new name needed

Its that time of year when we have some of the shared owned boats disappear to different marinas, new shared boats arriving for their stay with us for a year or two, old hire boats being sold off and the arrival of new to us hire boats, we have already had one ex hire boat turn up today to be sold on, which David will get done this weekend, we have another new to us hire boat arriving on Saturday and another one next week, so we want to change the names on the two boats, I would like to keep them short and to one syllable, so its your chance to fire some names at me, it would also be good if one of them started with the letter P, however it is not that important, look at our current fleet of boats to get some idea of what might fit in, whoever comes up with the right name, and if we decide to use it then I will make sure that their name gets mentioned in the brochure and on the side of the boat, this could be your chance for a bit of canal fame, send your names to info@norburywharfltd.co.uk don’t forget to put your name on the email as well.

Its been a very quiet day here today, which has been good as I am now nearly on top of my jobs again, we had a day boat go out this morning and as I am writing this blog it has just returned and the people have had a superb day, at least the weather has been kind to them! Angela has been a busy bee today, she has booked six boats for next year, which is excellent, as well as looking after the tearoom in between answering the phones and doing paperwork, Fred and the new chap Martin have been really busy, Fred is showing him the ropes because he is retiring as from next year, well not quite full time retirement as I wont let him but a couple of days a week is ok, so they have been docking boats, pumping boats out and moving boats all day long to facilitate the turnaround this weekend.

That’s it from me until tomorrow, don’t forget the names.
Simon

Canals, canals and more canals

I never seem to be far from water in what ever I do, if I go out for a meal then I prefer if the venue is by water, if I had the choice I would live next to water and when I go on holiday I usually try and find somewhere by water, so this weekend I went for a short break to Amsterdam, I know what you are thinking, Drugs and prostitutes, well far from it, I went to see what their canal system was like, and I was amazed at just how many canals run through the city, its a fantastic place, there are some stunning boats, lots of traditional barges and tugs which have been converted to livaboards, and plenty of modern caravan style floating homes, the canals are pretty much lined with residential boats, they are crammed in to gaps everywhere, so many boats are residential apparently the authorities put a ban on any more residential boats taking up new moorings, but that was 30 years ago, I hate to imagine what the situation would be like if a restriction hadn't been imposed, I suspect that in time our waterways will be overrun by residential boats, the difference is here we have lots of marinas to house the boats.where Amsterdam seems to have none!  Whilst there we went on a boat trip to see more of the canals and we came across the Kromhout museum, so before we left to catch the plane home we went for a visit, it is housed at a working boat yard with slips and workshops, similar I suppose to Norbury but on a bigger scale, I could see through the windows lots of old engines, lots of semi diesels, maybe a Bollinder, and definitely big semi diesel Kromhouts and Gardner Kromhouts and all sorts, but it was closed and wouldn't be open until today, I will now have to go back at some stage to see the sights I missed on this trip!!!

that's it from me for today
Simon

Winter cruising advice for boaters who want better value

THE most recent boaters’ survey by the Canal and River Trust shows boat owners are using their boats more often, even if they are not travelling as far, and it seems most boaters are aiming to get the best value out of their investment.

That would seem to indicate that we may see more boats than ever using the waterways this winter – providing an alternative winter break and extending the boating season.

With that in mind, and to assist their ever-increasing number of winter hire boaters, as well as the many share boats owners who cruise most of the year, Norbury Wharf’s manager, David Ray, has come up with some winter cruising advice.

He said: “Once people get over the idea that boating is a sunshine sport, and they’ve had to do that this summer, many of them realise there is no need to abandon their boat in October and not use it again until March, especially when it can provide a whole series of winter breaks at little or no extra cost.

 “We hire many of our boats throughout the winter and people love getting cosy with a multi-fuel stove glowing on the boat while the wind blows outside. Most share boat owners like to cruise in the late autumn and early spring and boats are often a favourite place to spend Christmas or New Year.

“It is perfectly practical to boat throughout the year if you are sensible and plan ahead. The only problem can be people not understanding how to deal with the conditions.

“ We have an amazing number of people coming in complaining that their boat, or hire boat, won’t handle correctly; and when we explain it’s because of leaves around the propeller they don’t believe us! The Shroppie seems to suffer far more than any other canal which is probably because of the deep cuttings along its length with the overgrown trees dumping their leaves in the canal.”

So here is the Norbury checklist for winter cruising:

1.       Make sure you have the right clothes to defeat the weather. Standing on the back of a boat for several hours allows the cold winds to penetrate, so layers are the answer, as many as you need and never mind making a fashion statement. Ensure you have good waterproofs because they will keep out the wind as well as the inevitable rain. Oh, and hats, gloves and scarves. The reason so many boaters wear hats is that they keep the heat in.

2.       Autumn brings fallen leaves and many accumulate into the canal forming a leaf soup. The action of the boat’s propeller sucks them in and they gather in great numbers around it – you can hear the engine note dropping when it happens and eventually you will slow down and be unable to steer properly. When the propeller stops turning they just drop away again and the best way of clearing them when you are moving is to throw the engine into reverse briefly, put it in neutral till they propeller stops turning before giving it a blast in forward gear. You will see the leaves shoot out at the stern. In the very worse conditions you will be doing this several times a day, but the colours along the cut will be a spectacular compensation.

3.       Frost, especially in the morning is inevitable in the winter months and it can look lovely on the bare arms of canalside trees but it is also potentially hazardous underfoot. Make sure you have sturdy boots with a good grip, especially if working around frosty locks and take extra care when crossing beams or getting on and off the boat.

4.       Don’t plan to journey for many hours a day, you have less light and cold weather means spending more than three or four hours on the tiller will leave you chilled and uncomfortable. Work on the basis of short journeys and short days. Focus on visiting nearby villages and small towns in their run-up to Christmas or enjoy the canal banks and spring bulbs start to push through the winter soil.

5.       Winter is a surprisingly good time to enjoy canalside wildlife, so take the binoculars. When the leaves are gone from the trees you can see further into woodlands and sometimes whole flocks of small birds will be seen taking over a particular tree or hedgerow. You can also spot foxes, stoats and badgers, certainly in the afternoon twilight on a rural canal bank and sometimes even in the daytime as they cross a snowy field.

6.       If you do find ice forming it usually takes a few days before it becomes too thick to travel so you can usually either get back to your mooring or find somewhere you are happy to moor the boat, with local facilities like water and pump-out available. If you are on a hire boat, don’t worry, the hire company will get you back to base at the right time.

7.       Torches are essential for winter boating so make sure you have a good one as you will need it to negotiate the towpath between the boat and the nearest canalside inn – and of course to find your boat again in the dark once you have enjoyed a meal and a pint or two. It is essential when you need to get the key in the lock and get back into that cosy boat.

8.       Your comfort on any boat depends on ensuring you have stocks of essentials. Make sure you have enough diesel, gas and coal or wood so that you can travel, cook and stay warm no matter what happens. A pack of cards is another useful staple, providing winter entertainment, especially if accompanied by a bottle of something nice!

9.       The working boat families used to keep a kettle on the back cabin stove so hot drinks were available at all times and many liveaboard boaters still use their solid fuel stoves for this and to cook their meals as they travel. A constant supply of hot drinks and a meal ready to eat once you have made your journey for that day makes winter boating even more of a pleasure.

10.   Look ahead. Check the weather for the next week or two and if it says there are days and days or sub-zero temperatures in prospect you have to face the possibility that the canal may freeze thickly enough to make movement impossible – so you might want to treat the boat as a holiday cottage in a winter wonderland (if you can get to your mooring). Realistically this sort of weather is usually short-lived and some winters never arrives so don’t get too neurotic about being frozen in.

David Ray concludes: “There is something special about winter boating, the canals are much less busy and you can often travel all day without seeing another moving boat. The views are often sharper and clearer, especially on a canal like the Shroppie where the embankments allow you to see for miles, right across to the Welsh hills.

“Sometimes it feels that you and your boat are the only things moving in the landscape, but when you moor you can suddenly join the world again in a cosy canalside pub, sitting by the fire with the locals. It can be almost magical.”

Can you catch your dream at Norbury?

I know Simon told you about the latest boat that came in for sale on Thursday, but I though I'd expand a little further and show you some photographs.

Dreamcatcha is a 60 foot semi traditional stern; all steel, narrow boat built in 2004 by Northwich boats, benefiting from only having one previous owner. She has a very good specification list and is ready to move on to. She is powered by a modern Barrus Shire, four cylinder diesel engine that is in superb condition. From entering this boat at the stern there are some steps leading down into the large master bedroom which has plenty of storage space and a full height wardrobe. Next comes the generous sized bathroom with corner bath with shower over, Thetford cassette toilet and wash hand basin. Then comes the large galley (with side doors opposite) as well as the usual appliances there is also a washing machine. Finally comes the massive open plan saloon. This boat has two heating systems; a solid fuel stove is located in the saloon that supplies radiators throughout the boat. Along the other side of the boat is another set of radiators which are supplied by a Hurricane diesel heater situated in the engine space. The boat is wired with both 12v and 240v throughout and has a 3000W inverter, the boat has a battery management system fitted and a marine four stage battery charger. The boat’s onboard CD/radio system is fitted with speakers throughout the boat and a flat screen TV and satellite dish and receiver,the list of specification goes on, galvanic isolator, manual gas change over, twin gas bottles, large battery bank, twin coil calorifier with immersion heater, the list goes on!

In our opinion; with this specification, this boat would make a great live-aboard and at the list price of £37,500.00 is a real winter bargain, dont miss out as it wont be around for long.

Further details of Dream Catcha will appear on our website tomorrow www.norburywharfltd.co.uk.

Until tomorrow,

Regards, David.

I don't really know what to tell you about today, except that it has been cold...

The rest of the hire fleet returned this morning, so Denise and our new helper have been stripping the beds, they have cleaned the cottage for the new occupants that arrived this afternoon and Sovereign Lady ready for Monday. Ange has been doing paperwork and keeping abreast of the laundry. Whilst Joyce has been manning the tea room - well until she sloped off early this afternoon, so Denise is catching up in the kitchen at the moment.

Mick has finished fitting Wychwood up and I have managed to get a picture after Steve and him got it out of the wet dock, so here you go.

Fred has been busy with turnrounds and is now looking forward to a couple of days off.

That's it from me today.

Regards,

David

It's here! Our tenth edition of Norbury News... We developed Norbury News in January this year and the first edition went to press on the first of February. It is designed to be informative and interesting for all types of readers and is aimed to keep everyone up-to-date with whats going on in Norbury. This month we have got a feature on Winter boating. All the editions can be viewed by following this link http://www.norburywharfltd.co.uk/norbury_news.htm or you can request your very own copy to be delivered to your inbox every month by emailing me at david@norburywharfltd.co.uk.

It's been a busy day here. We've turned around nine boats. Denise and Mrs. Handbag have been cleaning, Mick has been checking the engines over, Billy has been checking the internals whilst Fred has been doing his normal duties of pumpouts, diesel, water and gas. Ange has been in the office and shop, whilst Joyce has been in the kitchen looking after the customers in the tea room.

This afternoon whilst Billy has been showing the boats out, Mick has been fitting the accessories back onto Wychwood which is the boat that Lee has just painted. I'll take some pictures tomorrow when she emerges from the dock for you to see - she certainly looks nice. Fred has blacked one of our hireboats that we have currently got on the dock and Denise has been cleaning Wychwood.

That's it from me today.

Regards,

David.

where have they all gone

It has been a bit like a ghost town today, there has only been me joyce and Fred in, well David did come in first thing bust said he really didnt feel well so after I had come back in from viewing a boat he slopped off to his warm boat and bed, I think that today has been a first in terms of the least amount of staff we have ever had in, it just goes to show how quiet things are going, I dont mind as everyone will be flat out shortly with winter maintenance and catching up on a backlog of private work!

We have had a new to us 60 footer come in today for brokerage, and what a very nice boat it is, a very good 2004 semi trad that has been fitted out with living aboard in mind and it has a very good specification list, it is being listed at £37,500 so it wont be around for long.

Or old friends and good custoers, Vic and Sue of NB No Problem have come in today and are leaving their boat with us for a few weeks while they go off on a nice Med cruise, Oh and while we have it can we just fit a new engine, black the bottom and the list goes on............ It goes without saying that it will all be done for when they return.

I cant really say much about today for the reasons already stated, so thats it from me for today and for the weekend.

Simon