We had a pleasant evening meal in the Boat last night. Dave Miller had described it as "OK" and that was a fair judgement. The beer was very good, the state of the decoration is clean but basic and the menu very short but all home cooked. It was burger night, two for £13, so Sheila had the pulled jerk chicken and I had a "Kiwi burger".
This latter proved to be a fairly normal beef burger of good quality but with a fried egg added. I'd thought it was the Aussies who went in for steak and eggs, but there you are.
On the way back to the boat, we thought that it was a little odd that the Filance lock was still mostly full despite the leaking bottom gates, but the top paddles looked OK – at least the nearside one was fully down and Sheila wasn't keen on me crossing the top gate for a close look at the offside one after a couple of pints of Timmy Taylor's Landlord, so we left it.
This was a mistake.
After a rather broken night (mainly down to too much salt on the fries, I reckon) I got up at six to make some tea and found the boat well heeled over. After making the tea, I slipped some clothes on and checked the situation out. The bow was still floating but the stern was aground. I walked down to the lock with a windlass and, sure enough, the offside paddle was up just a few clicks. The pound was now down about 18", so we got dressed and decided to eat breakfast on the water point.
So there we were at seven, shoving away at Sanity Again who fortunately was not too hard aground on the silt to be immoveable, eventually. Once she was floating again, Sheila started up and boated down to the lock. Having closed the paddle properly before, the lock had now drained out which shows how bad the leak was on the bottom gates. Indeed, it's quite a long pound from Filance up to Otherton so 18" represents a lot of water gone to waste.
After that, things were reasonably straightforward. It's a good pressure at Penkridge services, so we just had time to eat breakfast whilst we took on half a tank (about 380 litres) of water.
On we went, plenty of water down here, of course, arriving at Park Gate at half eight. I wanted to get a couple of spare rubber bump stops for the stern doors, so we tied above the lock and Sheila got the washing machine going. At nine, Midland Chandlers opened and I walked in to find Paul from the Mercia branch there – the MC staff are shuffled about this week because of Crick Show.
Purchases made, we had a pleasant run through Acton Trussell to our usual mooring above Deptmore lock. It's very sunny today but quite breezy. An extra advantage of the fly screens is that the mesh moderates the draught, so we've got one side hatch open and screened and it's just pleasantly cool in here.
Tomorrow, on down the lock and round Stafford to Tixall for the weekend. We won't be leaving there until Tuesday now as we are entertaining Richard Parry for a day's boating from Great Haywood to Stone that day. Hopefully, he'll see it as a holiday after his exertions at Crick.
Should I mention the new logo?
Showing posts with label Deptmore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deptmore. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 May 2018
Sunday, 22 April 2018
Shallow Lock, Deep Lock
It was a very stuffy night and the weather has indeed turned today, though it's sunny and warm again at the moment. There was an intense band of rain due to arrive at around 11.00, so we got going in good time for the trip round Stafford.
Sheila steered and I did both locks, one at the start, the shallow Tixall Lock, and one at the end, the very deep Deptmore. In between, it was a pleasant chug over the Sow aqueduct, past Stafford and Hazelstrine, home to Stafford Boat Club, and so up onto the pound that passes Acton Trussell.
We used to stop just outside Acton but it was always a pain trying to get decently close to the towpath, so now we go just round the first bend after the lock. The mobile signals are still good here and it's very quiet – further on, the M6 makes its presence felt.
The towels got washed on the way and we tied just after half ten. The rain duly arrived but blew through by one o'clock. Some boat work was done after lunch, basic sweeping, rug brushing and dusting. I've also touched in the bruise in the cabin side paint work since the starboard side is now next to the towpath again and will remain so all the way to Stourport.
As well as raising the matter of Swivel Bridge on here, I started a topic on CWDF's History and Heritage Forum. A contributor there quoted the same document that Jo found and commented on yesterday, basically arguing from the name that it must have been a swing bridge originally and have been subsequently rebuilt.
The design of the current bridge is subtly different to many of the originals, something to do with the absence of a string course, that is a slightly protruding row of stone just above the arch. So it looks like that must be the answer, but it would be interesting to find a more authoritative account, perhaps in the Charles Hadfield book covering the Staffs and Worcs.
I must do a bit more online research myself.
Tomorrow, we'll carry on up the cut, aiming for Penkridge.
Sheila steered and I did both locks, one at the start, the shallow Tixall Lock, and one at the end, the very deep Deptmore. In between, it was a pleasant chug over the Sow aqueduct, past Stafford and Hazelstrine, home to Stafford Boat Club, and so up onto the pound that passes Acton Trussell.
We used to stop just outside Acton but it was always a pain trying to get decently close to the towpath, so now we go just round the first bend after the lock. The mobile signals are still good here and it's very quiet – further on, the M6 makes its presence felt.
The towels got washed on the way and we tied just after half ten. The rain duly arrived but blew through by one o'clock. Some boat work was done after lunch, basic sweeping, rug brushing and dusting. I've also touched in the bruise in the cabin side paint work since the starboard side is now next to the towpath again and will remain so all the way to Stourport.
As well as raising the matter of Swivel Bridge on here, I started a topic on CWDF's History and Heritage Forum. A contributor there quoted the same document that Jo found and commented on yesterday, basically arguing from the name that it must have been a swing bridge originally and have been subsequently rebuilt.
The design of the current bridge is subtly different to many of the originals, something to do with the absence of a string course, that is a slightly protruding row of stone just above the arch. So it looks like that must be the answer, but it would be interesting to find a more authoritative account, perhaps in the Charles Hadfield book covering the Staffs and Worcs.
I must do a bit more online research myself.
Tomorrow, we'll carry on up the cut, aiming for Penkridge.
Labels:
Deptmore
Tuesday, 18 July 2017
Up to Deptmore
I’ve probably remarked before that the first part of the Staffs and Worcs is a mixed bag, scenery-wise. You start off with one of the more lyrical sections before and after Tixall Lock, including the mysterious mansion with immaculately tended grounds on the offside immediately after the lock and before the right angled bend onto the Sow Aqueduct. Is it a private house, belonging to some millionaire? Is it a very upmarket care home? A small hotel, ditto?
Anyway, once over the Sow, things begin to become more robust, with the West Coast Mainline hanging menacingly above you and then the run of moorings at Milford. Milford village has a claim to fame beyond being a handy access point for Cannock Chase – it still has the first ever Wimpy hamburger bar in the country.
There follows the rather utilitarian stretch around Stafford with the park home estate replacing the railway line, the industrial estate that's home to RCR, then Radford Bank (where there were a number of Mercian boats tied up) and finally the greener section towards Stafford Boat Club. After that, things become much more rural again until Deptmore Lock is reached, incredibly deep just as Tixall is incredibly shallow.
By starting before eight, we managed most of this without meeting too many other boats, though we had one close encounter at a bridge, contact only being avoided thanks to Sheila’s warning from the bow and a hoot from our klaxon. This canal does specialise in bridges on blind bends and it’s a very good idea to ease off before each on the assumption that you may have to stop. Sanity Again has a well set up prop and good swims, of course, but her 23 tonnes takes a bit of slowing down, even from 2 mph.
We’ve tied in our usual spot just beyond the lock. It’s turned very breezy, though the sun is still beaming down. We’d run a wash load on the way (there’s just nice time for it if you start it at Milford), but there was no question of rigging the whirligig. However, it being very warm, dry and sunny, Sheila put most of the stuff on hangers in the engine room and the rest on the sock dryer. By leaving the slide, both Houdinis and the bow doors open, we’ve had a very pleasant breeze through the boat, keeping us cool and drying the clothes in double quick time.
Tomorrow, a few more locks, possibly in the rain, past Acton Trussell and on to Penkridge.
Anyway, once over the Sow, things begin to become more robust, with the West Coast Mainline hanging menacingly above you and then the run of moorings at Milford. Milford village has a claim to fame beyond being a handy access point for Cannock Chase – it still has the first ever Wimpy hamburger bar in the country.
There follows the rather utilitarian stretch around Stafford with the park home estate replacing the railway line, the industrial estate that's home to RCR, then Radford Bank (where there were a number of Mercian boats tied up) and finally the greener section towards Stafford Boat Club. After that, things become much more rural again until Deptmore Lock is reached, incredibly deep just as Tixall is incredibly shallow.
By starting before eight, we managed most of this without meeting too many other boats, though we had one close encounter at a bridge, contact only being avoided thanks to Sheila’s warning from the bow and a hoot from our klaxon. This canal does specialise in bridges on blind bends and it’s a very good idea to ease off before each on the assumption that you may have to stop. Sanity Again has a well set up prop and good swims, of course, but her 23 tonnes takes a bit of slowing down, even from 2 mph.
We’ve tied in our usual spot just beyond the lock. It’s turned very breezy, though the sun is still beaming down. We’d run a wash load on the way (there’s just nice time for it if you start it at Milford), but there was no question of rigging the whirligig. However, it being very warm, dry and sunny, Sheila put most of the stuff on hangers in the engine room and the rest on the sock dryer. By leaving the slide, both Houdinis and the bow doors open, we’ve had a very pleasant breeze through the boat, keeping us cool and drying the clothes in double quick time.
Tomorrow, a few more locks, possibly in the rain, past Acton Trussell and on to Penkridge.
Location:Deptmore
Labels:
Deptmore
Saturday, 8 April 2017
Sunny cruise to Deptmore
Tixall Wide must be one of the most pleasant places to moor on the system, especially on a sunny day. It's very quiet, the locals make good use of the towpath and are friendly and there's always something to watch.
Nonetheless, we wanted to get on, so set off at around half eight along the first stretch of the Staffs and Worcs. There's just time to make and drink a cup of decent coffee with the AeroPress before the lock hoves into view. Fruit of the Vine was just on her way up it as we got there but initially there was no sign of anything coming the other way, good news I passed on to Sheila hovering below the lock.
However, just as I was about to close up and turn the lock a boat appeared coming round the corner. I warned Sheila, who now had a bit of a problem as the lock landing is out of action at the moment being repiled, at last, and the cut is very shallow on the offside. The bow promptly became enamoured of the offside, naturally, and it took her some determined reversing to get it unstuck. The steerer of the boat coming down was a bit bemused to see Sanity Again disappearing backwards down the cut.
"I think she's left you!" was his observation to me.
After that, things were pretty much plain sailing on a splendid day. I pottered about doing chores down below – there's just nice time to run a wash load between Tixall Lock and Deptmore – and sitting out on the bow being a lookout. There was a bit of traffic without it being in any way a problem. For my money, this is not the best bit of the S&W but it's still very pleasant on a fine Spring morning.
We've tied in our favourite spot above Deptmore. There's just a bit of noise from the M6 but nothing to compare with the traffic noise in Mercia. The whirligig was deployed though the fresh breeze meant that only light items could be left out. We did try putting up some shirts and a pair of trousers but one of my shirts, in particular, decided it was a spinnaker and filled with wind (like its owner some might say – as long as they don't expect me to buy them a pint). In order to enjoy our lunch in peace we took the larger stuff in.
The afternoon has ambled past in relaxed fashion. We've seen the first ducklings of the year, just a pair of them and a proud mum. The farmer across the way did start spreading muck on the huge field there, but hasn't come too close to the water's edge and is now busy ploughing it in. He's using a five share plough and one of those massive tractors, a major contrast to the way it was done when this canal was built and indeed up until after the Second World War.
Tomorrow, Penkridge.
Nonetheless, we wanted to get on, so set off at around half eight along the first stretch of the Staffs and Worcs. There's just time to make and drink a cup of decent coffee with the AeroPress before the lock hoves into view. Fruit of the Vine was just on her way up it as we got there but initially there was no sign of anything coming the other way, good news I passed on to Sheila hovering below the lock.
However, just as I was about to close up and turn the lock a boat appeared coming round the corner. I warned Sheila, who now had a bit of a problem as the lock landing is out of action at the moment being repiled, at last, and the cut is very shallow on the offside. The bow promptly became enamoured of the offside, naturally, and it took her some determined reversing to get it unstuck. The steerer of the boat coming down was a bit bemused to see Sanity Again disappearing backwards down the cut.
"I think she's left you!" was his observation to me.
After that, things were pretty much plain sailing on a splendid day. I pottered about doing chores down below – there's just nice time to run a wash load between Tixall Lock and Deptmore – and sitting out on the bow being a lookout. There was a bit of traffic without it being in any way a problem. For my money, this is not the best bit of the S&W but it's still very pleasant on a fine Spring morning.
We've tied in our favourite spot above Deptmore. There's just a bit of noise from the M6 but nothing to compare with the traffic noise in Mercia. The whirligig was deployed though the fresh breeze meant that only light items could be left out. We did try putting up some shirts and a pair of trousers but one of my shirts, in particular, decided it was a spinnaker and filled with wind (like its owner some might say – as long as they don't expect me to buy them a pint). In order to enjoy our lunch in peace we took the larger stuff in.
The afternoon has ambled past in relaxed fashion. We've seen the first ducklings of the year, just a pair of them and a proud mum. The farmer across the way did start spreading muck on the huge field there, but hasn't come too close to the water's edge and is now busy ploughing it in. He's using a five share plough and one of those massive tractors, a major contrast to the way it was done when this canal was built and indeed up until after the Second World War.
Tomorrow, Penkridge.
Location:Deptmore
Friday, 19 April 2013
Getting better
The wind did indeed drop overnight – it was so quiet we slept really badly…
/floor
Still it meant that getting going in the morning was easier as we were awake well before 7. After a quick breakfast we got sorted and set off without even checking the email. Although it was quite a bit calmer, there were still the occasional awkward gusts and it was cool enough that I was glad I had put a waterproof on over my fleece.
We had a good run round Stafford, hotly pursued by a Napton Narrowboats hire boat, probably on the way back to their base at Autherley. Sheila put a washload on and by half ten it was nearly done as we approached our second lock of the day, Deptmore (or Deepmore, whichever). Come to think of it the two locks, Tixall and Deptmore, are a real contrast. The first is so shallow the lockwheeler can cross from one side of the lock to the other by stepping onto and over the roof, the other is one of the deepest on the system.
There was a boat waiting to come down as Sanity Again rose from the depths, which was handy for Sheila. As I boated out, a terrible clattering noise sounded from below. "Doesn't sound too good" said the other lockwheeler.
"Oh, just a lump of wood" said I cheerfully, but in fact the steering felt very odd and chucking back brought more wierd noises. The boat was still going where I pointed her, though, and the noise had stopped, so I staggered on to our usual towpath mooring.
As we tied, a strange lump of plastic emerged from below the counter. Once all was secure, I fished it out with the cabin shaft. It looks like part of the front end moulding of an upmarket motor:
The washing machine hadn't quite finished, so we had a cup of coffee whilst it did so. Once I could turn the engine off I went down the weedhatch; all was well – the plastic was soft enough that it hadn't done any damage. There's a guy in WRG known as Mark II who could probably tell us what car it's off, but I haven't a clue.
We've had a quiet afternoon. It's not quite warm enough to sit outside and too gusty still for the whirligig, so we've dropped the cratch and put the clothes rack in the well deck. We've been loafing since, trying not to doze off over books and puzzles.
A cheerful hooting drew our attention to a passing boat; Chris and Lesley on Eleventh Heaven were just going by, on their way to Penkridge, they said. Maybe we'll see them tomorrow.
/floor
Still it meant that getting going in the morning was easier as we were awake well before 7. After a quick breakfast we got sorted and set off without even checking the email. Although it was quite a bit calmer, there were still the occasional awkward gusts and it was cool enough that I was glad I had put a waterproof on over my fleece.
We had a good run round Stafford, hotly pursued by a Napton Narrowboats hire boat, probably on the way back to their base at Autherley. Sheila put a washload on and by half ten it was nearly done as we approached our second lock of the day, Deptmore (or Deepmore, whichever). Come to think of it the two locks, Tixall and Deptmore, are a real contrast. The first is so shallow the lockwheeler can cross from one side of the lock to the other by stepping onto and over the roof, the other is one of the deepest on the system.
There was a boat waiting to come down as Sanity Again rose from the depths, which was handy for Sheila. As I boated out, a terrible clattering noise sounded from below. "Doesn't sound too good" said the other lockwheeler.
"Oh, just a lump of wood" said I cheerfully, but in fact the steering felt very odd and chucking back brought more wierd noises. The boat was still going where I pointed her, though, and the noise had stopped, so I staggered on to our usual towpath mooring.
As we tied, a strange lump of plastic emerged from below the counter. Once all was secure, I fished it out with the cabin shaft. It looks like part of the front end moulding of an upmarket motor:
 |
| Touch of the Darth Vaders... |
We've had a quiet afternoon. It's not quite warm enough to sit outside and too gusty still for the whirligig, so we've dropped the cratch and put the clothes rack in the well deck. We've been loafing since, trying not to doze off over books and puzzles.
A cheerful hooting drew our attention to a passing boat; Chris and Lesley on Eleventh Heaven were just going by, on their way to Penkridge, they said. Maybe we'll see them tomorrow.
Labels:
Deptmore
Saturday, 28 July 2012
Cooler but still sunny
After the excitements of yesterday, we've had quite a quiet day today. Irene and Ian came to say goodbye just after breakfast, and we decided to move the boat just a little bit further on. Seemingly, the refurbished lock house at Deptmore Lock is to be occupied by the son of the farm who is getting wed today, and they are clearly going to have a night of it tonight; there are two marquees in the field behind the house, with marked signs of the Young Farmers having a hand in the arrangements.
So, although I'm sure it will all be very well behaved, it's likely to be quite noisy until quite late. We did a whole 15 minutes boating to the other side of the next towpath bridge, not far from where Black Bryony has moored. Her single handing crew had a narrow escape earlier, when she slipped into the lock as she closed the top gate.
Fortunately, a couple who were strolling around looking at the wedding arrangements were nearby and helped her climb out of the water. The poor woman has suffered some damage to her knee in the process, so will be staying where she is for a few days. I've checked that she has everything she needs, and apparently a friend will come and help her move the boat to Penkridge later in the week.
We've spent the day pottering, walking Sally a couple of times (there's quite a cool breeze today, much to her relief) and reading. I also had a look in the stern bilge, checking that the Centaflex coupling is still tight. As with the prop attachment, I didn't expect any problems, and didn't find any, but it's as well to be sure.
Nearly forgot: whilst I was talking to the crew of Black Bryony, Sally started staring meaningfully across the cut, with her ears up in full target acquisition mode. I had a look, and there were three young hares playing in the grass over there. Sally looked at me, looked at them and then howled softly to me in the way she does when you're getting her dinner ready. I think that's Doberman for "Look, Grandpa, supper!"
Tomorrow, we'll make a prompt start, aiming to be in Penkridge by eleven.
The details of Priscilla, Braidbar 46, are now up on the ABNB site, brochure available from here. If you want a shorter boat for a very good price, you couldn't do better.
So, although I'm sure it will all be very well behaved, it's likely to be quite noisy until quite late. We did a whole 15 minutes boating to the other side of the next towpath bridge, not far from where Black Bryony has moored. Her single handing crew had a narrow escape earlier, when she slipped into the lock as she closed the top gate.
Fortunately, a couple who were strolling around looking at the wedding arrangements were nearby and helped her climb out of the water. The poor woman has suffered some damage to her knee in the process, so will be staying where she is for a few days. I've checked that she has everything she needs, and apparently a friend will come and help her move the boat to Penkridge later in the week.
We've spent the day pottering, walking Sally a couple of times (there's quite a cool breeze today, much to her relief) and reading. I also had a look in the stern bilge, checking that the Centaflex coupling is still tight. As with the prop attachment, I didn't expect any problems, and didn't find any, but it's as well to be sure.
Nearly forgot: whilst I was talking to the crew of Black Bryony, Sally started staring meaningfully across the cut, with her ears up in full target acquisition mode. I had a look, and there were three young hares playing in the grass over there. Sally looked at me, looked at them and then howled softly to me in the way she does when you're getting her dinner ready. I think that's Doberman for "Look, Grandpa, supper!"
Tomorrow, we'll make a prompt start, aiming to be in Penkridge by eleven.
The details of Priscilla, Braidbar 46, are now up on the ABNB site, brochure available from here. If you want a shorter boat for a very good price, you couldn't do better.
Labels:
Deptmore
Friday, 27 July 2012
Meeting up with Free Spirits
We got away at half eight this morning, after a bit of a mixed night in the heat. I walked Sally to the lock whilst Sheila boated, then I took over steering whilst She worked the lock. After that, it was a very pleasant session, chugging along what is strictly speaking one of the less attractive bits of the Staffs and Worcs, though on a day like today, it is hard to imagine what could be better.
Checking previous blog posts, I see that it's a bit under a year since we came this way, when we had a rendezvous with Graeme, Cathy and the boys at Stafford Boat Club. This time, we've stopped above Deptmore Lock, having taken just under three hours to get here from Tixall.
We had planned to carry on to Penkridge tomorrow, but this is such a good place for exercising Sally, I think we'll stay here another night, and move to Penkridge on Sunday morning. It means doing without the Saturday Independent, but I can cope, honestly I can.
/floor
It'll just be full of Olympic stuff anyway…
/sweat
As we'd hoped, Ian and Irene turned up on Free Spirit not long after lunch, so we've had a jolly afternoon nattering and drinking tea. It is as usual very good to fill out your knowledge of fellow bloggers, and to swap the goss about all the others…
/wahaha.
After we'd finished, I popped down the weed hatch to check we hadn't picked anything up in our trip round the outskirts of Stafford, and to make sure that the prop was still soundly attached; it is, of course, but it makes sense to cross check these things when you've had work done.
Sally has been taking it in turns to supervise us, leading Sheila to start quoting Robert Louis Stevenson:
Checking previous blog posts, I see that it's a bit under a year since we came this way, when we had a rendezvous with Graeme, Cathy and the boys at Stafford Boat Club. This time, we've stopped above Deptmore Lock, having taken just under three hours to get here from Tixall.
We had planned to carry on to Penkridge tomorrow, but this is such a good place for exercising Sally, I think we'll stay here another night, and move to Penkridge on Sunday morning. It means doing without the Saturday Independent, but I can cope, honestly I can.
/floor
It'll just be full of Olympic stuff anyway…
/sweat
As we'd hoped, Ian and Irene turned up on Free Spirit not long after lunch, so we've had a jolly afternoon nattering and drinking tea. It is as usual very good to fill out your knowledge of fellow bloggers, and to swap the goss about all the others…
/wahaha.
After we'd finished, I popped down the weed hatch to check we hadn't picked anything up in our trip round the outskirts of Stafford, and to make sure that the prop was still soundly attached; it is, of course, but it makes sense to cross check these things when you've had work done.
Sally has been taking it in turns to supervise us, leading Sheila to start quoting Robert Louis Stevenson:
It's from A Child's Garden of Verses, and the full text is here.
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
Labels:
Deptmore
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Gently on to Deptmore
After a quiet night, we made a fairly standard sort of start today, getting going just after eight. I'd had time to get a paper from the newsagents by the lock, and we ambled down to Park Gate, arriving there in nice time at nine, just as Midland Chandlers opened. I bought 10 litres of Morris's best 10W/40 and an oil filter. At £16, the Fram alternate filter is getting significantly more expensive than the Beta original; must arrange to get a couple of those either at Crick or sent to Elanor's. For those still living on shore, finding a local motor factors is even better, as their prices will be lower again.
Then we came on to our towpath mooring above Deptmore Lock, overlooking a field with a couple of pairs of Lapwing on it. We've heard them calling more than seen them, as they are spending much of their time sitting around on the ground.
"Simple" raised some queries about the value of our blacking deal, especially the comparative costs of Intertuff versus Comastic. He felt that we'd been ripped off, which seemed unlikely as we did a fair bit of research on the subject before booking the job.
Some of it is my fault; I'd miscalculated the cost of the Intertuff job. I'll quote MD Simon Jenkins's reply to my email:
He also makes the points that they do a particularly thorough job, including an inspection of the hull, anodes and stern gear. They black the weed hatch and internal trunking thereto, and allow liveaboards to stay on board with an electric hook up. It's also a very commodious dock.
Simple also asked about relaunch time, having found a site which reckons it should be 48 hours to launch. I won't quote all the stuff from the Comastic site, but just comment that no commercial dock would leave you on there for two days after the blacking was finished, and that the main risk with a launch after 20 hours, as we did, is that the blacking changes from shiny black to brown more quickly (it does so anyway over time, without affecting the performance of the coating).
All in all, then, I reckon we did OK. Comastic is undoubtedly more expensive, and smells awful when it's going on, but the build is much better, and stands up to abrasion well. We'll stick with it for the present; it did well enough on Sanity, such that when we eventually had her grit blasted, the guy complained about how difficult it was to get it off.
Tomorrow, on to Tixall/Great Haywood.
Then we came on to our towpath mooring above Deptmore Lock, overlooking a field with a couple of pairs of Lapwing on it. We've heard them calling more than seen them, as they are spending much of their time sitting around on the ground.
"Simple" raised some queries about the value of our blacking deal, especially the comparative costs of Intertuff versus Comastic. He felt that we'd been ripped off, which seemed unlikely as we did a fair bit of research on the subject before booking the job.
Some of it is my fault; I'd miscalculated the cost of the Intertuff job. I'll quote MD Simon Jenkins's reply to my email:
The cost difference between the materials is as follows, for a seventy foot boat, Intertuff is £739.00, Comastic is £845.00 the cost difference in materials is £73.74, in some cases people can re use the applying brushes when using Intertuff but when we use Comastic we throw the brushes away thus adding to the overall cost.
He also makes the points that they do a particularly thorough job, including an inspection of the hull, anodes and stern gear. They black the weed hatch and internal trunking thereto, and allow liveaboards to stay on board with an electric hook up. It's also a very commodious dock.
Simple also asked about relaunch time, having found a site which reckons it should be 48 hours to launch. I won't quote all the stuff from the Comastic site, but just comment that no commercial dock would leave you on there for two days after the blacking was finished, and that the main risk with a launch after 20 hours, as we did, is that the blacking changes from shiny black to brown more quickly (it does so anyway over time, without affecting the performance of the coating).
All in all, then, I reckon we did OK. Comastic is undoubtedly more expensive, and smells awful when it's going on, but the build is much better, and stands up to abrasion well. We'll stick with it for the present; it did well enough on Sanity, such that when we eventually had her grit blasted, the guy complained about how difficult it was to get it off.
Tomorrow, on to Tixall/Great Haywood.
Labels:
Deptmore
Monday, 21 March 2011
Feels more like summer
Last night was so mild that we slept with the bedroom Houdini cracked open for the first time this year. During the cold weather, the condensation on the Houdini frame is too much to put up with, so we close it, and cover it with the square bung. This means sleeping in a very dark room, and we much prefer, when it's feasible, to keep the hatch just a little open (propped on a wine cork) so that we get the benefit of the early morning sun.
In turn, this means that we are up and about earlier, and can start boating earlier, always a good idea during busy periods on the cut.
Today, we were off at eight; Sheila winded Sanity Again in the Wide and took her back to the junction to get water. We had planned to wait until Penkridge, but a bag full of accumulating washing changed our minds. Sheila executed a neat turn and reverse in the junction, so that we ended up on the water point facing back the way we had come. Her task was made more interesting by a collection of Anglo Welsh boats tied on some of the water point moorings; they really should try renting some out to make some money and space on the moorings.
I popped into the village to get a paper, and came back to find the tank half full and a queue forming for the two water points.
Once filled up, off we went again, back round the junction and on to Tixall Lock. I worked us up, then started the washing machine as we were now on the long pound round Stafford. The bridge at Radford Bank is now much easier to negotiate, the crazy girdering on the offside having been replaced by a neat bit of banking.
By midday we'd passed Stafford Boat Club, who now have an impressive new iron bridge across the entrance to their marina. You can tell it's new, there are still netting barriers across the ends of it, presumably whilst the paint dries.
A boat passed us going the other way as we left SBC, and so we found Deptmore Lock with us. You can tell that the Staffs and Worcs is an old canal by the way that the lock depths vary. Tixall is quite shallow, and Deptmore is one of the deepest on the system. Later canals, such as the Shroppie, have locks all about the same depth, so that the same volume of water accompanies you down the canal.
We tied just above Deptmore in glorious sunshine, and hung the washing out to dry on the whirligig before eating a slightly late lunch. We'd not long finished when Free Spirit came by, crewed by fellow blue shirts from the IWA Festival team. We gave them a hand to work down the lock. As we did so, I realised I'd not bothered to put my jumper back on, having been sitting in the boat in my shirt sleeves.
It felt seriously summery, really quite strange when it was so cold in the easterly wind just a few days ago.
It must be this supermoon they keep on about ;) .
In turn, this means that we are up and about earlier, and can start boating earlier, always a good idea during busy periods on the cut.
Today, we were off at eight; Sheila winded Sanity Again in the Wide and took her back to the junction to get water. We had planned to wait until Penkridge, but a bag full of accumulating washing changed our minds. Sheila executed a neat turn and reverse in the junction, so that we ended up on the water point facing back the way we had come. Her task was made more interesting by a collection of Anglo Welsh boats tied on some of the water point moorings; they really should try renting some out to make some money and space on the moorings.
I popped into the village to get a paper, and came back to find the tank half full and a queue forming for the two water points.
Once filled up, off we went again, back round the junction and on to Tixall Lock. I worked us up, then started the washing machine as we were now on the long pound round Stafford. The bridge at Radford Bank is now much easier to negotiate, the crazy girdering on the offside having been replaced by a neat bit of banking.
By midday we'd passed Stafford Boat Club, who now have an impressive new iron bridge across the entrance to their marina. You can tell it's new, there are still netting barriers across the ends of it, presumably whilst the paint dries.
A boat passed us going the other way as we left SBC, and so we found Deptmore Lock with us. You can tell that the Staffs and Worcs is an old canal by the way that the lock depths vary. Tixall is quite shallow, and Deptmore is one of the deepest on the system. Later canals, such as the Shroppie, have locks all about the same depth, so that the same volume of water accompanies you down the canal.
We tied just above Deptmore in glorious sunshine, and hung the washing out to dry on the whirligig before eating a slightly late lunch. We'd not long finished when Free Spirit came by, crewed by fellow blue shirts from the IWA Festival team. We gave them a hand to work down the lock. As we did so, I realised I'd not bothered to put my jumper back on, having been sitting in the boat in my shirt sleeves.
It felt seriously summery, really quite strange when it was so cold in the easterly wind just a few days ago.
It must be this supermoon they keep on about ;) .
Labels:
Deptmore
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Loafing and ambling towards Penkridge
31st July & 1st August
Yesterday was a day to catch up with ourselves after the excitements of the week. We stayed where we were on Tixall Wide, making a leisurely start to the day after a good night's sleep. The weather was fine and bright at first but it soon reverted to this summer's disappointing pattern of gusty wind and cool showers.
I plodded into Great Haywood to post the pension application and to get a paper, but otherwise we spent the rest of the day lurking in the boat.
A fair bit of time was spent on the internet by one, the other or both of us. The most visible evidence of this is a long post on the Building Sanity Again blog describing our meeting with Peter Mason. We were also taking advantage of a fast connection to research such matters as the additional cost of double glazed portholes (£20 a time, more or less).
In the evening Elanor took advantage of our continuing proximity to Burton on Trent to come for dinner and stayed for much of the evening. It was particularly good to see her since she will be away on a wrg camp when we come back through Burton next weekend.
This morning it was raining again. I made yet another trip into Great Haywood for bread and the paper, then we set off for a run to Penkridge over the next couple of days, just for the sake of the boating. The fact that we are doing so demonstrates an important point about the nature of our continuous cruising.
If we lived on the boat solely because it is a cheap lifestyle and so allowed us to retire early, we would have stayed put at Tixall for the next few days. It isn't a restricted mooring and we could always have nipped back to Great Haywood if we needed to fill the water tank. As it is, because we live on the boat in order to do as much boating as possible, we've chosen to move on.
Actually, we must really be dedicated boaters, because conditions today were far from ideal. It rained most of the time, we stopped to water at Milford Wharf and had the usual struggle to tie the boat there, and we got mixed up with a convoy of boats from the Watch House Cruising Club on the Bridgewater Canal.
Furthermore, about half the total length of towpath from Milford, round the south of Stafford, to the Hazelstrine Bridge at Stafford Boat Club was occupied by dedicated anglers.
When we got to Deptmore Lock, there were several boats waiting to go up and several more arrived behind whilst we were queuing. Because Deptmore is very deep, it's slow to turn round and it took us fifty minutes to get through the lock.
We've stopped on the towpath just beyond and have spent the afternoon largely relaxing in the boat, attempting the various quizzes in the Saturday Independent and doing this blog. (Sheila points out that she has been gainfully employed on the current crochet order, which is just as well as she has just had another enquiry. Since Sanity Again with have fourteen portholes, it's clearly going to be a while before she gets a break from making her decorative doilies.)
The afternoon is cold and clammy enough that we've put the central heating on. If the weather doesn't improve soon, I'm going to buy a bag of coal and relight the stove.
Yesterday was a day to catch up with ourselves after the excitements of the week. We stayed where we were on Tixall Wide, making a leisurely start to the day after a good night's sleep. The weather was fine and bright at first but it soon reverted to this summer's disappointing pattern of gusty wind and cool showers.
I plodded into Great Haywood to post the pension application and to get a paper, but otherwise we spent the rest of the day lurking in the boat.
A fair bit of time was spent on the internet by one, the other or both of us. The most visible evidence of this is a long post on the Building Sanity Again blog describing our meeting with Peter Mason. We were also taking advantage of a fast connection to research such matters as the additional cost of double glazed portholes (£20 a time, more or less).
In the evening Elanor took advantage of our continuing proximity to Burton on Trent to come for dinner and stayed for much of the evening. It was particularly good to see her since she will be away on a wrg camp when we come back through Burton next weekend.
This morning it was raining again. I made yet another trip into Great Haywood for bread and the paper, then we set off for a run to Penkridge over the next couple of days, just for the sake of the boating. The fact that we are doing so demonstrates an important point about the nature of our continuous cruising.
If we lived on the boat solely because it is a cheap lifestyle and so allowed us to retire early, we would have stayed put at Tixall for the next few days. It isn't a restricted mooring and we could always have nipped back to Great Haywood if we needed to fill the water tank. As it is, because we live on the boat in order to do as much boating as possible, we've chosen to move on.
Actually, we must really be dedicated boaters, because conditions today were far from ideal. It rained most of the time, we stopped to water at Milford Wharf and had the usual struggle to tie the boat there, and we got mixed up with a convoy of boats from the Watch House Cruising Club on the Bridgewater Canal.
Furthermore, about half the total length of towpath from Milford, round the south of Stafford, to the Hazelstrine Bridge at Stafford Boat Club was occupied by dedicated anglers.
When we got to Deptmore Lock, there were several boats waiting to go up and several more arrived behind whilst we were queuing. Because Deptmore is very deep, it's slow to turn round and it took us fifty minutes to get through the lock.
We've stopped on the towpath just beyond and have spent the afternoon largely relaxing in the boat, attempting the various quizzes in the Saturday Independent and doing this blog. (Sheila points out that she has been gainfully employed on the current crochet order, which is just as well as she has just had another enquiry. Since Sanity Again with have fourteen portholes, it's clearly going to be a while before she gets a break from making her decorative doilies.)
The afternoon is cold and clammy enough that we've put the central heating on. If the weather doesn't improve soon, I'm going to buy a bag of coal and relight the stove.
Labels:
Deptmore,
Tixall Wide
Sunday, 22 February 2009
It's Penkridge again
21st & 22nd February
We made a prompt start on a bright and breezy morning yesterday, having woken to a battery bank full of volts. It's really good to be back to not having to watch the electric use like a hawk.
As I said in an earlier comment, it really is like the Dead Parrot sketch in Monty Python; as the capacity of the bank declines, you start taking more and more care of your power consumption, all the time trying to persuade yourself that there's nothing wrong with the batteries. This is particularly easy to do when they start declining at the beginning of winter, when the dark evenings and need to run the heating more often genuinely impose more power discipline.
In future, I think our expectation will be that a given bank lasts two years and a bit, so as soon as we are past the 24 months mark, it's a case of deciding the most convenient place to change over, rather than trying to eke out the last few weeks from the old batteries.
In addition, our thinking is moving towards a less power hungry set up on Sanity Again, with no big freezer. More on this in due course – I really will get round to another post on the Building SA blog soon. I planned to do one yesterday, but between some problems Sheila was having with her proof reading sites and the fact that the connection was very temperamental, I didn't get to it.
We'd had a good morning's boating, after I'd made a quick trip in to Great Haywood for bread and a paper. There's still a fair bit of traffic about at the end of the half term week, and the weather, though a bit blowy, was so Spring like it was really encouraging.
On one of my walks whilst Sheila was off the boat, I'd noted the water point at Milford as referred to recently in Retirement with No Problem, so we thought it would be good to get a fill there, as the tank was down to 40%.
I promptly forgot exactly where it was, and we had a bit of a hunt to find it, before spotting it between the turn over bridge and the tunnel under the railway. No matter, once there we found it to be a good one, with excellent pressure, so we were soon in possession of a full tank once more. It's contained in what proved to be an old ammo box, on its end and fastened to the wall, and I took a couple of photos of it just for a laugh, a water point that thinks it's a geocache.
As before, we worked up Deptmore Lock and tied just a little beyond. It's a nice quiet mooring, except for the rumble of the M6 across a couple of fields, but as I say, the internet connection, though high speed, kept dropping out.
Today we got away in good time, chugged round Acton Trussell, and up the three locks into Penkridge. On the way, I started experimenting with the Garmin, using it to add winding holes and locks to its map as waypoints. By saving the day's cruise as a track, it is possible to transfer the data onto the Mac in RoadTrip; I really must get hold of a text about this sort of thing, as I'm a complete tyro with it, and it's always good to add to one's areas of expertise.
We had a quick coffee on arrival in Penkridge, did some shopping and got back to the boat in time for lunch. The engine hours counter was just short of 6400, so I've done the oil and filter change due at that point, taking the opportunity to refill the stern greaser at the same time. I must get some more grease at the next chandlers we come too, as the current tin is nearly empty.
Sheila has been proof reading again, using the Canadian site, as the US one has continued to have problems. She says the Canadian books are more interesting anyway, and has already downloaded some of their finished texts.
Tomorrow we'll do some more shopping: this is the last chance for a few days, as Gailey and Hatherton don't have anything, and the day after we'll be on the Shroppie and plan to stop before we get to Brewood. You can shop at Pendeford as you go through Autherley Junction, but that means leaving the boat in a pretty rough area, as we discovered during last year's IWA National.
Once stocked up, we'll work up Penkridge Lock and pump out on the service point above (diesel purchase can wait until we get to Turner's at Wheaton Aston). then we'll go on to Gailey for the night, and Hatherton the day after.
We made a prompt start on a bright and breezy morning yesterday, having woken to a battery bank full of volts. It's really good to be back to not having to watch the electric use like a hawk.
As I said in an earlier comment, it really is like the Dead Parrot sketch in Monty Python; as the capacity of the bank declines, you start taking more and more care of your power consumption, all the time trying to persuade yourself that there's nothing wrong with the batteries. This is particularly easy to do when they start declining at the beginning of winter, when the dark evenings and need to run the heating more often genuinely impose more power discipline.
In future, I think our expectation will be that a given bank lasts two years and a bit, so as soon as we are past the 24 months mark, it's a case of deciding the most convenient place to change over, rather than trying to eke out the last few weeks from the old batteries.
In addition, our thinking is moving towards a less power hungry set up on Sanity Again, with no big freezer. More on this in due course – I really will get round to another post on the Building SA blog soon. I planned to do one yesterday, but between some problems Sheila was having with her proof reading sites and the fact that the connection was very temperamental, I didn't get to it.
We'd had a good morning's boating, after I'd made a quick trip in to Great Haywood for bread and a paper. There's still a fair bit of traffic about at the end of the half term week, and the weather, though a bit blowy, was so Spring like it was really encouraging.
On one of my walks whilst Sheila was off the boat, I'd noted the water point at Milford as referred to recently in Retirement with No Problem, so we thought it would be good to get a fill there, as the tank was down to 40%.
I promptly forgot exactly where it was, and we had a bit of a hunt to find it, before spotting it between the turn over bridge and the tunnel under the railway. No matter, once there we found it to be a good one, with excellent pressure, so we were soon in possession of a full tank once more. It's contained in what proved to be an old ammo box, on its end and fastened to the wall, and I took a couple of photos of it just for a laugh, a water point that thinks it's a geocache.
As before, we worked up Deptmore Lock and tied just a little beyond. It's a nice quiet mooring, except for the rumble of the M6 across a couple of fields, but as I say, the internet connection, though high speed, kept dropping out.
Today we got away in good time, chugged round Acton Trussell, and up the three locks into Penkridge. On the way, I started experimenting with the Garmin, using it to add winding holes and locks to its map as waypoints. By saving the day's cruise as a track, it is possible to transfer the data onto the Mac in RoadTrip; I really must get hold of a text about this sort of thing, as I'm a complete tyro with it, and it's always good to add to one's areas of expertise.
We had a quick coffee on arrival in Penkridge, did some shopping and got back to the boat in time for lunch. The engine hours counter was just short of 6400, so I've done the oil and filter change due at that point, taking the opportunity to refill the stern greaser at the same time. I must get some more grease at the next chandlers we come too, as the current tin is nearly empty.
Sheila has been proof reading again, using the Canadian site, as the US one has continued to have problems. She says the Canadian books are more interesting anyway, and has already downloaded some of their finished texts.
Tomorrow we'll do some more shopping: this is the last chance for a few days, as Gailey and Hatherton don't have anything, and the day after we'll be on the Shroppie and plan to stop before we get to Brewood. You can shop at Pendeford as you go through Autherley Junction, but that means leaving the boat in a pretty rough area, as we discovered during last year's IWA National.
Once stocked up, we'll work up Penkridge Lock and pump out on the service point above (diesel purchase can wait until we get to Turner's at Wheaton Aston). then we'll go on to Gailey for the night, and Hatherton the day after.
Thursday, 15 January 2009
A day at Great Haywood, and a day on the move
14th & 15th January
As forecast, it was cold again the night before last, so our decision to get to Great Haywood early was validated. The cut was lightly frozen over next to the boat in the morning, and when we took a walk to Tixall Wide later in the day, we were able to see that it had been much thicker there.
Leaving Sheila on anchor watch with the engine running, I made a quick trip to the shops, buying a nice but rather small and pricey loaf from the Farm shop and a newspaper in the village.
When I got back, Sheila was proofreading once more, though the weak internet connection gave her some grief in the course of the day, with pages loading only with difficulty. I got on with the fender, doing the other half of the tricky bit through the crotch of the thing. I'm beginning to be quite hopeful about the final result; I've just got the ends of the arms to do, so hopefully it should be finished by the end of the weekend.
The weather stayed cool and misty all day, so that we began to wonder if the further thaw was going to happen, but during the evening it did indeed begin to warm up, and by this morning the ice was all gone. The weather pattern at the moment offers a choice of boating challenges: either it's cold enough to freeze the cut, or it's warm, wet and ... windy.
This was the forecast for this morning, with gusts up to 30 mph. As we planned to water, then back off the water point, go through the junction and reverse onto Anglo Welsh's service wharf, this was a bit alarming. In the event, things were nothing like as problematic as I'd feared, which just shows the importance of avoiding premature pontine progressions (don't cross your bridges until you come to them).
It was Sheila's turn to steer, but by chance she has steered the last twice we've stopped at Anglo Welsh, so out of regard for my amour propre, she said I could do it this time.
"Otherwise, dear," she said sweetly, "they'll think you can't steer the boat."
She duly took Sanity up to the water point, and I left her watering and running another washload whilst I nipped into the village for a more plebeian but substantial loaf, a litre of milk and a paper. When I got back, things were still chugging along, so I went into the yard to check where I should aim for when coming in for services.
To my relief (I'm not proud, and anyway, I know I can steer the boat) I was told that they could do the pump out and diesel if we just pulled back a bit on the water point so that the hoses would reach from the service wharf across the towpath to us. Apparently, BW only lets them do this in the winter, as in the summer "there would be too many walkers and cyclists going by".
This is classic BW inconsistency, of course, as there are many places where boats are serviced across the towpath all year round in exactly this way, the Trading Post at Higher Poynton being the example we know best, and if anything a busier towpath than that at Great Haywood.
No matter, the important thing was that we got it done. It is, as I've said before, a very friendly yard, and strongly recommended. Just to prove my ability, I did the reverse off the bank and turn into the junction for Sheila, which went faultlessly, there being no one around to see it.
We boated on through Tixall Lock, crossing with a struggling AW boat heading back to base, They'd cilled the stern at Deptmore, and the rudder was now bent over at an angle, giving them some serious grief steering. Round the outskirts of Stafford we plodded. Radnor Bank is the closest approach, with a bridge with a nasty arch on the offside, well scarred from contact with cabin roofs.
To avoid future incidents, BW have just fixed one of the ugliest bits of channel narrowing I've seen for a long time. It's a galvanised steel and timber baulk construction, suspended by galvanised chains from the abutments and the underside of the arch. It makes the channel a bare seven foot wide, if that. Despite lining up as carefully as she could, Sheila managed to hit both this thing and the towpath edge at the same time.
By twelve we were approaching Stafford Boat Club. I made mugs of soup to keep us going, which we'd drunk by the time we worked up Deptmore Lock. We've tied at the top for the night, in steadily increasing wind, and will go on to Penkridge in the morning.
As forecast, it was cold again the night before last, so our decision to get to Great Haywood early was validated. The cut was lightly frozen over next to the boat in the morning, and when we took a walk to Tixall Wide later in the day, we were able to see that it had been much thicker there.
Leaving Sheila on anchor watch with the engine running, I made a quick trip to the shops, buying a nice but rather small and pricey loaf from the Farm shop and a newspaper in the village.
When I got back, Sheila was proofreading once more, though the weak internet connection gave her some grief in the course of the day, with pages loading only with difficulty. I got on with the fender, doing the other half of the tricky bit through the crotch of the thing. I'm beginning to be quite hopeful about the final result; I've just got the ends of the arms to do, so hopefully it should be finished by the end of the weekend.
The weather stayed cool and misty all day, so that we began to wonder if the further thaw was going to happen, but during the evening it did indeed begin to warm up, and by this morning the ice was all gone. The weather pattern at the moment offers a choice of boating challenges: either it's cold enough to freeze the cut, or it's warm, wet and ... windy.
This was the forecast for this morning, with gusts up to 30 mph. As we planned to water, then back off the water point, go through the junction and reverse onto Anglo Welsh's service wharf, this was a bit alarming. In the event, things were nothing like as problematic as I'd feared, which just shows the importance of avoiding premature pontine progressions (don't cross your bridges until you come to them).
It was Sheila's turn to steer, but by chance she has steered the last twice we've stopped at Anglo Welsh, so out of regard for my amour propre, she said I could do it this time.
"Otherwise, dear," she said sweetly, "they'll think you can't steer the boat."
She duly took Sanity up to the water point, and I left her watering and running another washload whilst I nipped into the village for a more plebeian but substantial loaf, a litre of milk and a paper. When I got back, things were still chugging along, so I went into the yard to check where I should aim for when coming in for services.
To my relief (I'm not proud, and anyway, I know I can steer the boat) I was told that they could do the pump out and diesel if we just pulled back a bit on the water point so that the hoses would reach from the service wharf across the towpath to us. Apparently, BW only lets them do this in the winter, as in the summer "there would be too many walkers and cyclists going by".
This is classic BW inconsistency, of course, as there are many places where boats are serviced across the towpath all year round in exactly this way, the Trading Post at Higher Poynton being the example we know best, and if anything a busier towpath than that at Great Haywood.
No matter, the important thing was that we got it done. It is, as I've said before, a very friendly yard, and strongly recommended. Just to prove my ability, I did the reverse off the bank and turn into the junction for Sheila, which went faultlessly, there being no one around to see it.
We boated on through Tixall Lock, crossing with a struggling AW boat heading back to base, They'd cilled the stern at Deptmore, and the rudder was now bent over at an angle, giving them some serious grief steering. Round the outskirts of Stafford we plodded. Radnor Bank is the closest approach, with a bridge with a nasty arch on the offside, well scarred from contact with cabin roofs.
To avoid future incidents, BW have just fixed one of the ugliest bits of channel narrowing I've seen for a long time. It's a galvanised steel and timber baulk construction, suspended by galvanised chains from the abutments and the underside of the arch. It makes the channel a bare seven foot wide, if that. Despite lining up as carefully as she could, Sheila managed to hit both this thing and the towpath edge at the same time.
By twelve we were approaching Stafford Boat Club. I made mugs of soup to keep us going, which we'd drunk by the time we worked up Deptmore Lock. We've tied at the top for the night, in steadily increasing wind, and will go on to Penkridge in the morning.
Labels:
Deptmore,
Great Haywood
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