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The Amateur Boater
United Kingdom
Registrace 21. 04. 2012
*This is NOT a serious narrowboating channel*
My sincere apologies to viewers who are used to very polished and professional canal videos. This is definitely not that.
I'm not very good at boating and I'm definitely not good at making videos.
I've set this channel up so that a few friends and family can check out the places I've visited and get an idea what its like living full time on a boat.
My sincere apologies to viewers who are used to very polished and professional canal videos. This is definitely not that.
I'm not very good at boating and I'm definitely not good at making videos.
I've set this channel up so that a few friends and family can check out the places I've visited and get an idea what its like living full time on a boat.
How Not To Reverse A Narrowboat
Note that this is a 20 minute video.
Here is a link to some full-length videos about Rugeley, which are on my second (and even worse) channel:
czcams.com/video/T5lPxMS46GM/video.html
In this episode I decide to reverse and tow my boat backwards a mere 400 yards, as an alternative to doing a 3 mile round trip cruise.
Unfortunately the reversing does not go exactly as planned.
Here is a link to some full-length videos about Rugeley, which are on my second (and even worse) channel:
czcams.com/video/T5lPxMS46GM/video.html
In this episode I decide to reverse and tow my boat backwards a mere 400 yards, as an alternative to doing a 3 mile round trip cruise.
Unfortunately the reversing does not go exactly as planned.
zhlédnutí: 829
Video
From Great Haywood to Rugeley - America to the Rescue!
zhlédnutí 565Před dnem
In this episode you join me on a lovely sunny cruise south from Great Haywood Junction to Rugeley. However, I was given some sort of flu by my cruising friend Dave, and I am not feeling very well. But I'm definitely not going to moan about it non stop. Here is a link to the full hour-long version of this cruise: czcams.com/video/3W-mzm6FhwM/video.html
The Great Chimney Rescue
zhlédnutí 479Před 21 dnem
This short snippet of boating life has it all. Tension, danger, and fast-paced action - and even a lost chimney. And a Jack Russell.
Stopped by a Fallen Tree - a Snippet of Boating Life
zhlédnutí 703Před 21 dnem
It seems as if every month or two you come across unusual situations when cruising, and this was one such morning. To a motorist, a blocked road is a source of great frustration. But to a boater, a blocked canal is an occasion to have a brew, chat to the other boaters, and watch the action unfold...
Hassle at Harecastle
zhlédnutí 3,5KPřed 28 dny
Quick note- this includes some footage of preparations - if you want to cut straight to the hot tunnel action, go to about 5 mins 30 secs. This was my first time through this amazing tunnel, and I don't know when or if I'll ever return. So I was determined to get some good video footage of it. But I had multiple equipment failures, and trying to do some vlogging in the tunnel turned out to be a...
Chaos on the River Churnet - part 2
zhlédnutí 354Před měsícem
We rejoin the expedition just after a dozen people pulled my boat off a sandbank, and I am now ready to continue the intrepid voyage to the end of the Caldon canal at Froghall. Spoiler alert- we don't get there. But we do get to see Dave doing the can-can.
Stranded on the River Churnet!
zhlédnutí 625Před měsícem
In response to some viewer comments about wanting videos to be more up to date, here is some footage taken when I was stuck on a sandbank on the River Churnet in early April. Following this one, I will be starting to post much more recent footage, with the occasional video thrown in from the winter cruising days.
127a. The LONGER version of Bugsworth to Whaley Bridge (and a quick wassail)
zhlédnutí 152Před měsícem
NOTE - there is also an 18 minute version of this video, if you prefer things a bit more snappy. In early January of 2024 I left the lovely Bugsworth basin, and moved to Whaley Bridge. A day or two later I went to see a local winter tradition called wassailing. I kid you not.
127. Bugsworth Basin to Whaley Bridge (and a bit of a wassail)
zhlédnutí 180Před měsícem
In this episode we make a short hop from Bugsworth Basin into Whaley Bridge, and we see an amazing local tradition called wassailing, that dates back to Anglo Saxon times- and possibly even earlier.
123a. Hanging Around in Stormy Marple
zhlédnutí 381Před 2 měsíci
WARNING - this is not a boating video! This is a collection of roughly-edited video footage that I recorded during two visits to Marple. The first visit was late December 2023, and the second visit was on our return journey along the lovely Macclesfield canal.
123. From High Lane to Marple
zhlédnutí 305Před 2 měsíci
NOTE - There is only one version of this video, as it is a fairly short cruise. In this episode the Amateur does a short and very boring morning cruise, in search of a mooring in the very nice - but very busy- town of Marple.
115b - Some Extra Bosley footage - part 2
zhlédnutí 128Před 2 měsíci
WARNING! This video may not be of interest to many folks. This is one that I would normally have posted on my second channel, because it is mostly raw and unedited footage. I just ran out of time to edit this footage- but I know there are a few folks who prefer to see more of the original detail in videos, and to see an 'unedited' view of the real events. So hopefully this might of interest to ...
115a. Some Extra Footage from the Bosley flight- part 1
zhlédnutí 159Před 2 měsíci
I would normally put this kind of spare footage on my second channel, but I cant get access to that at the moment- so here we are. I want to stress that this won't be everyone's cup of tea- its just some footage left over from earlier videos of the Bosley lock flight.
122a. LONG VERSION of Macclesfield to High Lane part 4
zhlédnutí 207Před 2 měsíci
PLEASE NOTE - this is the long version of the video, but there is also an 18 minute version. After a stop for water and coal at Bailey's Trading post, its time to carry on north towards Marple. But it soon becomes obvious that I won't get there before dark, so now I have to decide where I can stop for the night.
122. Macclesfield to High Lane part 4 - Racing Against the Dark
zhlédnutí 166Před 2 měsíci
After a stop for water and coal at Bailey's Trading post, its time to carry on north towards Marple. But it soon becomes obvious that I won't get there before dark, so now I have to decide where I can stop for the night.
121a. The LONG VERSION of Macclesfield to High Lane, part 3
zhlédnutí 470Před 2 měsíci
121a. The LONG VERSION of Macclesfield to High Lane, part 3
121. Macclesfield to High Lane part 3 - In Search of Coal
zhlédnutí 225Před 2 měsíci
121. Macclesfield to High Lane part 3 - In Search of Coal
120a. LONG VERSION of Macclesfield to High Lane - part 2
zhlédnutí 288Před 3 měsíci
120a. LONG VERSION of Macclesfield to High Lane - part 2
120. Macclesfield to High Lane part 2 - The Dark Satanic Mills
zhlédnutí 169Před 3 měsíci
120. Macclesfield to High Lane part 2 - The Dark Satanic Mills
119. Cruise from Macclesfield to High Lane part 1 - I Was Wrong About Macclesfield!
zhlédnutí 362Před 3 měsíci
119. Cruise from Macclesfield to High Lane part 1 - I Was Wrong About Macclesfield!
115. The Bosley Flight part 2 - The Lock Monster
zhlédnutí 252Před 3 měsíci
115. The Bosley Flight part 2 - The Lock Monster
114. The Bosley Flight part 1 - The Angel of Bosley
zhlédnutí 298Před 3 měsíci
114. The Bosley Flight part 1 - The Angel of Bosley
115b. Snippets of Boat Life #19 : Taking Out the Trash Part II - The Trash Strikes Back
zhlédnutí 406Před 3 měsíci
115b. Snippets of Boat Life #19 : Taking Out the Trash Part II - The Trash Strikes Back
113. Congleton to Bosley - the short version
zhlédnutí 234Před 4 měsíci
113. Congleton to Bosley - the short version
113a. Congleton to Bosley - the full length version
zhlédnutí 388Před 4 měsíci
113a. Congleton to Bosley - the full length version
71. Snippets of Boat Life #18 - Taking Out The Trash
zhlédnutí 273Před 4 měsíci
71. Snippets of Boat Life #18 - Taking Out The Trash
112. Kidsgrove to Congleton part 3 - The Big Freeze
zhlédnutí 501Před 4 měsíci
112. Kidsgrove to Congleton part 3 - The Big Freeze
111. From Kidsgrove to Congleton part 2 - The Royal We
zhlédnutí 277Před 4 měsíci
111. From Kidsgrove to Congleton part 2 - The Royal We
110. Kidsgrove to Congleton part 1 - Battling the Cold
zhlédnutí 431Před 4 měsíci
110. Kidsgrove to Congleton part 1 - Battling the Cold
70. My First Look Around Northwich- the Weaver Wanderings Part 1
zhlédnutí 227Před 4 měsíci
70. My First Look Around Northwich- the Weaver Wanderings Part 1
Oh how I miss your earwig conversations :)
The earwig chat will be something to look forward to when we finally meet up again! 🤣
Good reversing! I was worried but it turned out ok. Looks like a nice place for a stay over but hope you feel better soon :-)
Thanks Ms B- I'm over it now thankfully, but it was a nasty one all right! Rugeley is a lovely little town, its always busy with lots of boaters but usually you'll find a spot, and there wasn't the slightest hint of any hassle or trouble the whole time.
Hope you are feeling better : }
Hi there Leigh, its lovely to hear from you! I am over that horrible lergy now, but it was a persistent bugger. Thank you very much for your concern and your kind words, and I do hope all is well with you and yours.
get well soon. rum&coke (squeeze of lime).
I'm happy to report that the dreaded lergy has finally gone! I think I tried rum and coke when I was a youngster. Anything that tastes of both coke and alcohol can't be that bad, right?
At 3.00 mins in, i had a feeling this wasn't a good idea 😂
I'm surprised it took you that long to see there was going to be strife! 🤣 Any video of mine with the word 'reverse' in it is never going to go smoothly!
@theamateurboater5892 i shouldn't be so smug. Currently in Bugsworth basin and blundered into left hand arm thinking it had a winding hole at the end. It doesn't. So its a lengthy reverse back out tomorrow. Oh well.🤐
My dear Norman, that is most unfortunate. I think we have a fairly strong NE wind tomorrow, and that means you'll be blown onto the south bank of the arm. My normal ploy in that kind of a fix is to knock on the boats and warn them in advance of my intended reverse manoeuvre, which greatly lessens their ire when I start bumping along their sides shortly afterwards! You could perhaps station Mrs Norman in the bow, ready to deploy her foot as a fender when needed?
At this rate - You’ll have More ‘How Not To’ videos than Robbie Cumming and get your own tv series 😂. Love your vlogs… you always make me smile. Hope you’re picking up a bit lad.
And here I thought owning and living on a boat would at least spare you the tedium of lawn care.
The lawn care is absolutely vital Mr C, and especially from Spring to Autumn. Just a month ago I moored up against a bank like that one in the video, but I neglected my lawn care work, leaving lots of foliage and tall grass laying against the boat.. About half an hour later I went to take a look, and it turned out there were a couple of ants nests along the bank. And there were already dozens of ants swarming around the side of the boat and the gunnels. I despatched these intruders immediately of course, but it's happened many times. And if one of your mooring ropes is next to a nest, it is certain some of them will come aboard and start scouting around the boat. Many boaters just ignore this peril, but I find that insect powder on the rope is an easy way to repel these tiny boarders.
the heater jet will be clogged, not run long enough, try cleaning the nossel
Cheers Sean! Its a shame I'm so far away now - you might have been able to show me some tips with the heater.
speedster lol
Good one Tony. Raincoat with hood up next time to protect you from the slime of doom and drips.
I fear it may be too late for me. The slime has already started eating my brain. How else do you explain that I can't steer a boat in a straight line? 🤣 Fortunately I managed to adapt to a constant drip whilst cruising with Dave last winter. (See what I did there?) 🤣
Get well soon man. It's probably the green slime from Hare Castle that's made you ill.
By Jove sir, I think you're onto something. I've never been the same since I was slapped in the face by the poison slime plants hanging from the tunnel roof. But there are psychological scars. A human being, even a brave one like myself, can only take so much horror in one tunnel.
The Trent was awesome. Will be doing it again :) We are stuck at Naburn Lock on the Ouse due to a fallen tree, they reckon it will take 2 weeks to clear.
Rubbish- just give it maximum welly and barge past the thing. What a pair of wimps 🤣
That was a fab day ❤ Of course the catch phrase for was rest of the trip was 'give it some welly' 😂
Yes, and it was me who was being accused of not giving it enough welly!
One of your best videos 😂
I think I did a remarkably good job considering the poor quality of the participants 🤣
Being a retried military man myself I can tell you that a pub is viewed of as more an ER than a recovery room. d:}
I must say I do miss Dave's company and his gung-ho attitude, since we parted ways at Fradley junction. He was always great company. But ultimately all boaters have different approaches to this lifestyle, and all will eventually go their separate ways- even Dave and Di. My own preference is to take the lifestyle at a slower pace, and with a less strict approach to managing the cruising. I.e. lazy boating!
Brilliant to watch. New subscriber. Please subscribe back thanks
Enjoyed that bit of excitement on the canal. All ended well in the end, I think Dave just wanted to show off his belly though, was he going to go in with his trousers on!!
The answer to your question, Ms B, is yes. He was indeed about to jump in wearing his trousers - and I am very grateful that he chose to keep the trousers on. I can only see so much of a chap before it starts to feel a bit unpleasant, to be brutally frank. But he was all set to jump- in fact it did take some doing to talk him down from his suicidal intention to jump in.
@@theamateurboater5892 thank goodness for magnets :-)
you have turned into middle management!🤣
Haha yes, I should have charged a consultancy fee and done a brainstorming session! 🤣
@@theamateurboater5892 you forgot risk assessment and diversity training
🤣
Everything you do is Brilliant. Love your videos. Every one Better than the last. Keep it up. Keep Smiling
Using the boat to fish for the chimney rather than fishing from shore was a great idea. I don't think it would have been found otherwise. Your idea also saved Dave from a swim. I think you're owed a beer from two people on that one.
Thanks Mr C. Getting a beer from those scoundrels is harder than getting blood from the proverbial stone. In 4 years I think I've only had to fish things out maybe half a dozen times, so its not my area of expertise. But common sense tells you that it's going to be much easier to find an object and pull it out of the canal from above, rather than throwing a 30ft rope and dragging it along the bottom from the other side of the cut. And in fact Di found the chimneys within a few minutes of starting to fish from the boat. But its not as simple as people think- a dropped object can often twirl and drift on its way down, so its resting place might be a yard or more from where it went in- especially things like phones. If its a small object, it can be really hard to find, and people often spend an hour or more searching for lost things. All good fun, of course!
You really do have to marvel at the engineering and such that went on to build that wonderful tunnel....
Absolutely, yes. It's an incredible feat of engineering and construction. And its a great experience going through it for the first time too!
We have been through the Harecastle a few times now and always have worn our raincoats, hoods up !! I think we were told to the first time and it does help a lot. We werent filming, so it was a doddle. It's a really wonderful experience whatever happens, so much fun, enjoy every minute is my advice....Last time we arrived there just after it closed for the night and we slept there just where you were moored, off we went as soon as it was open the next morning....I think you did really well for your first time and on your own....
Thanks very much for that lovely and supportive comment, I genuinely appreciate it. I do think the tunnel is a doddle for anyone who's not too awful at steering - and yes, I am aware of the irony of me saying that! But yes, what an unusual experience it is to go through. But for me, the greatest thrill was the Pontcycyllte aqueduct. What a ride!
Oooh the drama...i love all the surprises that occur on the canals..nice one👍😄
I know, right? The canals can be so random sometimes. But here I am, filming and risking my life! Well risking my coffee, on this occasion...
Over egging, that's gonna be my words of the day 😅
It's my phrase of the month! 🤣
I think you might need a new henchman. The gall of the man not willing to risk his boat or at the very least his prop after being encouraged by you so vigorously to proceed.
I will say that Dave is normally fearless - he was always the first into any dodgy waterway stetch. But for some reason that day his spider sense must have been tingling!
Been through Harecastle tunnel a few times and seen a lot of videos but this was the best representation of a boater going through for the first time! Well done 😂
Well thanks very much Kathryn, its very kind of you to say so. If I hadn't been obsessed with filming it would have been a lot less stressful! But I try to present a real picture of what its like to cruise these places, because I want to remember the reality of it all, when I look back at these videos in future years. So I guess I have a selfish interest in making them as accurate as possible!
Stay safe though! 😅
My house was just above there. It's a right sh. t h.. e. Lovely colour canal. Power mad tunnel keepers. Vandal kids when not in school. Solar panels hahaha. All the gear no idear.
Yes defo easier when there's a few of you..interior lights on is the key on this tunnel. Cheers...ps Subbed you mate👍🍺
Cheers Dave, and thanks for subscribing. If I remember right, the CRT guy advised me to switch on my interior lights, but I have net curtains as well as the normal curtains, and they block a fair bit of light. Plus the windows are smallish anyway. So even with the lights on, there was very little light to see the walls. For longer tunnel I normally use two portable work lights with magnetic bases, and I stand one on either side of the stern pointing forward- those do a much better job than my interior lights, but I hadn't used them for months and one was flat! Another lesson learned...
@theamateurboater5892 I think u did really well on your own...when I did it years ago there was 6 of us...safety in numbers 😄
I've been through Harcastle 3 times...once when they still had the part collapsed towpath in which made life 'interesting'! Don't know if you do this (after the left side lights went out), but I always put all the interior lights on to help show up the sides...just leave the aft most ones off so you don't lose your night vision. Stanedge next then?
Thanks for your comment, and for that tip! I have heard boaters mention the interior lights a few times, and the tunnel staff advised me to keep my interior lights on, but I was a bit rushed and I didnt really pull all of the curtains fully wide- so I didn't get the full benefit from the interior lights, although they were on the whole time. As for Standedge- maybe next year, when I get over my fear of tunnel goblins! 🤣
You do make me chuckle the way you Chunter on as you cruise along. You really are very entertaining. Love your videos. Thanks for taking time to film and share them with us. ❤
Very uncomfortable watching this, your safety is more important than the footage and I feel you may have lost sight of that. Glad you're ok despite the challenges.
Thanks PK, and to be fair you do make a good point that I was too obsessed with filming the tunnel, compared to watching my safety. Its not a good idea to be so determined about filming when you're on a boat, as things can go very wrong when you get distracted. That said, on the couple of occasions I stepped up to fix the forward looking camera, I made sure the roof was at or near its full height, so the worst consequences would have been the boat bumping the side wall (at less than 2mph). You'll notice that when the roof height dropped, I did not dare to touch a camera, and I kept my eyes looking forward. I think I probably gave the impression I was physically up on the roof at times, but that was not really the case. The camera was placed about 2 or 3 feet in front of me, so I could reach it by stepping onto a folding step that is above the gas locker. So I wasn't on the roof, but rather leaning over it. And I had a couple of feet headroom in those sections, so my head was never in any danger of injury. With the camera swinging around in my hand as I prepared to step up, it probably looked much worse than it was. But my attempts to fix the camera were limited to just a few seconds each time, and then I stepped down again to steer the boat. But all that said, I do still think you make a fair point, and I was pushing my luck a little too hard in there, in my sheer desperation to get some decent footage. And that's something I will bear in mind in the future.
Give us a short next week
Thanks for that suggestion Peter! I have actually thought about making a short before, but I have a snag in that shorts must be filmed in portrait mode, whereas 95% of my filming is done in landscape mode. But I'll tell you what- I'll have a think and see if I've got any footage that might fit into a short, and if I can find anything I'll have a go at re-editing the footage into portrait mode for a short. Should be fun!
Great job overall piloting your boat. No damage to the solar panels or anything else. When I drive me car I tune out my wife to give the road my full attention. If I would have gone through that tunnel in that massive boat and had the distraction of trying to record the event I guarantee I would have constantly been banging off the sides.
Well thank you for your very kind comment Mr C, and despite your modesty I can assure you that with even a day's experience, you would pilot a narrowboat through there with little problem- in fact I half remember the guy saying that for most of its length it is more than 12 or 13 feet wide. I will confess that I'm probably the worst boat driver of all those I've met personally, but I dont know why that is. I am able to explain some complex ideas to people, and did so for many years in my job- but give me a physical task with the slightest complexity and I am all over the place! PS- just o add that the filming really made it hard work in there, but I know it will give me something to look back on in future years, and also for the viewers who enjoy these videos, I just got into a mindset where I was going to keep filming in that damn tunnel no matter what happened! I was so determined, think if Godzilla had risen from the waters, I would have asked him to pose for a selfie.
That was really interesting! I think I know how they knew you were reaching the exit gates … I think they measured the girly scream x time & got your distance 😂 Glad you escaped in one piece! Not sure I’d fancy doing that but needs must!
You talk a good game Claire. But when the slimy dangling subterranean growth hits you in the chops in the pitch dark, I reckon your scream would be heard from space, let alone the CRT office. Anyway, I think its a positive thing that I'm in touch with my screaming side.
@@theamateurboater5892 😂😂😂
OMG, no way I would go through there on my own, would be scared stiff. Think you need one of your hats to protect you from the Slime of Doom 😮 Thanks for showing us!
Nooooo Ms B, you'd be fine honestl! I only had hassle because of the camera problems and the panels, but if you were just cruising (and you checked your panels) it would be fine. Its yet another case of me having a major snag because of laziness and/or inattention!
@@theamateurboater5892 well, it all made for entertaining viewing, so don't go getting too organized 😅
🤣
Great stuff - thanks for showing this! Ive seen boaters do Harecastle before on CZcams... but this trip of yours was a real eye opener! Not sure I'll ever go there!
Well thank you very much indeed for your kind comment Mr Gladys, and I must stress that I only had a hassle inside because I was so desperate to get some good video footage. You'll be fine through there, honestly. I don't believe I'm a stupid person, but I am very poor at complex physical tasks and actions- which is exactly what's needed every time you cruise a boat! If you are anywhere near normal at these sorts of tasks, you'll be absolutely fine. PS- the vlogger lesson from this episode is to always have a handy backup filming option (including a mount). The backup option must be fully tested in various lighting conditions and weathers, and it must be instantly available. An old phone is ideal for that, as long as the camera is ok. I think the Pixel 8 is really good for filming- but not as waterproof as a dedicated action camera. But since I've had this issue before, I was able to set up my phone as soon as I thought of doing it, and so I got some decent rear facing video, which I think adds a bit of variety to the final film.
@@theamateurboater5892 A very helpful reply - thanks very much! Though I suspect I'm just as likely to have problems as you are. - Harecastle looks quite a challenge... but at least I'd be better informed now after seeing you! Still unsure if I'll go there. Nice idea of utilising an old phone as an extra camera - once again, many thanks! Jeff (aka Gladys)
aluminium and steel weld together with corrosion. it a f'ing nightmare tony
Thanks Sean- I keep the bolts lubricated after that incident! I was just lucky it was a quiet day and there was no queue, or I might have been sent packing by the staff. I was convinced they'd fit through no problem, but I really should have checked they were ok the day before the tunnel. No excuses for that one.
That was great, what an adventure 😅 Di's pic of your boat and the stream train is really lovely - worth framing 😃
Thanks very much for your kind comment Ms B, and I actually returned the favour for Di. A couple of weeks after this we tried to get through to Froghall again, and I got some video of Di's boat with the steam train in the background. As a heads up, I'm going to post a video of the Harecastle tunnel as it is a place of general interest (and it didnt go well), and then I'll be moving on to more recent video footage, which is what a good few viewers have said they prefer.
@@theamateurboater5892 sounds good 🙂
Thanks ♥️
I think this would have been a far better video if you and Dave had ended up in the river! 🤣
What a great video. Your commentary, added written commentary the drama on the river, the scenery as your boat goes by and the perfect visual ending with the train. Now the only way you can top this in your next video is if you are so pissed you fall into the river on the way back from the pub. d:}.
oh, yeah. hehehe.
Well it breaks my heart to disappoint you Mr C, but no-one fell into the river that day! The problem that a group of boats have there is that you can't securely moor in that spot for long. That's because (apart from that red boat I was next to) there is only one proper mooring spot, and even that has only one mooring ring and no armco. So we knew sitting in the pub garden that since we couldn't get through to Froghall, we would have make a four hour cruise and 6 locks to get back on the canal, and reach somewhere near our starting point that morning. But for the next few weeks that will be the last of the footage from the winter cruises. In an attempt to try to stop falling viewer numbers, I'm going to focus on more recent footage for a few weeks, and every 6-8 weeks I'll go back and edit a video from the winter.
Very sadly no-one fell in- although the jack russell Maggie did go for a swim in pursuit of some ducks!
Great teamwork here! Glad to see you'll be posting some more up to date stuff, look forward to it 🙂
Thanks very much for taking the time to comment Ms B! That was on a bank holiday Sunday I think, which I think meant that the nearest CRT staff couldn't have got to me that day. So if we couldn't get the boat off ourselves, I was going to be marooned on that sandbank until the next day. Also, we had the additional motivation of there being a pub at the end of that river section! I''m editing a video covering the second part of that river trip, and after that I'll jump forwards to June I think, and take it from there.
A pub at the end is always good incentive 😊 Look forward to seeing you with your summer hat on soon 🤠
Haha what a day that was 😂 To get out the lock you had to give it some 'wellie' and stay close to the bank. The dredging boats were mooring above the lock which didn't really help us.
Yes, and my apologies for calling you the 'Three Stooges'. Somehow it just came to mind! 🤣
We have suddenly jumped to the Caldon canal. From Bugsworth to Caldon surely presented many options to cock up on the way ? Harecastle surely could not have gone smoothly ? Have not been through here yet, would love to see your take on the tunnel. Enjoyed your latest, "how not to " instructional video anyhow 😂
Ah- so you spotted the little time jump to the Caldon... It's all most regrettable (and you guessed right btw- the Harecastle did not go well at all!). The thing is that I've had a few comments recently that people enjoy watching videos more when the footage is more recent, and my small viewer numbers have been reducing in the last few months. So I've decided to temporarily pause the winter footage, and focus on editing footage from within the last month or so. But about once per month I will go back to the winter footage and create a video, so that all those shenanigans will eventually be published. I'd really rather not jump forwards, but I'm slightly worried that if the viewer numbers carry on falling, youtube will stop offering my videos to people, and the subscriber numbers will also fall. I'd like to maintain a few hundred subscribers if possible, so lets see if this approach helps!
@theamateurboater5892 thanks for reply. Would hate to see your channel go, it is honest and am not constantly being reminded to " buy me a coffee" etc. Poss too many vlogs in one area. I think also if they were all in chronological order rather than skipping back and forth like a timelord it may keep viewers. But thats poss me. Still...if all else fails you can make a career in recruitment...how do you get so many innocent bystanders roped in?
@@normanjones1640 , thanks for that feedback Norman, and yes I think maybe there are sometimes too many videos set in each area. It's because I have so much footage and it's tempting to use as much of it as I can. But maybe the time has come to be a bit more ruthless in cutting out the slower-paced footage. I can still use that sort of footage in the longer form videos, which I'll post on a separate channel.
What a palarva
I hope you wrote that in a cockney accent 🤣
Blimey! How on earth could you exit that lock solo? If you stayed on the boat you wouldn't have been able to stop. But, had you had hold of the centreline & nobody is on the boat I'm guess the boat could've gone with the flow because you wouldn't have been able to stop it! Thank goodness for those poor people who've been making sure you've not been stuck a sandbank for months! Also, the "I'll gun it.... I'll gun it a bit" cracked me up! Those were some good rope throwing skills!
Yes, I see what you mean. '"I'll gun it a bit" is about as sensible as "I'll shoot him a bit". But the whole business was very heroic of course, and I probably deserve some sort of waterways medal of valour. But I was never in danger as such. The ace up my exquisitely tailored sleeve was the CRT itself, who would have (eventually) sent a crew to pull the boat free.
I thought this video was quite good until the very end. Then you spoiled it. The next video has a pub, a river, and a steam locomotive all in the same shot? Arrrgh!!! Now I have to wait an interminable amount of time until you release your next vid. Curse you son of Satan. d:}
Hello! Thanks for the video. I’m wondering what panniers you bought for your bike? I’m struggling to find ones that will fit my Brompton. Thank you!
Thanks for your comment- the panniers were made by Ortlieb, and I think they are called Front Roller Classic (made as a front pannier)- although they look similar to the model called Sport Roller. The word 'classic' does appear on the front of the panniers, so the most likely thing is they are the Front Roller Classic model. But as long as the dimensions of both models are the same, either one might fit. Because the brompton rack is so low, a normal pannier drags on the ground too often. And because your heels tend to catch on most panniers, you need smaller panniers such as those designed for a front rack, like my Ortliebs.
@@theamateurboater5892 thank you very much!
@@willg8920 , just another thought- I used an angle grinder to cut out the flat triangle on the top surface at the back end of the rack. That allowed me to push the panniers a few cm further back, so they now sit at the very back of the rack, and that helps to keep my heels from bumping the pannier. Before I cut out that metal triangle, my heels did sometimes bump the front of the pannier. So even these Ortliebs are not a perfect fit. Also, there is almost no tolerance available- for example, the bottom of the pannier is only a couple of inches above the ground, so when you lean the bike over, they do sometimes drag on the ground. Or when you put a heavy item in the bottom, the fabric of the base will sag, and sometimes that is enough for the panniers to touch the ground. To help deal with sagging, I cut a flat piece of plastic that fits in the base of the pannier, and holds it rigid. So there are a number of variables, and there is a risk that even a small pannier will not work well for you personally. E.g. if you have very large feet, you might bump your heels into the panniers more often than I do. Because of these risks, I would strongly recommend trying out any pannier before you are committed to buying it. And be prepared for the possibility that you might need to cut out that metal triangle on the rear rack, to improve the fit of the panniers.
@@theamateurboater5892 quite a debacle! Thank you very much for the info, I’ve been looking at getting some custom bags made by cobag - the bikezac bags in particular. They can also fold up easily when not in use which will be perfect for me.
Now tony
Thanks for your comment Scott. And may I ask- have we met? If we already know each other and I haven't realised, I can only apologise - I am a tad slow on the uptake at times!
@@theamateurboater5892 it's Scotty you were kind enough to give me a solar controller box in Chester,I hope your well,I'm on Popeye the boat with the shed on it
@@nasascott4439 , hiya mate, I hope all's well, and great to hear Popeye is still going as strong as ever. I'm currently heading south towards Rugby, but very slowly as usual!
@@theamateurboater5892 barely,my engine was smashed into by a narrow boater,then run off,my insurance refused to pay for it to be repaired or replaced,12 years no claims down the tubes,stuck here now waiting to save up for a new outboard engine
@@nasascott4439 , I'm really sorry to hear that mate. A broken engine is one of a boater's biggest nightmares. I've been thinking about swapping to a 32ft GRP in maybe 5 years or so, but I do have this worry about being hit by steel narrowboats who fly around like nutters during the summer.
First one I've watched for a while. I lost interest a little bit because of them being so far behind. It seems very strange seeing it dark at 5pm! but I won't be unsubscribing. I'd still like to check in from time to time. Nazi salute made me laugh, it did sound like that! Love that hosepipe, very slick 🙂
Well thanks for watching Ms B, and for your kind comment. I did ask on my community page about how best to deal with the 6 month lag in editing videos, and the general feeling seemed to be to carry on with the older footage (but try to catch up)- which is what I'm doing at the moment. But fewer people seem to be watching the videos in recent months, and now I'm wondering if those people are being put off by the footage being 6 months old. The other option was to temporarily drop 3 months of my old footage, and try to go back and edit that later this year. I would then start posting videos from about April of this year. So perhaps check back in a few weeks, and see what the more recent footage looks like.
@@theamateurboater5892 I think that may be the case. It just seems more enjoyable to watch up to date vlogs, but I understand that it must take a lot of time to do all that editing. Do you really want to sleep?! 😅
i unsubscribed. enough of the journey into the past
I'm sorry the older footage is not as interesting as more up to date videos would be, and I can understand your frustration being over 6 months behind the current date. I posted a question about this in my community page, and the general feeling seemed to be that it's better to carry on with the older footage and try to catch up gradually. If start editing some more recent footage, I'll only fall further behind with the older footage- and some of that older footage is quite interesting. But anyway, I must thank you for having taken an interest in the videos, and I hope one day you'll take a peek and see if I've gotten more up to date with the editing.
pub!
Absolutely the pub! Ian and Jeannie were intent on following the wassailers through the town to see the rest of the show, but for me there was only one sensible course of action after 40 minutes watching this bizarre medieval performance. And fortunately Dave agreed with me!