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Reporting this year's findings ...


zenataomm

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Having just returned to the West Midlands for the cool season I wanted to share some observations I've learnt this year.

:huh: From the 60s onwards, it was common for other boats going the other way to automatically warn you of how many boats were close behind them, especially if they'd just come around a tricky corner.  However nowadays a request about how close the next following boat is merely attracts a puzzled expression.:boat:

The disaster that was born 18 months ago and known as the Chippy at Newbold (N Oxford) closing has been rectified. Not only has it been replaced by a soopah doopah sparkly highly efficiently alternative, but the menu is superb and the portions generous.  Thus, once again making Newbold the perfect stopping point it always used to be .... Great Pub ... Co-op mini market .... Chippy!!

... they also have a superb sense of humour.  While I was there two French exchange students came in and asked "What is for that we can have not fried?" My initial reaction was that they had totally missed the essential purpose of a British Chip Shop with points to spare! The owner however earned my immediate respect when he established their need was to eat healthily and promptly sold them Doner Kebabs. On account that they were lamb, seared on an open flame and served with salad ...... What A Hero! Who says we need The EU?????

Finally, if your boat is called "Chimneys" what on earth possessed you to think that tying it up on the lock moorings above the first pair of locks at Hillmorton was a good idea?

I can only imagine that the volockies weren't on duty. Even if both sets of locks had been in use (which they're not) it still wouldn't be clever. Anybody entering or leaving the chamber has wiggle around your padlocked boat.

Please explain so we can get a true understanding of what happened or alternatively how your mind works. I for one am fascinated.

 

 

 

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10 hours ago, zenataomm said:

Having just returned to the West Midlands for the cool season I wanted to share some observations I've learnt this year.

:huh: From the 60s onwards, it was common for other boats going the other way to automatically warn you of how many boats were close behind them, especially if they'd just come around a tricky corner.  However nowadays a request about how close the next following boat is merely attracts a puzzled expression.:boat:

 

Still a current convention here.....

 

MP.

 

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14 hours ago, zenataomm said:

Having just returned to the West Midlands for the cool season I wanted to share some observations I've learnt this year.

:huh: From the 60s onwards, it was common for other boats going the other way to automatically warn you of how many boats were close behind them, especially if they'd just come around a tricky corner.  However nowadays a request about how close the next following boat is merely attracts a puzzled expression.:boat:

 

 

 

I generally decide if there is a boat following an approaching boat based on how many times they turn to look behind them, the more they look it seems the more chance there is someone close behind. On the opposite end of the scale someone said to me there was a boat behind them so I waited a few minutes then as no one appeared I continued on cautiously, I didn't see a boat for about 20 minutes so can only assume whoever was following them had moored up.

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2 hours ago, frangar said:

It sadly does seem that warning others of a following boat is a dying art...along with passing a boat travelling in the opposite direction....it seems some people wouldn't be happy unless there is at least 6ft between passing boats. 

+ probably having a rant when they run aground have folk lost the knack of slipping by with a couple of inches "tween the boats"

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6 minutes ago, X Alan W said:

+ probably having a rant when they run aground have folk lost the knack of slipping by with a couple of inches "tween the boats"

I'm afraid so. I've been subjected to much arm waving and glaring this year....even more so when I had a broken down motor on cross straps behind me. Mind you I was quite impressed how far onto the mud one boat managed to get....he wasn't a happy bunny at all! 

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5 minutes ago, frangar said:

I'm afraid so. I've been subjected to much arm waving and glaring this year....even more so when I had a broken down motor on cross straps behind me. Mind you I was quite impressed how far onto the mud one boat managed to get....he wasn't a happy bunny at all! 

It wouldn't worry me if it was self inflicted. I get the impression that the whole attitude on the cut has changed in my boating days you were either working or an enthusiast  but the leisure side has more or less completely taken over & good number boating have no real interest in the system as such it's just a hobby/pastime & anything that they view as not to the way they think it should be done or not the way they do it (more than likely incorrectly)Gets them ranting or grumpy& don't like being "advised" on the correct or better way of doing something

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14 minutes ago, X Alan W said:

It wouldn't worry me if it was self inflicted. I get the impression that the whole attitude on the cut has changed in my boating days you were either working or an enthusiast  but the leisure side has more or less completely taken over & good number boating have no real interest in the system as such it's just a hobby/pastime & anything that they view as not to the way they think it should be done or not the way they do it (more than likely incorrectly)Gets them ranting or grumpy& don't like being "advised" on the correct or better way of doing something

Well said....Couldn't agree more!! I'm finding that hire boaters are in general more willing to listen than someone on a £100k+ boat with washers where they really shouldn't be!

Still I hope there's a few of us who respect the traditions and are always willing to learn from those with more knowledge. As one ex working boater said to me "If you haven't leant something new every trip then it's a wasted one"

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1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

If an approaching boat wants to move over more than half a boats width I leave them to it but I will generally aim for passing as close to the other boat as I can especially if there are moored boats as well. Xxx

So will we but narrowboaters don't seem to like that and aim for the trees!

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My observations from this years travels are:

Blackburn is still the litter/rubbish capital of the network.

The Erewash canal has the friendliest locals.

It's not a good idea to raft together two boats to do the Wigan flight.

Even the most miserable depressing rain soaked journey can be cheered up by the sight of a steam locomotive.

 

 

 

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On 24/09/2017 at 18:02, Ray T said:

Was at the BCLM today, wanted some F & C but the queue was far tooooooo long. Never mind an excuse to go back! :)

F & C's there are cooked in beef dripping mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

 

I find the queue moves at an astonishing pace. Probably because there are only three options you can order:

1) Fish
2) Chips, or 
3) Fish and chips

None of this "savaloy please, large chips for him and a chicken pie for her, and three portions of southern chicken and a small haddock for the kids" stuff meaning the staff can really get a really good pre-cooking system going. Fast food just as F&C always used to be!

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On 24/09/2017 at 18:02, Ray T said:

F & C's there are cooked in beef dripping mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

 

And THIS makes they taste DIVINE compared to most F&Cs. Why do almost all F&C shops fry in tasteless veg oil these days? I'm sure frying in dripping properly would have the reputation of any F&C shop spreading far and wide.

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6 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

And THIS makes they taste DIVINE compared to most F&Cs. Why do almost all F&C shops fry in tasteless veg oil these days? I'm sure frying in dripping properly would have the reputation of any F&C shop spreading far and wide.

The missus, having got used to ordering in The Midlands, made the mistake a couple of years ago of asking in what had been her childhood chippy up in Keighley “I’d like haddock please”. The lady looked up at her and exclaimed “Ey, we do nowt else, Lass!”

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4 hours ago, frangar said:

Well said....Couldn't agree more!! I'm finding that hire boaters are in general more willing to listen than someone on a £100k+ boat with washers where they really shouldn't be!

Still I hope there's a few of us who respect the traditions and are always willing to learn from those with more knowledge. As one ex working boater said to me "If you haven't leant something new every trip then it's a wasted one"

It doesn't matter how many times I do certain flights,  I can generally get better each time by remembering small quirks observed previously.

I also learn by moving boats of different lengths, some major changes in boating style can be beneficial with shorter boats.

....and it doesn't matter how experienced you are, you still make mistakes. ☺

Coming down Napton a couple of weeks ago, I forgot the bottom 4 locks keep a wave going as you open the bottom lock gates , and as I was closing the gates, watched Old Friends get very slowly moved out of jumping distance and had to jump the barbed wire fence on the offside and get muddy feet to clamber back on.

 

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