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Enter a key word to search for posts:More on cruising
Posted on: Thursday December 15, 2016 at: 6:17 pm
So, the other day I was wondering what acceleration was like on Brandy Pad, so we came to a complete stop to time it. 0-3.5 mph in 1 min 20 secs. Not exactly a Ferrari, but then Ferraris don’t weigh 18 tons and aren’t driven by a screw propellor.
The information is actually of no particular use of course, but it was fun finding out. Our cruising speed is around 3.5 mph normally, subject to passing moored boats, how deep or wide the canal is and breaking wash – which we don’t want as it wears the canal banks. For passing moored boats, we slow down to engine tick-over speed. The moving boat creates quite a large water displacement and if the shock wave hits moored boats to fast, it not only bounces them around a lot but can pull mooring stakes out and set them adrift. A lot of moored boats are uninhabited, so a loose boat causes a real problem.
For those that are interested, our Bow Cam is now in operation and uploads a new image to our website every 5 minutes. A link on the left will take you to the latest 4 views. Assuming I remember to set it all going that is. The pictures below are from the camera.
Yesterday was a beautiful, calm sunny day – especially for December.
Lovely sunny December day
We handled 11 locks in quick succession, which hopefully helps keep us fit.
Today on the other hand has been grey, but no actual rain – hurrah! Only 2 locks today, but we took a couple of hours out to take a trip to the Range store for a couple of trays Helen wanted to pick up. Google maps is a real help in finding bus stops and routes. We moored not more than a couple of hundred yards from the bus stop which had a bus about every ten minutes. A little more than an hour later we were back. Free for me with a bus pass and a day saver for Helen at £4.20. All in all a very successful little trip. Who needs a car?
Good to hear you are enjoyng life in the slow lanE after all the hard work. . , many are envious of you, but you have earned IT. XXX