mast removal for the clyde

[baggypipes]

hi we are looking to go through the forth & clyde canal goin to edinburgh does anyone have information on-
1, where to have the masts removed. 2, can they be transported by road, if so by whom, or do we take them with us. 3, any idea on costs?
many thanks

 

[bikedaft]

can remove mast at bowling basin. will they go on the boat?

not sure about t'other end, there was a thread a few months ago about same

 

[Ubergeekian]

According to the F&CC Skipper's Guide, available via

http://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/our-canals/forth--clyde-canal/boating

there is a BW crane at Bowling and a private crane at a pontoon on the Carron. Both must be operated by the boat's crew.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

According to the F&CC Skipper's Guide, available via

http://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/our-canals/forth--clyde-canal/boating

there is a BW crane at Bowling and a private crane at a pontoon on the Carron. Both must be operated by the boat's crew.

... or you can motor 10 miles down the Forth to Port Edgar where they will be only too happy to restep your mast and relieve you of quite a startling amount of money.

 

[ctva]

As above self service at Bowling with the help of the lock keepers. Really easy and they are very helpful. Best thing is to pre make a coulple of A-frames to support your mast bearing in mind the air draft (3m I think). I made mine out of 3x2 building timber with a single M12 bolt at the apex, really simple. Take lots of string and some padding too. At the other end there is Port Edgar. I don't know about the River Carron option.

 

[Ubergeekian]

As above self service at Bowling with the help of the lock keepers. Really easy and they are very helpful.

The Skipper's Guide is very emphatic that the crew are on their own there, so things may be changing as the staffing levels are being pretty drastically cut back.

http://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/media-centre/press-releases/proposed-operational-changes-2011

 

[Strathglass]

The crane at the east end of the canal is in quite tidal waters, so can't be done at all states of the tide. The tidal range is up to six metres.
It is on the south side just after the last lock.
From memory it costs about £45 but you need to give the yard owner a couple of days notice which is not too hard a problem.

I can find out the info if nobody else posts it.

I was planning to bring a Westerly Kendel through for someone a couple of weeks ago but a cracked bone and a plaster cast on my foot has put paid to that. I intended to have the mast stepped at Port Edgar rather than risk being caught by the tide if I ran into any problems refitting the mast on the river Caron.

It is an easy short run down to Port Edgar with the tide if one can arrange to leave the last lock on the canal at high water.

The other end is not really a problem as the crane there is inside the canal away from the tide.

Iain

 

[Ubergeekian]

The crane at the east end of the canal is in quite tidal waters, so can't be done at all states of the tide....
It is an easy short run down to Port Edgar with the tide if one can arrange to leave the last lock on the canal at high water.

It's a shame the restoration ends so high up the Carron and not, as the original did, in the docks at Grangemouth and later at the sea. I believe they wanted to finish that bit off but with funding the way it is now I doubt there will be a long wait before it happens.

This map, from Wikipedia, shows the original sealock near the railway station and the later outlet at the east end of the newer docks.

 

[ctva]

The Skipper's Guide is very emphatic that the crew are on their own there, so things may be changing as the staffing levels are being pretty drastically cut back.

http://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/media-centre/press-releases/proposed-operational-changes-2011

The crane is like the bridges, BW staff operated. You as the yacht crew do all the donkey work, they operate the crane. H&S requirements.

 

[Ubergeekian]

The crane is like the bridges, BW staff operated. You as the yacht crew do all the donkey work, they operate the crane. H&S requirements.

You are quite right - I should have reread more carefully and with a bigger font. It says BW operated mast crane available at Bowling. Boat crew must carry out all mast work which I read as BW owned mast crane .... Mind you, I saw a report recently that a rather grumpy staff member charged with working the crane (a) said he was too busy cutting grass to do more than one crane per day and (b) offered no objection when the yacht's crew did it themselves.

I'd like to take Jumblie through some time, but I'd much rather send the mast by road, mainly to reduce clutter. I wondered when the canal reopened if some enterprising person might set up to offer a suitable but I suspect that the dismally low usage of the F&C means there just isn't a market for it.

 

[bikedaft]

sorry slightly OT but got an old map of the bowling end? it looks like the basin was slightly bigger there in the past?

good luck with traversing canal. let us know how you got on.

 

[EuanMcKenzie]

interesting map

I now understand why there are two roads running in parallel in Grangemouth. They must have filled in the canal and i reckon I now drive down it on my way to work each day!

Still not convinced there is 3 metres air draft in the river Carron under the bridges when its springs. I would need it if i carried my mast on deck.

Are these details published anywhere?

I fancy doing the trip to lay up in the east one year so i can do some serious work on the boat

 

[Ubergeekian]

sorry slightly OT but got an old map of the bowling end? it looks like the basin was slightly bigger there in the past?

I've had a quick play with old-maps.co.uk and it looks as if the tidal basin has been more-or-less the same since 1858. Dunno about the canal basin, but I presume that the coming of the railways (there were two lines to Dumbarton) might have altered things a bit.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

I made and fitted a set of three mast supports on a yacht at Rothesay Dock a few weeks for an east coaster who was transiting the F&C.
As far as I know he dident have any problems.
He is registered on this fora but I cant remember his user name.
You will pass quite close to where I live on your way towards Kirkintilloch. (near The Stables pub which does great food)
C_W

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

interesting map

I now understand why there are two roads running in parallel in Grangemouth. They must have filled in the canal and i reckon I now drive down it on my way to work each day!

Still not convinced there is 3 metres air draft in the river Carron under the bridges when its springs. I would need it if i carried my mast on deck.

Are these details published anywhere?

I fancy doing the trip to lay up in the east one year so i can do some serious work on the boat

I made the mast supports (See my reply below) to suit clearance under 3m airdraft as requested by the yacht owner and apparently it was close in a few places but he said he had enough clearance.
C_W

 

[Fascadale]

I took the boat through the Forth Clyde last year and plan to do the same this year, east to west.

I took the mast down in Granton and put it back up in Bowling. The mast crane in Bowling is excellent. The BW man works the crane the crew do the bottle screws, easy.

Another option for putting the mast back up on the Forth may be the Royal Forth YC crane at Granton which might be available to non members for a fee, but you would have to check that.

Thats the Bowling mast crane in the background

The passage up the Forth with the mast on deck was a bit hairy, a very strong breeze out of the west aand a steepish sea: the mast began to move a bit, the A frame at the stern was moving fore and aft.

Going through the canal itself the mast was not too much of a nuisance, you go alongside on the same side in each lock, there are no sharp turns, not really a problem.

 

[DaveS]

It's a shame the restoration ends so high up the Carron and not, as the original did, in the docks at Grangemouth and later at the sea. I believe they wanted to finish that bit off but with funding the way it is now I doubt there will be a long wait before it happens.

Well, reopening to Grangemouth is still planned, as part of the Helix Project - which to date exists purely as site boards and some test bores last year. Part of the deal is a new lock with "kelpies" - essentially horses' heads of ridiculous size. Most, but not all, of the funding is in place but, ironically, given the current state of the economy, the obvious measure of scrapping the OOT horses' head bit would endanger some of the base funding which presumes a proportion of "public art" will be incorporated. We watch with interest, but not bated breath.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Well, reopening to Grangemouth is still planned, as part of the Helix Project ...

Thanks - I've had a look. Unfortunately it does't include a proper extension of the canal on the original course - just a short additional section next to the Carron with a new sea lock only slightly (1/4 mile?) further downstream. Perhaps Forth Ports Ltd don't want leisure craft in Grangemouth Docks.

Project Helix plan here.

 

[Strathglass]

interesting map

Still not convinced there is 3 metres air draft in the river Carron under the bridges when its springs. I would need it if i carried my mast on deck.

Are these details published anywhere?

It's not as easy as that. You have to go under the bridge when the tide is just high enough to be just off the bottom and hope that you have calculated your air draft correctly to clear under the bridge. Also when doing the calculations remember it is fresh water in the canal so the boat's draft will be greater.

Fine in a small boat but increases in difficulty as the boat size increases.

In the past I have had to remove the bridge deck from a steel cruiser in Inverness for transport to the Shannon then organise the rewelding of it back on and reconnecting/recommisioning the hydraulic steering and morse controls in Ireland because of the problems with air draft on the ferry. This would not be very practical at either end of the Forth and Clyde canal.

There is also a pipe which runs across the bed of the canal which must be cleared.

There is a depth gauge which shows the depth and air draft at the bridge just opposite the private crane at the River Caron before enter the canal.

On my own boat the air draft plus the underwater draft is just on the limit for passing through. I would not consider taking it through that canal. So have to go up to Inverness to get to the west coast.

It is a bit sad really as I remember seing big fishing boats pass through before they filled it up.

I was born in Falkirk and stayed quite near lock 16 on the Forth and Clyde canal.

At about 12 years old (1950) I played about with a canoe I made from blackout blinds and bamboo canes on the Union canal just where the wheel is now. I also have faint recollections of a canoe hire company being based there.

I also have a photo of the old Mylne 1 rater I once owned being towed through Forth and Clyde canal behind a motorbike and sidecar outfit (much before my time).

Iain

 

[maxi77]

interesting map

I now understand why there are two roads running in parallel in Grangemouth. They must have filled in the canal and i reckon I now drive down it on my way to work each day!

Still not convinced there is 3 metres air draft in the river Carron under the bridges when its springs. I would need it if i carried my mast on deck.

Are these details published anywhere?

I fancy doing the trip to lay up in the east one year so i can do some serious work on the boat

The critical air draft is leaving Bowling basin, there is a low bridge there. The trick leaving the sea lock at Grangemouth is to leave on the rising tide as soon as there is enough water because the clearance under the Kerse Bridge dissapears as the tide comes in, there is a window on the rising aand falling tide. The bridge is just yards from the sea lock so you can stand and watch the tide coming in to get the ideal timing.

To make the air draft we carried the mast off centre as the high point n the pullpit was close to the allowable air draft.

The teams that take you through working the locks are great and very helpfull