Some more info:

Launch site: Bradford on Avon Marina, off A363 Trowbridge Road. Postcode BA15 1UD.
Marina Manager Jimmy Griggs (not always present); phone 07973 435177. It’s basically a narrowboat marina so facilities for Macs limited. Moorings may be on the canal if not in the marina.
Car & Trailer parking space available – principle already agreed with manager, but details and costs to be discussed a few days before launching, all dependent on numbers attending.
Frank Higgins very helpfully co-ordinating as necessary.

Licensing:
Short term Canal & Rivers Licence available from the CRT website, purchasing on line. One week licence costs £27.34 (increasing to £28.65 from 1st April). Probably best to wait till about 25th March before applying when dates are finalised. If purchased “on the water” cost is double. For boats not having a Boat Safety Certificate a “Boat Condition Declaration” is required but has to be submitted by post.
Licences are also available from the CRT Office at Devizes during normal office hours. It may be that I will go to Devizes on the Thursday afternoon and could perhaps purchase licences for several boats at the same time. Will advise further on this in due course.

Maps & Charts.
Canal & River Trust website http://www.canalrivertrust.org.uk. Select Canals & Rivers – Kennet & Avon – Download free guide to Bath & Surrounding area. Other info re K&A canal also available.
Useful map: Kennet & Avon Canal & River Avon. http://www.heronmaps.com
Interesting info: Bristol Floating Harbour. Google search to Wikipedia

Bill, Avocet 26X

Hello Quentin,

Good to hear that you hope to join the rally. Keep an eye on the website for updates, and we can certainly have a chat nearer the time - I have your contact details from the Membership list.

Kind regards
Bill

Hello Liz,

Splendid to hear that you will be coming along - we now have 5 boats definitely joining and a couple more perhaps. Difficult to be very precise about timing - it depends on how we all feel and when want to get back and weather and........ Basically my old BW guide suggests that Bradford to Bath is 5hrs cruising and Bath to Bristol is 3 hours all including locks, etc. The are numerous intermediate possible moorings, some near pubs, some isolated so maybe we can make daily plans as we go along, albeit within an overall time schedule which is also up for discussion, but suggested to be from midday Friday to about 2pm Monday. I'm sure that your Sunday Lunch party can be fitted in - sounds fun!

Re licence - I'm happy to take Boat condition Forms and obtain licences at Devizes on the Thursday afternoon when the Office is open, if that helps.

Bill

Frank has discovered, and the CRT website confirms, that Hanham Lock, approx 4 miles from Bristol, has silted up after the recent floods. CRT does not have the necessary equipment to clear it so the lock is closed and impassable till further notice. We will not therefore be able to get to Bristol. However there are several possible moorings before that lock, some close to pubs if that what we want so there is still the chance of a pleasant cruise Bradford to Bath and then for about 10 miles further westwards from Bath and back again.
Disappointing not to get right to Bristol, but unfortunately can’t be helped. Sadly, no reduction in licence fee according to the CRT website!
There is also the possibility, as an alternative, to return from Bath and to cruise upstream from Bradford towards Devizes if that is considered preferable. Decisions on the day.

Bill

Further to yesterday’s message re boat licences. As David R has helpfully pointed out it is easy to obtain a licence on line so I will NOT be visiting Devizes on Thursday. During the application if you click the question about Boat Declaration, the necessary form appears on the screen and the application can be completed and printed without problem.

Bill

Yesterday we spent some time cleaning and preparing Avocet for the weekend, all in a sheltered spot out of the chilly wind. Although dressed for the occasion, within a couple of hours we had cold hands and feet and noted that ice was forming on the fore-deck – this at 4oclock in the afternoon.

Event Organisers are required by the Association to consider the weather forecast in their planning. I have looked at several forecasts for Thursday through to Monday and the most optimistic suggest little change with a maximum temperature of 7 degrees in day time; the most pessimistic indicates minus 6 degrees overnight. General agreement for mainly cloudy with little sun, possibility of snow flurries and a F2-5 Easterly is also expected much of the time, giving 3 or 4 degrees of wind-chill. At least half of the time we would be motoring directly into this wind.

We go boating for pleasure and now consider that there would be little pleasure in exposing ourselves to five days and four nights of such weather. I think that it might also be unwise and potentially hazardous. Therefore, with much regret, I suggest that the Easter cruise on the Kennet & Avon be postponed to a later date – recognising that this may be difficult to arrange – suggestions welcome.

Jean and I are very disappointed to pull out –i.e. not to put Avocet in !!

Bill

Hi Roly

The old BW handbook recommended to allow 8 hours from Bradford to Bristol so with a reasonably prompt start on Saturday morning we should be able to get there in one day in time for an evening out. With only three days we might have to start on the return on Sunday afternoon and stop overnight at Bath or somewhere suitable to allow for shorter day's travel on Monday.

Bill

I see that there have been lots of views of this rally now planned for the bank holiday weekend of 4th/5th/6th May, most arriving and perhaps launching at Bradford on Friday 3rd.

It would be helpful to have confirmation of boats expected to attend, so if you would like to join us, then please let me know.

Boats currently expected include Aranah, Daydreamer, Tenacity & Avocet.

Bill
Avocet

Roly, I think you are on the wrong form. It's very confusing and I wasted some time trying to complete that form.
You need to go through the pages:
Boating - Licensing - choosing & buying (NOT Application Forms) - Short term Visitors License - then go down the text to find "Via the Internet".
This leads to "start Your application" From there on it's straight-forward.
Bill

So sorry to hear your news, Roly & Ros. Really bad luck at the last moment and costly as well but hope that you can get everything sorted in time for Chichester at the end of the month. Will miss you both on the K&A, hopefully in the sunshine.

Best wishes

Bill & Jean