Category: Other Canal Topics

Vlog 294: Ship’s Getting Real

Posted on April 15, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

A return visit to ML1392 Sarinda on the Wirral to see how Simon and Gemma are getting on with their painstaking restoration of this historic ship.

Vlog 293: Amped Up

Posted on April 4, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

An all-electric narrowboat is now available for hire by the day so it’s a low-cost way to test the waters of near-silent narrowboating and leave no air pollution in your wake.

Vlog 292: Q & A

Posted on March 26, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

This is a much-requested fireside chat video where I sit and chat for nearly half an hour, answering questions posed to me by viewers.

Vlog 291A: The Rum Wench

Posted on March 5, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

I spent a day aboard The Pirate Boat with Captain Heidi; this is part 1 of two videos where we tour her boat and chat about her life afloat.

‘Live’ broadcast at Boat Life Live

Posted on February 21, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

A replay of my live broadcast from “Boat Life Live” at the NEC.

Vlog 289: Gunwales & Roses

Posted on February 6, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

Paintings of roses and castles are about as traditional on the canals of Britain as it’s possible to be – but why? Why roses? And castles? And how do you paint them? I went to see a artist and historian Kay Andrews on her boat as as well as Penny Arscott, Manager of Foxton Locks Museum to find out.

Vlog 288: Supermodel

Posted on January 27, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

Here is an actual – albeit scale model – railway line and even a canal within the hold of a narrowboat on the canal.

Vlog 287: Muddy Waters

Posted on January 17, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

If you’ve ever felt your canal boat scrape on the bottom of the canal and wish more dredging was done by the Canal & River Trust, here’s an explainer of how dredging is done, why it’s so expensive and why they can’t do more of it.

Vlog 286: Click and Collect

Posted on January 7, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

For single-handed canal boaters, shimmying up and down lock ladders or trying to get through swing bridges can be a huge nuisance. How much easier it would be if you could steer your boat with remote control! That’s exactly what Gill Gregory can do aboard “Desiderata” so I went to see the system in action.

Vlog 284: Santa, Baby

Posted on November 25, 2022February 24, 2024 by David Johns

A guide to some of the very many gifts you can buy from narrowboaters, hand-made or designed on their narrowboats on the canals of the UK.