281. The old wooden boats that are restoring people (yes, you read that right) 

I saw this and thought Aaaaargh this is terrible. The boats look a mess, they are a bit of a mess post covid and with me having to take a back seat for medical reasons, hopefully now solved. We need some volunteers to give "Hazel" a serious overhaul in the spring. I'm embarrassed by the trailing line on "Forget me Not"s bow. I didn't noticed that. The water constantly running from "Forget me Not"s side is engine cooling water, not bilgewater. She doesn't leak much, unlike "Queen". The stove in "Hazel" is installed according to Boat Safety Scheme requirements. Anyway, I looked at the comments and they're all really nice, so thank you. Chris.

I’ve watched hundreds of your well made relaxing videos David. This was the most important one that I’ve seen. Mental health, social contact, food for the soul. I’m rambling but I hope that people get the gist.

I've had the pleasure of going on a well-being trip on Hazel and Forget me Not. Chris let me sleep in the boatmans cabin on 'Forget Me Not'; I couldn't sleep because I was too excited. There is no one who knows more about wooden boats than Chris Leah; indeed, there are only a handful of people who know as much about the cut as he does. And what does he do with that knowledge and experience? He shares it with people who need something to share, and has built a community where none existed before. Thank you so much for sharing this video.

Aaaaaaaaahhh normality, a peace of calm and tranquility... Doesn't this channel make your heart smile 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇺🇸

As someone who's been 'medically retired' due to chronic mental illness for some years now - and I would assume in the same age bracket as Aaron here - I can't emphasise enough how valuable it is for people like us to find a sense of purpose again. To get out in the crisp fresh air, immersed in nature's beauty, and to feel we're contributing, working again, that we're productive and useful again. All this Chris and co are not only doing but sharing with anyone in need...what a magnanimous gesture. The boats are a perfect reflection of the people who care for them: step by step, day by day, getting there, well on their way. 😎

I can honestly say that I had no interest in Wooden boats but I always watch your videos. By the end I was so impressed with it all. All of the volunteers got so much from it and Chris has taught them lots. Much respect to the Society. Thanks for raising awareness. Inspiring.

That was great, thank you. There are many people who just don’t understand why people volunteer. Why do a job and not get paid for it, they ask. This wonderful video illustrates exactly why people volunteer, it’s because they get a sense of belonging, of being valued. A volunteer is far more valuable than an employee. They are there because they WANT to be, not because they HAVE to be.

Videos like this always restore my faith in humanity. Good work Dave.

You have done a wonderful service here. Raising awareness of this group and their efforts. Well done sir!

What a delightful story David! These wooden boats are treasures of the canals and the people helping out are treasures to the boats and the Wooden Boat Society. Thank you for sharing.

In the nicest possible way David, I didn't see this one coming. UK politics are currently absurd and frustrating but this is a video of people whose reality is never in doubt. I suspect the current times magnify the warmth and significance of a superb job.

Well done to the volunteers at The Wooden Canal Boat Society for giving the people featured a chance to work and meet others like them.

Wow, you surpassed yourself with this vlog David, how amazing these lovely folk are, let alone the boats they are taking care of. Thank you for sharing.

"...there is nothing -absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." Cliché, but true.

I think this is where you really excel David, telling stories. What a wonderful group of people. ❤

Awesome!, Thank you for showing the dedication and passion undertaken by the volunteers, as always your Vlogs are a source of inspiration.

As a volunteer at the WCBS shop help is very much appreciated from anyone.

What an absolutely lovely group of people and boats! I loved to hear how this effort is making a difference in people's lives. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!

I came here for the boats. I stayed because of these wonderful passionate people.

I really wish I lived in the UK and could be involved in something like this. I love this channel and everything to do with narrowboats. I hope to be able to visit often in the coming years and maybe even buy a boat around my retirement to enjoy for at least a few years.

Wonderful uplifting story, thanks! 🇺🇸😃

Well done to Chris and all the volunteers :) :)

Always a treat when we take a ride with you down the canals. Thanks

I wish I lived nearby. I am a good painter, and love restoring work. I hope you find volunteers who want to cheer up the paintwork on your lovely ladies

The Hazel looks so lovely and cozy inside I want to go on a little trip in her 😭😭😭

Beautiful story with beautiful people. Thank you for this!

Good video about a society that is dedicated to restoring heritage boats and helping to restore people. I couldn't see it on their website but they are a registered charity with the Charities Commission and up-to-date with their returns. I shall be sending them a charity cheque. It's small charities like this with a big local impact that need supporting in these troubled economic times we are in.

Bloody lovely that. That's a "special breed" -to take on history -and not even consider the time and effort. Bless 'em , They deserve help, even if it's a box of tea bags...Chris, You're Priceless.

What an awesome and very heart-warming video. Super work as usual, David 😄

It's so cool to see them working together as a team to tow the boats and then get them abreast again, so much coordination and understanding of each other :)

“It was a pleasure to be a passenger on a canal boat again.” Yep, that’s the way I felt. Really miss our narrow boat trips with you.

VERY WELL DONE TO THEM FOR PRESERVING THE BOATS AND GIVING PEOPLE REST AND ME TIME....

Another excellent adventure with lovely people who have a positive messege for all of us.

simply heartwarming David thankyou for NOT filling your videos with advertising as it seems the current trend. I am in love with Queen! hahaha..

I worked as an engineer for six years on a wooden 72' power scow (two 671 diesels) that was built by the Army Corps of Engineers for the Nushagak River in Alaska. We tendered salmon on Puget Sound. That was the life, so I understand the lure. Many tense and pleasurable moments, which seemed to go from one to the other in the flash of the eye. The stories I could tell. Great times and a great education!

What a delightful group of characters. Thank you so much for sharing their stories. You keep finding all the other parts of the canal that are also part of their charm.

What a lovely lovely program. Thank you for sharing this with us. I hope the response is great.

Love the Boatyard Life, Big Thumbs up to the Volunteers

Narrowboats that gives back dignity to the people that are making sure these old ships stays afloat. Touching indeed !!

i miss the regular vlog videos but love the direction the channel is taking. videos like this are worth waiting for. thank you and keep up the good work

This is definitely one of the top 10 videos you have done. At first, I thought it was #2, but then I realized there have been a few others that stand out.

What a wondeful project , with wonderful people .

As I'm from the States, and have never been to England, but would like to, your vlogs are really interesting to watch. Makes me want to cruise on the canals! Thank you for such excellent videos! I noticed you do a few vlogs with some history of boats and such. Have you thought about doing more history ones about the canals, the buildings along side them, etc? I think it would be quite fascinating. What would really be fun to see are the interiors of some of those historic pubs, canala buidlings, and the towns along the canal.

Wonderful David! I predict this will be one of your most popular videos.

Refurbishing that narrow boat reminded me of my father's axe. I've replaced the handle three times and the axe head twice, but I love my dad's old axe.

Truly, one of your very best documentaries David. I was surprised that you came to the very same conclusion I had, the boats were restoring people's lives, as much as the people were restoring the boats lives. What an amazing collection of individuals finding new purpose in their lives, pouring into the heritage of what makes England so special. Thanks so much for this one.

What a great community, helping the boats as well as the people themselves! If I would be in your area, I gladly would offer some help... Thanks David for that nice video, you really took us with you and the crew on that trip! 👍👍👍

David, your approach to making this video is truly Inspirational. You focused on the therapeutic aspect; that participation in purposeful activity results in positive self awareness. Your mini interviews scattered throughout the video were very uplifting. Thank you for showing the benefits of Occupational Therapy from a Narrowboat perspective.

How absolutely lovely. What a great find and a delightful look at this community and their fine work. Wish them all the best.

David, what a splendid story, wonderfully told. As a 25+ year volunteer, in a WWII Museum ship, I well understand what one of the volunteers said about how you feel, when you step aboard. If I may suggest, an episode about the actual restoration work would be of interest. Thank you.

As if narrow boating wasn’t unique enough I now see a pocket of activity that shows how extraordinary narrow boating can be. As a wooden boat enthusiast I see beauty in the lines and fine shapes of these narrow boats that is a function of the wood construction. Chris and his team can be quite proud of their fleet. Also, thanks to David for showing me this wonderful group.

A truly wonderful presentation! It's heartwarming to hear of the lives salvaged by the wooden canal boats!

Thanks David f another great video. Safe haven for people And boats! Wonderful.

Beautiful people. Thanks David for introducing us to them.

David, David, you are saving our lives So glad your keeping your hand in …’Ming Lives’👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

As one who follows several narrowboat vloggers, I found this vlog particularly interesting. Almost the reverse of most vlogs as it was not about modern-ish "residential" narrowboats touring historic canals but a grittier view of the old working boats themselves, battered, a bit scruffy and weatherworn, constantly in need of some repair and still on the go. It was also interesting to see how the un-powered "Butty" was handled (and its much larger and different rudder set-up). These would once have been as common as bricks but nearly extinct now.

Fantastic profile of a very worthy organization who, all deserve the good care and attention they receive.

An absolutely heart warming video. Well done David.

What a terrific group of people. I can think of anything more difficult than a wooden boat (I've built two wooden strip kayaks and one skin on (wood)frame baidarka.) But these folks saving themselves by saving these boats is wonderful. Sunk rescue, sunk rescue..... that's life. We are all sunk in the end, it's how many times we get raised up, patched, plugged, replanked, head out again that counts. Let's me see if I can figure out where to chip in.....

What a wonderful charity. Those boats are so well worth preserving aren’t they. And the, what can only be called mental health trips, are wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful, what a great bunch of people

I understand how this is therapy for everyone, No matter if you have an issue or not. Since I discovered your cruising the Cut show on Amazon prime I find myself watching more episodes, I feel a calmness inside me as I watch. Each episode. There is something about the English canal system that is just so relaxing

You have a knack for finding stories that make viewers feel better about the world around us. Another wonderful vlog! The society is doing good work all around, both for the lives of those involved and the boats they're rescuing. Thank you for highlighting them, I hope this gives them an influx of new volunteers and supporters.

This is fantastic. ADHD and had a fair share of mental issues over the years. I now live on a boat and have found that over the last year it has done me wonders. Great to see addicts being trusted to work instead of being judged too. It’s just an illness. Well done to all involved.

What a great video publicizing a great cause! Thanks so much for sharing. I hope they get the help they need to carry on with those lovely old boats. If I lived there in the UK, I'd love to show up with a brush and some paint! 😁

David, one of your best videos to date. Good to see real people in the real world, I will try to help if I can.

A boat is a hole in the water you pour money into, a wooden boat doubly so... impressive efforts!

Well how absolutely brilliant! Wonderful boats & wonderful people So positive and such rewarding work all round Fascinating to watch and learn Thank you

Fantastic video/vlog. Though I miss your regular series. These new ones are pure Magic! Thanks.

Not heard from you in a while David, its a wonderful video and well worth making. This is why I love your channel, nothing sensational or attention seeking, just bloody good videos with great locations, this is so pretty and wonderful people and stories. Thankyou so much for sharing. Jane Southern Australia.

A wonderful video David. You do a lot of good things in a very subtle way, and have put your skills and time to a most worthy use. Thank you for opening our eyes to this project.

Great video - would have been great to be able to give it more than one "like"! And kudos to Chris and the volunteers - great work.

Thank you David for bringing this amazing charity to our attention. Chris @Wooden Canal Boat Society thank you for the work that is being done here.

Wow that was a positive video. I am sure they will get some interest. Thank you 💜

Great to see that you are continuing with the videos after selling your boat. This documentary style is really enjoyable. The volunteers are a great bunch of people, my daughter and family have stayed on one of these boats and unexpectedly got a free ride when it came up, during conversation, that she worked for the NHS. Thank you for sharing.

Great video! Great group of people! I hope they get more volunteers and other help as needed.🙏🙏💗

What a beautiful production David. I loved this one, very special indeed, being about old wooden barge's and of course; the folk that keep them afloat.

A worthwhile endeavour, that adds value to a community should be supported by that community... hopefully the county council is able to lend expertise (if not a little money) to help fundraising...I say this as a long time volunteer at a local theatre...money is not the only reward in life, but unfortunately society has forgotten how to count what is truly valuable... quality of life. Thanks for this reminder 👍

Fantastic vlog and good luck to the Society for the future.

Amazing volunteers, beautiful boats and another great vlog. You're really knocking these vlogs out of the ball park!

what a nice charity, good job making a video about it! ... pretty awesome that these things still float and some are even in use ... elsewhere such boats would be in a museum, or gone for decades already. I have the greatest respect for those involved and wish them all the best. We have a few similar charities taking care of people and old machines/houses like that here in Germany, but I honestly cant think of one which took on such a challenge.

I love all the canal stories you are doing.

Most underrated channel in the world 🏆Thanks Dave!

Good story Dave it's amazing away from the middle class entitlement of the the boutique boats these strugglers manage to keep these old boats afloat Let's hope there are people out there who will step up to help save these boats from danalside doom as is obvious on a lot of waterways

What a marvelous story. Thank you so much for sharing this.

Humans are compassionate beings. Give someone something to care about, like a wooden narrowboat, and both the boat and the human benefit :)

What a heartwarming video! Lovely people. Thank you, David! = )

I hope this vlog recruited/ will recruit some new volunteers! You did a great job telling about these enthusiasts and the feel good -result 😊🤗

I believe him, it's not as simple as it sounds, I took one look at these guys slaving away recrafting pieces of wood and that was very apparent from the begining. The sad thing is there's no canals, well real canals and boats in Western Australia, so there's no new lease of life for me and my broken back, but this video has given me food for thought. But as usual your right, not owning a narrow boat hasn't affected your Cruising the Cut productions although they seem a tad less than when you owned a narrow boat. But what is lacking in quantity is definitely made up in quality. I have to say I ❤️ love your channels and videos and even if I stray for a while I eventually love to come back and see what delights you have for us youtube aficionados. Once again a lovely video well worth watching keep up the good work, I sincerely hope your enjoying life as a landlubber in a fixed abode. Oh yes I simply love that pink tea kettle, it's beautiful, very beautiful indeed, as is the whole 🚢 boat.

What a great bunch of people, and a great cause! I wish I was nearby to participate. :)

What a lovely storey and wonderful people too David! Thank you for taking us along! Brilliant!

I’m going thru terrible depression now. I would love to volunteer on the boats.

What a lovely video! Apparently calico is hot tar, dried horse dung, horse hair, and some also say tallow as well ( candle.) Mixed and heated until bubbling before applying it to the hull, stuffing it into all the crevices.

Another excellent video David. With a bit of luck it will bring some help and funding to a much needed cause and quite possibly more people that will benefit from their help. Great cause 👏. I've often wondered about fires in wooden boats but I guess it's a bit like old cars that didn't have seats belts. You just learn to be careful. "If you're boat doesn't need any repairs you haven't been looking very hard" Mine still keeps finding me things to do and it's only 41 years old. Well done all.

With all the craziness and stupidity going on in today's world, then you find this group of angels who have found a purpose and help those in need of chance tro get away from their hectic lives, even for just a while. Great video David, keep it up, you restoring people faith in other people. Maybe you've found your new calling.

Excellent video ....... Well done 'Young Dave' 👏👏🤠

Thank you again David, that was most insightful, great to see the benefits to the community and people keeping the history of these old boats going. Hats off to them :)

Fantastic seeing these old boats being cared for and still 'working', perhaps these guys should start a video channel covering the skills and processes involved on restoring these wonderful craft. Brilliant vlog thankyou 👍

I really enjoyed that video David. You do come up with some interesting stories. A lovely group of people. Thanks. ilona

Makes me wish I still lived in England so I could go help. What a wonderful collection of people and boats! Excellent job highlighting them as usual.