A fundraiser has been launched after a canal boat record store sunk on its way to Manchester using the Rochdale Canal.
Myles Greenwood, who owns the ‘Rubber Ducky Records’ store, said the boat filled with water in just 90 seconds after its propellor hit a ‘rug or mattress’ in the Failsworth portion of the canal.
The incident led to water up to Myles’ ankles, as well as his mascot, Mrs Duck, ending up face down in the water.
Myles says around 1,000 records have been damaged as a result of the boat sinking, as well as turntables, amplifiers, and electronics.
Additionally, Myles said the Failsworth portion of the canal was one of the dirtier areas of the canal, echoing concerns shared just two weeks ago by Manchester dad Daniel Farnworth, who said he would not attempt to navigate the canal again.
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Travelling from Hebden Bridge, Myles had planned to set up shop in Manchester’s New Islington Marina for the annual Record Store Day event, but the boat now requires a full refit, new engine, new stock, and new equipment.
The floating shop opened following an 18-month renovation project which was completed in October.
A GoFundMe page seeking to raise £15,000 to restore the shop has already had more than £6,000 in donations.
Myles, 27, said: “Unfortunately under the water, I hit a rug or a mattress, I think it’s a mattress topper, but it looks like a foamy big piece of horrible, soggy fabric – huge, got wrapped around the propellor.
“In trying to remove it from the propellor it bust the stern gland and water started to flood into the back of the boat.
“Within a couple of minutes, it was touching the bottom of the canal. It was quite dramatic, not going to lie.
“We had a bit of a rescue mission with the Canal & River Trust and drained the canal pound, pumped out the boat, got it floating again, and then with the help of some locals we managed to pull by hand the boat a little bit further down the canal.
“The next day I went to help an older couple through the difficult patch where they were also catching all sorts on the propellor and God knows what’s up there, there were shopping trollies and all sorts up there.
“They managed to tow me to New Islington Marina, so the boat’s floating but I’ve lost between 800 and 1,000 records.
“I’m slowly trying to wash them and get everything back on track. I’ll need an engine rebuild and probably internals, maybe a refit. It’s all been quite hectic.”
Myles called the process of sinking ‘very surreal’, adding that him and his two friends managed to save four boxes of records before bailing out of the vessel with their valuables.
The boater said: “Firstly it went up to my ankles, and then it just went within about 90 seconds, if I’m being totally honest.
“As soon as the water started coming into the back of the boat it flooded the engine bay, and then next thing Mrs Duck, my mascot, her face under the water, bottom in the air, you couldn’t have written it.
“It was just bizarre.”
Myles praised the ‘community spirit’ which has seen his GoFundMe page already reach thousands.
Myles added: “I went to help an older couple through that stretch of canal the next day and they then pulled my boat into Ancoats, and they were continuous cruisers who live on a gorgeous big boat, and they said it’s the most difficult stretch of canal that they’ve come across.
“They go from Bristol to Oxford, to North Yorkshire – they fully travel the country, they were lovely people.
“Obviously getting into Manchester was the ultimate destination, but getting through that stretch of canal was always going to be tough.
“I didn’t quite believe that the boat would sink. Not in a million years did I think something that disastrous would happen.”
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