Praise for Crinan Canal

[Quandary]

No. It's a shame that discussion of the problems couldn't be kept separate from an attempt to encourage occasional visitors to use the canal. That's the Internet for you.
At least the positive statements are still here, if people come searching for information.

It is unfortunate that while folk justifiably praise the canal experience that the facility is being run down toward imminent closure, when it is gone it will be nice to recall how good it was. Unless something changes that will be very soon.

 

[richardjacobs]

It is unfortunate that while folk justifiably praise the canal experience that the facility is being run down toward imminent closure, when it is gone it will be nice to recall how good it was. Unless something changes that will be very soon.

I understand your concern and you're clearly much closer to the problem than I am. I wish I had a helpful suggestion to make, beyond encouraging more people to use it. It's difficult to imagine either private enterprise or government being able to justify the focus or finances that may be required. It's amazing how long things can muddle along for though.

 

[JumbleDuck]

No. It's a shame that discussion of the problems couldn't be kept separate from an attempt to encourage occasional visitors to use the canal. That's the Internet for you.
At least the positive statements are still here, if people come searching for information.

I would warmly recommend that visitors try the canal. It's almost certainly more fun for them than regulars and locals.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I understand your concern and you're clearly much closer to the problem than I am. I wish I had a helpful suggestion to make, beyond encouraging more people to use it. It's difficult to imagine either private enterprise or government being able to justify the focus or finances that may be required. It's amazing how long things can muddle along for though.

The Haynes manual for my VW Camper Van said something along the lines of "Like Beetles, Type 2s can survive a remarkably long time without maintenance, but failure, when it comes, will be catastrophic and multiple". That probably goes for canals too.

 

[mainsail1]

If the Crinan Canal organisation is so skint maybe they should give the venture over to the Canal and River Trust who do a pretty good job in England or apply for some Lottery Money? There must be a huge lack of imagination amongst the powers that be in Scotland to allow this kind of Heritage Attraction to fall into disrepair.

 

[ctva]

If the Crinan Canal organisation is so skint maybe they should give the venture over to the Canal and River Trust who do a pretty good job in England or apply for some Lottery Money? There must be a huge lack of imagination amongst the powers that be in Scotland to allow this kind of Heritage Attraction to fall into disrepair.

That question has been asked of them and the response from management at the top (did you know that there are more highly paid managers in Scottish Canals than I’ve had hot dinners?) is that they could respond to local issues and needs rather than being part of a UK organisation.

Oh and the SNP wanted it too, separation by stealth.

 

[Martin&Rene]

Back to the praises then. Just done 2 trips through the Crinan, doing it in less than 5.5 hours from bottom basin to bottom basin each time.

Listening to people, I think, (unofficially!) that people are taking the idea of booking in too seriously, as I even heard people worrying they were going to miss their slot. A change in weather and plans (No MOK) meant we rang in during the morning and locked in that afternoon. Only over the next 2 days as the West Highland yachts go through could there be a problem. Their reason for trying to run groups through is that the staffing numbers are now such that the bridges are not fully manned and so staff are having to travel from sea lock to bridge or bridge to bridge, so there is a chance you can arrive at a bridge and have to wait. As some of the waiting pontoons are "under repair" or "under construction" that could sometimes be a problem. The major spend now seems to be on making sure the canal looks pretty for the tourists, rather than helping the yachties.

As I only sail with my wife, we used a pilot (Mike Murray) and not only do the pilots help in the locks, but with them driving/cycling up and down the canal, they know the other boat movements and sorted out where would be the best place to pass other yachts and when to go. So we went straight in to every lock bar one, when we caught up with the previous group at Lock 4 when going east.

 

[Quandary]

This imaginary convoy system is not helping at all.
Yesterday morning they were running water at Dunardry until 10-00 by which time they had 11 boats waiting to lock in to Lock 13 including a German single hander near the front of the queue who wanted to go through on his own. Fortunately it was a head wind and not too strong so no one got stuck on the bank. Very slow progress, everyone forced to go at the pace of the slowest group, which then stopped at Cairnbaan, they had already started rafting on the pontoons there. We were held up again for 2 hours at Ardrishaig as they have welders working on the broken beams on locks 2 and 4. Lock 3 now needs 4 people to push it if there is any water coming over. Fortuntely they agreed to lock the boat out after 17-30. Every one was co-operating and we kept going forward to assist the slowest and to close up after the German, but it was a long hard day in unseasonal heat.

 

[mainsail1]

So they are doing some maintenance then?

 

[Quandary]

So they are doing some maintenance then?

Local welders who they call in from time to time, I would not call it maintenance, more like an emergency repair though they assure me the steel splint is temporary and the rotten timber will be replaced eventually! Must be temporary cos they have not bothered to paint the steel.

 

[Simon__]

Passed through from Crinan to Ardishaig yesterday with a pilot (possibly Quandary based on the story he told me about his left knee and gate 6). It was my first time passing and we were originally going to try to make it ourselves unassisted but happened to pass through the lock 14 with another couple who had arranged a pilot. We had been told pilots usually only take one boat at a time so originally expected to be following a lock behind once the pilot had met up with the other boat but seeing the work involved and with the other couple & pilot being happy to cut a deal we decided to go along with them. While there were line handlers at some gates there weren’t at many and it would have been difficult for us to progress alone having never operated a lock before, so we were lucky in that respect.

Generally the experience was good. The pilot lined up a lot of the gates, warned of traffic and made passing through the locks much easier than it would have been. The canal staff were all very friendly although it was clear there weren’t enough staff to manage the canal (e.g. this afternoon we were slightly delayed as gates 4 and the sea lock both needed staff attention and they didn’t have capacity to fulfil both at the same time). Still, they were friendly and proactive in keeping us informed with what was happening. The facilities at Crinan were very nice and money has clearly been spent there but some of the locks looked in need of maintenance - there was a distinct creek at a few of the later locks. I also overheard the staff mention the numbers of boats passing through on Wednesday, when we locked in the last lock, was under 10 and we certainly noticed it was very quiet considering they opened the new building in Ardishaig today (which wasn’t a bad thing for us but can’t be good for the canal). It makes you wonder where its heading if they can’t afford the staff to run it now yet their bookings are falling.

Overall I’d recommend it and pass through the canal again, we got basin to basin in 6 hours and at times we were averaging 3 knots. I’m not sure my experience was typical as it was so quiet (we only passed 4 boats during the transit between 9am and 3pm, and I can’t recall any other boats coming through the sealock after we arrived) but I can’t fault the staff at all.

 

[Quandary]

You should have asked him 'Are you Quandary?' you never know, he might have owned up to it.

 

[JumbleDuck]

We had been told pilots usually only take one boat at a time so originally expected to be following a lock behind once the pilot had met up with the other boat ...

Paying for a pilot doesn't get you exclusive use of locks. They're just like any other shore crew. I've been through alongside piloted boats on several occasions.