Take a relaxing 2 hour canal journey

[Bosonic]

[SwissTony]

1. My wife nd I took a longboat holiday a few years ago.

We'd never been on a boat like that before, but apparently complete beginners (like us) are allowed to have a go.

The first couple of days were pretty stressful. Steering is an art in itself. The boat doesn't react "instantly" so you tend to overcompensate. Then you have correct...and overcompensate in the other direction. Honest, occifer, I'z nut bin drinken.

But after a few days, I got the hang of it. On the second last day, I had to negotiate a long tunnel with about 4 inches of room on each side. Didn't make the slightest contact. Gave myself a pat on the back. Well, i did until I saw a guy steering his boat using just his elbow! That's how the experts do it.

[GoneOffShore]

3. Did the boat have a reversing gear box?

Some of the older narrow boats had the kind of motor that you had to almost stall out and then reverse the direction of the flywheel to get them to reverse.

Very tricky.

[SwissTony]

4. No, it didn't. Or they didn't tell me about it. Tricky indeed. n/t

[GoneOffShore]

2. Did canal cruising back in the 1970's

My father-in-law at the time had a purpose built canal cruiser.

32' long, 6'10' beam, 2 cylinder Lister marine diesel. "John Rennie"

We cruised the Thames, the Kennet & Avon Canal, the Grand Union and the Grand Junction.

Great times.