Last w/e the LE & RBLNA branches held a two day small boat rally on the Lower Bann, a GREAT w/e was had by ALL, many thanks to the team that put it all together, the rally started at Toome & finished at Coleraine Marina with the over nite stop at Portneal ( Kilrea )

some pics of the rally ( the "shark" is posted in an earlier thread )









Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 15/06/2010 20:31 by Pas Vite.

a few more pics

and a few more.........





again, a big thanks to the team.

Austin & Bernie

Pas Vite



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 15/06/2010 20:32 by Pas Vite.

Austin & Bernie, great photo`s as ever can you tell me where you have been on the waterways over the last twelve months i doubt many can match it!!!
A true stalwarth of the IWAI well done!
Pas Vite on tour..........



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 15/06/2010 21:28 by ralf.

Just two years ago we rowers organised a two-day touring boats row from the slip just upstream of the Toome old bridge starting at noon on a Saturday. Four boats, each with five people aboard took part, lunched rather late at Portglenone (lovely little town) and overnighted at the B&B just by Kilrea Bridge. We could leave the rowing boats on the water by the big slip there. The locks are very long and could accommodate all four boats simultaneously. I agree, the old-fashioned operation is time-wasting.
One problem we encountered was the overt ill-mannered behaviour of the waterski waverider brigade, who have designated areas in which they may perform, but through which we had to pass to proceed downstream. They took obvious delight in scaring the life out of us, swamping our very low freeboard with their washes and causing us to have to bail out after they had been past. There will be further rowing tours, and the waterway is for everybody, so a few minutes' common courtesy from them wouldn't go astray. We also encountered them outside their designated area, too. They should be reported to the IWAI.
On the Sunday we had a drier and uneventful row to a snack lunch at a fabulous campsite on the Antrim bank, and eventually to a slap-up 'anytime breakfast' at 4PM given us by the super hospitable people at Coleraine Rowing Club.

It's a very fine waterway and has lovely facilities built all the way along its banks. If they ever upen the Ulster Canal and it becomes 'connected', they'll have to do something to speed up the lock operation to cope with the extra traffic.

Tom K

Quote:

Thomas Kirby
Just two years ago we rowers organised a two-day touring boats row from the slip just upstream of the Toome old bridge starting at noon on a Saturday. Four boats, each with five people aboard took part, lunched rather late at Portglenone (lovely little town) and overnighted at the B&B just by Kilrea Bridge. We could leave the rowing boats on the water by the big slip there. The locks are very long and could accommodate all four boats simultaneously. I agree, the old-fashioned operation is time-wasting.
One problem we encountered was the overt ill-mannered behaviour of the waterski waverider brigade, who have designated areas in which they may perform, but through which we had to pass to proceed downstream. They took obvious delight in scaring the life out of us, swamping our very low freeboard with their washes and causing us to have to bail out after they had been past. There will be further rowing tours, and the waterway is for everybody, so a few minutes' common courtesy from them wouldn't go astray. We also encountered them outside their designated area, too. They should be reported to the IWAI.
On the Sunday we had a drier and uneventful row to a snack lunch at a fabulous campsite on the Antrim bank, and eventually to a slap-up 'anytime breakfast' at 4PM given us by the super hospitable people at Coleraine Rowing Club.

It's a very fine waterway and has lovely facilities built all the way along its banks. If they ever upen the Ulster Canal and it becomes 'connected', they'll have to do something to speed up the lock operation to cope with the extra traffic.

Tom K

Hi Tom,

sorry to hear about your bad experience,

I think you mean reported to WI ( Waterways Ireland )....

[www.waterwaysireland.org]

and it only takes a phone call,





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 17/03/2012 16:13 by Pas Vite / T 15.

Thanks for the link, Pas Vite. Interesting site.

I'll talk to some of my fellow rowers and we'll come up with an appropriately worded complaint.

Tom

Quote:

Thomas Kirby
Thanks for the link, Pas Vite. Interesting site.
I'll talk to some of my fellow rowers and we'll come up with an appropriately worded complaint.

Tom

WI ( Waterways Ireland ) are the government body that look after the waterways........

also if you have or find any other problems ( ie loose plank on a jetty, missing bollard on jetty, etc )
do contact them & report it...

Here's an alternative way to fill a Lower Bann lock.

All these guys and gals got there by the sweat of their efforts, and even though each boat was 36-odd feet long we all managed to cuddle up together to get through in one go....important in view of the elapsed time for one lock pass on that river.

Tom K