A variety of sources: rain, rivers, boreholes, reservoirs. Loved all four series. Or am I over compensating so that I am not being too overly familiar? Theres something retro, hypnotic, and relaxing about all this, which partly explains its popularity. Its only the ads that pay, I get nothing for views of the videos themselves unless youre a member of YouTube Premium. When boats were horse-drawn and there was no towpath in a tunnel (because to build one would require a wider tunnel which would cost more), the boats would be legged through; a plank of wood laid across the bows, two men lying flat on it and walking the boat with their legs out to reach the walls of the tunnel. We took it slow and easy, Penny reacquainting herself with old haunts that were once so familiar to her. How much easier it would be if you could steer your boat with remote control! How do you deal with all the mosquitoes on the canals?There really arent that many. When we did, it was his vlog and the Foxes that provided the initial information. How do you / Why dont you paint the baseplate of the boat?This is a source of much debate, a bit like what type of boat toilet is best. Londons canals and rivers are becoming ever more crowded with boaters as people flock to the capitals waterways, drawn by the lure of a seemingly idyllic and possibly cheaper lifestyle. See here for our Journey with Jesus weekly webzine for the global church. We do get lots of houseflies and occasional wasps etc but theyre just the normal summertime pests. Plus: can you buy a narrowboat in the UK if you're from overseas? Of all the vloggers, I think that is why for so many of us, his news that he was selling his boat to move on land, hit so deeply. So, he quit the rat race. just aisles with food on shelves. Why do you steer from the back, not the front?Because with 40, 50 (indeed up to 72) feet of solid steel boat, you really need to stand at the back to see what its doing when you manoeuvre it; bear in mind they pivot in the middle so when you turn left, the back goes right and vice versa) not seeing what the back is doing could end up with you bashing a lot of moored boats on these narrow canals. Explaining what is needed and why with sensitivity and clarity; guiding and supporting them, and most of all, knowing when to step back and leave the picture. Whats your fuel consumption?Ive never measured it but narrowboats typically drink 1-1.5 ltr/hour. Those canals look very narrow, are they one-way?Very, very few bits of the canal network are so narrow that you can only get one boat through. He reflects on his former life. He is a naughty boater. Where does the grey water from the sink and shower go?Unlike your sewage, which has to be storedin one form or another until you get to an emptying point, grey water goes straight back into the canal. So youd need an hour of optimal sunshine to provide 1-2 hours of propulsion. Four seasons of Cruising the Cut, a video documentary by David Johns, a former ITV television reporter and presenter-turned solo narrowboat traveler, are available to. That said, there are very few occasions when a bow thruster would really be needed. He is a consummate professional, skilled in what he does, and someone who either by nature or by profession can read people well. For information about the wooden writers box: Blue Star Crafts.I have the smaller A5 version of the Messenger Wood Box. Thats calculated as 40 feet / 12m usable roof length at absolute max, assuming you dont store anything else up there (which most boaters do) and that you dont want to get on the roof during lock maneouvres (which again most boaters do) x about 1.6m width which you dont want to overhang else the panels may get shredded when you go through some bridge holes or tunnels.Using high output 400W LG Neon solar panels (1m x 2m dimensions), youll get 6 panels max = 2.4kW maximum theoretical output. Nothing fast paced here and that is fine with us. So its not a retrofit option but I wouldnt object to one on another boat. After talking it through with Donna, we said yes and so we tentatively set the date for around the end of March and springtime. He also meets up with some new friends, also narrowboaters. Theyre not great but I still prefer them to the main alternative which is Pearsons, although many boaters swear by those guides. So, he quit the rat race. theres enough space to two to pass albeit carefully. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average. I prefer to keep the channel focused on narrowboats and canals rather than life in Britain as there are other channels that do that. As for voting, you can vote by post or by proxy and (Im told) either declare an affiliation with a particular area of the country and vote there, or if you still own a bricks-and-mortar home, you vote wherever it is. Boats that move around do not since they are not resident in any council area. It was to be the final day of an unseasonably dry and warm spell. Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2022. He navigates the many tunnels and locks. 285A The most unusual narrowboat cruise I've ever been on (Part 1 of 2) A few weeks ago I went past the well-known historic narrowboat Dover on the Grand Union Canal but its looks belie its actual interior so I went back for a proper snoop around. Typically, a canal might be maybe 4-5 feet deep in the middle (the canal bed tends to slope upwards slightly at the edges). Please share our website with your friends and family. Its got loads of very expert people who chip in but the only thing you have to watch is that sometimes the discussions veer (quickly) wildly off on a tangent, which is unhelpful, or occasionally descend into vitriolic arguments. I dont get anything if the viewer presses Skip on the adverts so if you like my videos, Id be grateful if you could grit your teeth and try to let at least some of the advert run!The sums are tiny; its a fraction of a penny for each advert view, so you need tens (hundreds!) Which guide books do you use?I use Nicholsons Guides because some of those were on the boat when I bought it so Im used to them. [4][5][6] He later wrote a stage version of the film updated to the 2021/2022 cost of living crisis which will be premiered at the Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne in May 2023. A haze hung low on the canal. Rust abounds again as the entire engine is taken out of David's narrowboat so that he can scrape yucky old crud out of the bilge, then treat it and repaint so that it looks half decent again. That said many boaters disagree entirely with these arguents and do paint the baseplate how often is down to their enthusiasm for the task and / or the depth of their wallet. Also, how do you manage to talk coherently in front of a camera? The scenery is lovely, there are fields, small towns, some city scenes, church steeples, bridges, obscure side routes, and so much more. Snatching the sound of Manannn's song on the bite of a northwesterly wind, 265. This is the title of a YouTube vlog about living on a narrowboat and cruising the canals in the midlands of England. If youve ever felt your canal boat scrape on the bottom of the canal and wish more dredging was done by the Canal & River Trust, heres an explainer of how dredging is done, why its so expensive and why they cant do more of it. Its a tale of mid-life crisis, near-purchase of a campervan, and a calender from the RNLI. All fish must be returned to the canal alive except non-native species which must not be returned. Evoking the spirit of pirate radio - on a canal. Having survived the terror of Harecastle Tunnel, David now has the small matter of Heartbreak Hill, a very long series of canal locks to descend. MarySue Foster/5 things that made me happy, National Dog Day and Seeing Nature Up Close, This is Why Ill Never Invest in a Medium Format Camera, Editing Tips for Stunning Black and White Photos, How to Make Twitch EmotesQuick and easy, https://twitter.com/CruisingTheCut?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor. He stops at pubs and villages. See Lornas (London Boat Girl) video about voting here. Instead I include plenty of place names so that the viewer can look them up on Google maps and then zoom in/out, scroll around and get a much better sense of the geography than I could ever show on a video map. It varies month on month. Why dont you steer from the front, in a covered wheelhouse? I watched it upon the recommendation of a friend, and Im glad that I did. David's amazing week in the sunshine on the River Avon comes to an end as he reaches Stratford, whereupon he returns to the canals with a shock as he remembers just how narrow they are compared to rivers and how low some of their bridges can be. As I said in the interview, one of the main reasons I began the podcast was simply as an audio journal to keep family and friends informed about our life - and they would have thought I was completely mad if I started changing boat names and things! Regular viewers will know I have long had an interest in some might say an obsession about very short narrowboats on the British canals. The name must be displayed on the side of the boat as well, but its on the licence so as long as youre showing that youre probably OK.The boat name does not have to be unique. Enjoyed the scenery and the interesting tidbits of information about life on the canal. Boaters do pay an annual fee to the Canal and River Trust which covers provision of waste disposal services etc. [1], Johns has appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks (four times), 8 Out of 10 Cats, Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive, 28 Acts in 28 Minutes and, as an actor, he has appeared on Mud, Time Gentlemen Please, Inspector George Gently, and Harry Hill as God. Feedback. The fact that he managed to put something together in which I not only have been saved from appearing as a jabbering fool, but has garnered interest in the podcast is a testament to his skills in salvaging silk purses out of particularly grotesque sows' ears. Just a relaxing watch and enjoying the beautiful countryside. Im 53 and used to work as a local TV news reporter for ITV in the south east of England. As he reaches the final stage of his 2017 travels, two familiar faces pop up to help with the last strenuous leg down Hatton locks. David Johns is a skilled presenter, reporter, video journalist, and narrowboat enthusiast who has a welcoming, down to earth style that kind of grows on you. Who would have thought one man on a narrowboat cruising the historic canals of England could be so entertaining and relaxing. A favorite quote: "I wish I could take dog happiness as a drug." It's not just the equipment - all I do is step up my laptop and microphone! You can just rock up at a hire firm or brokerage, pay your money and head off down the canal with no experience, test or licence whatsoever. [2], In 2009, he and Owen O'Neill dramatised Stephen King's Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption for the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. This page works best with JavaScript. Or perhaps, it's more like I imagine it is how the ancient swineherds felt when the Greek gods appeared amongst them - like 'Oh, I know you so well' and 'that's really odd, you are real!' David Alan Johns (born 15 July 1956) is an English stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. So hybrid solutions are the only reasonable option. When David Came (Cruising the Cut) The Greek myths tell us that there are times when the gods come down from Olympus to walk amongst mortals. He reflects on his former life. Journey with Jesus is seen in over 200 countries around the world, since 2004. How do you turn around?There are turning points, known as winding holes (wind as in the breeze, not as in winding a clock) every few miles although not all of them are big enough to turn the longest boats in (sizes are usually marked on the canal guides though). Plus the supermarkets often react badly to people filming in them. See here for his own website: And his Twitter feed:https://twitter.com/CruisingTheCut?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor. There are no speed police or radar traps on the canals however; its more the ire of other boaters that you will incur though Im sure if a CRT officer saw you zooming along theyd note your boat registration number (which is required to be clearly visible) and send you a suitable letter. Other boats have diesel or gas-fired radiator central heating systems just like in a house. Have a look at Vlog 74 which is all about heating on narrowboats. This gets stirred up each time a boat goes by and then hangs in the water so it looks dirty.The CRT do dredge parts of the canals occasionally but its an expensive business so sadly there isnt enough dredging done. Cheers, Do you need a TV licence on a boat?This is a more complicated subject than you might imagine. So it is strange meeting someone who feels like an old friend but whom you have never met. This is a solo effort from a 50-year- old former British TV journalist David Johns. Usually though it may not look like it! On Episode 546 of Trick or Treat Radio we are joined once again by MZ, he mustnt regret his decision to return full time yet. The boat has very little space to store things and I prefer a minimalist, uncluttered, lifestyle. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Your best bet is to phone a few, get a feel for what they offer, and ask around on the canal forums to see which ones people whove used them recommend. In these special editions of "Cruising the Cut", your host David Johns takes a break from chugging along the English canals in his narrowboat to instead introduce different aspects of Not very exciting but interesting and enjoyable. A guide to some of the very many gifts you can buy from narrowboaters, hand-made or designed on their narrowboats on the canals of the UK. In which David leaves his travelling companions behind and continues solo along the beautiful Trent & Mersey canal. A narrowboat needs only 1-2kW to move along (once it has begun moving) thus a 20kWh battery pack could sustain 5-10 hours travel (presuming standard lead-acid tech ie 50% drawdown before recharge) and presuming the battery is not used for anything else aboard (though in reality most electric-focused boats use it for domestic purposes as well so the battery and solar system has to support that too)However, solar is not so reliable in the UK. He reflects on his former life. He chucked his job, sold his house, bought an old school, live-aboard fifty-six foot "narrow boat," and started chugging along the extensive network of bucolic British canals at two miles an hour. There is no need to be cold on a narrowboat. How that is all put together at the editing stage is beyond me completely. I love cruising the cut, I have watched every episode and I hope amazon will give us another season of David and his narrowboat. Secondly, without some kind of clutch mechanism, the drill would crunch the paddle gear into the end stop and ultimately this would cause wear on it, which costs the CRT money to repair or maintain. Petrol gennys are much cheaper, a couple of hundred quid, but you have all the issues of storing petrol safely on board (it being extremely flammable of course) and of accessing it since most wharfs and marinas dont sell it so you have to trek along a road to the nearest garage with a canister in hand. David continues his cruise north along the River Soar, wears a funny hat because it's cold, and turns from the Soar onto the River Trent rather briefly, before joining the Trent & Mersey canal to head east across the UK. 4. The Umbrella Solution TV Shows TV. Do you need a licence to drive a narrowboat?Incredibly and unfortunately no. Will David make it through? I was so worried about the interview and convinced that the only useable part if it was that 'I live on a boar', that the next day I emailed over to David a lot of other material so that if he wanted to persist with this desperate endeavour he could use instead of the interview, but that I also could quite well understand if he simply wanted to retain his dignity and walk away from this whole sorry saga. Firstly, its unlikely a cordless drill would have sufficient power; a lot of the mechanisms can be very stiff indeed hence needing a decent length of handle on the windlass to get the appropriate leverage. I like his personality and sense of humor. The research compass that provides the map and tells you what sort of questions and the vocabulary that you need in order to dig deeper. Deborah (who composed the music for the version of Cruising the Cut seen on Amazons Prime Video) is my sister. He has over fifteen years experience as a reporter and The videos also have the usual travelogues about what they are up to and where they are. If I ever win the lottery or am bequeathed a lot of money from the very rich uncle I never knew I had, I will buy a narrowboat and spend many hours of many days in many years traveling the canal and river system of the United Kingdom. Following on from the last video, about wooden narrowboats, which are quite rare on the canals, heres another wooden narrowboat which is even rarer a fly boat, the parcels service of the canal network. The shell (hull) was built by G&J Reeves and the interior fit-out was by Millburn Boats. A thruster could come in handy for tight spots in some marinas but generally its not a necessary item but a luxury so its not on my must have list. Can you fish in the canals and do you eat them?You can fish if you have the appropriate licences local angling groups tend to have the rights to each stretch of canal so talk to them. You can still see all customer reviews for the product. And the drone batteries dont last that long either so youd be forever changing them.Using a drone to look ahead when single handed would just be way more hassle than its worth since you can either just toot your horn and proceed with caution, or youre really bothered, pull the boat in and run along to see whats coming (which would still be quicker and easier than using a drone)If you had crew aboard who could operate the boat while you do the drone, then it would make more sense but for me its not realistic. It's like, as soon as the camera was pointed at me, all rational thought, ability to string a sentence together, even to retain some semblance as a human left me completely. He relishes a simple cheese sandwich. Plus, how to buy a boat if you can't afford a whole one. Can you take a narrowboat to sea?People have done taken narrowboats across the English Channel but it requires extensive preparation and some alterations to make them seaworthy as well as a calm day and nerves of steel. It's not unlike full-time RVing, which is what I am currently doing as a solo, but without having to deal with all those locks en-route! Will you ever be visiting
