CRT have today put rubber mats down on sections of the towpath in the vicinity of the Crick Boat Show.
They are laid on top of finely crushed hardcore where exposed tree roots could have presented a trip hazard.
A little over the top, methinks. Jan did manage to fall over one such exposed root last year and bruise her ribs, but I doubt she is to blame for this expensive operation. There is, of course, no way to secure the mats; there's nothing to stop a light-fingered boater purloining one or two for their deck. Let's hope all who pass by are honest.
The mats, though, are as nothing compared with the temporary bridge providing access to the show site from the towpath. This is an amazingly robust-looking steel (or is it aluminium?) construction soaring over the canal and must be costing thousands.
Since I took the photo the last section, by the steps, has been fitted, but the bridge is not yet open. The sign requests that people wishing to walk along the towpath use the steps as there is insufficient room between them and the edge of the bank.
The weather has certainly improved (will it hold for the show itself?) with wall-to-wall sunshine most of the day. Despite the still cool breeze I was inspired to dig out the barbecue (first time this year).
Today's last photo shows how far from the bank we are. I ought to drill a hole in the end of the gangplank to take a mooring pin so I can fix it to the bank; every time a boat goes past too fast (there have been quite a few today) the movement of the boat causes the gangplank to slip.
A job for the morning.
Adrian and Chris from
Essence, fellow BCFers, came round for a drink and a chat this evening. We all enjoyed some of Jan's tiffin, which she made this afternoon. Scrummy!
2 comments:
You don't appear to have fitted a mooring spring at the bow. I'd have thought that was a first step to counter the effect of boat wash. There should be one at the stern, as well, but that isn't in the picture.
Boat movement will only get worse as the boat 'erodes' the canal base it is currently resting upon.
Hope This Helps
Davidss, you're right, I didn't have a spring at the bow (or stern). I am always careful to ensure that my mooring lines are at the correct angle to the boat, i.e. 45 degrees, to ensure maximum stability. Yes, adding springs would help to minimise boat movement but a) my spare mooring lines are in a fairly inaccessible part of the boat and b) after every few boat passes I tightened the lines to bring the boat nearer the bank. It ended up hardly moving at all. We've moved on now!
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