Couple of cool boats went through Lock 32 today

 

 

 

 

 

This one goes out to my friend Don C.

Shantyboat Is What's Up

Check out these remote controlled locks, I know you want one

This Guy Knows What's Up

Swallows & Amazons 90th Anniversary (1930-2020)

I honestly can’t remember how I came to know about the Arthur Ransome series of books. It must have been back when I was building my sailboat, and I spent hour after hour poring over sailboat stuff.

All I can tell you is that I was hooked from the get-go. Swallows and Amazons really had an effect on me; it was like childhood nostalgia distilled into a boatstruck-fever-dream.

Anyway, I own all of the books. I’ve read all of the books. You should too.

The Arthur Ransome Society

The Nancy Blackette Trust

If Not Duffers... 

Swallows and Amazons For Ever!

Cruising The Cut: A Charming YouTube channel by an English Narrowboater

Camelot Launches

Camelot makes it's slow way to the water

Jean and Paul Miller's Holiday Mansion Camelot launched this Friday. You may have noticed Jean and Paul's boat moored in Fairport, they're regulars and in fact they were the first folks I got to know when I started boating on the Canal.

Their houseboat is one of the larger craft along the quay and they can usually be found sitting up on the rear deck. They're the boat with Canalligator sitting proudly on their swim platform, don'tcha know. It works as a pretty good scarecrow, and keeps the ducks from making a mess on the deck.

The original Canalligator was quite the attraction, especially for the younger kids walking along the quay with their parents after having gotten lucky with an Ice Cream cone. Alas, the first Canalligator disappeared one night, and we kinda suspect foul play. Or maybe the ducks ganged up and it was Fowl Play! Anyway, they've since replaced the old Canalligator with a new model, but we still miss the original.

Welcome back Jean and Paul!

Birdie James gets Wet

Don Cartwright on the stern of Birdie James as she launches

Don Cartwright's boat, Birdie James was dropped back into the drink this Saturday, all 13 tons of her. Don has done a boatload (heh) of work on Birdie over the winter, including replacing a considerable amount of deck and ceiling.

Birdie James is a relative newcomer to the canal as Don purchased her last year and brought her down from Connecticut. She's a Bluewater Yacht with an impressive amount of room on board. Her open deck plan really allows passengers to spread out and Don has lots of plans for more custom upgrades in the future.

Midlakes Launches New Boats

Harriet H. Wiles

Hanging out around marinas can be a lot of fun, especially ones like Midlakes in Macedon, NY. Midlakes is home to Midlakes Navigation's fleet of Canal hire boats, which you can rent for cruises up and down the canal. The houseboats are styled after European Narrowboats, and are what amount to floating condominiums, or at the very least a floating luxury apartment.

Midlakes has been providing this service with boats that they design and build for generations. In fact, Midlakes built the Sam Patch, but that's another story. Peter Wiles, owner and operator explained to me that they had built around twenty boats, and have been in the process of buying back several boats that they had sold over the years, so that now their fleet is around 14 boats in all.

Peter Wiles

One of the boats that had been purchased back from an individual has been re-built and was recently launched as the Harriet H. Wiles, named in honor of Peter's mother.

Designed as a single-couple rental, with deluxe appointments, Harriet is both spacious and modern. The boat also has some updated features, including an enclosed cockpit, which will make for more comfortable navigation, especially in inclement weather.

Lightship for Sale

You say you like boats? And Lighthouses? Why not have both?

Sula is currently housing a Centre for Complimentary Healthcare and offers various treatments. It also houses the Gloucester Buddhist Centre and offers accommodation for the owners.

Unfortunately, I don't think you could get very far up the canal with those masts.


Sula is 107' long, 26' wide and has a draft of 11'.

 • One of the very rare lightships with a Fresnel lens system in the light-tower. (very common for light-houses, not for light-ships)

• The foghorn design is only used on 2 ships worldwide

• The life-boat: one of the first fibre-glass life-boats ever built.

Built in 1958 in Beverley near Hull for the Humber Conservancy Board. There are 4 bedrooms, almost completely intact with teak bunkbeds, desks and seating. The main bedroom was created from 2 original cabins and can easily accommodate a large double-bed. All bedrooms have a variety of storage cabinets and have traditionally looking CH radiators installed. Bedroom-1 has got a telephone and TV connection. Click through for some great onboard pics.