Yelvertoft

Here I am Rune

Distance 11.5 miles

Total 2494 Locks  120 Tunnels

Running total mileage 3472.4miles 

Once again we have made it to our intended destination, keeping us on track to get to Debdale Wharf ready for the boat to be blacked. Coming out of Braunston was surprisingly quick, in just over an hour after leaving the overnight mooring in Braunston we were at the tunnel having swiftly dealt with 6 locks on the way. We also passed another blogger, ‘Chuffed’ whilst going through these locks, a couple that we had last met on the Kennet and Avon Canal 3 years ago. By coincidence they were also going to have their boat blacked but their destination was Calcutt marina.

The only slight hold up we had was at Watford Locks, but that was pretty much to be expected. I have to say that I’m not a great fan of those locks. Partly this may be because we had a minor mishap there just after we got the boat which cost me £250 to straighten a bent rudder, but also partly because the boat never seems to want to just ‘sit’ in these locks, it is either drifting forwards or drifting backwards. If it drifts too far forward there is a gap below the ‘bump’ board on the top gate under which it would be very easy to trap the button fender on the bow; if the boat drifts too far back there is the risk of trapping the rudder between the bottom gates. It rather means that you sit in the lock constantly going from forward drive to reverse to try to hold the boat in the middle of the lock.

With luck, tomorrow we should get to the top of the Foxton Flight, although if we are a bit short of that, it is no cause for concern.