Bruce Napier wrote: > Simon Kelley wrote: >> I'm currently in the process of buying a narrowboat which I'm >> intending to keep at Bill Fen Marina at Ramsey on the Middle Levels. >> I want to cruise the Great Ouse system as well as the canals and the >> Fenland waterways. >> >> The narrowboat in question has a rather deep draught - about 2'10", >> the significance of which has rather escaped me 'till now. I know >> about Stanground Lock: I talked to the lock-keeper and it will be >> possible to lock down by turning above the lock, entering the lock >> backwards and then turning again below the lock. >> >> What I'm not sure about is any other shallow bits. Is this boat going >> to be a complete liability in the Fens, or is it OK once through >> Stanground? >> >> I'm hoping that members of the list have brought deep boats through >> (maybe for the IWA national?) and can either reassure me or warn me >> off in the next couple of days before the sale completes. >> >> So. what's it like in the fens with a low bottom? >> > > We had no problems with Sanity at 28", and I know that they got > Fulbourne through without too much hassle. The worst bit for us was > from Upwell to Salter's Lode, ie the Well Creek, but we've no > experience of the southerly bits.
Indeed, this is our experience. The level in Well Creek does vary, so it luck of the draw. The problem is excerbated by trashed weed in the "navigation slot!". It would sound that at 2ft 10ins NB would have a RTBC slow reving engine, which should make light work of any weed problem. As for the rest of the Middle Level, we found it all deeper than Well Creek, apart from the real extremities. Simon, Bill Fen is a great place, give Lyn and John TNC's regards (especially from their old moorer, John Chapman, they may not know that John and Pat sold Frogmoore II a year ago and have given up boating.) > > Great Ouse shouldn't be a problem, though Wicken Lode to Wicken Fen is > very shallow indeed. We can think of shallower places! ;-) See it all at: http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_01/fensindex.html http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_01/fenoct.html http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_04/Tour04_19.html -- Neil Arlidge - NB Earnest - Shannon Reg 7410 Read about our Irish travels at: http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_07/index.html
