Cruising in high winds -

[Guest]

We regard ourselves as responsible hirers and always 'slow to tickover' when passing moored boats and anglers.

 

However whilst out last week we found this very hard to do as going so slowly meant the boat was readily blown off course often sideways during some of the extreme gusts we had an the exposed parts of the cut. Often therefore we were passing at above tickover but found this meant we didn't risk being blown into the boats we were passing or the bank (depending on wind direction).

 

Is there a technique/tactic we needed to employ to avoid this or is it generally accepted a slab sided ton of metal is susceptible to being blown of course unless a decent headway is maintained??

[alan_fincher]

Don't slow down quite as much!

 

I'd far rather you rocked me around slightly when you pass, than you actually hit me!

[Naughty Cal]

We generally avoid going out if there are strong winds however on the odd occasion when we have been out and need to get back we slow as much as possible without risking getting blown into someone or the bank. If it is that windy moored boats will be getting blown around anyway a little extra wash wont matter.

[Nine of Hearts]

Don't slow down quite as much!

 

I'd far rather you rocked me around slightly when you pass, than you actually hit me!

 

Also, if it is that windy, they'll probably be rocking around a bit anyway. Running in to them at tickover will just be adding injury to injury.

[journeyperson]

We generally avoid going out if there are strong winds however on the odd occasion when we have been out and need to get back we slow as much as possible without risking getting blown into someone or the bank. If it is that windy moored boats will be getting blown around anyway a little extra wash wont matter.

 

That is a drawback with polystyrene, it doesn't half scoot across the surface when there's a gust

[Guest]

Cheers everybody thought we might be missing a tick but seemingly not.

 

Phylis - we actually did consider not going out while it was so bad BUT we were on a five day break and if we'd moored up for all the days it was really windy it would have been a pretty miserable holiday.

 

We did manage not to get blown into any other boats though (Can't say the same for the bridges though!!! we had some fun with one or two of them)

[Naughty Cal]

That is a drawback with polystyrene, it doesn't half scoot across the surface when there's a gust

 

Noticed that

 

 

 

Cheers everybody thought we might be missing a tick but seemingly not.

 

Phylis - we actually did consider not going out while it was so bad BUT we were on a five day break and if we'd moored up for all the days it was really windy it would have been a pretty miserable holiday.

 

We did manage not to get blown into any other boats though (Can't say the same for the bridges though!!! we had some fun with one or two of them)

 

Thats the difference with owning one i suppose. You can pick and choose when to go out and when not too.

 

Having said that our easter break was windy at times and we considered leaving the boat in Thorne for a week, however we bore with it an managed to get her home.

[NB Alnwick]

We regard ourselves as responsible hirers and always 'slow to tickover' when passing moored boats and anglers.

 

However whilst out last week we found this very hard to do as going so slowly meant the boat was readily blown off course often sideways during some of the extreme gusts we had an the exposed parts of the cut. Often therefore we were passing at above tickover but found this meant we didn't risk being blown into the boats we were passing or the bank (depending on wind direction).

 

Is there a technique/tactic we needed to employ to avoid this or is it generally accepted a slab sided ton of metal is susceptible to being blown of course unless a decent headway is maintained??

 

We don't really have a problem with the wind affecting the boat's steering at slow speed - this may be one of the few advantages of having a deep draught. It also means that we can go much slower, if we need to, and still maintain effective control. Nevertheless, in the days that we used to hire boats, we often found that we were being blown sideways sometimes when we least expected it so we always made sure that we gave boats that we were passing a very wide berth by turning into the wind (as much as possible) just before passing them. We found that this works well when passing boats but is not so good with fishermen who then complain that we have 'disturbed their swim' - so for fishermen we just maintained sufficient speed to steer in a straight line down the middle . . .

[Guest]

Having hired on the broads and on the canals I have to say I'm not convinced that GRP is worse than metal in this respect.

 

It's the lack of a decent keel that seems to be the issue, our boat last week to me seemed to be getting blown about just as much as any GRP cruiser we've hired....the winds were extreme mind.

[Naughty Cal]

Having hired on the broads and on the canals I have to say I'm not convinced that GRP is worse than metal in this respect.

 

It's the lack of a decent keel that seems to be the issue, our boat last week to me seemed to be getting blown about just as much as any GRP cruiser we've hired....the winds were extreme mind.

 

Hull design has a lot to do with it, i suspect weight does as well.

 

Ours is poor in the wind as it is designed for much higher speeds than canal/rivers allow, so a little throttle makes her stick her nose up which catches the wind, a little less throttle means she wanders around and the wind still catches her.

 

The boats we hired on the broads where very slab sided and they also caught the wind well.

[NB Alnwick]

We went down to Nell Bridge and back last week and encountered very strong winds but had no problems other than going aground in mid-channel where the canal had silted up.

[nb Innisfree]

We regard ourselves as responsible hirers and always 'slow to tickover' when passing moored boats and anglers.

 

However whilst out last week we found this very hard to do as going so slowly meant the boat was readily blown off course often sideways during some of the extreme gusts we had an the exposed parts of the cut. Often therefore we were passing at above tickover but found this meant we didn't risk being blown into the boats we were passing or the bank (depending on wind direction).

 

Is there a technique/tactic we needed to employ to avoid this or is it generally accepted a slab sided ton of metal is susceptible to being blown of course unless a decent headway is maintained??

 

The only way a boat can steer a straight course against a crosswind is to crab sideways, the stronger the wind the more the crab, if you can't crab any more then you have to increase speed, if wind is still too strong then you have to moor up. I have cruised on the Middle Level with stern brushing one bank and bow the other (not for long though!)

 

When approaching a bridge you have to crab until the last moment then swing straight, go through the bridge and straighten up as soon as poss, needs good judgement and a steady nerve if it's your own boat!

[Liam]

I went out last week and followed my parents on their boat some friends further along also on their own boat.

 

Whilst both boats appeared to be struggling and crabbing along in the window I had no problems whatsoever with only having a back cabin!

[mayalld]

We regard ourselves as responsible hirers and always 'slow to tickover' when passing moored boats and anglers.

 

However whilst out last week we found this very hard to do as going so slowly meant the boat was readily blown off course often sideways during some of the extreme gusts we had an the exposed parts of the cut. Often therefore we were passing at above tickover but found this meant we didn't risk being blown into the boats we were passing or the bank (depending on wind direction).

 

Is there a technique/tactic we needed to employ to avoid this or is it generally accepted a slab sided ton of metal is susceptible to being blown of course unless a decent headway is maintained??

 

In essence, the rule is to go as slow as you safely can when passing moored boats.

 

Generally, this means tickover, but in adverse weather conditions, it is entirely possible that a slightly increased speed may be necessary to maintain sufficient steerage.

[alan_fincher]

In essence, the rule is to go as slow as you safely can when passing moored boats.

 

Generally, this means tickover, but in adverse weather conditions, it is entirely possible that a slightly increased speed may be necessary to maintain sufficient steerage.

I shall regret this, I'm sure, (!), but........

 

What "rule" means that it generally tick-over ?

 

I don't wish to re-open the old chestnut, but I doubt there is any "rule" that refers to engine RPM, is there, or to engine idle speed setting ?

 

It's just an interpretation that some people seem to come up with that pays little regard to the boat, the engine, the canal width, the canal depth, how the boats are moored, etc., etc.

 

Also, (in my view!), some people put such ridiculously large vintage engines in some deep draughted narrow boats that even at "tick-over" they are often too fast for some canal conditions.

[ChrisPy]

Ours is ..... designed for much higher speeds than canal/rivers allow,

this has been noticed

[Naughty Cal]

I think Alan has started the next debate on my behalf

 

this has been noticed

 

Dont know why!!

[Guest]

I shall regret this, I'm sure, (!), but........

 

What "rule" means that it generally tick-over ?

 

I don't wish to re-open the old chestnut, but I doubt there is any "rule" that refers to engine RPM, is there, or to engine idle speed setting ?

 

It's just an interpretation that some people seem to come up with that pays little regard to the boat, the engine, the canal width, the canal depth, how the boats are moored, etc., etc.

 

Also, (in my view!), some people put such ridiculously large vintage engines in some deep draughted narrow boats that even at "tick-over" they are often too fast for some canal conditions.

 

I took it to mean it's a generally accepted way of doing things rather than a written rule as such that must be adhered to or is enforceable, any way I'm butting out now as my question has been amply and well answered by all including Dave,

[NB Alnwick]

I shall regret this, I'm sure, (!), but........

 

What "rule" means that it generally tick-over ?

 

I don't wish to re-open the old chestnut, but I doubt there is any "rule" that refers to engine RPM, is there, or to engine idle speed setting ?

 

It's just an interpretation that some people seem to come up with that pays little regard to the boat, the engine, the canal width, the canal depth, how the boats are moored, etc., etc.

 

Also, (in my view!), some people put such ridiculously large vintage engines in some deep draughted narrow boats that even at "tick-over" they are often too fast for some canal conditions.

 

A 'rule' can be something that is generally accepted among responsible people. It does not necessarily have to be published or approved by an official body. Personally, I am quite happy to accept that "In essence, the rule is to go as slow as you safely can when passing moored boats."

[RLWP]

A 'rule' can be something that is generally accepted among responsible people. It does not necessarily have to be published or approved by an official body. Personally, I am quite happy to accept that "In essence, the rule is to go as slow as you safely can when passing moored boats."

 

There is also no official speed that equals "slow", it seems that it is a local cultural thing. Slow on the southern Oxford canal is at least twice as quick as slow around our neck of the woods.

 

Richard

[tomsk]

Can we have a ruling regarding the actual speed that equates with 'slow' please?

[NB Alnwick]

As stated earlier in this topic, we have no difficulty navigating our boat in high winds at slow speeds.

 

Those who claim that they are unable to control their boat at slow speed are either: in need of appropriate training, or they have a boat that is so difficult to control that it probably ought not to be moving on the waterway in the prevailing conditions.

Edited November 23, 2009 by NB Alnwick

[alan_fincher]

I took it to mean it's a generally accepted way of doing things rather than a written rule as such....................

Possibly "generally accepted" on many of the narrow canals, (and not unreasonably too......).

 

However, it's certainly neither "generally accepted", or even "common practice" where the canals are much deeper and/or wider. Try London, for example, where people slow very little, (for genuinely the right reasons - there is often no need to.....).

 

I'm certainly not wanting to start a war, but the "passing moored boats usually means tick-over" thing is too much of a generalisation to be of much use, in my view.

 

Incidentally, in the week I spent moored breasted up online to a member's boat at Cow Roast, whist out engine was in bits, consistently the fastest boats down the middle of the moorings were BW work-boats. None were so fast that they worried me, but certainly all were closer to "normal cruising speed" than "tickover"!

[RLWP]

Can we have a ruling regarding the actual speed that equates with 'slow' please?

 

150 Knots is too slow for a flying 747. Does that help?

 

Richard

[Guest]

As stated earlier in this topic, we have no difficulty navigating our boat in high winds at slow speeds.

 

Those who claim that they are unable to control their boat at slow speed are either: in need of appropriate training, or they have a boat that is so difficult to control that it probably ought not to be moving on the waterway in the prevailing conditions.

 

Having said I was butting out.....

 

I take it that's a pop at me as the OP......or am I being over sensitive?????