessing not too busy with their hirefleet on a Thursday) and then mooring overnight while I went by train to retrieve my car from GH.

I am hoping for suggestions to moor that are reasonably accessible by car (short walk) for both sets of owners to be able to load and unload.

As always a good pub suggestion is also welcomed.

[magpie patrick]

There are a few 24 hour/48 hour moorings immediately above Isis Lock. From memory it was also practical to moor for a day or two towards Jericho (bridge 242), but bear in mind I saw it in November!

Thrupp is a good place, but a good three hour cruise up the canal. Kidlington Green near Yarnton Road may also work. 

Bear in mind that getting the car near the boat in Oxford, and being able to park it for any length of time are two very different things. There is a pay and display car park at Port Meadow which is perhaps 100 yards from bridge 242 - I've often used that as I had a contract last winter at the nearby halls of residence

[haggis]

16 minutes ago, Simon (Hawksmoor) said:

Hawksmoor is a shared ownership boat.

First week in September I am taking her from Great Haywood (home base) down to Oxford (down the Oxford Canal) and handing over to another owner for him to do the reverse journey.

I am looking for a suitable handover location

I was thinking in terms of getting a pumpout and diesel at College Cruisers on the Thursday afternoon (I am guessing not too busy with their hirefleet on a Thursday) and then mooring overnight while I went by train to retrieve my car from GH.

I am hoping for suggestions to moor that are reasonably accessible by car (short walk) for both sets of owners to be able to load and unload.

As always a good pub suggestion is also welcomed.

When we had a share in Copperkins, we did a remote changeover in Oxford at a boatyard where we got the necessary services - it was a while ago, it is perhaps not there now :-). However, our procedure when doing away from base changeovers was for the leaving owner to have their stuff packed up at one end of the boat and when the second owner arrived, their stuff was loaded onto the other end. The car then set off back to base with two drivers. They left a car at the old base and returned to the boat together in the leaving owners car , packed up their stuff then drove home while the new owners set off by boat. This method had several advantages. The owners had a chance to meet (and the non drivers enjoyed a relaxing chat while the cars were being shuffled, No one had to pay train fares and when the new owners got back to base, their car was waiting for them. No need to park it elsewhere and no need for a mooring for the boat apart from a few hours. Another method , is for the new owner to call in at base and collect the old owners car and drive both cars to the change over point but this involved safety of keys and insurance companies had to be informed. The new owners obviously needed two drivers for this to happen. Or even leave the new owners car at base having transferred their stuff to the old owners car! Endless possibilities which didn't involve trains or taxis!

haggis

[Simon (Hawksmoor)]

My fellow owner is arriving by train unfortunately this time, so the car-shuffle is not an option.

We have successfully done a 3 way handover in the past. I insured my car for the other two owners.

Owner 1 left his car at Great Haywood (home base) and cruised to Liverpool

I drove to Liverpool and cruised to Leeds

Owner 1 drove back to GH in my car, left the keys in the office and drove his own car home.

Owner 3 drove to GH, switched to my car and drove to Leeds. I drove home in my car, he cruised back to GH and was reunited with his car

Worked marvellously.

[Dave Payne]

How about near the water point between bridges 238 and 238B.

 

[Nightwatch]

Thrupp is a good suggestion. Lower Heyford (Oxfordshire Narrowboat). Has a rail station very nearby. I have heard a good eatery for the handover discussions. But it's not Oxford.

 

[Rob-M]

13 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Thrupp is a good suggestion. Lower Heyford (Oxfordshire Narrowboat). Has a rail station very nearby. I have heard a good eatery for the handover discussions. But it's not Oxford.

 

Eatery is fine as long as you are paying in cash. Railway station is alongside the canal.

[Nightwatch]

Nowt rong wiv cash lad!!

 

all these fancy gadgets.

[ditchcrawler]

4 hours ago, haggis said:

 . However, our procedure when doing away from base changeovers was for the leaving owner to have their stuff packed up at one end of the boat and when the second owner arrived, their stuff was loaded onto the other end. The car then set off back to base with two drivers. They left a car at the old base and returned to the boat together in the leaving owners car , packed up their stuff then drove home while the new owners set off by boat. This method had several advantages. The owners had a chance to meet (and the non drivers enjoyed a relaxing chat while the cars were being shuffled, No one had to pay train fares and when the new owners got back to base, their car was waiting for them. No need to park it elsewhere and no need for a mooring for the boat apart from a few hours.   

That's how we use to do it

[john6767]

I don't know if it is of any help, but we met a couple in a share boat on the Thames and they did a remote changeover at the boat yard at Lechlade.

[mrsmelly]

Just now, Nightwatch said:

Nowt rong wiv cash lad!!

 

all these fancy gadgets.

Yes strange innitt. Cash is still King in my joint and we sell Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer  Tis a fair way from Oxford but facilities and mooring a plenty. Also parking can be arranged without problem for nice people

[OldGoat]

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

Yes strange innitt. Cash is still King in my joint and we sell Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer  Tis a fair way from Oxford but facilities and mooring a plenty. Also parking can be arranged without problem for nice people

That's the point - LH is FULL of nice people from Tim to DD and some other folks who pointed me in the right direction some years ago. If you're polite, expect nothing, then people will be helpful.

Perhaps I've been boating for too many years, but I've always found true boating / canal folk very pleasant and helpful when you're in trouble - or just want to have a sensible chat. Perhaps I've been lucky, meeting people who ran their boating businesses because they loved canals and boating. Some are still around, others are sadly, no longer with us. Treasure what you've got, because with the pressure on resources will cause some breakdown in the future.

London today - Lower Heyford tomorrow?  

 

 

[mrsmelly]

Just now, OldGoat said:

That's the point - LH is FULL of nice people from Tim to DD and some other folks who pointed me in the right direction some years ago. If you're polite, expect nothing, then people will be helpful.

Perhaps I've been boating for too many years, but I've always found true boating / canal folk very pleasant and helpful when you're in trouble - or just want to have a sensible chat. Perhaps I've been lucky, meeting people who ran their boating businesses because they loved canals and boating. Some are still around, others are sadly, no longer with us. Treasure what you've got, because with the pressure on resources will cause some breakdown in the future.

London today - Lower Heyford tomorrow?  

 

 

 You make I blush. DD is one of lifes trues gents. He is a businessman that actualy likes to see little fish like me make a living and doesn't try to screw everybody.

[OldGoat]

1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

 You make I blush. DD is one of lifes trues gents. He is a businessman that actualy likes to see little fish like me make a living and doesn't try to screw everybody.

No need to blush Tim, I knew of DD though the late Peter Milward who and his lovely wife who taught me all I know about boating. DD has helped me out - on demand  - and it's great to know such characters still exist. We've only met once and I see your posts on here - so you've got promoted to that group as well!

If folks could relax and enjoy the community - then all would benefit...

Dear, oh, dear, My Management has poured me a rather Large Whisky Mac and it's take control. Mustn't get maudlin (a good College...)

[Nightwatch]

DD?

[mrsmelly]

Just now, Nightwatch said:

DD?

Dave Dare.

[Detling]

Oxford is not car friendly, there in no road near the towpath side of the canal, you will need a bank loan to park for more than 2 hours in the centre. Thrupp could also give parking problems as the road by the moorings is narrow.

[Cheshire cat]

We did a successful handover at College cruisers albeit 10 years ago.

[Simon (Hawksmoor)]

Thank you all for some excellent suggestions

[Richard Fairhurst]

If you have an EA/Gold licence, try the boatyard a few miles upriver at Eynsham - easier by car than going into Oxford, and served by regular buses from the railway station.

[OldGoat]

26 minutes ago, Richard Fairhurst said:

If you have an EA/Gold licence, try the boatyard a few miles upriver at Eynsham - easier by car than going into Oxford, and served by regular buses from the railway station.

If it's only a handover then the East Street moorings (just above the lock) have road running alongside.

[Cleyley Bob]

Hi Simon. We had exactly the same situation this April. We were planning on a hand over to the next co-owners at Thrupp - but a mooring wasn't available. We actually moored up just north of the Jolly Boatman pub - which is about 200m south of Thrupp - though the moorings are looked after and regulated by the Thrupp Canal Cruising Club. We asked the landlord at the pub if we could leave a car in the car park overnight and he was most helpful and accommodating. Car park is only a few metres away from the towpath - and then a short walk to the boat. Recommend the pub too - great food and good beer.  

 

[OldGoat]

12 hours ago, Cleyley Bob said:

Hi Simon. We had exactly the same situation this April. We were planning on a hand over to the next co-owners at Thrupp - but a mooring wasn't available. We actually moored up just north of the Jolly Boatman pub - which is about 200m south of Thrupp - though the moorings are looked after and regulated by the Thrupp Canal Cruising Club. We asked the landlord at the pub if we could leave a car in the car park overnight and he was most helpful and accommodating. Car park is only a few metres away from the towpath - and then a short walk to the boat. Recommend the pub too - great food and good beer.  

 

After waiting ages to even get our order taken we walked the short distance to the above mentioned pub where the service and food was excellent. We shan't bother with the oter place again.