Speedwheel controls....any help please?

[TIZWIZ]

Hi all,

 

I am looking to pruchase a boat with speedwheel controls...I cant find any information or link to stuff to give me the basics of how to work with them....and is it easy or not.....any help would be appreciated

 

Thanks

Andrew

[Ray T]

The Chugalong Hire Co hires boats with speedwheel controls if you want to "try before you buy"

 

http://www.middlewichboats.co.uk/classic-fleet.html

[onionbargee]

2 controls, gear box and speed, if you can tie your own shoelaces you'll be fine with it. stop worrying. Chillax.

[gary955]

Hi all,

 

I am looking to pruchase a boat with speedwheel controls...I cant find any information or link to stuff to give me the basics of how to work with them....and is it easy or not.....any help would be appreciated

 

Thanks

Andrew

Yes Easy.........but not be hurried

[TIZWIZ]

Thanks Guys,

 

are there any articles on the net.....or books?

[Tuscan]

I'm a bit confused you are looking to buy a boat with a speedwheel, wouldn't it be a really easy to go and look at some and talk to he owner/broker or just go for a walk along he towpath and talk to the owners of trad boats. We don't bite.

[by'eck]

I think the more important factor is location of the engine control whether it be the more common single lever morse type or traditional speedwheel and separate gearbox selection.

 

Although the latter can require the use of both hands on occasions, boat handling with a badly located morse control seems to be slower.

[DHutch]

Typically, theres a wheel, one way is faster, one way is slower.... and a lever/rod/wheel for forwards and reverse.

 

Into gear, speed on, slow down, out of gear, into reverse, speed on again. No more to it than that, unless you buy a bolinder or other semi-diesal which you wont by mistake.

 

 

Daniel

[MtB]

Typically, theres a wheel, one way is faster, one way is slower.... and a lever/rod/wheel for forwards and reverse.

 

 

Into gear, speed on, slow down, out of gear, into reverse, speed on again. No more to it than that, unless you buy a bolinder or other semi-diesal which you wont by mistake.

 

 

Daniel

 

Unless you have a Kelvin of course, in which case there is usually a lever for the engine speed, and a wheel for forward/reverse.

 

...I'm not helping, am I?

 

 

MtB

[DHutch]

...I'm not helping, am I?

 

 

But no, in all honesty, theres not a lot more to 'speedwheel' or other controls than thats meets the eye, either way round you still have two things to control, be that with levers, wheels, or a combined morse type single control, which still controls both things, but normally links them together.

 

 

Daniel

[FadeToScarlet]

 

 

But no, in all honesty, theres not a lot more to 'speedwheel' or other controls than thats meets the eye, either way round you still have two things to control, be that with levers, wheels, or a combined morse type single control, which still controls both things, but normally links them together.

 

 

Daniel

Good old Daisy. Will have to come and see if I can get Spey-ed this summer.

 

The only thing to worry about when using a speed wheel type control set that let's you control engine speed and the gear separately is the possibility of putting it into gear when it's going fast forwards, or throwing it into astern from full ahead. Luckily, traditional engines tend to come with traditional, meaty gearboxes, but its obviously best to remember to slow the engine down first!

[twbm]

You're welcome to come and have a go on Nuneaton when we're out and about.

 

They're pretty logical to use - push level forward to go forward, pull it back to go backwards. Finding neutral accurately comes with practice.

 

Our throttle control works like a tap, turn it clockwise to close fuel supply down, turn it anticlockwise to open it up.

 

The biggest issue is getting out of the cabin without either nutting it or catching your back.

[JerryP]

I've got two speed wheels on Mister B ,the problem with them is if you want to change from forward to reverse quickly because you have to let the engine revs drop to tick over before altering direction otherwise you will quickly wear out the clutch lining .

[Starcoaster]

I found swapping between column steering and speedwheel controls not phasing... But swapping back and forth between that and the controls MB mentions on Aldebaran that are the other way round was pretty disconcerting.

Particularly as some wit (MB...) has written 'faster' with an arrow on the forward/reverse wheel...

[by'eck]

A hundred years of development has left us with the speedwheel for throttle control, something of a misnomer since it may require several full turns to get from idle to full throttle. This in turn is linked by the most complex series of threads within threads, gears, rods, bellcranks, chains, sprockets, springs, balljoints, knuckle joints & levers to finally the throttle itself. The mind boggling complexity and ingenuity involved would challenge the talents even of one such as Bizzard. Owners with the most complex highly polished brass linkages are held in greatest esteem by their peers. Indeed their social standing with like minded can be increased dramatically by the artistic addition of an extra bell crank or two, particularly if they are clearly on display or easy to trip over, bang your head on etc.

Owners spend hours proudly explaining to anyone making the mistake of being interested, the unique qualities of their own design and how, with practice, it allows such control that the vessel can be brought to rest in a matter of minutes.

I haven't mentioned the matching gear linkage. Due to the diverse range of gearbox's attached, often in dubious manner, to the vintage engine, the ensuing range of linkages are even more diverse, complex and difficult to operate. Here the ones held in highest regard have the stiffest linkages. Owners develop arm muscles akin to athletes. At a recent narrowboat gathering a lady showing her not inconsiderable boat handling skills, was simultaneously displaying an admirably large bosom, acquired no doubt over the years whilst wrestling with the Blackstone gearbox attached to her HA2. Never found out if she won the contest.

But I digress, Kelvin owners are one of the luckiest groups since the de facto control for their attendant gearbox involves a chain working on a large sprocket. Such mechanisms located close to hand in the engine 'ole add untold opportunities for health & safety breeches. BSS examiners are offered dark glasses when approaching the engine rooms of such boats.

It also readily lends itself to be linked to a second "speedwheel" lookalike for gearbox selection. The instinctive push to go forward, pull to go back lever, however stiff, is removed to be replaced by one requiring an altogether higher level of skill and coordination to maintain some sort of directional control. Needless to say steerers of such boats are held in an entirely separate and higher level of regard by their contemporaries. Opportunities now exist to reverse the two similar controls or their direction of operation, and hence catch out the unwary. Its now only possible to wind the boat with a force seven on the beam by harnessing both left and right side brain activity. Only the very highest echelon of steerer are able to achieve this. A great opportunity to sort the men from the boys then.

Of course the very mention of morse controls sends these aficionados into violent convulsions, only treatable by an immediate visit to the local pub, for the calming effect of a few pints of real ale with their chums.

 

One thing for sure on such equipped boats, no matter how complex, you won't find a bowden cable in sight unless in a futile attempt to leave the past behind, someone has added a "high tech" remote starter control.

[oldironsides]

Hmm, "health and safety breeches"; perhaps when using a chainsaw, but in the engine 'ole?

[Taslim]

A hundred years of development has left us with the speedwheel for throttle control, something of a misnomer since it may require several full turns to get from idle to full throttle. This in turn is linked by the most complex series of threads within threads, gears, rods, bellcranks, chains, sprockets, springs, balljoints, knuckle joints & levers to finally the throttle itself. The mind boggling complexity and ingenuity involved would challenge the talents even of one such as Bizzard. Owners with the most complex highly polished brass linkages are held in greatest esteem by their peers. Indeed their social standing with like minded can be increased dramatically by the artistic addition of an extra bell crank or two, particularly if they are clearly on display or easy to trip over, bang your head on etc.

 

Owners spend hours proudly explaining to anyone making the mistake of being interested, the unique qualities of their own design and how, with practice, it allows such control that the vessel can be brought to rest in a matter of minutes.

 

I haven't mentioned the matching gear linkage. Due to the diverse range of gearbox's attached, often in dubious manner, to the vintage engine, the ensuing range of linkages are even more diverse, complex and difficult to operate. Here the ones held in highest regard have the stiffest linkages. Owners develop arm muscles akin to athletes. At a recent narrowboat gathering a lady showing her not inconsiderable boat handling skills, was simultaneously displaying an admirably large bosom, acquired no doubt over the years whilst wrestling with the Blackstone gearbox attached to her HA2. Never found out if she won the contest.

 

But I digress, Kelvin owners are one of the luckiest groups since the de facto control for their attendant gearbox involves a chain working on a large sprocket. Such mechanisms located close to hand in the engine 'ole add untold opportunities for health & safety breeches. BSS examiners are offered dark glasses when approaching the engine rooms of such boats.

 

It also readily lends itself to be linked to a second "speedwheel" lookalike for gearbox selection. The instinctive push to go forward, pull to go back lever, however stiff, is removed to be replaced by one requiring an altogether higher level of skill and coordination to maintain some sort of directional control. Needless to say steerers of such boats are held in an entirely separate and higher level of regard by their contemporaries. Opportunities now exist to reverse the two similar controls or their direction of operation, and hence catch out the unwary. Its now only possible to wind the boat with a force seven on the beam by harnessing both left and right side brain activity. Only the very highest echelon of steerer are able to achieve this. A great opportunity to sort the men from the boys then.

 

Of course the very mention of morse controls sends these aficionados into violent convulsions, only treatable by an immediate visit to the local pub, for the calming effect of a few pints of real ale with their chums.

 

One thing for sure on such equipped boats, no matter how complex, you won't find a bowden cable in sight unless in a futile attempt to leave the past behind, someone has added a "high tech" remote starter control.

So you don't much care for speed wheel type controls then?

[XAlan W]

Just to confuse things further the SEFFLE I had fitted to my boat had 3 controls, Gear lever, Speedwheel throttle control, & oil rod[ altered the injector/sprayer] in respect of the engine load, to keep the exhaust smoking the least amount & for optimum engine performance

[FadeToScarlet]

Just to confuse things further the SEFFLE I had fitted to my boat had 3 controls, Gear lever, Speedwheel throttle control, & oil rod[ altered the injector/sprayer] in respect of the engine load, to keep the exhaust smoking the least amount & for optimum engine performance

Add a clutch and you've got yourself the controls for a Bollinder.

[XAlan W]

Add a clutch and you've got yourself the controls for a Bollinder.

Didn`t need a clutch, as it was fitted with a reversing gearbox, & was fitted with compressed compression/air starting, + glowplug heating for starting saved all the kicking & blow lamp heating to fire it up

[by'eck]

So you don't much care for speed wheel type controls then?

 

What makes you think that

[twbm]

Hmm, "health and safety breeches"; perhaps when using a chainsaw, but in the engine 'ole?

 

Best paired with Peril Sensitive Sun Glasses as worn by Zaphod Beeblebrox.

[DHutch]

Add a clutch and you've got yourself the controls for a Bollinder.

Not forgetting the bracket adjustment and warming control...

[mark99]

I've noticed that some speedwheels are on the left and some on the right, also, some need anticlockwise to speed up and some clockwise.

[Chris Pink]

They are either volume controls or taps.