Plans for 2010

Well the plans for 2010 seem to be coming together with two crossings of the Peninnes in the making.

Starting off in May from the new mooring in Leeds to travel up the Calder and Hebble and over the Rochdale canal to Manchester.

Much reading of various guides and blogs seem to indicate that it is possible to get a 60ft boat through the 57ft6 broad locks on the Calder and Hebble and the Huddersfield Broad, with the pinch point being the two upper locks at Salterhebble. The planning therfore includes these locks on the outward journey rather than risking a 3 week round trip to find that we have to go all the way back !

The Return trip is planned via the Huddersfield Narrow and Broad Canals including Standedge tunnel in late July. It will be interesting to go through the tunnel on electric power !

In between I have booked into the Rolt Centenary rally at Chester in June. One way and another Rolt has had quite an impact on my life as for many years I was heavily involved with the Talyllyn Railway and for some time with the Festiniog Railway neither of which would exist if it was not for Tom Rolts' pionering work to preserve the Talyllyn, to say nothing of his legacy in preserving the UK canal network.

So if you see us out and about say hi, and you want a look around just ask :)

First year of Hybrid Cruising

Well thats the major cruising over for this year, with work and other commitments we will be reduced to the occasional weekend.

So far this year we have done over 400 hours ( approximately 80 days) cruising with around half of it being on electric drive, so now its time to take stock and review some of the data collected over the year to pull together some conclusions on the Hybrid and its practical use on a real boat.

One last bit of work is needed to measure the fuel consumption figures and work out how much the hybrid affects the consumption.

I will post some more data on the web site proper for those who are interested

Day 7 Castleford to Leeds

Sawley to Leeds Day 7 Castleford to Leeds

On our way about 10:00 this morning, through the Castleford Floor lock and onto the River Aire. Another broad deep navigation. mid morning we arrive at the huge Lemonroyd lock followed by several smaller locks on the final climb into Leeds.
By mid afternoon we arrive at our final lock, Leeds Lock, and then turn into Clarence Dock and after some interesting manoeuvring in the wind reverse into the Mooring.
Most of the crew leave to get the train home with only 2 of us left to sample the Mumtaz restaurant on the dock side.
On monday morning I meet up with the Moorings coordinator then clean and sort out the boat to leave it and get the train home.

Day 6 Sykehouse to Castleford

Sawley to Leeds Day 6 Sykehouse to Castleford

We were woken this morning by passing boats at 07:00 so after breakfast we set off about 09:00 passing the final lift bridge on the New Junction Canal and arriving at the Junction with the Aire & Calder around 10:00.
The Navigation here is broad and deep with a couple of motorised locks to Navigate on our way past the major power station at Eggborough. We stopped briefly in Knottingley for a pint at the Steam packet before continuing to Castleford for our overnight mooring.
At Castleford we are joined by two weekend crew and have a roast dinner on the bank.

Day 5 Crowle to Sykehouse

Sawley to Leeds Day 5 Crowle to Sykehouse

A slow pootle on the electric drive to Thorne to stop at Thorne Boat services to repair the weed hatch (see previous post). We stopped and went to the Canal Tavern for lunch.
While at Thorne we also topped up with diesel and visited the chandlery.
After lunch we headed off towards Bramworth lock one of the few ramaining manual locks on this trip. At Bramworth junction we turn right into the New Junction canal and over the Don aquaduct.
Half way along the New Junction canal we locked through the enormous Sykehouse lock then found a quiet streech to moor up for the night. Dinner on the boat tonight.

Bang crash wallop rattle

As we were coming down the Trent we heard some rattling and banging from the engine room, but being on the tidal Trent stopping was not really an option, so lifting the engine boards we could find nothing wrong and so continued to Torksey.
As we left the lock under electric power and the banging got much worse so we pulled in again. We could not find the problem so started off once again, after passing through the sliding railway bridge we managed to diagnose that the noise was coming from under the weed hatch, but as long as we kept the speed down to around 2mph we could continue without problem.

When we stopped at Crowle we removed the weed hatch cover and the problem became clear, the splash plate had broken where it attaches to the support.

After removing the broken plate we could continue at reasonable speed though still had problems at full power. A call to River Canal Rescue arranged for Thorne boat services to repair the broken weed hatch when we arrived, plus add some extra straps to the sides to stifen it and prevent further problems.

Day 4 Torksey to Crowle

Sawley to Leeds Day4 Torsey - Crowle

The Tide today passes Torksey at lunch time and we have been advised to start our journey downstream at 12:30. Overnight there were just the two boats on the pontoon, but during the morning several boats travel downstream from Cromwell on the ebb and either join us or lock through onto the Fossdyke.
Around 11:00 a lock full off boats comes down off the Fossdyke to catch the flood tide upstream. We also get a small floatilla of boats coming upstream from Keadby and West Stockworth, including one extremely large commercial vessel consisting of several dumb barges and a tug.
Finally it is our turn to depart and 4 narrowboats exit onto the Trent and turn downstream.
For once today the Hybrid drive is turned off, as we have almost full batteries from the trip down from Newark, and we will be motoring at engine speeds faster than the hybrid is designed for. Battery charging will be looked after by the alternators on the engine.
Once we get under way we settle down to cruise at 2000rpm initially making 5-6Kmh as we fight the last of the flood, then as the ebb starts to take effect this rises to around 10-12Kmh. The cruise takes just over four and a half hours arriving at Keadby for just after 5pm.
We are the second boat into the lock and manage to catch the sand bar at the lock mouth as we go in which results in us hitting the side wall end on, minor damage to some glassware results. The last boat in, having watched the first two manages to get in without touching the sides.
Once we are all in the lock it is filled and we join a further three boats waiting between the lock and the road bridge, once we are all ready the road bridge is swung and we move through onto the Canal. After a brief stop at the service point we continue through the Sliding railway bridge to an overnight mooring at Crowle.