Project Narrowboat ep 43 - Banbury to Cropredy

[@MegaYosarian]

Brilliant cruise Johnny. Very dramatic. Great vlog mate.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Thanks, I certainly didn't realise it was gonna get that bad!

[@sa9861]

Great vlog Intrepid John~ I can see from the camera 📸 angles you didn’t cut any corners putting this together for us in pretty cold 🥶 conditions so thanks for that..... and your commentary turns of phrase always give me a laugh 😆 I wonder if you’ve tested mountain climbing 🧗‍♀️ gloves🧤 yet....... Given the intricate things they do it could be they might fit the bill...... Cheers from AussieLand

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

I really ought to look at those - there probably is something suitable out there. Good tip.

[@martinjagger5362]

Another Cracking vid ! Johnny 👍🤙🤘...... Thanks matey ....... Totally chills you out,watching your videos.... Stay safe ! Happy Easter 💯💯.... Love the Icebreaker ........

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

You're very welcome Martin, enjoy your Easter.

[@kaysridgedell3404]

A very beautiful rough trip. Your tough.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Thanks :) It looked okay when I set out!

[@anni50ful]

Beautiful 😊

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Thank you!

[@ronwebster4408]

Hi Johny, bit of a difficult trip for you with the ice but many thanks for that cos not a lot of boating going on in the vids at present, understandably. I enjoyed the trip so thanks for the effort you put in. Look forward to the next. Stay safe Proper Job.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Thanks Ron, it was a tad challenging at times as of course I've not been that way before. Nice to get in the warm after though!

[@sharronkerry3223]

Hi Johny ,not a Journey I would have undertaken but you seem to do it with ease .The ice and weather conditions dosent seem to phase you but just wondered can the ice damage the underneath of your boat when travelling along the canal .Good Vlog 👍Glad you found time for a tipple after such a journey one did look a bit cold 🥶

[@scottbradley2494]

Not damage as such, but will remove blacking in bottom, thus leading to rusting etc. I’d commented to mr London not so long ago and he’d said he’s heading for blacking somewhere soon. Calculated risk I’d believe, with work due soon

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

It shouldn't do any real damage - but can scrape off the blacking. Interestingly, the actual underneath is not blacked - most regard that as a waste of time as there is little oxygen that deep so the rusting is minimal, plus of course every time you ground out it would remove what blacking there was. I wouldn't have intentionally set out to break ice, just one of those things - but blacking is due anyway so wont make much difference in the end. I needed a tipple after that one!

[@richardanderson6874]

I liked and subscribed. Hope your night went well.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

That's great, thanks. Yes, a nice warm evening by the fire, plenty of eats, drink and a bit of TV!

[@chriscj8106]

Wow that looked freeeezing, but I love the countryside on days like that, makes you feel so alive, hope no ice damage to the boat, hope you have a good spot for the next couple of days, bad weather coming from the north, stay safe and well

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

It did get really, really cold towards the end. But it did look glorious - best admired from the fireside though!

[@phillipbateman2284]

Thumbs up to that Johnny. You've got heaps to keep the fire good and warm for a while. And a little tipple never hurt anyone. I wonder if theres a bolt on shield to protect the bow blacking from the ice. It would only have to cover the water line, maybe 6 inches. Thanks and take care.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Now that, would be an excellent idea, just around the front of the bow... not seen one though.

[@garym518]

A true winter cruise well done

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

The winter has a beauty all its own, nice to watch it from the warmth of my stove though!

[@ramseybarber8312]

Hi Johnny Thanks for cruse you could see the weather closing in as you moved along, Very dangerous when it is like that, no one about it times like that when you decide enough as you have done. cheers

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Yeh, it really did seem to go from pretty ok to not such a good idea. I didn't fancy staying outside that factory or whatever it was though!

[@lesleysilverstone2868]

Wow, Johnny, that's pretty bloody amazing...ice breakers-R-US. Hope the tipple hit the spot. Keep well and safe.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Thanks, yes a nice warm evening of tipples and eats and a bit of telly!

[@glynnisross7974]

Amazing trip and lucky to get to where you wanted to be. Well done. Liked the music too!

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

That sort of ambient track really added to the sense of isolation didn't it?

[@klausv.3683]

I really enjoned this vlog, happy easter to you. Greeting from the lower Rhine.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Thank you, and a happy easter!

[@StuartBtn]

Fantastic to see you out and about again JL, btw would love a chat vlog on your stove and management of that, fuels used cost etc?

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

I did do a stove chat some time ago - when I was giving it a good service and a clean, though was more about the install than anything but I did put costings for that side of things. Running cost, well I forage for firewood so not a lot really!

[@lizhaydon2250]

Beautiful countryside. Stay safe and warm.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Yes it certainly was beautiful, very still, "frozen" you might say.

[@theworth123]

Excellent vid,, don't you just love a calm crisp English day!!!!!!

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

It was a bit more than "crisp" !

[@TheAdenau]

Great video mate, just subscribed and I must say your engine sounds sweet👍

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Thanks for that. The engine is a Canaline 42 - only five years old!

[@lisadefries6718]

Can ice harm blacking on your hull? Looks amazing.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Yes it can chip the blacking off, mainly around the bow when pushing through. I have what is known as 2-pack which is harder and more durable (but going in to re do this season) but it's best to avoid cruising when icy - it was fine when I set off as of course you can see in the video.

[@scottbradley2494]

You wanna get yourself to fenny Compton wharf/winding hole by the 9th, there’s a bloody good chip van that’s stops once a fortnight. It stops on the canal bridge at the wharf pub, which I don’t recommend (non boat friendly landlord) but chippy is a belter

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

I love a good chip!

[@andrewstewart642]

Hi Johnny - another great video! Do you work? Do you sell things like other boating youtubers? Greetings from Paisley, Scotland!

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

I was renting a property out, no I don't sell anything at the moment.

[@SteadyGhetner]

Wow Johny! You might have as well replaced the audio of the boat going through the ice, with the noises of a small rock crushing quarry! (sounded awful, really) Please keep well and keep on, cheers

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Yes it can be very loud - wasn't sure whether to cut back on the audio a bit in places, but that's how it was in real life!

[@davidjones6470]

Great vid there johny 👍

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Thanks David :)

[@carolineolsenarnold7039]

Hello Johnny, another great one. I don't know why but every time you go under a bridge I duck 😯😲. How long did you have to stay moored there because of the ice? Anyway, stay safe and warm, see you on the next blog😘🤗😄.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

I've got quite a tall boat, that's the thing (which is great when you are inside it actually). Will update on my adventures in the next one.

[@penneynoss9552]

Looked cold to me. Just wondering do you have the fire lit when you are moving?

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

I don't usually, but as it had been such a cold morning I needed to light it straight away. I will have put just a few coals in to keep it ticking over, so that it would be easy to get it roaring again once I moored up.

[@penneynoss9552]

Sorry to be a pest. I just can't understand how the pipes don't freeze? What about the boaters that don't live on there boats? Thank you 😊

[@robtheplod]

Crunchy..... hows the blacking..... :)

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Well, it's due to go in shortly, so...

[@john-arnenyland3454]

Lovely video - again. Will the ice damage the boat in any way? Like the blacking?

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Yes the blacking can suffer, especially up at the bow I guess. If I'd known about the ice further along I'd have delayed my trip, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Fortunately, it is due for blacking soon anyway.

[@tanyamckenzie7482]

It was the weather for staying indoors.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Hi Tanya - you're not kidding!

[@terencesanderson6196]

See you`ve been busy logging on

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Always.

[@cooperd83]

Did anyone follow you using the path you broke up?

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

No, not that day. I was obviously the only one stupid enough to move.

[@cooperd83]

@@ProjectNarrowboat lol

[@cooperd83]

@@ProjectNarrowboatI hope you have good luck with getting your car fixed.

[@villaridge]

nice (for me) to see.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

That's it - enjoy from the comfort of your own home!

[@carolineolsenarnold7039]

Hello, I,m writing to say I just realized that I,ve been spelling your name wrong, so sorry. Stay safe.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

No problem!

[@wendycrooks875]

We have got to this vlog and have been enjoying them immensely. However, moving in ice is not recommended and can be frowned on. Not only can you damage your own boat, but the ice can cause damage to other narrowboats. Also, you should only have been moving for fuel, food and water and, as I understood it, then return to your spot as no boats should be moving as lockdown was still in place. Sorry, will continue to follow your vlogs but we thought what you were doing was against lockdown rules (mind you, as it turned out, so was Boris and his cronies). Not being holier than thou, just making an observation.

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

Hi Wendy. This was filmed in between times, before the lockdown came back. At the time there were some rules in place such as only meeting one person etc, and as I had no contact with anyone I believe I stayed within the rules, muddled though they were. On the morning I set out, the water around me was totally clear, as you can see in the video, it only got to ice once I was out on the cut and of course by then it was too late to do anything other than get to my destination. I also needed to get to a waterpoint (there is one in Banbury but too far back from where I was moored). Cropredy has good boater facilities and was where I holed up for the duration, on commencement of the subsequent full lockdown.

[@chrisabbott7458]

Iron fingers no gloves, ! I hope your waterline blacking is Ok. Like me you clearly don't like pins

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

I've tried loads of gloves, they are either too thick, or get soggy, or something. There is a lot you need to handle when cruising. Going in for blacking soon anyway. I don't mind a pin if it is in good bank, but you just can't beat the feeling of being securely chained to the bank! Plus as you know, armco normally indicates a clean, sufficiently deep edge to the bank.

[@jamesblair18]

The ice isn’t good for blacking

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

I know! It was fine when I set out though! Blacking due soon so not the end of the world - I'd be a bit annoyed if I'd just had it done though!

[@stephaniewilson3955]

Absolutely not a fair weather boater!

[@ProjectNarrowboat]

That's right Stephanie - out in all season, me :) Pity I didn't do youtube back when I got caught in a blizzard, out on the Wey.