On 11 Oct 2009, at 14:04, Bob wrote: > Hello everyone.I haven't jumped straight in, instead, since joining > I've sat and read the latest postings. My 'hands on' experience of > canal cruising stems from cruising a few years ago from Preston > Brook to Chester & back, then Cholmondeston lock to Ellesmere port > and back. 2 different years and 2 different experiences. First trip, > the boat used was not up to the standard we expected which tainted > the entire trip which was otherwise fairly ok. Second trip, the boat > was pristine and the trip very memorable. Both trips were taken in > late autumn and there was never a problem with moorings, bandits, > lock jamming etc. In fact we were well recieved everywhere, > especially when we dropped into Ellesmere Port with our very > photogenic boat. Being autumn, it was not high season and quite > inexpensive, the weather however was beautiful. I have read the > postings here and found a bit of negativity. From the hirer's point > of view, apart from the cost of hire, which couldn't possibly be > sustained for 52 weeks, we seem to be 'cocooned' to some extent from > the effects of BW's charging and ruling regime. I wonder if it is > still wise for me to resist the temptation of buying my own. I think > so. ( So far anyway.)
I'd suggest buy a share, maybe 1/6th if you have a reasonable amount of time to boat - say 4 weeks and 4 weekends. Seems the most effective return of lock-mile per £ spent. I'd go back to that now if I could but I'd insist on a Friday (or maybe a Thursday) start date as a Saturday start rules out sensible long weekend use. You've gotta be comfortable with your sharees though - potentially tricky. Beeky
