Tag: Gentian

Vlog 383A: Tow’s Company

Posted on November 19, 2025 by David Johns

We launch into the final stages of my trip bringing narrowboat Gentian down from Lincoln to the East Midlands, here departing Springwood Haven marina and heading for Brinklow, pausing at Hawkesbury Junction.

Vlog 381B: A Spring in my Step

Posted on October 29, 2025 by David Johns

Continuing my journey aboard my narrowboat, this time from Polesworth down to Springwood Haven marina, where it would remain for a further three weeks before I was able to move it again. On the way, I went through the 11-lock Atherstone lock flight, with surprising ease due to help from lockies and fellow boaters.

Vlog 381A: Polepole

Posted on October 19, 2025 by David Johns

As part of my ongoing journey bringing narrowboat Gentian down from Lincoln to the Midlands over the summer, I had stopped at Kings Orchard marina in Lichfield. The next step was to take it to Springwood Haven marina near Nuneaton so in this video I begin this leg, getting as far as Polesworth, and sharing a (narrow) lock with another tiny narrowboat on the way.

Vlog 379B: Country Roads

Posted on October 1, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

This is a further continuation of my journey taking narrowboat Gentian from where I bought it down to the Midlands where it will be moored for the foreseeable future. Here I go from Alrewas to Kings Orchard marina, managing to let the boat crash forwards in a turbulent lock through not paying attention.

Vlog 379A: And Mondays

Posted on September 20, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

We return to the journey of narrowboat Gentian in this episode, documenting the trip from Mercia Marina down to the village of Alrewas – and it rained, a lot, on the way.

Vlog 374: Tide Up

Posted on July 9, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

Back in April, I began the slow process of moving my recently-purchased narrowboat from Burton Waters marina near Lincoln, down to the East Midlands. This video is Step 1 of that journey.

A narrowboat moored at Torksey visitor moorings.

Vlog 366: Tork Steer

Posted on April 20, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

For the second cruise on my ‘new’ tiny narrowboat, Gentian, I turned right out of the marina and headed about 7 miles west along the Fossdyke Navigation until I got to Torksey lock where I stopped for the night before heading back. In this video I also reveal the mystery of how to change the lightbulbs!

Vlog 364: Water, water everywhere

Posted on March 30, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

The day before I went on my first cruise on NB Gentian (see the link for that video below), I pottered around the boat doing a variety of odd jobs as this was only the second weekend I’d spent aboard since buying the boat so there was still lots to finesse to my liking. This is the document of that day.

Vlog 363: The Lincs Effect

Posted on March 22, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

At last, on my second weekend aboard the boat since purchasing it, I had a sunny day and the time to take it out for a short “test cruise” to see how it went along. I turned left from Burton Waters marina and went the two miles to Lincoln whereupon I turned around and came back. It was a glorious trip!

Vlog 362: Chores for Thought

Posted on March 10, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

Recorded on Feb 1st & 2nd when it was still very chilly, this was my first full weekend spent aboard the boat and only my second visit since purchase. As you can imagine, I had lots of things to sort out from a new propane cylinder to new mooring lines and many other miscellaneous jobs.

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