286. The narrowboat you can drive from the towpath...
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- Опубліковано 6 січ 2023
- For single-handed canal boaters, shimmying up and down lock ladders or trying to get through swing bridges can be a huge nuisance. How much easier it would be if you could steer your boat with remote control! That's exactly what Gill Gregory can do aboard "Desiderata" so I went to see the system in action.
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Maybe because I'm American, but I think bow thrusters and remote operation is brilliant. Those that don't like either, likely don't like electric panels, using anything but coal and steam, and enjoy talking to other boaters using flags.
I think your on to something there but I think it's also, or could be a feeling , not just of something called "loosing tradition" but also control . I can understand that with where technology is right now , as in if it's all electric it can more easily be switched on or off / controlled centrally. But in this case seems a very practical solution;) .... Taking a human out if the loop is always a challenge me thinks.
This is exactly the technology that’s needed to open up boating to more single people and individuals who are less spry or surefooted. I’ve wondered why this hasn’t caught on better but I would venture to guess that it’s going to become more commonplace.
Automated locks controlled on boaters phones would be a better plan
@@Chef2866 I'd like to hear your method of funding the automation on the 1,000's of locks involved
Loving the idea of RC lock gates.
Perhaps CRT might consider recruiting many more volunteer lock keepers?
Apart from capital cost of uniforms, PPE kit (life jackets and toe - tector steelies, gloves and obligatory corporate bobble hat) and insurance that would be "free" enough.
I’d add a stern thruster too. I used to be a ‘no thruster’ snob. Then I got old.
This is a great invention. Imagine going up and down that ladder as a lone old person.
David, you're not fooling anyone. Those two dogs were navigating the boat, a couple of ole sea dogs they are. Those two have been navigating the canals for years. Great video thanks my friend.
And the mystery solved!
Some people will always complain about progress. I think this will be a standard feature in 10 years or less on new boats. She can literally cruise while sitting under the cover at the front of her boat with the puppies.
Not quite how it works 😂
I think people that feel the need to criticize this lady's choice of boat controls, really need to spend some time thinking about why this bothers them.
❤
The only ones criticizing Jill for her use of efficient technology are those who are jealous. So smart to build a modern boat with 21st century tech. *Well done!*
Thanks for your kind words. 😊
Great video, the boat is simply gorgeous and the whole remote system such a brilliant idea! It looked like a damp, chilly day and the locks can be treacherous in those conditions, so it simply makes sense from a safety perspective. Gill made it look incredibly easy even with a camera focused on her, so bravo! 😊
She seemed in complete control of the boat the entire time through the lock up and down and personally I think the undeniable safety benefits of the remote control system more than justifies it's use alone.
wow ...Im over 60 ...shes on the mark ....why would you not use this system ....she is in full control ....so much credit to her for taking tech into her future to help her do what see loves ...wow ...love form NZ
Jill has a boat that is perfectly suited for her. Im happy to see her dream fulfilled. And its a really beautiful boat. Enjoy your retirement Jill!
Going placidly amidst the noise and the haste, avoiding loud and aggressive persons....
Work smarter not harder. That’s the ticket. Thanks for another great video.
I met Gill at Quoisley Bridge and me been a novice was fascinated by what was happening. I thought there was someone helping her, but when I got up to the lock there was no one there and then advised me it was an electric boat, wow that's all I can say and good on Gill for living her dream 🇳🇿 NB Kunekune
Hey! I remember you! Hope you’re both well? 😊
@@gillgregory6327 yes all good I'm in NZ at present back middle of May for another cruise on the cut
That is a brilliant and such a clever simple system. I'd have needed a 10 channel proportional radio and more to do what they did with just buttons. But what is wrong with some UK people that tell others they should not have a bow thruster? I felt quite sorry for the lovely lady being made to feel that she had to justify her choices. I do enjoy your vlogs thank you.
Not having to climb that slimy lock ladder is a big bonus
Chatted with Jill about her boat while on the Llangollen back in the Autumn. Beautiful boat.
Hello! Thanks for your kind comment 😊
5:25 “Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence...." ― Max Ehrmann, Desiderata: A Poem for a Way of Life Published in 1927
Thank you. I was wondering about that plaque and where those words were from.
The sight of an unattended boat traveling by itself is far less disturbing than the sight of those unattended sandwiches. 😮
I'll bet the dogs were watching them closely!
Wow great safety feature. This nice lady can avoid fall from ladder. Fantastic!!. Thank you David nice vid.
Loved seeing the remote control in action! An absolute no brainer for solo boaters. Fantastic video. 🤙🏻
😀😀
Oh, and I guess you liked the dishwasher too 🤣🤣
NOW I want a narrowboat.
"No dogs were harmed in the making of this video" 😀
An excellent bit of kit. Also perfect for those swing bridges that are difficult to operate when single handing.
So interesting to see Desiderata in action with the remote control. Embracing technology to make life easier and future proof your boat makes perfect sense. Fame at last for Angus and Isla 🐾
It’s an elaborate hoax, the dogs are steering the boat.
their person is just a robot.
No those two cuties too young to steer a boat ….now if it was a cat 🐱
😆 just like sleigh dogs
Wow, my heart was in my mouth at the beginning with the locks but what a savvy Lady to have thought forward….well done Gill Gregory. Absolutely beautiful boat and thanks, as always David, for bringing us something new.
Thank you for your kind comments.
What an innovative brilliant system - It must make single handling so much more practical at SWING BRIDGES too.
now its time to lobby the canal keepers and get remote controlled gates so you never have to leave the boat or use that handle
Remote Version of the system used in Irland sounds easily doable.
I really enjoy this marriage of modern technology and classic engineering. What a wonderful way to evolve narrowboating into the next era!
Did anyone else think that was pillows on either end of the couch??? I didn't realize it was the dogs at first! Lol!
In 10-15 years there won't be new boats without this kind of feature. For now it is something special, in a few years it will be standard. Great thing to have, especially when you're on your own.
I imagine the sorts of bores who would give Jill their unsolicited thoughts on this system. Best ignored.
It looks like a great solution for avoiding those dangerous lock ladders.
Great video. Very interesting to see how this beautiful new boat works. Gill is very competent, and her dogs are so well behaved. I wish her many years of happiness in her new home.
That remote idea is such a great idea.
Great episode, thank you Jill for sharing your boat and thanks @CruisingtheCut for the video. The more people on the waterways, the more interest there'll be in opening (or re-opeming) canals, a good thing for me as an avid towpath walker :)
What a brilliant boat, surely the way forward. As ever, a fantastic job, well done, Dave.
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence." From Desiderata on the boat Desiderata.
So true on an electrically propulsed vessel!
And exactly why I chose to name her after my fave poem. 😊
Beautiful boat and she's doing it her way. 😍
Would love to see her do this in front of a pub of drunks. 😂 the ghost narrowboat. Well that is quite dandy. Like playing with a very large remote control boat 😂
Wow David what an amazing video! That remote business is brilliant imo especially for singles and people in their elder years. The woman’s boat you were on was beautiful inside! If you didn’t know it you could almost pass it off for a small refinished flat. Those dogs were cute and they had me laughing sitting side by side like pals looking up and waiting for their mom lol! Again, great video David as always!
You snooping around other people's boats while I live vicariously is one of my favorite parts of this channel 🙌🏾
It must have been unsettling at first, watching your lovely narrowboat (home and investment) bobbing by itself in the locks, then exiting on its own. What an sensible new feature! Safe and happy travels, Gill!
I’m always very cautious in the locks. My doggos are on board 😊
"You should be able to control your boat with blah blah blah" ahhhh yes the old person argument that ease and modernization is baaaaaad lol you do you, i think this is an amazing if not very overdue bit of kit that if i was a solo boater i would be investigating how to retrofit. Thanks for keeping us informed CtC, and thanks to Jill and her amazing dogs for the tour and demo.
Why would anyone complain about the remote, brilliant system
yes, and I'm sure those grumbler's still enjoy getting up from their chair to change the TV channel! 🙂
because people are stupidly afraid of new things
They're probably just envious.
Old age comes a lot faster than we could ever imagine. We always think we have time, and we almost never do. No matter the lifestyle we choose, or think we have time for, it seems we end up backing gently into a hole somewhere and quietly fading away. The day that realization hits you is sad in deed. Nothing is the same from that day forward. This has been my experience anyway. I wish you all better.
What a brilliant way of controlling a boat.
We done to her for getting it made for what she needs.
So what to the old style.
Making it easier to use is the way to go
That's just brilliant! The idea of living aboard for a few years just became a LOT more attractive. Thanks, David.
Love the boat and the dogs are adorable. Now all Gill needs is an remote control ramp for those slippery banks.
I think it's BRILLIANT. I also love the lay of the inside. It's everything I would want in a boat. Love her couches to. The gray color is very pretty. The dogs go well with the color of the couches ha ha 😉.
Lovely boat and the remote control is a great system. You don't have to use it, but it is there for difficult situations. I can see it being a real bonus, especially when single-handed.
Indeed that was interesting. It is good to know some narrowboat owners are thinking of their older years and how to 'stay afloat'.
The remote is a great device! It looks safer with less stress and the quiet motor I’m sure makes cruising much more fun!
The electric motors are for long tunnels. The noise plus the fumes are healthier.
That is just fantastic! I am sure this will become more popular.
Great name for her boat. If anyone hasn't read the Desiderata yet, i recommend you do.
Love all your videos - thank you for sharing!
Nifty , a great idea, and two lovely Westies tugged at my heart strings on the couch. When I had my mobile home, I'd quietly sneak out in the morning and find my two westies asleep on the seats in front of the stove 😅 They are the most adorable and loving dogs, great company for Gill
Brilliant! Much safer way of doing it.
You know what “you should be able to “ actually means: “I wish I had one of those”.
Those ladders inside the locks need to be modernized as well. Those obsolete rungs could be flat plates with cleats to provide sure footing regardless of the slime build up.
Fascinating viewing, and very nicely shot and post produced as always. NB, I especially liked the shot of the two dogs and the unaccompanied cheese rolls entering the lock on the journey back down . . .
My Dad always said work smart not hard. Her home is beautiful.
That’s amazing. It’s great that there’s tech out there making it easier for solo boaters. I love how quiet it makes boating being able to be on electric only.
Looks like the remote would be equally welcome at those swing bridges where the landing is on the opposite side of the swinging bit.
Good show!
Excellent and informative video!
Plus-- Jill's dogs were ADORABLE-- especially their bewildered expressions from the stern when mum was not aboard when controlling the boat remotely.
Absolutely brilliant. I swear if I ever move to the UK from the US I want a boat just like this. Thank you David for doing this. Excellent
That was amusing watching the dogs. The boat is moving and she is not on board. 😄😁
Tell folks that you have full faith in the dogs' ability to steer !
🤣
I decided 4 years ago that I was going to retire to the cut when I left the military, after watching David's videos back-to-back. I was a bit concerned about single-handing some of the locks, but this is very clearly the way ahead. Roll on 2027 when I get to retire, and hopefully straight onto a boat like this. Well done, Gill, and good work in keeping the stick-in-the-muds in their place. Thank you, as ever, David, and carry on! 🙂
Fascinating! I’m so glad remote control is an option - I’m sure it makes narrowboating more practical for people who would have a hard time otherwise. And it looks like other boaters going through locks would be glad of how fast and efficient it makes the process.
I want one! No more slimey ladders.
Yeah...I'm in reasonable shape, but one glance at those ladders, and you know an accident is going to happen at some point in time, no matter what shape you're in.
Wow great videos. I love the camera work. What a fabulous boat! I love technology when it makes sense. Happy New Year! 🇨🇦
What a fantastic boat. You may not have been doing an ad for them, David, but they really should be paying you!
Haha they don’t need any promotion from me, they’ve got bookings until doomsday already
Love that boat thank you for the tour
That is a great boat. I think it would a pleasure to operate.
Not a boat person (my "frame" and anything with the word "narrow" in its name wont mix loll), but I like watching these videos, as I can appreciate folks loving the relaxing life style. This use of technology is amazing and to me makes a lot of sense, from a safety angle - as well as thinking about boaters who are older / less agile. I think people bad mouthing the system simply are either jealous, or want to stay in a bygone era - no thanks. It's very similar to people in the fly fishing world (one of my past-times), who "poo-poo" anything that wasn't used in the 1800s. People should be "allowed" to use whatever works for them, as long as it wont risk injury to others or be a safety concern in any way. Clearly the lady in this video was well trained in using the remote system and knew her stuff. Top job and way better than the terrifying thought of climbing up that narrow, probably slimy ladder !
I literally came across my first RM boat at that very lock a few months ago. It was very strange for a moment when you don’t know what's going on. It was a lone woman boater who had ingeniously rigged up a system herself, which controlled the tiller. She had a serious back problem, which is why she needed it, although it must still be a major challenge living on a narrowboat in that kind of pain. Seriously impressive. Also nice to see my home marina featured :-)
The remote control is just a ruse, it is actually the dogs that are driving 🙂
Fantastic boat! I really like the hybrid system and the all electric kitchen. Standard question from every electric car, what is the battery range?
Nice to see you back again on the water canals, David. This tour is a Scoop coup.
Absolutely superb. Technology helping people boat longer and safer.
What a fantastic boat (and brilliant video camera work as well).
imho all sofa beds should come with a pair of jumper-wearing Westies.
and yes, I am prepared to die on this particular hill...
I'm not one to comment on videos often, but i wanted to thank you for another wonderful video. I've been lurking in your channel for about 2 years now and you never failed to show me new and interesting things. Keep up the good work
That's most kind, thank you!
@@CruisingTheCut this is brilliant she can control the boat faster and with ease also she is alot safer.
Brilliant is what it is. Perhaps a tad bizarre upon first view, I can understand how handy this could be for older or handicapped boat owners. Hats off to embracing the future and the people who made it happen.
David, what a brilliant idea. Always good to hear from you.🇦🇺🙏👍
What a truly fantastic boat, I wonder if the system could be retro fitted to our boat. When we had her built my wife was much more able but as her condition has worsened she's no longer able to help, and with a 65'x12' doing everything on my own is a challenging thought.
I shall have to research more.
My thought too. I've got half the kit, the bow thruster, just need to workout how to remotely control the stop/go bit.
At the end if the vlog David says that the kit can be retrofitted by many companies😊
To clarify, I didn’t say it can be “retrofitted”… I said any narrowboat builder can install the system as it comes from the hybrid motor supplier. Retrofitting is a whole different ball game. You’d need an existing bow thruster (retrofitting one of those is major welding and engineering) and either to have or then install the electric motor and battery bank. Thus, retrofitting is quite a big ask.
@@CruisingTheCut Sorry, if I caused any confusion! Thank you for the clarification.
@@CruisingTheCut the bow thruster we have, it's just switching to electric, which I'm sure is perfectly possible if no doubt rather expensive.
This Braidbar boat is an intelligent and aesthetic design inside and out. Perfectly named for the quietude the electric offers. Definitely want one with a hybrid engine, bow thruster, remote, and dog.
David, another superbly produced episode of a fabulous modern narrowboat. As an electronics and radio engineering geek of many decades, this is right up my alley with a hybrid battery/Diesel powered system. It just makes life straight forward for the owner and reduces risk for personal injury as you've described. None of us are getting younger! - Now, to only be able to use a narrowboat like this down here in NZ where we don't have a canal system (except for short hydro-electric power station canals!) I'm looking forward to one day tripping around the UK seeing my heritage at 3 knots with a cheese sandwich and a cup of tea! Cheers from me, David
You can get arrested for tripping! :-)
I would definitely have a remote control system fitted, I am crippled so climbing the ladder would be rather difficult, being able to easily step off and on at either side would be a life saver (perhaps literally).
What a wonderful life that would be . Great idea this remote. Fantastic.thank you for showing this.
Brilliant innovation, makes boating safer and more accessible... She's right, same argument about bow thrusters, why wouldn't you have one if your boat can easily be adapted and you can afford one..... Safety, convenience and accessibility.....
What a great idea, especially for a solo boater.
Man that lady has her act together! What a great thing! Also, I want a retirement "job" working at Braidbar Boats.
After watching, This is how I would like to see a Narrow Boat for my age (81) absolutely Immaculate Boat
Very interesting to see how you can control a narrowboat by a remote control.
This is a wonderful bit of applied technology, with the easy ability to mitigate any failure, it actually promotes the next potential step, which is to be able to sense obstructions and drive itself into the lock and maintain a position therein. Thank you for sharing and I wish Gill continued enjoyment cruising the cut.
Thank you Dave for this video. I had read about this boat and was dying for a sneak peak in how it all worked. And most importantly thank you Gill for allowing us inside your amazing home. Gill, Way down the canal when you decide to jang up your windlass... Please sell me this boat!!!! Its really special and I hope you have many years of enjoyment ahead of you. 😍
I’ll keep you in mind 😂
I can see why some narrowboat purists would take issue with such a system. BUT, I see it saving a lot of time for single boaters, and those who are a bit slower on and off during locking. No one should complain about that during peak season. It's rather graceful, seeing the boat maneuvering solo, almost like a canal version of the zero g scenes from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Another cracking vlog!
If they were purists they would have a horse. 😀
Another great vlog! Jill is very good at piloting the boat via the remote! Electric power is so quiet, just hear the water lapping as you go under the bridge! I love the sound of the older diesels, but quiet is nice too.
Pretty cool! I can see how it would definitely expand boating to be easier for someone with less mobility
I say go for it..really nice for a single woman...I hope Jill gets to cruise for many years to come...Really Lovely Boat!!
Really interesting vlog Thank you David and Jill and her beautiful pups😊
You've done a wonderful job of keeping the channel going after selling your own narrowboat.
That's fantastic!!!!.....what a charming lady and beautiful boat !.....thank you David, your vlogs keep getting better and better!!!...cheers
Thank you 😊😊
A narrowboat with electric propulsion and remote control is a marriage in heaven.
I truly admire this lady that has such a independent nature, but also, thinking ahead and knowing what she wants... she deserves a huge ...RIGHT ON!!!!! way to go... and I love the idea of the electric boat over all...but I do like the wood/oil combo stove...
Thank you for your kind words. I love the stove too but it’s purely diesel fired, no wood. 😊
Interesting vlog, David. The remote control seems like a good thing but the dogs are fabulous.