35. Watford Locks to Norton Junction by narrowboat (Grand Union canal, Leicester Arm)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- #narrowboat #narrowboats #canal #canals #liveaboard #cruisingthecut
After a night's stop at the bottom of Watford Locks it was time to move on again. Originally I had Braunston in mind but I didn't need to be there for several days so in part because of that and partly because the weather was chilly, I ended up in a lovely spot at Norton Junction. This video shows that journey.
Got a question? Read this!
www.CruisingTh...
Boat & Filming gear I use:
www.CruisingTh...
Twitter: / cruisingthecut
Instagram: / cruisingthecut
Facebook: / cruisingthecut
Web: www.CruisingThe...
Tip jar at www.ko-fi.com/...
or / cruisingthecut
Get your Cruising the Cut mugs, t-shirts and other merch here: cruisingthecut...
Buying anything via this Amazon link gets me a commission to help me keep the videos coming. Thank you! geni.us/CtC_Ca...
Theme music: "Vespers" by Topher Mohr and Alex Alena, from the UA-cam music library
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #1 НАЧАЛО ПУТЕШЕСТВИЯ [Новый сезон] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/380Q7gLWGvk/mqdefault.jpg)
Another lovely showcase of life on the canal. Dogs, ice-cream, boats AND a G&T. Now that is the life!
+Shannon Boat It is indeed!
Hello everbody. I'm one of the work colleagues that was being laughed at.
Especially you.
It would have been hilarious if he had sent you and the others a set of mooring pins and chains for your desk
hiding out in my house from the beer virus and binge watching your videos. :)
3:33 That maniacal laugh.
3:50 _Squirrel!_
Popular folk art I see in America right now is circular saw blades and old hand saws painted with flowers and popular birds. Small tins and large antique milking containers painted with wildlife scenes and re-purposed old iron and steel tractor seats also painted up. So very similar to what you showed just not on narrow boats since we do not have those. You mostly see that sort of thing in peoples kitchens and foyer/mud-rooms. Also people are big on 1920-1960's metal food, oil, chemical and apothecary tins and glass.
I enjoyed both the video and my g 'n t thank you! I can still feel (after 20 odd years - and yes, most of them WERE odd!) the sense of relaxation and the peace, happiness and satisfaction of achieving what you have so far. So much more to experience and accomplish, what an adventure!
Excellent!
"Do ya know what? This is just bloody marvelous!"
Wonderfully entertaining Vlog!
Haha, thank you!
A stiff wire brush might be helpful in the gas locker? Also, "squirrel!" I laughed!
I'm in the US and stumbled across your channel. I binge watch you everyday! You make me want a narrow boat so much..lol! You're so entertaining and amusing.
Safe travels, sir!
Thank you!
I'm in Canada and actually live in the houseboat/was to be a paddle wheeler my dad built right on the bank of the Fraser river. Unfortunately I'm on the wrong side of the river bank as dad never did get it in the water. And I still wish I could move to the U.K. and live on a longboat. Even if this was in the water, our rivers are not suitable for anything like canaling. I could see my wife and I and my little Shih Tsu buddy traveling the canals and stopping in at the pubs or walking the dog along the toe paths. Still jealous and getting more so with each video.
Whaa-haa-har! That sounded heartfelt. As ever most enjoyable. It's only spoilt by the needy, stunted a-hole who keeps pecking at the down thumb. Their predictability is their weakness.
:-) Ignore them. I do.
That moment when the sun comes out, where you recall what you would otherwise be doing in your previous life - chained to the desk, responding to endless emails, meeting abitrary deadlines - realising the decision to make a change was the right one...that was a great moment.
Being from Kansas, there's lots of gorgeous cows and endless wheat. However, very few canals present themselves. I want to buy a narrowboat!
When you get to finishing your repair on your gas lockers, you probably don't need to go to bare metal. Removing all the loose scale and then using a good brand of rust paint will probably do the trick. The challenge will be that the act of removing and replacing gas canisters may abrade the surface again making it subject to renewed corrosion. A good grade of rubber mat, the kind with drainage holes lining the locker would go a long way to preventing that and also to keep the bottom of the propane canister from rusting as it keeps it from sitting in moisture. And it would probably look nicer too if that kind of thing plays on your mind. At any rate, I am really enjoying your Vlogs and the journey that you are taking us along.
The cylinders are already on a raised mat, and the corrosion was worst there! I've got rust treatment stuff waiting... :-)
What a completely wonderful lifestyle canal boat living seems to be allowing you to experience.
Lucky man.
Love these vlogs.
Thanks Don
Discovered your channel the other day. I started watching from the beginning and am up to episode 35. It is so addictive. Great stuff.
I really enjoy watching your videos for some reason brings a piece to mind and relaxes me when I’m having to work on a piece of equipment or rebuild an engine watching one of your videos can always bring a piece to my mind
P.S. I love the mix of steel, wood and the vivid paint jobs on all the boats!!
It's an eclectic mix!
I agree with you though that the flower motif on all the tins and interior bits is a little much.
Very traditional though.
You're spot on. Bloody marvellous. I really enjoyed getting a little dose of the cut. I'm in Santiago, Chile and feeling just a little yearning for the green and pleasant land today.
Bet you're nice and warm though?!
+CruisingTheCut Yes it's shirt sleeve weather here as we head into autumn. Hoping I'll be seeing the grand union through Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard. My old stamping ground.
Now that's what I'd call a laid back lifestyle, seems such a calm and slow paced adventure, I know all your ex-coworkers are envious, I know I am :0) Was happily surprised to see another vlog so soon, and looking forward to the next one, keep safe and Cheers, keep the vlogs coming.....
I've got another 3 Vlogs worth waiting to be edited!! Struggling to keep up with my own footage!
Reminds me of the Destroyer I was stationed on in the 1960's.
It was a WW2 Fletcher class,remember fondly some of the Bilges that hadn't seen a good chipping and painting since it was built,or so it seemed....
Very character building process............Enjoy..............
Haha, "character building", that's one phrase for it!
4:00 I love the flower painted miscellany 😢❤
Bloody marvellous !!!!
Cheers!
Hello, I have gone back and started to watch all of your videos, obviously, I'm at #35.
Thanks as always
Hey David! I do envy you getting to live that life. I shall get to the UK one day & get a chance to cruise the cut of my own boat! May all your pleasures be many & your troubles be few! Really look forward to all of your videos!
You will indeed do it one day, I'm sure!
3:30 is my favorite part in your entire channel, sir.
And it is the exact goal I am working for as well.
Its nice being so close and intimate..😂💞
alice narrowboat @ 3:18 nearly bought that one!
Really?!
I have a GRP cruiser AKA 'plastic boat'. It's my first boat of any kind and a good option for anyone wanting to try before you pay lots for a normal canal boat. I've had mine since October and haven't really done much other than a few days overnight here and there and going 10 miles up the canal. But loving it, loving the cost to keep it in a marina, insurance and licence coming out at £100 a month it's great. I may move up to a long boat, but probably not as this serves me well right now. Anyway, excellent videos. Keep em coming!
Yes, they are splendidly affordable, no doubt about it. Long boats were what the Vikings used!!
The views are still one of my favourite parts too, the canal winds around in some amazing ways. I feel a mini cruise coming on when it stops bloody raining here....and then I think I may have to start on my gas locker too.... :D Enjoy the journey
+The Bike and Barge Haha, the rain!! The weather can't make its mind up as usual, so annoying when trying to plan whether to move or not.
Simply lovely landscape. I am so glad you are finding this enjoyable.
Ah, I go for walks around here all the time 😬 that dog always barks right in me lug hole when I pass 😄 great vid as always chap 👍🏻
+Comfy Womfy Thank you :-)
when you finish priming your gas locker give it 24 hours and the put a gloss (any gloss) over as primer is porous. Lastly put some cheap vinyl tiles down to stop any paint being lifted when you move your gas about. must say my gas locker in on the stern and much easier to deal with. just fiberglassed the inside.
What, and then top coat over the gloss? I've got a mat under the cylinders.
Another great video with lovely views of the English countryside. Thank you for sharing your canal adventure and your impressions, David! As always your humorous and light-hearted comments add extra interest to your videos. Keep up the good work! =^..^=
Thank you, Hubert :-)
Still loving your vids! I think you have made a great choice in your new lifestyle! ✌🏻️👍🏻👏🏻🇦🇺
Great! Thank you.
Wonderful day trip, could have done with an ice lolly while we sat. Think I'll let you clean your own bottom (gas locker bottom lol) I'll sit back and enjoy the view. Oh and no teasing the poor dog with the squirrels ;).
:-)
Getting down into the gas locker reminded me of my days clambering into a Ferret Scout Car. Oh deep joy.
That is definitely a bird of some sort . . . hilarious!
I get quite giddy when I see you've posted another episode! How sad is that?? This will be me in a few years.
That's very gratifying!
Amazing videos. Just a pleasure to watch... Keep it up and good luck!
+hiltoncriss Thank you
Another very good vlog as always my husband and I look forward to the next happy cruising
Coming soon!
Perfect....
3:41 \o I know that laugh. I use it often when I think of my unretired ex-workmates while I cruise completely at random on my 1100cc Yamaha cruiser. Left? Right? Flip a coin and it's off into new territory with a full tank of gas and complete and utter freedom.
Though the mode is different, I share your enthusiasm, David. I definitely get it. Got a destination? No, it's the pleasure of the unhurried trip that counts. The destination is merely a jumping off point for the next pleasurable experience.
Cheers!
Another great video, it really feels like we are coming on the journey with you. Looking forward to the next one.
+Matt Coming soon
The great escape continues -- thanks for sharing. I've been on that bit of the GU too and it is, as you say, "Bloody marvelous." By-the-way, the bit at 3:34 is priceless!
Thanks!
:-)
What a beautiful place to stop your boat and enjoy a slower pace.
Thoroughly enjoyable. always enjoy your uploads.
Cheers John
You know as much about birds as I do, I like the competition. Just getting started on your videos, learned about your channels from the RVGeeks. You do very nice work, most professional.
thanks as always for sharing your travels
:-)
will be cruising the canals on a family holiday starting on the 16th from Gaily Marina. Going round the four counties ring, which we havnt done for a long time. Hiring the same boat we had last year on our trip to Chester.
Sounds great!
Great video as always keep them coming.
:-)
My friend, after you put the prime, you can put fiber glass, i belive get a lot more protetion!
All the best...
Thanks for the idea. There was some discussion of this on the canalworld forums and the verdict seemed to be that it wouldn't work very well but I can't remember exactly why.
another great video, I admire your care of the boat, I'm sure you'll have that gas holder looking like new in a few weeks.
I hope so. Weather since then has prevented further work and it's got all damp again :-( I still feel it was best to scrape the old rust out though.
you're so funny (sometimes)! british humor at its best :)))
Thank you :-)
I will whole heartedly second that. Showing possible maintenance concerns like the gas locker is another big plus also.
35 down!
Loving your blogs. Keep 'em coming.
More on the way!
What a life.
Good thing you bought that boat!! If the previous owners had held on to it who knows if it would have had the issues fixed? In the USA I have seen something similar with airplanes. It is usually Doctors, Lawyers, High Level Business Executives etc...that own civil aviation aircraft. When they are in the 40's and 50's everything is fine but when they hit their 60's onward they tend to stop flying but will not sell their aircraft. The end result is that they suffer for lack of maintenance and often they just rot away to nothing. If they do attempt to sell often they often price it as if it was in great shape but in reality it is in really poor shape so it does not sell. Often surviving relatives can not afford to do what needs to be done so they just forget about them and let them sit and rot. So really the best thing that can often happen is for them to be sold on so they continue to get the maintenance they need.
I really like to keep older machines in good shape. I am not a collector because I use the vintage things I own but I do the maintenance they need to keep them around for those that might come behind me with a similar interest. I have some relatives that hoard high end things from car's to boats, to vintage steam engines, jewelry etc.... They never use them they just put them behind glass or inside of a building. They live many states away so they can not even see or use the "Precious" they have collected. To me it is a shame to take something like a mint muscle car and lock it away in a garage where it sits and rots away unused and unappreciated. Same thing for instruments fine instruments are meant to be played for the masses so that all might enjoy them from the musician to the person listening at the back of the room!
My take on things is that if you can restore them once then you can restore them twice or three times etc....If it can be restored than it should be used and enjoyed and appreciated by as many people as possible. Objects that are highly sought after did not acquire their collector status by sitting on a shelf, behind some glass or holdup in a barn out of sight!
So I am glad to see you are getting that gas locker sorted!!! Nothing is worse than letting something made out of steel rust away into oblivion! Their are plenty of great old things sitting in museums for public viewing. How much better it is to take what is old and make it new again and then have your own adventure with them! Why read about the romantic past when you can live out those old stories of days gone by yourself!
It is my take that the difference between an extra ordinary day and an average day is mostly perspective and attitude. The difference between a challenge and a problem is again perspective and attitude. Adventure is about going into the unknown and the people you meet along the way so again perspective and attitude! I could be very very wrong but I like my version of reality better than most! LOL
My model so far is "Read, Plan, Do" so far it is working ask me again in 30 years!! LOL
Completely agree. Shame about those cars :-(
Yes it is a shame. The uncle I am talking about has a twisted outlook on life. Not only is money his God and greed his main driving force but he believes the saying " He who dies with the most toys wins!". I have meet many like him though since I am into car's, aviation and shooting sports. Those tend to attract a lot of guys with deep pockets and no sense!
I once was shown a fairly rare Corvette. Nothing odd about that right? Wait for it! Wait for it!! The owner had built a carpeted platform for the car then he built a brick building around it with no windows and only a single normal sized door. The car was bricked into it's own structure with no way to get the car in or out short of tearing down a wall!! The structure had climate control though!
I admire that level of commitment!
My wife and walk the canal towpaths whenever we are in a caravan site near one. There is a tranquility and peacefulness, as well as some lovely views, on many even where the canal is quite busy. There must be a downside to life on the cut and watching your videos, I can't help but think that if there is one, it can't be any worse than living on a housing estate or near a main arterial road.
looks just lovely
It is. Especially when the sun's out.
Being two years (!) behind you may have addressed this earlier. It would seem very useful to be able to see 50 feet in front, especially for blind corners and dank, dark tunnels. Were I a narrow boater I would look into a bow-mounted IR-capable camera with a small screen in your cockpit. It would seem to be useful and provide both safety and piece of mind.
Cheers Bill. It's not really needed in the tunnels and I'd rather be looking up than at a screen so it wouldn't be something I'd invest in.
haha i laughed heartily alongside you as you mocked your under-pressure former colleagues. this is an early one, no cheerio. the video hasn't ended until there's a cheerio lol
I recognize some of the spots you're visiting from our rental narrowboat vacation, but I am amazed at the traffic! So many boats! We often had long stretches alone, alone at the locks, and at the pubs there were maybe four other boats moored when we stopped for meals, and that was in high summer. We were alone almost every night - tried to tie up near houses, since we were two middle-aged women and my pre-teen daughter. Then I realized that was 29 years ago! My daughter is now 41. How did things get so crowded?
What I've shown is nothing compared to London's canals now or the K&A; massively busy. Many people buying boats to live aboard as an alternative to a house.
I like the play on words for your titles. Always wondering what the next one is going to be or are you going to run out of them.
I'm starting to run out!
I was “soaking in the lovelyness” watching this video.
Just coming into the season were this lifestyle will really be making others jealous. :-)
:-)
For mooring along a dirt embankment with no existing tie off points, look into a product designed to 'stake out' pet dogs. It's a steel 'screw' that you turn into the soil and the 'flutes' provide great holding power. The best part is that it's not labeled 'Marine equipment' and is still relatively cheap. Because really, LED bulbs are one or two quid, 'Marine LED's' are 5 or 6, only fair I guess, since the Marine ones are made from valuable 'Unobtanium'...
Cheers. All narrowboaters carry mooring pins you can bang into the ground; I don't really like them as they can be pulled out by the suction of a boat coming past too fast.
Beautiful
:-)
Those views from the bridge made me green with envy.
Another great video, i look forward to these.
Thanks Mike
Glorious narration, pithy and funny at times!
"...my former work colleagues are slaving away at their desks..." followed by an evil laugh ! So - you don't miss them then ! lol
LOL
Thanks for another great video.
It was very interesting and informative.
Wishing you luck on your travels.
A lovely day, nice walk, good amount of distance covered. Well done David. Super video.
Great video again! FYI the bird was a House Sparrow.
They all look the same to me apart from robins. I really am dreadfully ignorant. Thanks.
The boat moored in front of yours looked to have an exceptional number of chimneys.
Perhaps like myself the occupants are Australian and so tend to be particularly sensitive to the odd bit of chilly weather?
I rather liked what appeared to be Toad from Wind in the Willows reclining in a suit of armor on the roof.
I loved reading those tales as a boy with ratty and mole although I have always considered Toad to be a rather reprehensibly irresponsible reprobate.
Perhaps the mere sight of him canned for conflict keeps Wild Weasels at bay.
I cannot think of a more appropriate artistic theme for a canal boat.
Delightful viewing as always David, thank you.
Two stove chimneys and an engine chimney, I'll guess without re-watching the video.
Being retired I laughed with you at the thought of previous colleges still nose to the grindstone.
Just lovely! This would be my kind of water travel:)
:-)
I love your titles
Loved this video in my top 3 Stunning views
Bloody marvelous!!
Hahaha! So funny making fun of the past coworkers!!
I enjoyed the scenery and wildlife. Unfortunately the carrots I was snacking on were rendered unappealing at the sight of that rust sludge. I imagine you'll be so glad when the gas locker isn't rusty anymore. Will water always end up in there though? What is a "G and T?" Thanks for the great video! :)
Gin and Tonic! Yes, I think there'll always be some water not least because the vent for the gas is practically on the waterline. Quite annoying.
I know this is an old post but going through that tunnel made me think how did horse powered boats get through in the old days?
Hi, please see cruisingthecut.co.uk/f-a-q/
awesome!
That mystery water fowl looked like a new crossbred species (new to me anyway)
I shall call it a Swoose!!
I would appreciate it if everyone could now refer to them as such, spread the word - and say it with enough conviction to totally convince other people that you know what you’re talking about.
“Oh yeah, that’s a Swoose alright. It’s a relatively new species of waterfowl discovered by world renowned naturalist Sir David ....Johns in 2016.”
Full name:
The Greater Union Swoose
I remember when we bought our motorhome four years ago. Of all the jobs I had to learn about, sorting the toilet cassette was the number one priority. (There's a pile of toilet humour to be found in that department but it's not even my number two priority.) I'm sure any number of would be cassetted travelers are waiting patiently for your episode on carting out the cassette. I want to hear more jokes in your beautiful British broadcaster baritone. If you want some cistern centred scented humour, I recommend Kenny. ua-cam.com/video/Ne8almxjqlU/v-deo.html
Great to be out on the cut and another fantastic blog. Did the your survey not pick up on the corrosion in the gas locker?
It did, that's why I'm now tackling it.
"We're gonna get close and intimate" well if you _insist_
Pretty sure I’d need to break out the angle grinder to enlarge the hatch (by quite a lot) if I wanted to use that technique. Perhaps the previous owners had a similar problem, plus a lack of grandchildren to exploit?
Love these short videos as revision breaks 😃😃😃 (I would still watch a 15 min one if it had a good pun)!
Re your gas locker, I just don't understand why some people let their boats rot away like that. When I was looking at boats I saw one over 100 years old. It didn't last that long due to sloppy maintenance.
Too right!
Enjoyable video thanks, a little concerened that you failed to show a gas test being carried out before entering the gas locker and working solo within a confined space without a person "up top" in case you became ill or injured yourself
Good points. But it's OK because I have a high-viz jacket. Admittedly it's in a cupboard.
Bing watching a second time, trying to spot the first heron on the channel, and I must say that your ornithological knowledge has grown in leaps and bounds. Much like your DIY skills. Also odd question but would it be proper to make a G&T with sloe gin?
Hmm, not sure
Lovely shots of a sparrow at 4m 18s, what camera/ camcorder did you use?
It's a Sony AX33.
+CruisingTheCut Ta.
Looks like great fun. Despite the cosmetic work on the boat and a few repairs, it seems like you made a great choice. I notice the paths beside the canal. Is it possible to hike or cycle the entire length of the canal, and if so is camping allowed along the way?
Yes, the entire canal network has towpaths although some sections are better suited to cycling and hiking than others, as they can be narrow and muddy. No space for camping on the towpath though.
4:10 David Attenborough? Who?
Do you still get the ad revenue if we don’t click off the UA-cam ads?
On the canal the world is different.
Well, now I have Pet Shop Boys in my brain :-)
Wow, that was a lot of rust! Where do you throw that? Metal recycling?
Bin
@@CruisingTheCut No recycling bins along the canals? Clear glass, colored glass, plastic, metal, cardboard, newspapers, compost...
Dexter the dog i see him walking blind people alot