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The event was run by Roy Kenn & Graham Whorton. Here Graham reports the main points of the successful weekend - sorry no room for photos here! Ed.
The BCNS Marathon Challenge was reintroduced by the BCN Society at the end of May 2009 after a gap of seven years. The event was a great success.
38 boats entered the challenge which included 6 historic working boats, Fulboume and Saltaire as single motors and 2 pairs, Sickle towing No.15 and Atlas towing Malus.
28 boats including the two butties finished at Walsall Town Arm.
A total of 30 boats handed in completed logs.
Deeper draughted boats experienced problems in some of the shallower parts of the BCN, notably on the Titford Canal, the Walsall Canal at Moxley and in some bridge holes, especially at Spinks' bridge on the Walsall Canal and near Pinfold's Bridge in Wednesfield which were blocked with rubble, bricks and concrete. Fulboume, Atlas & Malus had severe problems at Pinfold's Bridge.
Weed was a big problem on the Walsall Canal and especially along the Wednesbury Old Canal to Bradley.
All the 9 boats that battled with the weed up the Bradley Arm had severe problems, lan Fletcher and his crew on API Wanderer especially so as their engine developed severe overheating problems which stopped them from reaching the finish.
There were 32 boat movements along the Walsall Canal, 28 along the Wyrley & Essington and 23 along the Tame Valley Canal. All possible sections of the BCN were navigated by at least one boat. Not a single section was missed.
The Away2service boat was moored at Walsall Town Arm offering fuel, pump out facilties and other services to boats which was very welcome. It is hoped that this service will be available at future events & rallies on the BCN.
There was a good spirit of friendship and cooperation between the entrants, many crews assisting others who were in trouble, helping each other through the difficult sections and towing each other when necessary.