Who does what...

I am geting old and cynical and now it seems I'm also a bit confused. I am confused and flummoxed in trying to understand exactly what CART are trying to do or supposed to do.

What exactly is the role of CART?

Now I might be a bit old fashioned in my way of thinking. Maybe I'm missing something. But. the latest group of wheeze's to get to our money has me a bit stumped...

• I am talking about: Owls - Send a text to CART and give them £3 to protect the owls!
• I am talking about: Bats - Send a text to CART and give them £3 to protect the bats!
• I am talking about: Trees - Send a text to CART and give them £3 to plant more trees!
• I am talking about: Trail  - Send a text to CART and give them £3 to protect the trans Pennine nature trail from flooding!

If I wanted to protect birds such as Owls I could join and/or  give a donation to the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) I want CART to protect the Canals and Rivers. Concentrate on the Rivers and Canals don't try to take funding that could go to other charitable groups who specialise in protecting Birds. It's like CART do not give two hoots!

I am a member of the RSPB. Click Here to find out what the RSPB do.

If I wanted to protect Bats, I could join and/or give a donation to to BCT (The Bat Conservation Trust) I want CART to protect the canals and Rivers. Concentrate on the Rivers and Canals don't try to take funding that could go to other charitable groups who specialise in protecting Bats. CART must be all of a flutter with this one.

I am a member of the BCT. Click Here to find out what BCT do!

If I wanted CART to take action on trees, it would be to remove or prune the trees overhanging the waterways. The ones that restrict sigting lines in bridge holes and on corners. The ones that lean over canals at crazy angles. I don't want CART planting even more trees on the banks or in boats. The Forestry Commission plant over 24 million trees every year.  I want CART to protect the Canals and Rivers. Concentrate on the Rivers and Canals don't try to take on the role of the Forestry Commission who specialise in this role. The Forestry Commission even provide grants to encourage tree planting. Are CART branching out?

Click Here to find out what the Forestry Commission do. 

There are hundreds of miles of towpath that cyclists, ramblers and other such groups have access to. I feel it should be those groups who raise funds and organise the repair and upkeep of the Trans Pennine Nature Trail. I want CART to protect the Canals and Rivers. Concentrate on the Rivers and Canals don't try to take on the role of the Ramblers Association who can and do specialise in this sort of role. You can't walk all over the ramblers!

Click Here to find out what the Ramblers Association do!

The air in Ivory towers must be so rarefied that the CART council should think that they can assimilate all these different roles.  Concentrate on the Rivers and Canals don't try to take on the role of other well established groups who have a long history of sucess at doing what they do.

Hello up there... Anyone at home.... Wake up... Smell the coffee!

I have created a poll that will run between now and the 1st of January 2013. It's not very scientific. Its a simple question "Will CART Succeed". You have three choices Yes, Unsure and No. Now you can vote for one of the three choices. If you change your mind before the poll closing date. You can come back and change your vote. (I wish we could do that for politicians) You will find the poll option on the right hand side just below the members pictures.

Later...

The Big One (25-4)

Sunday the 30th of September 2012

Sykehouse Junction.

It's intended to be a very quiet day for us, well apart from the clay pigeon shooting that is going on nearby. Nb Toby who was here overnight has departed for their home moorings at Huddersfield. A cold wind and overcast sky threated a miserable day. However, the rain did not arrive but the weather did not improve. A few boats passed during the day with everyone wrapped up warm against the cold wind.

A day for catching up on my backlog of reading on the Kindle. Mixed in with a bit of sport watching on TV. So Moto GP, Ryder Cup Golf, Rugby League semi finals and Match of the Day to come later. 

The IWA have issued a Memorandum of Understanding that they have established with CART. So there is another group hanging on to the sinking ship that is CART. Robert Aickman to Tom Rolt must be revolving at high speed in their graves. The IWA has sold the one family jewel on which it was built, total independence. 

Tonights Sunset

This Months Solar Panel Data

Average 25.1 Ah per day  High 53Ah Low 04Ah

I have created a poll that will run between now and the 1st of January 2013. It's not very scientific. Its a simple question "Will CART Succeed". You have three choices Yes, Unsure and No. Now you can vote for one of the three choices. If you change your mind before the poll closing date. You can come back and change your vote. (I wish we could do that for politicians) You will find the poll option on the right hand side just below the members pictures.

Daily Total
Miles: 0.0
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 0.0

Accumulated Totals

Miles: 1285.5
Locks: 866
Swing / Lift Bridges: 161
Tunnels. 22
Pump Outs: 14
Engine Hours: 2455.0

Later...

The Big One (25-3)

Saturday the 29th of September 2012

Sykehouse Junction.

The clouds cleared away in the night and the temperature fell like a stone. Poppy wanted to go out in the night and even against the backdrop of a full moon, the stars were shining bright. I had forgotten just how dark it gets here at Sykehouse Junction. It always comes as a surprise how good the view of the night sky can be without any nearby light pollution. So whilst poppy did her thing, I was looking up at the night sky. If it had not been for getting out of a nice warm bed. I might have been tempted into stayed up a bit longer.

Then a Tawny Owl started calling so as I zipped up the pram cover, I did stop for a little while to listen. After a while it was clear that there were three birds calling, two others were very feint and somewhere off in the distance. This was followed by some Geese in the nearby fields having a bit of a verbal dispute. Then we were passed by what appeared to be an empty trip boat going at some speed. By the time I got back into bed I was quite chilled - but it was worth it.

The nearby fields are still flooded and seem to have changed little since we were last here in the spring. The clay pigeon shooting continues a pace and can be a bit noisy depending on the wind direction. We had a visit from Steph whilst we were in Goole. As an environmental consultant working for a large multi-national company. Steph just happened to be doing an environmental study around this area in the direction of Pollington lock. This meant she was working late at night. However the wet weather was doing its best to dampen her spirit!

Shaggy Inkcap

Sunrise was quite a bright one as there was not a single cloud in the sky. The wind has built up a bit overnight. After breakfast we took the dogs for a walk along the towpath. 


The autumn is here as are the good, the bad and the fungi! We spotted what we believe to be a fine specimen of the "Shaggy Inkcap" Mushroom. Standing about 150mm high and about 40mm at the base of the fruiting head.

We also spotted another mushroom whose identity we have not established yet. Possibly one of the "Conocybe" mushrooms and is about 30mm across the fruiting head and stands about 50mm high. 

Wildlife: The best spot today was a Jay that spent about half an hour at the side of the boat feeding on stuff in the grass. My guess is that like the Green Woodpecker it may have been feeding upon ants. There are several Oak trees here so acorns would also be on the list.

I have created a poll that will run between now and the 1st of January 2013. It's not very scientific. Its a simple question "Will CART Succeed". You have three choices Yes, Unsure and No. Now you can vote for one of the three choices. If you change your mind before the poll closing date. You can come back and change your vote. (I wish we could do that for politicians) You will find the poll option on the right hand side just below the members pictures.

Daily Total
Miles: 0.0
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 0.0

Accumulated Totals

Miles: 1291.7
Locks: 866
Swing / Lift Bridges: 161
Tunnels. 22
Pump Outs: 14
Engine Hours: 2468.7

Later....

You Are Joking!

Apart from the small canal preservation groups making appeals for funding to make repairs. For the first time in living memory a public appeal has been made to pay for repairs to an Inland Waterway. The repairs are to the breach at Dutton Hollow on the Trent & Mersey Canal.

CART admits it has enough funds set asside to pay for the repairs to be made. But it does not want to spend that money. CART wants people like me and you to pay for it for a second time. There I was thinking that's what the licence fee was all about.

Well I for one would not give any money. What CART should do, is take all the perks enjoyed by the senior managers, all the money spent on lock poems, all the money spent on boats full of trees, all the money spent on bunting, all the money spent on unwanted square bollards etc. Then use that to fund the repairs. 

Then come back later and ask the boaters if we want to put our hands in our pockets to pay for the bollards, the managers perks, the bunting, the poems and the boats full of trees.

I have created a poll that will run between now and the 1st of January 2013. It's not very scientific. Its a simple question "Will CART Succeed". You have three choices Yes, Unsure and No. Now you can vote for one of the three choices. If you change your mind before the poll closing date. You can come back and change your vote. (I wish we could do that for politicians) You will find the poll option on the right hand side just below the members pictures.

Later....

Battery woes!

I had an interesting chat with someone who was disposing of a large leisure type battery in a skip. My first comment was "why don't you take it down to your local scrap merchant as they will give you a few quid for it. It will help to offset the cost of a replacement battery." Then I had a thought, I said is this your only leisure battery or is it part of a leisure battery bank. Doing a pick and mix with leisure batteries that are different ages is not a good idea. 

It turns out to be a small boat with just a single battery. However, the battery has to be replaced every year or so. We continued with our chat and I went on to explain that the life of a battery is controlled by the number of discharge cycles and how deep the discharge is.

Lets suppose that we have three identical boats. The example given below is by way of illustration only. There are many other factors that can effect the performance. 

In boat (1) a battery is usually discharged down to 25% of its capacity in ampere hours and then recharged.  The battery in boat (1) might give a hundred charge and discharge cycles before reaching the end of its useful life 

However boat number (2) only ever discharges the battery down to 50% of its ampere hours before recharging. The battery in boat (2) would give a larger number of charge and discharge cycles lets say for this example three hundred and fifty cycles before reaching the end of its useful life 

At the same time boat number (3) only ever lets the battery discharge to the 75% capacity point before recharging the battery.However the battery in boat (3) might give nine hundred charge discharge cycles before reaching the end of its useful life.

In other words the deeper the battery is discharged the less charge and discharge cycles the battery will perform before reaching the end of its useful life. I also explained that the longer a battery is left in a discharged state before being recharged the number of charge and discharge cycles will fall even more.

My new found friend explained that the battery does not go through many charge discharge cycles in a year. It seems that when the boat in question is left in the marina, it is left on charge at all times. So I asked what kind of charger he used. It turned out to be a car battery charger. This then rang another alarm bell with me. 

So armed with my trusty multi-meter we went for a look. There it was a brand new 80ah battery. Attached to the engine alternator in the usual way. It also had the automotive battery charger attached with a couple of uninsulated crocodile clips that they come supplied with.

First thing is, for doing the odd charge crocodile clips are fine. For leaving a battery on charge for long periods its better to use a more secure quick release fittings to attach the charger. I use IDE "Y" power cables which I adapt for use. The female connector is attached to the battery. They are available at most computer stores for a few pounds.

When I looked at the charger it was very basic. It had an un-calibrated voltmeter to measure the voltage. However, the meter display was a needle against a coloured background going from red at one end to yellow in the middle to green at the other end.

In the words of David Dickinson, this charger was "as cheap as chips" obtained a few years previously at a car boot sale! Of unknown vintage but good for occasional use to charge your car battery when it's been flattened by leaving the lights on overnight.

It was however, the worst battery charger in the world for leaving connected to a battery for long periods.

The charger consist of a unregulated output that would deliver seven or eight amps in the usual thirteen to fourteen volt charging range. However when the battery starts to reach its full charge capacity and the current starts to taper off, the charging voltage will rise. 

Because there is no ammeter on the charger only a simplistic colour scale measured against the battery voltage. There is nothing to give any indication of the true state of charge.

The battery is also at risk of over charging and not undercharging. Now, you will often hear the phrase "trickle charge" (provide a maintenance charge) and most people assume that any battery charger will also trickle charge  a battery. 

Good quality battery chargers have a regulated output and the way the charger performs depends upon the state of charge of the battery. As the battery nears full capacity and the current tapers off. A regulated charger will also limit the voltage so that the battery is not over charged. 

All batteries have a point where the charge causes "gassing" there is no single point at which this occurs. It varies depending on the different type of battery and the temperature of  the battery. By way of illustration, gassing in a sealed lead acid battery as rule of thumb would be at around 14.2 volts or higher. When the battery is almost fully charged and in typical ambient temperatures we have in the uk. 

The battery charger colour gradient meter was almost at the top of the green scale. Indicating to any lay person that the battery was almost fully charged. When I measured the battery voltage with the charger connected the voltage was 17.5 volts! When I measured the battery charger output when not charging the voltage was 18.3 volts!

I suggested that the battery charger should be chucked in the skip with the old battery and replaced with a better quality one. It would work out much cheaper than a new battery every year.

* Gassing occurs by electrolysis of the water used to make up the battery acid. This is not a problem with non sealed batteries as long as you check the battery acid level periodically and top it up with distilled water whenever needed. Sealed lead acid batteries cannot be topped up with water lost through electrolysis. Modern sealed lead acid batteries can recycle the gasses produced to prevent damage to the battery as long as the charge rate is slow.

Later...

The Big One (25-2)

Friday the 28th of September 2012

Dutch Riverside to Sykehouse Junction

A bit of a lay in today we were not up and about until 9:30. I started to get the boat ready to move. First it was a fill up of the water tank which had become quite low. Then to fill up the diesel tank at Goole Boathouse Marina. I saw that there was a boat moored on the fuel point. I had a word with them and asked if they would move a bit further down so that I could get onto the fuel point. I said I would be about half an hour before I needed to move to the fuel point. 

I was amazed when I got a point blank refusal. The excuse used was that they were waiting for someone to repair the boat. There was easily enough room for two boats in front. There was no problem with the boats engine which was running and the prop was in forward. I was in no mood for a confrontation - life is a bit to short for that. One of the boaters in the marina said that the same boat had spent most of last winter moored in the same place. With an "engine" problem. So the marina missed the chance to sell about 100 litres of diesel. C'est la vie!

We paid a visit to a couple of apple trees and a pear tree that we knew about alongside the canal. However we were disappointed as the fruit was in poor condition this year. So we gave a miss to any chance of a slice of home made apple pie. 

Just after 6pm some boating friends we keep bumping into turned up on their boat Mary A. Last time we saw them was down in Birmingham at Gas Street Basin. Like us one of their favourite stopping places is Sykehouse Junction.

Tonight's Sunset

I have created a poll that will run between now and the 1st of January 2013. It's not very scientific. Its a simple question "Will CART Succeed". You have three choices Yes, Unsure and No. Now you can vote for one of the three choices. If you change your mind before the poll closing date. You can come back and change your vote. (I wish we could do that for politicians) You will find the poll option on the right hand side just below the members pictures.

Daily Total
Miles: 6.2
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 1.7

Accumulated Totals

Miles: 1291.7
Locks: 866
Swing / Lift Bridges: 161
Tunnels. 22
Pump Outs: 14
Engine Hours: 2468.7

Later....

The Big One (25-1)

Thursday the 27th of September 2012

Dutch Riverside

This morning was just like a spring morning. I was minded of those cold morning with a clear watery sky. The ones we look forward to after the dark winter mornings. With the sun low to the horizon.

Gravel barge Fossdale H seemed to take on water again overnight. However the pumps soon brought her back up once more with her gunwales well clear of the water surface. At one point the name painted on the bow was under water. The pump is still pushing water over the side in a bid to keep her afloat. The pipe can be seen hanging over the side.

I suppose she is here waiting for the swollen rivers Aire and Calder to subside to more normal levels. She left her berth late in the afternoon and headed up the navigation.

Taking advantage of the rain, I finally paid a visit to the Yorkshire Waterways Museum and I thoroughly enjoyed the visit. There were a few very poignant and thought provoking exhibits on display. It is one of those tactile exhibitions where the majority of items are not behind glass. I spent so long looking and learning that I forgot to return for lunch. The Memsahib had to summon me by telephone!

The grass cutting crew have arrived - must keep an eye on them as last time we were moored up just here we has a window broken and the boat covered in grass!

The on-line version of "The Press" carries the following request from York City Council "The Crematorium is open, and customers are asked to use Bishopthrope Road/Past Terrys." It's my guess than most of the customers will not care one way or the other.

Up the Ouse at Naburn Lock the river has reached a new record level of 4.2 metres.  EA Recorder Naburn (River Ouse)

Tonight's Sunset

I have created a poll that will run between now and the 1st of January 2013. It's not very scientific. Its a simple question "Will CART Succeed". You have three choices Yes, Unsure and No. Now you can vote for one of the three choices. If you change your mind before the poll closing date. You can come back and change your vote. (I wish we could do that for politicians) You will find the poll option on the right hand side just below the members pictures.

Daily Total
Miles: 0.0
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 0.0

Accumulated Totals

Miles: 1285.5
Locks: 866
Swing / Lift Bridges: 161
Tunnels. 22
Pump Outs: 14
Engine Hours: 2467.0

Later...

1000 days!

Today is is something of an anniversary. It is exactly 1000 days and some 900 plus postings, since the start of this blog. In that time, many changes have taken place. We have found our ideal boat. We have both retired from working in higher education. We have started to spend more time on the boat and less time ashore! 

I can't help but wonder what the next 1000 days will bring.

I must be doing something that attracts people to come back to the blog. 77,000 viewings and counting. It does not seem all that long ago that I was commenting on the 10,000 viewing. Looking back over the last year or so I have spread the main topic (narrow-boats) to include more personal observations on life. That I think is the key. There are a whole raft of BBC types (Boat Blogger's Club) who are covering the subject. I am just one amongst the many. I do however frequently wander off the beaten track then share my thoughts with you all. 

Humour is a big part of my make up as I enjoy a good laugh at my expense or yours. I think and hope that this is reflected in my blog. I have made a more concerted effort to vary the content a bit. Boating as a subject has plenty of people who are blogging about their day-to-day activities. For me I changed the content to offer more observations on life and at the same time injecting a large dose of wry humour and satire along the way. Being a technological nerd with a sense of humour is breaking away from the traditional stereotype of the twelve pen shirt pocket.

We are now drawing towards the end of our cruise for this year. A couple of weeks will see us back at our home mooring once more. We have many tales to tell of our experiences and adventures. Now, it's time to start planning for next year. I also have to start planning the upgrades and changes that I need to do to Rosie. Starting with a full service and a few jobs that have been allowed to hang over from last year.

I have created a poll that will run between now and the 1st of January 2013. It's not very scientific. Its a simple question "Will CART Succeed". You have three choices Yes, Unsure and No. Now you can vote for one of the three choices. If you change your mind before the poll closing date. You can come back and change your vote. (I wish we could do that for politicians) You will find the poll option on the right hand side just below the members pictures.

Later....

The Big One (24-7)

Wednesday the 26th of September 2012

Dutch Riverside

More rain overnight and some more showers during the day.

I started on a job that has needed doing for a while. I found that the adjustment of the second alternator belt had reached its limit. The cost of a Beta belt was quite significant. So I removed the belt and looked for any identification numbers. 6K2041 was the only number I could find. 

I rang around the usual places and found a supply of the belts in Goole. £10.50 per belt - so I ordered two. I decided to replace the old belt back in place until I get the new items. As I was replacing the belt I noticed that the alternator mounting bracket was a bit loose. I had to remove the engine lifting bracket to get to two bolts that were quite loose. What was obvious the bolts had been left loose at the time the engine was built. I tightened up the bolts, which in turn gave more adjustment on the alternator. Now there was enough movement to tighten the belt again! 

Fossdale H is moored across the canal from us at Goole. She has a full load of aggregates and was sitting down deep in the water. This morning when I looked at the barge I could see she was sat much lower in the water. The name on the bow was just about underwater. An inch or so and the gunwales would be under. 

We have had a lot of rain and as the holds are open I assumed that it was a build up of rain water. I was mulling over whether to get in touch with the port authority when a I heard an engine start up. Looking over at Fossdale H there was someone on board who had started up a diesel pump and water was pouring over the side. A couple of hours later she was back to normal.

Later in the day I looked over and I could see she was back down in the water again. I was about to call up the Port Authority when the diesel pump started up again. Two hours later, as it was going dark she was just about back to the usual level. I hope the pump is not going to be running all night!

Saw Nb Poppy on the BBC Local News on TV tonight. The boat is in York stranded on a pontoon mooring with people aboard. Poppy was moored next door to us at Museum Gardens just before we made a run for the safety of the canals at Selby.

Wildlife: Large skein of Geese heading south east.

Daily Total
Miles: 0.0
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 0.0

Accumulated Totals

Miles: 1285.5
Locks: 866
Swing / Lift Bridges: 161
Tunnels. 22
Pump Outs: 14
Engine Hours: 2455.0

Later...

Stop Press - Flood Alert

The rivers in the north of England can be a bit fickle to say the least. They are not a problem if treated with appropriate care. We recently made a trip to Ripon via the River Ouse, passing through York. We spent a couple of nights on the Museum Moorings in York going up the River Ouse. However we only paused here on the return journey from Ripon before continuing down river to Naburn Lock. 

I have seen over the years the way that the rivers in this part of the world can behave. So I am a little paranoid about keeping an eye on the weather. After consulting the Weather Underground for a longer term forecast whilst we were in Ripon. I decided it was time to head for the canals as a safer haven. The River Ure one of the feeders into the Ouse is approximately 12 hours flowing time from the headwaters to York.

Cawood Swing Bridge on the River Ouse which we passed under a few days ago on our trip from Ripon to Selby. The river was up then and their was still plenty of clearance as we passed. We exchanged a wave with the bridge keeper in his tower on the center point of the bridge. Now the water is already on the bridge parapet!

EA Recorder at Monkton (River Ouse)
EA Recorder at Viking York (River Ouse)
EA Recorder at Skelton (River Ouse)
EA Recorder at Foss Barrier (River Ouse)
EA Recorder at Skip Bridge (River Nidd)
EA Recorder at Huntington (River Foss)
EA Recorder at Aldwark Bridge (River Ure)
EA Recorder at Myton-On-Swale (River Swale) *
EA Recorder at Crakehill (River Swale) *
EA Recorder at Ripon Bank (River Ure)
EA Recorder at Dalton (Cod Beck) *
EA Recorder at Wiske (River Wiske)*

* higher than ever recorded previously.

The highest water level ever recorded on the Environment Agency Viking Recorder which is located in York is 5.4 metre. When the river is at normal levels, around 0.05 to 1.0 metre is considered to be safe for boat passage. 

Here are a few snapshots from the York City Rowing Club webcam.

Here is a view of York after heavy rain has fallen in the river catchment areas. The level on the Viking Recorder is 3.1 Metre or 11ft 6inches. 15:15 25th Sep 2012. About 2.5 metre above normal.

York City Rowing Club

Things can and sometimes do go wrong. The top picture shows a boat rescue (by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue) taking place on the Museum Gardens Moorings on the 25th Sep 2012 at 07:30 in the morning. The top edge of the embankment at this point can be seen almost level with the stern of the boat.

York City Rowing Club

At 08:00 on the 25th Sep 2012 the back of the boat can be seen sinking and the top edge of the embankment can no longer be seen as it is now under water.

This is the Boat photographed a short time later. The brown square building in the background is the York City Rowing Club boathouse. The water level in the foreground  has topped the embankment and is still climbing.

Here is a view of York after the ground in the river catchment area is already sodden and is followed by 36 hours of continuous rain. The level on the Viking Recorder is 4.62 Metre or 15ft 2 inch. 16:00 26th Sep 2012 About 3.6 metre above normal levels. The river is still rising. 

York City Rowing Club

The river in winter can also freeze over whilst it may look like a very pretty Christmas card scene. The steps down from the towpath give some idea on how far the river levels are up at this time.

York City Rowing Club

Later....

The Big One (24-6)

Tuesday the 25th of September 2012

Dutch Riverside Moorings.

A wild night of rain and the occasional strong gusts of wind that were being driven by the weather front. Another night for the stove to be lit and for us to be cosy and warm inside. 3am a gravel barge passed through and headed off in the direction of Pollington Lock.

This morning I ventured out to get the coal bucket filled and later to take the dogs for a paddle. There is so much rain coming down that it is pouring off the tow-path and into the canal. the short well cut grass is now a slippery quagmire as the ground has long stopped being able to soak away any more rain. 

A boat has sunk on the Museum Gardens moorings in York. This is exactly where we were moored a few days ago. 

The river is over three metres higher than when we were there. The Ouse continues to rise as more heavy rain falls. The bow can just be seen in the trees in the background.

Levels are expected to rise throughout today and into tomorrow. Further heavy rain is forecast.

I hope to get in a visit to the Yorkshire Waterways Museum before we leave. I have promised myself a visit several times in the past when we have been down this part of the world.

The old Tom Pudding Tug "Kellingley" passed us today heading into the port area. Built in 1913 by Webster and Dickerton this rivetted iron barge has been shortened to around 50ft. She has a Lister JK6 engine which has been fully reconditioned and was/is up for sale at £44,950

If you are planning to come to this part of the inland waterways a very good document which highlights what you can expect can be downloaded and printed off. Click Here

This Weeks Solar Panel Data.

Average 19.7 Ah per day  High 53Ah Low 08Ah

Daily Total

Miles: 0.0

Locks: 0

Swing / Lift Bridges: 0

Tunnels: 0

Pump Outs: 0

Engine Hours: 0.0

Accumulated Totals

Miles: 1285.5
Locks: 866
Swing / Lift Bridges: 161
Tunnels. 22
Pump Outs: 14
Engine Hours: 2455.0

Later....

Traumatised!

A rower left "traumatised" when she was injured by a 49-foot barge while trialling for Team GB is suing for compensation at London's High Court.

Rachel Barnes, 32, was forced to leap from her racing skiff into the river when the bows of a narrow boat slewed on top of her, near Caversham Bridge. The Reading website designer, who suffered injuries to her neck and ribs, was at her regular morning training session.

But barrister Christopher Taylor told the court the collision dashed her dreams of qualifying for the Lightweight Women's squad at the Commonwealth Rowing Regatta as she "lost her confidence and she stopped enjoying rowing".

The Reading University Boat Club rower is suing for physical and psychiatric injuries, and the damage to her skiff, written off by the smash in May 2010 She seeks damages from insurers of the "Snow Bunting" barge, which had been chartered out to Graham and Louise Ranshaw.

Barrister Mr Taylor told the court Mrs Barnes was crossing the River Thames and checking over her shoulder that the route was clear. But that she was caught off guard by a "rogue boat", which had strayed onto her side of the river, and only glimpsed the barge as it suddenly converged over her. He added: "She was in the right channel and Snow Bunting was in the wrong channel. She did all she possibly could."

But defence barrister, James Watthey, insisted Snow Bunting was on the right side of the river and that Mrs Barnes cut "blindly" across the water. He said Mr Radshaw tried to avoid an accident and assumed Mrs Barnes would "pass quite easily" - until her sudden "spin" across river.

Admiralty Registrar, Jervis Kay QC, has reserved his decision on Mrs Barnes' damages claim until a later date.

It's not a good day!

I have been taken to task by my reader! Apparently I am a bit to hard in my criticisms (I call it observations) of the Canal And Rivers Trust. 

I hold a viewpoint and it's this: The Inland Waterways have primary users and secondary users. The primary users are the boaters who are after all the "raison d'etre." The secondary users are all the other parties who have an interest in supporting and enjoying the  Inland Waterways .

Many boaters had an "us and them" attitude to BW which has been inherited by CART and feel that they are still at war rather than part of a partnership. This is a hangover from the bad old days of British Waterways. Things I believe will not change until there is a exit of the unwanted and much disliked ex BW individuals at the top.

It would seem that as a new organisation CART need's to be given some time to make the changes to turn around the old British Waterways mentality and to have enough time to embrace the new charitable ethos. CART however is not in such a "Honeymoon" position because it's the same old people doing the same old job with all the panache and expertise they sported previously. 

No, I'm sorry but the "Honeymoon Period" is something I reserve for the government of the day. Give the new ministers a chance to be brought up to date by their masters the Whitehall Mandarins. Then they are fair game once again. 

I was hoping for sweeping change and clear out of the old management team at BW when the change to charitable status was announced. I had hoped for a group of new people at the helm. Bringing with them enthusiasm, drive, charisma and ideas. People who could inspire and encourage a new beginning. Instead we got a cut down British waterways board and the only change I can see is a change of name.

OK, I'm not being charitable enough with CART. So lets have a look at their first attempts at raising some enthusiasm, drive, charisma, ideas, inspiration,  encouragement and leadership.

CART Enthusiasm: They have brought their version of Chuggers (Charitabe Muggers) to our streets. (A fund raising concept that is now so passé and bound to end in abject failure. More and more local authorities now are looking to curb the activities of the enthusiastic chugger crews.)

CART Drive: The top team took a self inflicted pay cut. (However they still get paid more than the Prime Minister and are amongst the top echelon in the Charity pay league.)

CART Charisma: (Intentionally left blank as nothing was found in this category)

CART Ideas: Plant forests in narrow-boats and carve poetry into lock gates. (maybe they are waiting for the trees to grow and then use them to repair lock gates)

CART Inspiration: Gave us the ever changeable and inflated kite flying visitor numbers to the waterways. (The numbers do not add up.)

CART Encouragement: Encouraging cyclists to use the towpaths as rat runs. (This has brought the high speed cyclists into conflict with boaters, fishermen and walkers. Some cyclists treat the towpath as some sort of training velodrome.) 

CART Leadership: A boater has been threatened with libel action by the Trust. (CART is now in a legal action within a few weeks of coming into being. That will bring with it a great deal of much needed positive publicity and costs.)

So what do CART need to do. 

CART Charm Offensive: How about conducting a Charm Offensive! Wiki describes Charm Offensive as "A publicity campaign used by politicians that attempts to attract supporters by emphasizing their charisma or trustworthiness." (That idea will not hold water)

CART Listening and Engaging: Starting with boaters as the primary funding source. (Porcine avionics the Pigs shall fly and put on a display)

The last few years have taken on the look and feel of the post war era. As the infrastructure slowly falls into decay. Lip service is paid and the old ideas of pay at the top fixes everything, continue. (Give a lot of money and a bonus to the top few - just like it's done in banking) A ex-BW management team that creates a feeling of Royston Vasey revisited. 

For those not in the know, Royston Vasey is a small fictional town in the north of England, and the setting of a television comedy series "The League of Gentlemen." The town has a sign which declares "Welcome to Royston Vasey. You'll never leave!" 

A village of eccentric and weird people who look like they've been intermarrying for too long and are suffering from a particularly demented variety of xenophobia that drives them to extremes of tetchiness and psychosis. 

Royston Vasey's history is recorded from its earliest beginnings. Mentioned in an appendix to the Domesday Book as "an hutte with a pigge outside" to the construction of a town hall designed by Albert Speer.

The preceding radio series "On the Town with the League of Gentlemen" was set in the equally fictional and almost identical town of Spent. There are local shopkeepers Edward and Tubbs the Denton family of toad-breeders obsessed with maintaining their household rituals at all costs. Inept veterinary surgeon Dr Chinnery, who's never yet saved a patient. Barbara, the local transsexual taxi driver (one of the more well adjusted characters) Pauline the demonic Restart Officer at the local Job Centre. Lance, the sadistic owner of a Joke Shop which sells poisonous sweets and the ever-popular finger in a matchbox (with a real finger)

Later....