Category: Narrowboat

Bletchley and Fenny Stratford

At the bottom end of Milton Keynes.

This is somewhere I passed through many years ago. https://www.michaeltyler.co.uk/bourne-end-weedon/

That time, I didn’t really stop in Milton Keynes. I remember coming through and stopping at the Tesco in Leighton Buzzard.

The canals on the Grand Union are a lot deeper. There’s absolutely 0 chance you’d be able to cover that amount of distance on the narrow-gauge canals of the Lower Oxford. The small and convenient size of the Oxford Canal locks are more than off-set by the forced low cruising speed in the 3-4 deep water.

Bike is fixed!

Mostly fixed… After disassembling the rear wheel, I saw that the bearings housing was deteriorated to the point of flaking off into the bearings, which is why it was making the squeaking and crunching.

I looked into the new wheel option. Halfords was not the cheapest. But, unlike Tredz, they offer a click and collect service, rather than delivery by DPD which has always represented a pain in the ass in the past.

I think it was £5 more. Not a lot really. Arrived at the Halfords store after a few days for me to pick up.

New rear wheel - KX 700c from Halfords
New rear wheel – KX 700c from Halfords

More or less slotted it in using the tools I’d purchased beforehand.

The only other thing was applying RIM TAPE, I looked around in Halfords and online, and it seemed overpriced, £7 for some what looks around 2m of electrical tape. The old wheel had it’s RIM TAPE intact. Rather than buy some, just gently pried it off the old wheel and slipped it onto the new wheel. Worked like a dream….

The bearings were ready greased and once the cassette was on, it was ready to roll. Literally. Took about 25 minutes.

Chain whip SRAM spanner fitting
Chain whip SRAM spanner fitting

The repair in total cost £10 for the tools. £55 for the wheel.

Went for a ride up the canal towpath toward Wolverton first day when the rain had stopped.

Everything worked perfect. Job done!

Continue reading “Bletchley and Fenny Stratford”

Old Linslade to Stoke Hammond

I’m going to stick to moving every two weeks. I know on the Oxford most people make it 3, if they move at all. Most of the boaters I’ve talked to here tend to at least SAY they move every two weeks. There are people who just stay as long as they want, for whatever reason, but I’ve never been one of those. I used to drag it out a bit in the winter and when the weather was cold, simply because it was more convenient, and safer to stay put.

The weather isn’t that bad, and I don’t mind moving around.

The new place I’m in is called Stoke Hammond. It’s over the border from Bedfordshire. I’m now in Buckinghamshire! How exciting!

Mobile signal is slightly more consistent with 5G speeds. The village has a convience store, a post office, (in one shop), and a pub and church.

There’s a nice walk up a hill to a nearby village which commands view over the Vale of Aylesbury, which is where I am now, if you want to call it that.

This is what's know as the Vale of Aylesbury
This is what’s know as the Vale of Aylesbury

It’s called Brickhill. As you can see it’s got nice views.

Towpath and upkeep

Of the waterways.

Went to empty my waste and do some recycling as I went through the locks.

Overfilled bins
Is this all from boaters…. I don’t know….

I get the suspiscion that punters pull up in the pub car park, which adjoins, and dump their rubbish in these bins.

I know they used to do this at Long Buckby, on the Grand Union further up.

Pretty sure all this waste isn’t coming from boaters….

Continue reading “Old Linslade to Stoke Hammond”

Back on the towpath

Near Leighton Buzzard.

I’ve had to move down a bit. The boat was needing to be moved. I managed to stay in the town for about a month, but I sent the CRT an overstay request. I put ‘pet bereavement’ as my reason for overstay. It was the closest I could find. I believe that buys you a couple of extra weeks.

A tame heron - Leighton Buzzard
A tame heron – Leighton Buzzard

Before I moved down, I walked down to check it all out. This heron was sat on the towpath up by the locks just coming out of town…

You could got right up to it, it didn’t seem bothered. When you get real close, it flies around you and goes back to looking at fish!

I went past it today on the bike and it didn’t even move. Just sat there looking at me…

Continue reading “Back on the towpath”

Fitting flexible solar panels to a narrowboat

This is a short guide to installing flexible solar panels to a narrowboat.

How long do flexible solar panels last for?

No doubt, less long than their rigid counterparts. Rigid panels offer 35 year warranty.

2025 – After 7 years, the top laminate of the panels has started to peel off. This gave a bubbling effect to the surface of the panels where the laminate had come away from the main part of the flexible cell body.

With a knife, I peeled away this protective laminate in it’s entirety. The surface below was slightly gummy, but the working surface of the panels was still intact.

Both of those panels still generate electricity, and from my latest measurements, at the same rate as the new set of flexible panels I put on some years later.

I hadn’t made much difference.

I have to keep them cleaner, and the surface is slightly cracked.

So, how long do flexible panels last for? In their brand new and no different 7 years. For me

Background

I’ve lived on my boat for 2 years. When I first started, I was located in a Marina. Everything was laid on, showers, water, electrical hook-up.

It reminded me of a high-rise flat for boats. After my boat was painted, I took it up on a journey to the most Northern and Southern reaches of the UK canal system.

It was called Bonnie Journey, in the name of the boat. You can read about it here.

It included some cycling, which I had to postpone due to injury. Whilst I was waiting for my injuries to recover, I stationed myself on the Kennet and Avon.

Kennet and Avon

Burbage wharf
Near Burbage

As visitors to this waterway will know. Kennet and Avon Marinas are few and far between.

I decided to try continuous cruising. When you’re continuous cruising, all your energy has to be self generated.

You’re entirely ‘off grid’. In winter, generating power was a case of starting the engine.

As the sun began to shine, in the run up to spring, I began to think of the advantages of solar.

After my boat was fully painted, I decided that the next job to be done, was to fit some solar panels, and take advantage of the free energy!

I’m now in a position to do that.

Researching

Most people are going to find that this is the most lengthy part of the process.

Before you shell out large sums of money, you want to ensure you’re getting something which is fully compatible with your needs.

The first question you need to ask yourself before fitting solar is –

Continue reading “Fitting flexible solar panels to a narrowboat”

Cowroast to Leighton Buzzard

A late start after my bank holiday weekend boozing.

Managed to get going for around 11am.

Tring, which is the pound up, is the summit pound for the Grand Union south. On the Oxford Canal, the summit pound is Napton. It’s been closed south from Napton for the last 2 months.

There was plenty of water in Tring.

Day of locks

Bonnie at the locks
Bonnie at the locks

No let up with the locks, probably about 12-15 individual locks for a 6 hour day.

The countryside is less urban. More rural. There’s livestock or arable farmland in the fields. Not sounds of traffic or airplanes, or motorways. It’s all quite and serene.

Continue reading “Cowroast to Leighton Buzzard”