CHERTSEY

BOATS, BRIDGES, BOILERS ... IF IT'S GOT RIVETS, I'M RIVETTED
... feminist, atheist, autistic academic and historic narrowboater ...
Likes snooker, beer, tea, rivets and solitude, and is strangely fascinated by the cinema organ.
And there might be something about railways.
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Thursday 15 March 2012

Low level

No, not the reservoirs (this time) although I do feel for all those people trapped on the Fens by the de facto closure of the Northampton Arm (but look on the bright side, you won't have to do the Nene this year, and you can go and visit Cambridge before the Cam Commissioners put their prices up...). As for anyone who was hoping to visit the Middle Level... it'll wait, I promise you.


Anyway, my low level refers to Chertsey's cloths, now rearranged sans deckboard, initially because of a low bridge en route to Droitwich (but now we have finally looked at the map we have worked out that we won't be going that way), but also hopefully to offer less for the wind to get hold of. I kind of like to see a Big Woolwich or a Royalty clothed up like this anyway; it has a certain something about it. There is still nearly 6' headroom underneath, in the middle. Also, illogically, it feels much easier walking along the top planks - illogical because they're only about a foot lower at the back (and less than two feet at the front), and, without the uprights, the planks are more bouncy.

Lots of people when clothing up like this fold the topcloths in half. That won't work for Chertsey though; firstly we have a little more height than the milk crate minimum, and second, the side cloths are relatively short (I can't remember how or why I decided on that now), so half a topcloth won't cover the gap, while a whole one is too big. So we have had to tuck one edge under (or both, until I thought of doing just one), and have put a pleat, which you can just see, in the middle of the shaped front one..

5 comments:

  1. I agree, she does look very smart
    Kath (nb Herbie)

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  2. Are you thinking of the M5 tunnel on the droitwich junction canal as a low bridge
    so you will only be cruising the Barge canal
    not the junction if you are going to avoid the bridge (tunnel)

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  3. Yes, that's what we did it for. I reckon we should do the whole lot anyway though whichever way we go, and even if we go and come back the same way (as looks likely). I'll only know if that makes sense once we get there!

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  4. worth the trip up the junction for the side pond locks and the new staircase locks
    you can wind in the new marina or on the worc/brum canal at the end if you want to come back.

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  5. youve gone queit since the weekend are you stuck in the tunnel

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