This was a bad decision | Narrowboat night cruising - 175

[@Rachellovescheese]

Gosh you must have been so relieved once you’d moored up. That last “I told you so” made me howl 😂

[@BoatTime]

😂😂 had to get an extra one in there! thanks for watching 😊

[@Boater_Jessie]

Top tip: if your headlight doesn't work, turn on all your indoor lights and curtains open, it will light up your way! I do this going through tunnels too.

[@BearsAboard]

Don’t think we will ever forget that cruise. 😂. We have all become fully fledged night time boaters 👍 Ooh! and we all must listen to Amy. Great vlog to watch really captured the whole 11 Hours. 😂❤🧸🧸

[@ruaidhrikathygill8833]

Yes, listen to Amy and encourage Wes to do the same 😂. That was pretty scary. I am so glad you four are friends….even if one of you…not mentioning any names WES….had you traveling through trees etc in the dark. 😊🤗 Kathy

[@BoatTime]

haha what a day that was 😅❤

[@CruisingTheBroads]

Night navigation is great fun. I've done quite a bit over the years and, in general, it tends to be best to turn off spotlights whenever possible and to rely on your eyes adapting to conditions. What you absolutely MUST have though is navigation lights. If you have a collision with another vessel in dusk or dark conditions without them, your insurance company will almost certainly look to use it as a get out clause (assuming they don't forbid night navigation completely). As it's your home, it's probably worth getting a dual port/starboard forward light fitted when you fix the tunnel light and making sure your insurance covers, as you'll inevitably get timings wrong occasionally when you're continuously cruising.

[@ruaidhrikathygill8833]

Get the light fixed, and maybe even more importantly listen to Amy. I am so glad you were traveling with the Bears and not alone. You did really well. And…you got chips! 😂😊🤗 Kathy

[@tonydudley5894]

Really dig your music choices. Sometimes I find myself doing Amy’s “tired dance” while listening.

[@CaroleOwen-yu3gr]

Terrified you two going through in the DARK your maddest pair ever. Take care and moor up before dark in future. Xx

[@fp30e]

Hi Amy, Wes, Rufus and Doops. Loved the cruise, and what a long one it was. Well done for navigating in the dark, Amy is certainly the best, and always a winner when she plays at being a Headlight. Excellent Vlog. Thank you. Spoolbox.

[@dawnoakley1776]

Crikey you are behind with your vloggs Seems really strange watching your vloggs where your so hot and you have to take your jumper off You need to get up to date so we can relate to the weather in your videos Love your vloggs by the way ❤ xx

[@BoatTime]

We get it! But unfortunately its not as simple or easy as that, and we purposely keep them a bit behind for a few reasons. Saying that, we have something coming very soon I think you will be excited about which will fix that problem! 😉 thank you! 😊🥰x

[@Trejjah]

Your confidence has grown so much this year. Great to see ❤

[@BoatTime]

Thank you! 😊❤ we definitely would've found this cruise terrifying a year ago!

[@rachelshonahague5718]

Cant wait for Night Cruise 2.😅 i thought in heavy fog this time wearing back to front balaclavas. 🤣😆🤣 love to you four as always ❤xxxx

[@annjarvis9300]

Well done you and Bears what an experience guess never again poor Amie saw the worry in your poor face over it now i guess tc all luv the oldies x🤗🤗👍

[@forresteralex]

I do most my traveling at night on the thames nothing like a full moon cruise no head torch no nothing get your self a olight torch thry mindblowingly good for cruising... keep up the great work with vids and happy cruising :)

[@sonialovely913]

Whew!! I can only IMAGINE how stressful that was. You both remained SO CALM. You’ve got to be proud of yourselves for maneuvering through the dark to a safe mooring!! Congratulations and thanks so much for sharing your adventures.

[@lizziemonk]

"This is basically a podcast!" 🤣🤣🤣 Classic Boat Time and I'm always here for it xxx

[@BoatTime]

haha glad you liked it! thanks for watching 😅🤭

[@Jemma.and.Ganymede]

I would be crying if I was cruising at night! You have given me the confidence to do more! Hugs to you both!

[@tinalouisehenderson8545]

"This is basically a podcast now."😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@BoatTime]

Hope you enjoyed the new BoatTime podcast 😂😂

[@MrSirspam]

Get your tunnel light working Now

[@BoatTime]

Not as easy as that or we would've done already 👍🏻

[@pitched_up_wanderers]

Woah! You crazy cats! Great vlog 😊

[@mishkawp8200]

Brilliant! I have to say you gave the appearance of being remarkably calm given how difficult it must have been! I think travelling with Bears probably helped as you were all in it together but even do, well done!!

[@vickieragle4130]

The low bridges (and/or high water) made us a little tense. BUT, thank you for taking us along!

[@BoatTime]

They loved a low bridge on the Lee and stort that's for sure haha! Thank you for watching 😊

[@tessapetters3936]

Amazing cruise, wll done to you and Bears for staying cool and calm .

[@BoatTime]

Thank you 😊😎

[@martincook7195]

SHE TOLD YOU SO!!!!!😊

[@LoveTwoTravel]

What a great video!!! You’re always upbeat no matter what’s thrown at you. Love the limited ‘I told you so’ rule. I didn’t see how Wes could enforce it but Amy honored it…..lol Very cute video!

[@michellec8273]

Absolutely laugh out loud at the end! 😂 Thank you.

[@BoatTime]

Glad you enjoyed it! 😅🤭

[@shinylittlepeople]

This was great fun.... for us anyway....lol. ... would it have benefited to turn on the lights in the cabin? or would it have just made it harder to see.... I remember the episode where you mentioned it in that long tunnel but I was curious if it was as beneficial in this situation... those chips looks amazing! I think I will make some tonight. I was able to grow almost 50 lb of potatoes this summer. Amy you should get a potato garden bag this spring and try your own. they are so easy to grow and they are delicious and since you both like potatoes so much it will save you money and lugging them back to the boat.. You will hav to put on the bow though because they get about 2' tall. Very hardy though and once they are planted you really don't have to do a thing other than the occasional water... the side of the potato garden bag zips open so all you have to do is pull out the potatoes once the greenery dies off. Then you'll have your own stash.. to be honest I haven't used the bag myself before but my mom bought a few and she did get some potatoes. It's such a gratifying feeling to pull them out at the end of the season..... and with the zip on the side you can even take a sneak peak at how they are doing! Ok I'm going to watch another episode of BOAT TIME now so see you later! 🤭🤗

[@exfiremanstan]

This is so funny given I spoke to you at Hardmead lock in the afternoon and you were so calm, fast forward to the next day you said you had to come back to Ware, forgot to say how dark it was. So entertaining 😂

[@BoatTime]

we must’ve been trying to play it cool 😂😎

[@robertlewis4998]

I miss my days of cruising down the canals but cruising at night was great fun trying not to hit anything.I noticed you were at sawbridgeworth my mum and dad went up to bishops stortford to do some shopping on getting back on the narrow boat dropped three tins of salmon into the canal he had a line and magnet to fish them out got the first one and a passer bye said now they come ready tinned do they.😂

[@narrowboatpuravida]

That was a proper night time cruise!! We only counted 3 "I told you so"s Amy, but I'm sure you wouldn't have let Wes off the other two! Did you negotiate how many times you're allowed to refer to it in future when Wes comes up with another hair-brained scheme?! I'm sure it was scary at the time but we really enjoyed this podcast 😂🤣 Great stuff guys 😊🥰❤️

[@wandabond4768]

She told you so!!!

[@BoatTime]

damn right! 😂👉🏻😉

[@nicothechihuahua3167]

Wow that looked terrifying. Locks scare me in daylight lol.

[@hugokeys602]

Another really enjoyable video and the music was cool too! That last "I told you so" was class!!! I don't know whether it would be possible, but it would be very interesting if you left a GoPro on the roof and do a timelapse video of night time/sunrise on the canal.

[@Gaz1975-h6e]

Amazing to watch, you both did brilliantly in that darkness, great music 🎶 aswell.

[@journeytakesatrip]

“This is basically just a podcast at this point” 🤣😂🤣

[@narrowboatliving8241]

Mopeds don't run on diesel. The Stort and Lee always have a film of diesel on the surface. It comes from the sunken boats

[@BoatTime]

It wasn't there on the way up and there was a petrol/diesel can in the bushes so unlikely to be from sunken boats on this occasion

[@stephaniecowley6503]

I was literally on the edge of my seat xx

[@BoatTime]

we made it 🎉🤭

[@normanshute7162]

Aren’t there a couple of high lumen hand held torches available out there that could work as a replacement o headlight? I see ads for them on the internet all the time. Not sure what the price is over on the other side of the pond. Could be worth a look.😊

[@BoatTime]

We do have a bright torch that works well for now until we get the headlight fixed, it just requires me having to stand on the front haha 😁 We are hoping we can get our headlight and horn fixed properly in the next few months 🤞🏻

[@larryalbert1027]

You need navigation lights

[@BoatTime]

We have them, and the headlight itself works, it’s a wiring and fuse box issue which is why it’s taking longer to fix. but we have been saving up pennies to get the electrician to sort in hopefully in the coming months 👍🏻

[@juliebecker6049]

Love watching you guys keep it real always

[@BoatTime]

Thank you! ❤️

[@_Tiamat_.]

💜💙💚

[@Roo-s_Life]

"I'm willing to concede that I may have got it wrong " 😆

[@BoatTime]

at least he owned up to it 😂😂

[@Roo-s_Life]

@@BoatTime he couldn't very well not on this occasion 😆

[@journeytakesatrip]

A little voice in the night says “I told you so!” 😂🤣😂

[@BoatTime]

couldn’t let him go to sleep without knowing it 😂👊🏻

[@journeytakesatrip]

@@BoatTime I knew this was coming as soon as you said you were saving them for the opportune moments! 😂🤣

[@Laura-jj7sp]

Do the Bears have a dog? Does Rufus play with it?

[@BoatTime]

They do have a dog, he's a gorgeous border collie called Blue! 😊 They have been on walks together but we tend to keep them separate on the towpath/boats as Blue prefers his own space. 🐾

[@JasonAllen-j9o]

Another cool vlog guys - The last “told you so” was hilarious. Probably a silly question but could you not just drop anchor for one night?

[@BoatTime]

Sadly not, as the boat would spin still probably and cause all sorts of problems! Plus boats do cruise at night so that wouldn’t be a fun wake up call if we were blocking the canal for a night cruiser

[@JasonAllen-j9o]

@@BoatTime Arh makes sense. Loving the Vlogmas productions.

[@BoatTime]

@@JasonAllen-j9o Thank you! ☺️

[@edwardkrarup8816]

Why don't you get your self three LED spotlights. One for the front and one to look slightly left and the other one to look slightly right.

[@dazwalkingman]

Just wondering are you taking photos at the end of the navigations so you can apply for the silver propeller

[@BoatTime]

We are definitely keeping track of the silver propeller! Will probably use screenshots from the vlogs when its time to submit haha 😊

[@unclejohn11]

Great video ❤👍

[@BoatTime]

Thank you 🤗

[@praebsovanney9744]

Good video Hi friend 😁😊

[@BoatTime]

thank you!

[@christinemcintosh1450]

Listen to Amy

[@samwright8599]

Instead of chips, ask for headlights and a horn.

[@BoatTime]

If only they sold them at the chip shop haha! Its a deeper issue with our fuse board which is why its not a simple fix and hasn't been done yet. We plan to get it done in the next few months though! 😊

[@oneshoan]

I wish y’all had put the boat in reverse and waited until the next day! But please get your light and horn sorted out!!!!!! Other than the night cruise, it was a great video.

[@garylydement5020]

When are you going to get that light and horn fixed been out of commission for ages

[@BoatTime]

the headlight itself works, and we’ve had 2 electricians look at it this year and “fix” it for us but it’s a wiring and fuse box issue which is why it’s taking longer to fix. but we have been saving up pennies to get the electrician to sort in hopefully in the coming months 👍🏻

[@tinalopez1522]

I guess I haven't been around from the beginning what is Gregory's girl stand for? Ty T.lo

[@BoatTime]

Not sure to be honest as it was the name from the previous owners haha!

[@villaridge]

Hi, Where are you on what canal please? help. all I know is you were headed north out of London

[@michellec8273]

They just finished the River Stort and River Lea.

[@michellec8273]

Correction: and are back on the River Lea

[@BoatTime]

We’re on the grand union mainline now😊

[@lisalee3981]

Don’t EVER scare me like that again!

[@JoanneBowen-tq2cl]

Do you know hidei on the cnnals

[@BoatTime]

We do! Love her and we have met and chatted a few times 😊

[@sheilajoseph9953]

Your Pro,s now. 😂 You can conquer anything. How come you didn't put lights on inside the boat. Wes Amy was right, she told you so.😂

[@neiljohnson1773]

Done this..night navigation is OK for experts. Newcomers should not do night cruises! My first day on the canal ended with the narrow boat suspended on the upper sill of a lock because there was not enough water in the upper pond to fill it ( we couldn't see that in the low light) neither could we see the water pouring out the paddles in the lower lock gates hence why the upper pound was close to empty! All ended OK but was dramatic in the dark and in the day light everything became so clearly evident!

[@vickieragle4130]

BTW, Amy was right..🙈

[@BoatTime]

HA! Thank you haha, I showed this comment to Wes 😂😉

[@debbie8296]

Oh dear no light, insurance and BSS invalid

[@cindyamaru3959]

You should always listen to your wife!

[@Slartyfartblarst]

Years ago we were narrowboating along the Worcestershire Avon and found it was very hard to find moorings, (all suitable sites seemingly had private no-mooring signs). As dusk arrived, we eventually moored-up our rented narrowboat on an island and Ruth decided to take a shower. She turned the light on. BTW it was now quite dark. We heard the chugging of a narrowboat, then the headlight of a narrowboat came on and the helmsman or woman took evasive action to avoid us and ploughed into the campshedding beyond us causing a horrible steel-on-steel screeching-grating noise. It turned out they were intending to moor where we were already moored, but they couldn’t see us because it was so dark. I think it was Wyre Piddle, we had to use a chain ferry to get to the pub.

[@colinsharp462]

I have always fully supported those that continuously cruise as it is they that mean that us holiday boaters can continue to enjoy such an extensive network of canals and canalised navigations. Those like yourselves who vlog are priceless for the insights you give us townies into life on the cut. That said, given that a lot of us part time boaters avidly follow the vlogs I am very disappointed that you showed a cruise into Ware far beyond a time which is both safe and in keeping with canal etiquette. Cruising in the dark without navigation lights and adequate headlights is completely unnecessary and irresponsible and something not to be celebrated or promoted. Instead of glorifying your blatant disregard of canal etiquette, common sense, and health and safety perhaps an acknowledgement of your mistake and actively discouraging others from doing the same, 0:02 would have been a better focus for your vlog I rarely am incensed enough to comment but felt on this occasion it needed to be said. I am very appreciative of your vlogs and the warts and all approach but feel you quickly need to put your error publicly right. Thanks for your vlogs to hope you take this comment in the spirit is which it is made. Cheers

[@BoatTime]

Hi Colin, thank you for your comment. After living on our boat full time for 2.5 years continuously cruising and travelling a lot of the network we feel we have a pretty good grasp on canal etiquette and can assure you that night cruising is not against canal etiquette and quite normal. As long as you go slow and keep your highlight out of windows it’s completely fine for experienced boaters, which both us and our cruising friends are. That being said, on our short night cruise we didn’t actually pass any moored boats apart from the one at the end that helped us moor and was absolutely fine with it. As for safety, we know it’s not ideal that our headlights was broken but we had a torch at the front at all times which is just as bright as our headlight and what you can’t see is that Andy is also walking along the towpath to scope out any incoming boats or hazards too, which there were none of. We do acknowledge our nav lights were off too which isn’t ideal but we realised they were not turning on during the cruise so there wasn’t much we could do about that, it happens. We moored up at the first opportunity and took extra precautions because of this by having a crew member walk ahead along the towpath. We were under control at all times and Amy had a great visual at the front of the boat. We didn’t act unsafe and we were all confident with our ability and in control of the situation. We don’t feel like we prompted it at all for a few reasons -The title is highlighting it was a bad decision to continue -We did actually try to moor before dark and made this clear in the video but on riverised sections you cant just pull over wherever you like which is why we had to go back to Ware. The timeframe of us cruising in the actual dark was less than 30 minutes and we were moored up by 8pm. Hope that our response has put some of your concerns at ease 😊

[@jillosler9353]

There is a reason why MOST boaters moor up before it gets dark - and it has nothing to do with fatigue or getting dinner ready! The reason is SAFETY and Insurance Clauses.

[@BoatTime]

It’s completely normal and acceptable to cruise at night on the canals 👍🏻 It’s not ideal to have our headlight broken but we still had a bright light at the front of the boat and, Andy was walking along the towpath to scope out boats ahead so everything was very safe. We might be abit silly but we aren’t unsafe.

[@camplinpb]

Not very considerate to the ones thats moored up and unsafe ,insurance would have a fit if they knew you were travelling in the dark especially without a light

[@BoatTime]

It wasn’t that late and night cruising is perfectly acceptable and normal on the canals. We did have a light at the front of the boat, and Andy was on the towpath scoping out boats.