BOATS AND CANALS

The slip that occurred last year, closing the final section of the Basingstoke Canal for a while, has slipped again. However, it now seems to have stopped and tomorrow we are hoping to get boats past it. Dawn (Accessible Boats day boat) is stuck in Fleet away from her base at Odiham, the JP 1 is stuck at Odiham and needs to go to the dry dock and the Fox and Hounds Rally. The plan is to take through the shallow draft work boat first, then one of Galleon marines smaller craft, then Dawn then the JP. If this is a one off manoeuvre and the canal authority decide to keep the canal shut we may also move the Accessible Boats Madam Butterfly. It will cause us problems to operate Madam Butterfly away from her base but at least we won't have to cancel holidays.

Pictures to follow.

Cheers Graham

Hope that you gets things sorted satisfactorily Graham.

_________________
Maurice

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It all went quite well.

Moored at the start of the slip. The fence put in to protect the slip has been pushed over by the new movement.



This is the slip on the towpath side.



The first boat through was the workboat and they removed the offending fence to allow us through. You can see the slip on the off side.



The next boat through was Penny driven by Jim from Galleon.He went aground before the main part of the slip but made it.



A happy Jim!



The work boat backed through again and we followed on Dawn. This is from the front.





We went badly aground and had to take 3 runs at the obstruction, finally we made it through. Dawn draws around 2 ft 3.





Then is was JP1's turn. They made it through quite easily. Apparently their draft is less than ours and they are narrower and we had ploughed a channel!



We are going to try getting Madam Butterfly, our residential boat, through tomorrow. We think is draws slightly less than Dawn but it is as wide.

Cheers Graham

A good set of descriptive pictures showing the problems in passing through. Well Done.

_________________
Maurice

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Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

Looks like one hell of a mess, it will take a lot of time and effort to sort and stabilize that little lot.

Great photos Graham.

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Pete Russell NB SORCERESS

We took our residential boat, Madam Butterfly, through the slip today, going downstream seemed OK but going back took some effort with speed down to a few inches a second.

The Canal Authority are busy clearing the worst of the trees and removing, what is left of, the safety fence.

The work boat had to get out of the way first.



Then we came through.







The we turned round and went back through. It was tight.



Now that we have proved we can get through we are a lot happier with the prospects for our customers. We are intending to provide crew to get through the slip for each trip.

Cheers Graham

I had every faith in your team, I knew that you could do it. GREAT, WELL DONE

_________________
Maurice

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Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

The canal past the slip is now officially open. Good news. Cheers Graham

That is good news, especially for any early trips booked.

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals