Ah, The Boat Was Calling Me !

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 3:05 pm

Ahhhhhh the call of the boat ! Never, disregard the call of the boat ! When I had one, I could never disregard it's call ! :-6

My little beauty................. that's me leaning against the bow rails near the wheelhouse!

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Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:01 pm

G#Gill;1298719 wrote: Ahhhhhh the call of the boat ! Never, disregard the call of the boat ! When I had one, I could never disregard it's call ! :-6

My little beauty................. that's me leaning against the bow rails near the wheelhouse!

She's a beauty - the boat's not half bad either :-6

Is that Saltash?

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:25 pm

No, Bryn, it's the River Trent at Nottingham. We've just come up river under the Trent Bridge central arch heading for our jetty to take on passengers. Beyond the Trent Bridge can be seen the stands of Nottingham Forest Football Ground - The City Ground. The white building on the right is the Rushcliffe Borough Council offices - the building used to be a rather exclusive hotel.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:36 pm

G#Gill;1298719 wrote: Ahhhhhh the call of the boat ! Never, disregard the call of the boat ! When I had one, I could never disregard it's call ! :-6

My little beauty................. that's me leaning against the bow rails near the wheelhouse!

Fabulous :-6:-6:-6

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:43 pm

Bryn Mawr;1298740 wrote: She's a beauty - the boat's not half bad either :-6

Is that Saltash?

Well thank you, kind sir :-6

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:46 pm

G#Gill;1298747 wrote: No, Bryn, it's the River Trent at Nottingham. We've just come up river under the Trent Bridge central arch heading for our jetty to take on passengers. Beyond the Trent Bridge can be seen the stands of Nottingham Forest Football Ground - The City Ground. The white building on the right is the Rushcliffe Borough Council offices - the building used to be a rather exclusive hotel.

Wrong all ways up :wah:

I've been as far as Trent Lock and the bottom of the Erewash but we turned upstream from there.

Hopefully, if all goes to plan this year we'll be putting that right and going down the Trent and up the Yorkshire Ouze - need a copy of the TBA guide first though.

How long were you running her?

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:52 pm

oscar;1298748 wrote: Fabulous :-6:-6:-6

We had many years of great fun, and extremely hard work, but it was all terrific and I wouldn't have missed the experience for the world ! :-6

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 7:22 pm

Bryn Mawr;1298755 wrote: Wrong all ways up :wah:

I've been as far as Trent Lock and the bottom of the Erewash but we turned upstream from there.

Hopefully, if all goes to plan this year we'll be putting that right and going down the Trent and up the Yorkshire Ouze - need a copy of the TBA guide first though.

How long were you running her?

We were trading for 8 years or so, and I could fill a book with all the stories that unfolded during our ownership. Some hilarious, some a little disconcerting, and one or two tragedies unfortunately. I have, in the past, promised myself to try to do a 'Howard's Way' type series for TV only concerning an inland waterways business. With my first-hand knowledge and experiences, I reckoned that I would be able to keep the series going quite well, with regular 'cliff-hangers' :wah: The thing is, it would all be from real life happenings, so the feel of the series would be genuine, and hopefully keep people interested. I was also toying with the idea of a 'soap', but maybe a 10 part series would be a tad more classy :wah:

You should obtain tidal information probably from British Waterways at Newark. I'm not sure where you would be starting your trip from so I can't give you much of an idea of how long you would need to get there and back. I reckon a round trip from Nottingham to the Yorkshire Ouse would take about 10 days, depending on the tides below Newark to the Humber etc. and that is if you didn't stop anywhere for longer than an over-night stay. You'll have to give me a ring if you do come through Nottingham and maybe we could meet up. I could give you my mobile number if you PM'd me sometime. Beowulf is also in this area, so we could maybe have a mini FG 'meet'

I'd quite enjoy that ! Always providing I wasn't away on holiday myself :-3

Is your boat a narrowboat? My Dad and Mum had a narrow boat - 40 ft steel hull, but a glass-fibre cabin. It was called 'Pulsatilla' (an anemone) and built at Penkridge. The picture below is of 'Pulsatilla' with my Dad and Mum aboard, taken by me from the top deck of Tamar Belle as we were passing them going upriver on the Trent, on our way to start our public trips from Trent Bridge. We were just going past Colwick Park.

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 7:58 pm

G#Gill;1298719 wrote: Ahhhhhh the call of the boat ! Never, disregard the call of the boat ! When I had one, I could never disregard it's call ! :-6

My little beauty................. that's me leaning against the bow rails near the wheelhouse!

how beautiful, love that bridge!:-6

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 3:42 am

Yes, it's a rather nice bridge! They paint it every 6 or 7 years, and it's colour is mainly turquoise blue/green with gold lines (look like gold leaf, but isn't of course). It's quite a performance as they have to erect scaffolding and platforms, but they have to leave navigation available under the centre arch. The last time it was painted, it took several weeks, and they had to time it so it didn't interfere with various regattas and boat races held on the river during the summer. The bridge is quite spectacular at night because they have spotlights etc to pick it out in the darkness.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:29 pm

G#Gill;1298786 wrote: We were trading for 8 years or so, and I could fill a book with all the stories that unfolded during our ownership. Some hilarious, some a little disconcerting, and one or two tragedies unfortunately. I have, in the past, promised myself to try to do a 'Howard's Way' type series for TV only concerning an inland waterways business. With my first-hand knowledge and experiences, I reckoned that I would be able to keep the series going quite well, with regular 'cliff-hangers' :wah: The thing is, it would all be from real life happenings, so the feel of the series would be genuine, and hopefully keep people interested. I was also toying with the idea of a 'soap', but maybe a 10 part series would be a tad more classy :wah:

Go for it - I'm sure such a series would go down a bomb. With the inside story you could really make it work well.

G#Gill;1298786 wrote: You should obtain tidal information probably from British Waterways at Newark. I'm not sure where you would be starting your trip from so I can't give you much of an idea of how long you would need to get there and back. I reckon a round trip from Nottingham to the Yorkshire Ouse would take about 10 days, depending on the tides below Newark to the Humber etc. and that is if you didn't stop anywhere for longer than an over-night stay. You'll have to give me a ring if you do come through Nottingham and maybe we could meet up. I could give you my mobile number if you PM'd me sometime. Beowulf is also in this area, so we could maybe have a mini FG 'meet'

I'd quite enjoy that ! Always providing I wasn't away on holiday myself :-3

A definite must before moving down from Nottingham would be to OK the itinerary with the lock keepers en-route and ask their advice. I'm not too sure that BW do a guide to the Trent but the TBA one is highly spoken of as accurate and up to date.

Rough plan is to move off the Nene at the end of May aiming for Barrow or Sileby on the Soar. Then, come mid/late June take her down to Keadby (with a possible side trip to Retford up the Chesterfield), up to Bramwith and down to Goole to get onto the Ouze and Derwent.

Depending on time we'll either stop when we're back onto the canal at Selby or carry on towards Leeds (we'll have about 25 days for this section).

After that we'll weekend her over the Leeds and Liverpool and see how it goes - return to base next year via Manchester and Birmingham.

Meeting up for a cruise through Nottingham sounds a grand idea - wine's in the fridge and food's on the table

G#Gill;1298786 wrote: Is your boat a narrowboat? My Dad and Mum had a narrow boat - 40 ft steel hull, but a glass-fibre cabin. It was called 'Pulsatilla' (an anemone) and built at Penkridge. The picture below is of 'Pulsatilla' with my Dad and Mum aboard, taken by me from the top deck of Tamar Belle as we were passing them going upriver on the Trent, on our way to start our public trips from Trent Bridge. We were just going past Colwick Park.

Is that where you learnt your love of boats? She's a pretty as they come :-6

Guinevere's a fifty foot Pat Buckle and we wouldn't change her for the world :-

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Odie · Post by **Odie** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:15 pm

G#Gill;1298829 wrote: Yes, it's a rather nice bridge! They paint it every 6 or 7 years, and it's colour is mainly turquoise blue/green with gold lines (look like gold leaf, but isn't of course). It's quite a performance as they have to erect scaffolding and platforms, but they have to leave navigation available under the centre arch. The last time it was painted, it took several weeks, and they had to time it so it didn't interfere with various regattas and boat races held on the river during the summer. The bridge is quite spectacular at night because they have spotlights etc to pick it out in the darkness.

stunning Gill, just gorjous!

nice to see them keep it in such grand condition!:-6

I'd love to see it at night.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:14 pm

What a great thread!! I've never managed to get on the canals in the UK, except for the little ferryboat round Camden - but ever since I read the Water Gypsies... ahhhhhh.. Awesome photos too. Gill. Like Bryn says, do the series!!!

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:32 pm

AussiePam;1299066 wrote: What a great thread!! I've never managed to get on the canals in the UK, except for the little ferryboat round Camden - but ever since I read the Water Gypsies... ahhhhhh.. Awesome photos too. Gill. Like Bryn says, do the series!!!

Well it is my intention to give it a go, that's for sure. It will have to wait, though, till we're settled after we have moved (whenever that may be!:rolleyes:). I shall have a bit more time then.

:D

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 5:34 pm

Bryn Mawr;1298942 wrote: Go for it - I'm sure such a series would go down a bomb. With the inside story you could really make it work well.

A definite must before moving down from Nottingham would be to OK the itinerary with the lock keepers en-route and ask their advice. I'm not too sure that BW do a guide to the Trent but the TBA one is highly spoken of as accurate and up to date.

Rough plan is to move off the Nene at the end of May aiming for Barrow or Sileby on the Soar. Then, come mid/late June take her down to Keadby (with a possible side trip to Retford up the Chesterfield), up to Bramwith and down to Goole to get onto the Ouze and Derwent.

Depending on time we'll either stop when we're back onto the canal at Selby or carry on towards Leeds (we'll have about 25 days for this section).

After that we'll weekend her over the Leeds and Liverpool and see how it goes - return to base next year via Manchester and Birmingham.

Meeting up for a cruise through Nottingham sounds a grand idea - wine's in the fridge and food's on the table

Is that where you learnt your love of boats? She's a pretty as they come :-6

Guinevere's a fifty foot Pat Buckle and we wouldn't change her for the world :-

No it was dad who learnt his love of boats from us

Your Guinevere looks delightful, and she's a sensible length to cope with all the inland waterways. No wonder you disappear so often to grab a few days cruising on her !

Sounds like you've got your trip well organised! Had you thought of getting a depth gauge for the tidal waters? Although it is not essential, so long as you take the outside of any bends in the river you should be well away, oh yes you'll go quite fast with the tide !! Be prepared for about 15 knots !

When we were trading, there were several different days when the river would be in spate and whilst it was OK going upriver against the rip, returning back with the current was a different ball game as we had to move through the water faster than the river was running in order to keep steerage. Of course, this looked dramatic from the bank, seeing this large passenger vessel really tanking it up down the river ! On one of these occasions we received a letter from Hull, where there is a main Admiralty office that deals with commercial river craft ( it was obviously sent to all commercial passenger boat owners, but we think it was aimed at us – due to the timing of the letter), it would seem that somebody had seen the spectacle of our super-fast charter boat flying down the river at a hellova rate of knots and wrote a letter of concern to Hull. It was a warning to be mindful of speeding on the river! We did send a letter of explanation, and this was accepted.

Tamar Belle had a Gardner diesel in the engine room, capable of punching tides, as the boat spent a few years as an estuary ferry boat on the River Tamar at the beginning of her life in the 1930s, although the Gardner was not the original engine, it was in fact a lot more powerful than the original. The original engine had been replaced while she was doing service on the River Thames after the war. The Gardner was the Rolls Royce of marine engines, and drew many oohs and aahs from all who saw it sitting in the engine room, gleaming¦¦¦¦ and large!

Bye the way, Tamar Belle is a Dunkirk Little Ship, and proudly wears a brass plaque referring to her involvement with personally rescuing many hundreds of allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk.

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Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 7:16 am

G#Gill;1300987 wrote: No it was dad who learnt his love of boats from us

Your Guinevere looks delightful, and she's a sensible length to cope with all the inland waterways. No wonder you disappear so often to grab a few days cruising on her !

Sounds like you've got your trip well organised! Had you thought of getting a depth gauge for the tidal waters? Although it is not essential, so long as you take the outside of any bends in the river you should be well away, oh yes you'll go quite fast with the tide !! Be prepared for about 15 knots !

When we were trading, there were several different days when the river would be in spate and whilst it was OK going upriver against the rip, returning back with the current was a different ball game as we had to move through the water faster than the river was running in order to keep steerage. Of course, this looked dramatic from the bank, seeing this large passenger vessel really tanking it up down the river ! On one of these occasions we received a letter from Hull, where there is a main Admiralty office that deals with commercial river craft ( it was obviously sent to all commercial passenger boat owners, but we think it was aimed at us – due to the timing of the letter), it would seem that somebody had seen the spectacle of our super-fast charter boat flying down the river at a hellova rate of knots and wrote a letter of concern to Hull. It was a warning to be mindful of speeding on the river! We did send a letter of explanation, and this was accepted.

Tamar Belle had a Gardner diesel in the engine room, capable of punching tides, as the boat spent a few years as an estuary ferry boat on the River Tamar at the beginning of her life in the 1930s, although the Gardner was not the original engine, it was in fact a lot more powerful than the original. The original engine had been replaced while she was doing service on the River Thames after the war. The Gardner was the Rolls Royce of marine engines, and drew many oohs and aahs from all who saw it sitting in the engine room, gleaming¦¦¦¦ and large!

Bye the way, Tamar Belle is a Dunkirk Little Ship, and proudly wears a brass plaque referring to her involvement with personally rescuing many hundreds of allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk.

Any Dunkirk Little Ship deserves respect, one that's still seeing service doubly so. You must have been proud of her.

It's always been crazy having the limit as speed over land rather than speed over water - keeping to the limit punching the flow gives a far worse wash than speeding going downstream.

The Gardners we fine engines - look beautiful and do a magnificent job but surely the king of the narrowboat engines was the Bollinder. Might not have been as reliable but the sound could never be equalled