Mack, David 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? > > We took Fulbourne to the National at St Ives via Stanground, March, Well > Creek and the 100 Foot River. At 3ft draft we had no problems with > depth on the Middle Level, most of which was much deeper than most > canals. Well Creek was a bit slow, but no real problems apart from the > first bridge beyond the bend at Outwell, where we grounded on the inside > of the bend. A second attempt further across the channel saw us through > without too much more difficulty.
That's good to know. > > Because the old part of Stanground Sluice is shallow we had to go > through backwards (we grounded solid when we tried to go through > forwards some years ago). Yes, your description of that event on the canals-list added greatly to the sense of barely-contained panic in the Kelley household yesterday ;-) > Consequently we had to reverse along Kings > Dyke for a mile below the sluice, turning at the junction with the (now > unnavigable) Farcet River. Fulbourne is normally a bit of a pig in > reverse, but here we had plenty of water beneath us and after a couple > of bursts of forward and reverse to line us up with the channel, we did > the whole mile at mid revs in reverse, steering with the rudder, and > without any need for poles, ropes, or bursts of forward to keep the boat > pointing in the right direction. > Impressive. At 60ft, we should (just) be able to turn below the lock, according to Tina the lock-keeper. > We didn't have time to explore the bits off the through route, but from > the bits we did experience, I would have thought that you will have few > problems with a draft of 2ft 10 in. OK, I'm convinced. Time to call the broker, formally accept the boat, and pay the money! Cheers, Simon. > > David Mack >
