Tight Turns, Shallow Water & Narrowboat Engine Trouble! | Cruising the Oxford Canal (Part 1)

Описание: Welcome aboard the Grey Wagtail for my first cruise of the new season!

In this video, I set off from the marina for a short but eventful journey south along the Oxford Canal, heading towards Banbury and back. It’s a beautiful stretch of rural England, and this trip had just about everything: tight turns, tricky locks, shallow patches, gorgeous countryside, friendly boaters, and a mystery engine problem thrown in for good measure.

In my previous videos, I have received a lot of really useful advice and comments and I’ve taken a lot of your suggestions on board (literally!) — especially around steering technique, throttle use, and tiller control. This was my first time trying to put it all into practice, and let’s just say there were some moments…

Highlights in this cruise include:
Navigating out of the marina with a tight turn and an audience on the bank (no pressure!)
Several locks to do on the way out — with thanks to my ‘super-secret shy lock helper’ who’s once again been a star
Forward-facing footage as requested — a big improvement for capturing the canal ahead (although there were some technical issues)
Learning to handle tight corners with sudden power bursts and tiller angles (less than 45°, I promise)
Spotting wildlife, including a heron, ducks, moorhen chicks, and some very inquisitive cows
A derelict but charming lock cottage with a sign reminding us that “a home without a cat is just a house”
Yet another crash
A lot of issues with mooring up
And, a mystery alarm mid-cruise that needed a bit of canal-side troubleshooting - did I manage to fix it?

This cruise may only have been a short one, but it packed in a lot — stunning weather, scenic views, technical glitches, boating lessons, and a proper slice of life aboard a narrowboat.

💬 Please let me know in the comments if you’ve experienced similar engine issues. All advice gratefully received.

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