Foggy
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Ketchup wanker
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« on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 07:35:12 » |
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Anyone done one, ive booked a 68ft barge from Devizes to cruise to Bath and back, stopping at a few pubs in between. How difficult are the locks to operate?
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Sad to say, i must be on my way
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ronnie21
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The Mighty Hankerton
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« Reply #1 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 07:36:37 » |
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How long is the holiday for Foggy? Never done it myself, been on the Broads a few times, no locks there though!
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Bennett
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« Reply #2 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 07:36:42 » |
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lucien sanchez is your man for this!
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This is the water.
And this is the well.
Drink full and descend.
The horse is the white of the eyes and dark within.
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LucienSanchez
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Is this hospital called St. Croc of Shit?!
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« Reply #3 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 07:52:36 » |
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The locks are operated by lock keepers until about 8pm in the summer... all you have to do is master pulling up prior to th lock, waiting your turn, steering it in, and exiting it without hitting too much wall. It's pretty simple after the first one.
After 8, you're on your own, and 6 fairly stupid drunk lads in their mid-twenties, with no lock experience managed it pretty easily... was a proud moment.
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We made a promise we swore we'd always remember... no retreat, baby, no surrender
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Foggy
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Ketchup wanker
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« Reply #4 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 07:53:41 » |
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How long is the holiday for Foggy? Never done it myself, been on the Broads a few times, no locks there though!
5 days mate, hoping for plenty of sunshine so i can sit up top and watch the world go by at 3mph..lovely |
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suttonred
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« Reply #5 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 08:21:04 » |
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I did the Stourport ring years back, and you do your own there, pretty easy really, one even pretty weedy person can operate them. Make sure you do your desired distances in lock miles though, as some can get busy and you can hang around for ages, particularly as you are only about 6 foot under maximum, so doubt if there will be any doubling up in the locks.
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nevillew
Tripping the light puntastic
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« Reply #6 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 08:24:16 » |
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Fogster, Are you starting In Devizes itself ? Going up and down Caen hill locks will take ages ! http://www.waterscape.com/in-your-area/wiltshire/places-to-go/86/caen-hill-locksPlenty of good canalside pubs though. The only advice I would give is to get a boat with more berths than is needed, as space can be limited. |
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Paolo Di Canio, it's Paolo Di Canio
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Foggy
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Ketchup wanker
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« Reply #7 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 08:34:36 » |
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Going from Devizes to Bath so we miss the Caen Hill system, The boat is a 9 berth and we have 5 people going so there should be plenty of room. The first stop is the Barge at Seend.
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Sad to say, i must be on my way
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nevillew
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« Reply #8 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 08:36:13 » |
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Going from Devizes to Bath so we miss the Caen Hill system, The boat is a 9 berth and we have 5 people going so there should be plenty of room. The first stop is the Barge at Seend.
Only if you start at the bottom of Caen Hill, I think you'll find. I don't know where the holiday rentals start from, but I kind of assumed it was Devizes Wharf. Apologies if that's wrong. |
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Paolo Di Canio, it's Paolo Di Canio
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Phil_S
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Who changed my Avatar ?!
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« Reply #9 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 11:11:29 » |
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Always fancied a weeks piss up on the water. Canal seems ideal as you shouldn't need to do much navigating.
As fot the locks, don't worry. Use the time to get pissed, then some nice people might help you (if they are in the queue behind you
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From the Dark Side
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Cookie
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« Reply #10 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 11:14:57 » |
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Just got back from a weekend on the river Wey between Guildford and Weybridge. The locks are fairly simple it's the parking the boat in the lock which is the tricky part.
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horlock07
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Lives in Northern Bastard Outpost
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« Reply #11 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 11:21:15 » |
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Sounds good, when we did it on the broads we had about 10 people on a 5 berth boat, that was about 10 years ago and a couple of the lads are still not talking after that - it got a bit heated!!
Locks are simple enough although be careful to not let the water in too quickly and watch out for the cills, generally its a very pleasant way to spend a week just dont't try to rush anywhere - but then again I would have to say that as I work for British Waterways!!
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Arriba
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« Reply #12 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 11:34:41 » |
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when my youngest is a bit older i'm deffo gonna do this type of holiday
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axs
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« Reply #13 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 16:16:20 » |
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Been on a few of these, 72' is the max length, and then make sure you are against the front (lower end) of the lock as there is a sill at the back you can ground out on.
Locks are easy - only open one set of paddles at a time and you can't really go wrong.
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oxford_fan
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« Reply #14 on: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 18:40:41 » |
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Sounds like an ace holiday
Is it legal to operate a boat whilst intoxicated? I guess a stretch barge has a pretty limited top speed
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