Strange narrowboat bows

[bargemast]

Today In visited a boatyard in France, and saw a narrowboat with a most peculiar piece added to her bows.

 

I've seen many narrowboats in the U.K. but I've never seen anything like this.

 

 

Are there more boat equipped like this, or is it really just a one of ?

 

Peter.

[Timleech]

Today In visited a boatyard in France, and saw a narrowboat with a most peculiar piece added to her bows.

 

Are there more boat equipped like this, or is it really just a one of ?

 

Peter.

 

That could cause major problems in UK locks, as it looks as though it projects ahead of the stem post.

I can only guess that it's supposed to act in a similar way to a bulbous bow, but I wouldn't fancy it on a boat of mine.

 

Tim

[Idunhoe]

Only hope that they never hit the bank (they could be there forever) seriously though it has the potential to do very serious damage to any fibreglass boat it came close to. What on earth is it for ?

[RLWP]

I think it's a bowthruster tube

 

Richard

[carlt]

What on earth is it for ?

Cowcatcher...

[Guest]

That could cause major problems in UK locks, as it looks as though it projects ahead of the stem post.

I can only guess that it's supposed to act in a similar way to a bulbous bow, but I wouldn't fancy it on a boat of mine.

 

Tim

 

That was my thought too but a primitive copy,

 

[John Holden]

Only hope that they never hit the bank (they could be there forever) seriously though it has the potential to do very serious damage to any fibreglass boat it came close to. What on earth is it for ?

 

For doing serious damage to fibreglass boats?

[bargemast]

I think it's a bowthruster tube

 

Richard

 

 

You can see the bowthruster tube about 1 mtr from the bows, I had 2 ideas : 1/ a sort of ice-breaker, 2/ a devise to counteract the upsweap of the bottomplate.

 

Peter.

[jenlyn]

Today In visited a boatyard in France, and saw a narrowboat with a most peculiar piece added to her bows.

 

I've seen many narrowboats in the U.K. but I've never seen anything like this.

 

 

Are there more boat equipped like this, or is it really just a one of ?

 

Peter.

It's a widebeam for narrow canals.

[Rebotco]

From the angle of the photo, that looks more like a widebeam than a narrowboat - even more so if it needs that bowthruster.

Interesting the plate appears to be on one side only.

I would suggest either

1. The French were never any good at parking and this is a weapon for despatching plastic boats out of their way

or

2. It is an underwater platform for a crewmember to stand on and impress the locals with his ability to walk on water whilst shouting "Allez-vous en" and "buguerre off"

Just a suggestion!

[Guest]

2. It is an underwater platform for a crewmember to stand on

 

Our Colecraft shelled boat has exactly that arrangement at the stern, not so you can hurl abuse at the locals but rather to assist with your extraction if you fall in.

 

It's flatter and more level than the one in the OP's pic though.

[jenlyn]

I've got it, I've sussed it!! It's one of those transformer things that will turn into a Citroen.....

[churchward]

Interesting shape.

 

One thought came to my mind is an ice breaking/spreading device. It does look like and add on though rather than built from new that way.

[GUMPY]

Interesting name as well.

[RLWP]

You can see the bowthruster tube about 1 mtr from the bows, I had 2 ideas : 1/ a sort of ice-breaker, 2/ a devise to counteract the upsweap of the bottomplate.

 

Peter.

 

Yes, it was an poor attempt at humour

 

Richard

[Guest]

Yes, it was an poor attempt at humour

 

Richard

 

I can see an anode....

[RLWP]

I can see an anode....

 

And multiple fenders deployed - on a hard standing

 

Richard

[Naughty Cal]

It is the angle that the picture is taken from that makes it look worse than it is. The projection isn't any further forward than the bow fender if you look closely.

 

My guess would be it is to aid ice breaking and will ride over the ice before crashing through. Much the same as a conventional ice breaking vessel.

[Ange]

My guess would be ice breaking as well.

[RLWP]

 

 

My guess would be it is to aid ice breaking and will ride over the ice before crashing through. Much the same as a conventional ice breaking vessel.

 

No chance - check where the waterline is.

 

Richard

[carlt]

Interesting name as well.

Yes a WW2 French Resistance nun.

 

One of France's great heroines held in the same esteem as we accord Florence Nightingale.

[Speedwheel]

No chance - check where the waterline is.

 

Richard

 

Agreed - it would more likely hinder rather than help in ice.

[simon&jan]

Or maybe it lifts the ice from underneath, breaking it ???

[alan_fincher]

I think it is one of those shell builders that normally offers "genuine Josher bows" now branching out into "genuine Icebreaker bows".

 

Looks pretty damn close to me?

 

[Ray T]

Is it to stop the bow lifting and hence the stern digging in at higher speeds? Well relatively, ie more the 4mph.