Cruising the Cut
Season 2016
A documentary series following former UK television news reporter David Johns who quit his job, sold his house, bought a live-aboard narrowboat, and films his travels on the historic British canals.
Where to Watch Cruising the Cut • Season 2016
57 Episodes
- Fire StarterE2
Fire StarterWith temperatures currently plummeting in the UK and at least a fortnight's cold snap predicted with sub zero temperatures coming, it's time to have a look at the main source of heating on my narrowboat, the Villager Puffin stove. It's the heart of the boat and keeps me very toasty on these winter days and nights but it did need some fettling when I moved aboard. - Socket To 'EmE3
Socket To 'EmAn episode in which I do a canal-oriented shopping "haul" type of Vlog then follow it with a intricate explanation of how to run a mains cable half the length of the boat in order to install more power sockets. This involves disassembling much of the boat's interior and a lot of swearing. - Master & Commander (1)E14
Master & Commander (1)In advance of leaving the marina for the summer and going touring non-stop, I decided to have a practise run / warm-up. So marina manager Neil and I took our boats in convoy up the Grand Union Canal Leicester Arm to the Welford Arm and down the end (to the pub again). This is part 1 of the account of that trip. - Master & Commander ''The Seaquel'' (2)E15
Master & Commander ''The Seaquel'' (2)This is the second and concluding part of my two-day trip along the Welford Arm of the Grand Union Canal (Leicester section). In this video, we - my friend Neil and me, each on our own boats in convoy - continue along the arm to the end, moor up, go to the pub and then trundle back. - Go West, Young ManE19
Go West, Young ManAfter a night's stop at the bottom of Watford Locks it was time to move on again. Originally I had Braunston in mind but I didn't need to be there for several days so in part because of that and partly because the weather was chilly, I ended up in a lovely spot at Norton Junction. This video shows that journey. - Dunking DoughnutE20
Dunking DoughnutAfter a lovely couple of days hanging out in the sunshine at Norton Junction it was time to move the canal boat to Braunston ready for a minor engineering fix. This involved going through the hideous Braunston tunnel and six wide locks. There was also a nasty moment for me at the water point. - Working WaterE21
Working WaterIn this instalment, I move off from Braunston and head to the east side of Rugby, firstly to do a bit of laundry and get some diesel, then onwards to Hillmorton Locks. There I take a look around and chat to volunteer lock keeper Maurice Farndon about a restoration project that's underway. - Rugby TackleE22
Rugby TackleHaving come through Hillmorton Locks on the eastern outskirts of Rugby, I now make my way west - right through the middle of town. This also involves a stop near a large supermarket to stock up on tea and cakes then its onwards to Brinklow Marina where a viewer is paying me to film and edit a video of their newly-purchased boat for their family and friends. - Flotsam & JetsamE24
Flotsam & JetsamAfter a pleasant few days at Hawkesbury Junction, the time has come to move on but - oh no, there's a traffic jam at the water point. Then it's a swift turn onto the Coventry canal and onwards past Bedworth and through Nuneaton in one go as I have been warned not to stop there overnight for fear of vandalism and hooligans running wild. I didn't stop to find out if this is actually true. - Stone Me!E25
Stone Me!After a day moored just outside Nuneaton, I'm moving a little way north up the Coventry Canal, through Polesworth and up to Atherstone. I'll try to get to a spot between locks 9 and 10 as I've been told it's a lovely place to spend a while. Some beautiful scenery on the way and some lovely weather too! - Do Call Me ShirleyE30
Do Call Me ShirleyThis was supposed to be the video from the Crick Show, so as to keep the show video timely. However, since I've been ill and off visiting family, the Crick video is only 1/3 complete, so have this one instead. It's the next part of my travels after doing all those locks in the last one. - Hot ChicksE35
Hot ChicksI'd spent about a week moored at the Saltisford Arm while I went to visit family (the ones who I was supposed to have gone down the Birmingham and Worcester canal to see, but didn't). With the Crick Show fast approaching, it was time to head on back towards Northamptonshire, so here's a couple of days cruising in that direction. - The Smell of the GreasepaintE37
The Smell of the GreasepaintGetting back on track with the travel vlogs from my Grand Tour earlier this year, I pick up where I left off in Vlog 51 (Bascote) and continue my route back towards Braunston. In doing this I pass through the Stockton lock flight with the help of the lovely folk on the Mikron Theatre Company boat (http://www.mikron.org.uk) and up up just past Wigram's Turn marina (Napton Junction) - Davey Johns' (Gas) LockerE39
Davey Johns' (Gas) LockerNow back at Yelvertoft, my narrowboat gets taken out of the water so that I can tackle the rusty gas locker properly, using Fertan rust treatment followed by red oxide primer, bilge paint and then two coats of Intertuf 16 blacking for good measure. - Sunny Side UpE41
Sunny Side UpI've been sent an 80 Watt semi-flexible solar panel to review by a company called Lensun (www.lensunsolar.com); note that this is not an advert, they've not paid me to say nice things and they have no editorial control over this video. It's just genuinely my thoughts on the panel as I found it (until the point where I broke it, for more on which, watch the video). - Mooring The CutE44
Mooring The CutIn which I try to condense everything that's happened in July and August into a ten minute video. Spoiler: I succeed because in reality there isn't much to tell. I also trail what I'm going to be doing over the next few months and some new videos that I'm working on. - Bog StandardsE45
Bog Standards A much requested video, this lengthy ramble discusses the three main types of narrowboat toilet, namely the cassette (eg Thetford or Porta Potti type), the pump-out, and the new kid on the block, the composting loo. There is much discussion of poo and wee and even a brief shot of it going through a pipe. You have been warned! - Das BOOT (1)E48
Das BOOT (1)On August 23, 2015, I uploaded Vlog 4 - a tour of my newly purchased canal boat. It was out of the water, fresh from its prior owners and I hadn't changed a thing. So now, 14 months later and after a year of living aboard, I present part 1 of a brand new, really really detailed look around the boat. I show what I've changed and what it's like to be afloat today. - Money Talks (1)E50
Money Talks (1)After months of people saying "but what does it cost?", here's the first in a series of 3 videos about how much money it takes to buy, own and live aboard a narrowboat. In this video, it's all about the buying process. Actual monies required for buying typical boats are covered in Part 2 then ownership and liveaboard costs in Part 3 - Cash Flow (2)E51
Cash Flow (2)This is part 2 of my short series about the costs of buying, owning and living on a narrowboat. In this video I discuss what it costs to buy a narrowboat, from cheap second-hand ones to expensive second-hand ones, to new builds, sailaways, share boats and even GRP cruisers! - Been Counting (3)E52
Been Counting (3)This is the third (and final, as it turns out) video in my short series about the costs of buying and owning a canal narrowboat. Here I talk about the annual ongoing costs you will incur regardless of how you use the boat, plus a quick overview of what I spend to live on board each month. - Tubular BellsE54
Tubular BellsOn Saturday December 3rd, a group of narrowboat dwelling / owning / buying YouTube video bloggers came together in London for a Christmas shindig. For most of us, this was the first time we'd met in person rather than as a comment on a YouTube page. This is a quick video of our meal, necessarily brief as we were really there to socialise, not film! - Talking TurkeyE57
Talking TurkeyIt's Christmas time and there's nothing finer than a slap up roast for lunch. Unfortunately I can't cook but pal Expert Gary from Yelvertoft marina is a dab hand in the kitchen. He, his wife Carol, plus boating friends Myra and Adrian came over to my boat and cooked up the full works in a cramped galley. This is how they did it.