Work boats

Day 6 of our current Solace Trip.  Following the recent Etruria Canal Festival there were a lot of boats which had been work boats in a former life hanging around the area.  This shot shows two tied up end to end beside the towpath.

The one at the rear is still working as a "fuel Boat" there are a number of these scattered round the system selling Diesel, coal and bottled gas to boaters and canal side properties.  The first boat is empty and that is why I took the shot.

Compare the height of the bow with the pedestrians, then look at the boat behind and you will see a rubbing strake running along the side of the hull about a foot down from the gunwhales.  Had the first boat been fully loaded with say limestone from the quarries up the Caldon only the hull above the rubbing strake would be seen.

That wouldn't have left much water under the boat.  To illustrate this I will quote a warning from the CRT man at the Harecastle tunnel last trip.  "If somebody falls overboard get the boat out of gear, Tell them they are a silly beggar and then tell them to stand up its only 4 foot deep.