Safety & security aboard a canal boat
Let us turn to the final aspect of canal life that needs addressing and that is one of security and crime. Sometimes the canals can seem dark and threatening, and
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How to operate canal locks solo
Doing a lock on your own is the same process as doing it with crew but you need to do everything yourself so the steps are modified thus: 1. When
Continue readingCanal locks: an overview
Because canals were man-made and created to cross the landscape, they inevitably had to deal with changes in the height of the land: hills, valleys and so on. You might
Continue readingUsing your canal boat on rivers
When I first took my boat on a river, it was a scary experience. Whereas canals are shallow and (mostly) have no flow – so even an engine failure isn’t
Continue readingTypes of canal boat
Narrowboats When you think of a canal boat, most people (in the UK at least) would bring to mind a traditional narrowboat. Definitely not to be referred to as a
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Vlog 286: Click and Collect
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.
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Vlog 262: Bovine Intervention
Coventry Canal and the North Oxford canal. Includes an encounter with a cow.
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Vlog 240: Much Ado About Locking
Whether you’re a solo narrowboater or have plenty of crew aboard, there’s no doubt that at busy and long canal lock flights, a team of helpful volunteer lock-keepers can be a blessing to help you through. I spent a couple of days at Fradley Junction near Lichfield, talking to the volunteers as they prepare for the new boating season, and they explained what they do and why they do it.
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Vlog 197: Hoping for Angels
Pressing on from the mooring at LMH – see last vlog – I unexpectedly stop early for a week when the Bosley lock flight is closed due to a leak in the canal at the top. Once it’s re-opened, I go up the flight in a pretty good time, all things considered, despite the peculiar “dual top gate” installation on these locks.
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Vlog 148: Lock ‘n’ Roll
Continuing my Autumn 2018 cruise down the Grand Union canal, I head from near Slapton lock to Marsworth, going through about nine locks and one swing bridge in the process. A lovely – but long (ish) day.
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