THE TUB BOAT

For the Bude Canal Society the past year has been one of steady progress. We have welcomed new members on to the committee and our general membership is increasing steadily. Our events have been very successful in raising money and, more importantly, encouraging awareness and interest in the Bude Canal.

The past year has also seen the completion of the "Flood Defence Scheme" and the publication of the draft copy of the "Bude Canal Study" by W S Atkins. Also this year was published the new book, "Bude Canal Past and Present" by Bryan Dudley Stamp and Bill Young. We have been active and, we hope, helpful with these projects and have pledged financial support to NCDC for the canal study.

The coming year promises to be busy for the Society. We hope to be involved in any further consultations and plans for action resulting from the "Bude Canal Study", expected in January. .

Bude-Stratton Town Council are hoping to receive the canal tub boat previously given to the Exeter Maritime Museum. This is a most welcome development and we are grateful to the Bude/Stratton Town Council Museum Committee for negotiating its return. The Canal Society has offered financial support to the Council for this project and offered on-going practical help in the maintenance and display of this important local artefact.

With our newly acquired "pavilion" and display equipment we hope to improve and widen the scope of our events during 1999 and improve on the success of last year's programme.

The healthy state of our bank accounts is due not only to members continuing to support the Society by renewing their memberships and with generous donations, but also the hard work and support of my fellow committee members and other members in all our fund-raising efforts during the past year, none of which failed to cover its costs and make a profit. The Christmas Fayre on 5 December at Helebridge was a great success and made a profit in excess of £130.

I am sure we can build on this success during 1999. Once again thank you all for your support.

A very quiet time; not many people venture down to this part of the world in winter. Walking the towpath needs stamina (and wellies) to tackle the soggy ground. Having said that, the countryside has an ever-changing character and at this time of the year, with all the leaves fallen, new vistas emerge and birds in their winter plumage are easier to see. Now the ground foliage has died down the snowdrops are making an appearance and also some bluebells near a south aspect wall. Perhaps we are going to have a mild winter or an early spring.

Our ducks enjoy the wet weather, with lots of water in the canal, but in an attempt to seek new pastures two of the ducks were killed recently crossing the road. Has Road Rage come to our quiet lanes?

A local man recently asked if I could confirm a story he had heard while researching the history of Bradworthy: "that ore was mined at Bradworthy, carted to Virworthy, transported to Bude by tub boat and then loaded on to a barque which subsequently sank" Anyone know of this?

Christmas Fayre 1998

On the morning of Saturday 5 December 1998 there was a lot of activity at the Barge Workshop at Helebridge, as the society prepared for its second annual Christmas Fayre. The Fayre commenced at 11 am and was soon very busy selling the wide range of Christmas goods. Also available were the traditional mince-pies and sherry, raffle, and cake stall. There was a good attendance by members and local residents.

The historic setting beside the Bude Canal at the foot of the Marhamchurch inclined plane added to the occasion and prompted many questions and general interest in the canal and the surrounding area.

The event was very successful and made a substantial profit for the society, which will be used to further our aims to protect the canal.

I thank everyone who helped to make this event successful whether they helped on the day or donated goods. Thanks also to the Bude-Stratton Town Council for permitting the society to use the Barge Workshop.

Membership Report

We welcome the following new members who have joined since the middle of September.

Mr & Mrs M F Ball Stibb, Bude

Mr E White & Mrs J Pritchard Ashwater, Devon

Many thanks to those members who have already renewed their subscription for 1998/99 and particularly those who have given additional donations. However, some members have still not renewed. Please complete the enclosed renewal form and respond by return to maintain your support for the Bude Canal Society and ensure that you receive future newsletters. Remember that only fully paid-up members can vote at the AGM in February.

You can help us to reduce costs by using the Standing Order Mandate attached to the renewal form.

Robert Stapleton, master shipwright of Bude gave this account of one of the two occasions of "Ceres" being hove out of the water for work to be done on the hull below the waterline:

"We had Ceres in the higher Basin next to our yard on the West Bank. Her bows were towards the canal entrance and we had lightened her as far as possible. We set up lengths of cable from the mastheads down to the deck on the outer side to help the shrouds take the strain of the mast when she lay over. Then with masthead tackles made fast to posts on shore we hove her down, at the same time easing off her moorings so that as she listed her hull lay farther off the quay. That was to allow us to bring in a couple of Bude canal tub-boats under her mastheads.

(They appear to have been filled with sand and stones up to about 5 tons. Ed). Purchases hung down from the mastheads and were made fast by chains right round the tub-boats. Now the loaded canal tub-boats held the ship down and we could slack off the shore tackles. The Ceres was so far over that the water came up her deck on the port side within eight inches of the hatchways.

Then we unmoored the Ceres and swung her right round till she lay parallel to the West bank again, but now heading inland and with the two tub-boats on the far side so that she listed outwards.

By this time we had the ways ready - two or three long baulks of timber, say a foot square, slanting from the water up the grassy shore. They lay parallel and the outer ends were underwater supported on blocks sunk under them. We used two ways for the Ceres and Ant but three when lengthening a vessel was to be done. The ways were greased and runners prepared on which the ship would rest.

We needed to haul the ship out of the water, broadside on, so that her keel, only two feet under water by now, would just lip in over the ends of the ways. The ship had three slings put right round her hull, fixed to the deck to prevent them from slipping round the ship. These slings were attached to big anchors ashore, in line with the ways, and the ropes went to three crab winches. Each crab had its crew of three or four men.

Word would go around Bude and in the evening a crowd would come over to watch and help. With twenty or more men at the tackle it would be jolly and easygoing. So we hove away and the keel came in on the ways. As we hauled she came more upright. We let her do that by slacking off the heaving-down tackles in the canal tub-boats. Then her bottom came out of the water and she was no longer afloat. Up the ways she came until her outer bilge was on the ways as well as her keel until we had got her quite clear of the water with room to walk round her. The boss would call " ‘Vast heaving" and there would be great applause.

The two masthead chains, which had held the ship to starboard, were now led ashore and attached to a tree or an anchor post. We hove on these until the old vessel came upright and then gently settled on to her starboard bilge. With blocks under her she was off the ground by about the height of the parlour table and ready for work."

Slide Show

Local members will already be aware that due to unforseen circumstances we were unable to proceed with the Slide Show on Inclined planes by Robert Harris on 17 November. This has now been rescheduled for 17 February 1999 at The Parkhouse Centre, Bude.

Dates for your Diary

17 February 1999 Slide Show on Inclined Planes at 7.30p.m. at the Parkhouse Centre, Bude

20 February 1999 AGM at 2.30 p.m. in the Carriage Room, The Falcon Hotel, Bude

16 March 1999 Talk on the Social Implications of Canals and Railways at 7.30p.m. at the Parkhouse Centre, Bude

Copy for the next edition of the Tub Boat should be addressed to:

The Editor, Tregea, Lower Upton, BUDE, EX23 0LS, to reach him by 10 March 1999.

Committee Members

Chairman: John Bolitho

Vice Chairman: Audrey Wheatley

Treasurer: Chris Jewell

Membership Secretary: Mike Moore

Events Secretary: Betty Moore

Geoff Lowe Yvonne Lowe

Stan Noakes Malcolm Hector

Fred Copeland

The views expressed by the contributors of this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Bude Canal Society which does not accept responsibility for them

Published by BUDE CANAL SOCIETY

Hon Secretary: still vacant