Going electric

I MOOR on the East end of the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation, writes James Henry.

I had quite a conversation with both the people selling electric motors for narrowboats at Crick Show, those fitted in place of the engine and those fitted in place of the propeller, but could not get any real answers to my questions, which concerned the range on a full charge, the frequency of charging points and how long it took to charge.

Ambiguous

To say the answers were ambiguous is putting it mildly, as it is obvious there has been no official testing.

My concern of course was, moored where I am, I need to take to the tidal Trent at Keadby with a long haul up river and often against the tide, for which in both cases I received a blank stare. Telling of the lack of dredging on many canals resulting in needing more power, this too brought little response.

Asking where the batteries would be stored one suggested on the roof, no doubt to be removed under low bridges!

Indeed a problem

As to charging points and the time required to recharge, this is indeed the problem as it is all 'in the air', so I for one will not be 'going electric', but will be kind enough to wave to those sat at charging points (should they find any) whilst chugging past on my ever-going diesel.

And sod those 'stop oil' or whatever they call themselves, who are certinly not living in the real world.