zenataomm
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Posts posted by zenataomm
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I agree with most of the replies (except about the bearings, I lost mine ages ago and haven't suffered at all ..... those around me have, but I'm ok)
What is worth remembering is that narrow boats aren't really designed to be steered in reverse, it's there to stop you. There will always be the odd design that can do it, and those that can will be loud in their claims. They only do that to make us lesser mortals hang our heads in envy, and because they can!
Yes of course the size of the rudder is important in order to get maximum efficiency as is the balance area. You will find as others have suggested that you'll get a feel for what works.
The other thing that may be affecting the sideways crabbing motion is your engine. Listers, even 3 cylinder ones are still slow revving and throwing a lot of weight to one side. You'll not notice it when in ahead but when you change direction (ahead to astern) it'll make itself felt. You can prove this to yourself in a wide lock on your own. The boat is likely to show a preference to staying aginst one wall than the other, due to the rotation of the engine even on tickover.
zenataomm
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" ......... but has Malcolm Webster packed up?"
Sorry as I wrote that I wondered if I'd confused myself. What I meant to say was Old Malcolm Webster's yard tee hee ........ sorry Malc you really helped me out that day in 1984 when I ended up with my butty half in and half out that blasted lock, I'd never heard of a Tirfor before but soon bought one.
zenataomm
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Yummm ...... sounds nice, my kind of scoff, lots of taste, great mixture of textures !!!!!!!!!!!
zenataomm
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Some locks are a bit tight and slightly narrower that they should be, has anyone ever had / compiled at list of potential "tight" locks. My current boat is just a tiny bit over the 6ft 10in modern standard where might I have problems?
Thanks for any help provided.
Half way down heart break hill just above Malcolm Webster's old yard the one on the left was tight. And around Penkridge/Rodbaston area they seemed to be different every time so suspect vibration from the motorway.
6ft 10in Standard!!!!???? Work boats were rare under 7ft. !!!
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Oodles of years ago I was locking downhill somewhere on the Staffs & Worcs. I was standing on the back doing the dificult bit, while lady wife ran around like something demented doing the easy stuff. When I suddenly noticed my tea was climbing up and over the far end of the mug. My attention was immediately diverted as I could hear a washing machine slowly sloshing around!! I looked at the front end and it seemed the boat was taking a nose dive.
The noise I could hear was the prop as the water was drained away from it. I peered over the side of the counter and was astounded to see that the level was over a foot lower than it should have been. I opened my mouth to bellow a warning and immediately found myself hovering in thin air a good couple of feet above the boat. As gravity did its job I arrived back on the counter the same time as several hundred gallons of water.
As all this happened in a second or two the expression on my face must have been a beauty.
Seems what had happened was the boat had come down to rest on an upturned, sunken 45 gallon oil drum. Having taken as much weight as it could bear it suddenly compressed, dropping the boat suddenly by a couple of feet. All that displaced water had to go somewhere, and being a narrow lock it shot straight up the sides of the walls a good five feet above the boat (according to witnesses) before it and I crashed back down again.
zenataomm
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The most expensive thing I lost was nothing unusual really, but like so many others it was a chimney. This was one was swept off by the over hanging tree at the bottom of Trentham lock on the Trent & Misery. My wife at the time (no names as she is now married to a finer man than me who contributes to these forums) had taken her mind off steering as the dog had just made a break for freedom at the previous bridge.
The chain snapped (don't they always?) so the strap of genuine old brasses went as well. The nearest thing to hand was my specially made tool for ripping rope off the blades, but cold wet hands soon allowed that to disappear as well!
By now I was suffering a sense of humour failure Grade A.
The boats got tied up and out came the magnet, after three hours I was richer to the tune of: -
3 windlasses
1 Buckby can
1 transistor radio (ruined)
1 air rifle (still cocked and loaded)
Varied collection of soft drink cans dating back to when you needed a triangular lever to punch a hole in them (pre ring pull)
However none of my gear! That tree had been having its fun for years, and is probably due another visit.
The most expensive thing I nearly lost was the Bishop of Derby's big pointy hat. See "The oddest thing you've found on your roof?" Shardlow village Main Rd bridge.
zenataomm
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....... sorry about the delay ......... just been turning the attic upside down looking for my WW's from the 70's ....... NO LUCK! As a confirmed fan of (hang on a second whilst I recheck your entry in the thread.... ) Oh yes, as a confirmed fan of Microskirts ..... err .... I mean Microplus I casually insist that if you have the opportunity, no hurry of course, if and when you get round to it, scan it and attach NOW!Just going to go and rest in a dark room for a while, but I shall be checking.zenataomm.............. well come on Roj !!!!!!!! What's the delay!?Obviously made no impression then! -
Over the years I can score: -
- A tree which fell over as I passed
- The Bishop of Derby
- Two film crews, not at the same time
- A family of mink
- A live tv crew (live tv, not the crew that were live .... not that they were dead of course)
- Six policemen, one of which had a Sooty glove puppet, they were all looking for a corpse (except Sooty)
- Salvation Army Brass Band, same day as the policemen
- Coffin (actually it was a wardrobe covered by a tarp, but I kept being asked, so what was I supposed to say?)
- A cow, it just wandered onto the deck, peered in the hatch then got off again.
- Twenty foot high tower scaffold, we weren't moving at the time!
- Somebody else's dog that was invited on by my own, we'd gone several miles before we realised. He looked happy
- A number of railway sleepers that were meant for someone else, but were delivered in error.
And without doubt the scariest of the lot was the mink, they do not give a toss for anybody else!
zenataomm
- A tree which fell over as I passed
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I used some stuff called barmaids friend, or something similar, came from the janitorial section of Clarkes Brewery shop in Wakefield, (open to the public) super stuff. I'll go and find it and put the proper name on here.
BARKEEPERS FRIEND
http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/
I first came across this in the early 80's, it is good, it's not cheap, and to be honest I think Cillit Bang is as good if not better.
My brasses are all painted to match the boat ....... polishing? Can't be buggered! Life now is just too short!
zenataomm
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....... beware of small wheels, they get easily stuck in ruts and holes which then presents the opportunity to you for trying head first flying and crawling out of the cut!
zenataomm
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Currently £23 foot/year. Leccy on meter, water. Secure in so much as high fence/barbed wire and several live-aboards on site.
Main line mooring on less than pretty part of the Coventry, however only 3 miles from home.
zenataomm
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"..............and why I can pass other boats moored on the bank at 3.5mph WITHOUT knocking the cups onto the floor"
Bloody hell Malc, do they end up being moored on the bank after you've passed? Or is it that your wake just manages to touch them when they're up on the bank?
Confused of Coventry
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Although this may seem "unfair", in Law you owe your customers a "duty of care" when they enter upon your premises. If they can show that you breached that duty of care and, in so doing, they suffered loss as a result then they may sue you for damages.
Having a notice that states "No Dogs" will not, in itself, ensure that no dogs enter your premises. You (or your staff) actually have to ensure no dogs do in fact enter. Therefore, in the case you cite, the plaintiff suffered loss as a result of the breaching of your duty of care to them, viz: they were bitten by a dog on your premises.
In turn, you would have had a case for negligence against the dog owner who wilfully (ie: negligently)ignored a notice that stated "No Dogs" and in so doing caused a loss to occur.
Chris
Exactly right Chris. I agree with you totally. However no!
You're right in your first two sentences. But signs in themselves are meaningless, especially if they are written. Take Fire Exit signs, nowadays they have to have a picture of a running man and no words, because not everybody can read English.
Interestingly I was liable to replace any of my pubs' customers' coats even though I had a sign saying "The management wouldn't be held responsible for any losses", and all I was responsible for was a pub of a couple of thousand square feet with nothing more dangerous in it than a ruck in the carpet (or a dog that some bloody minded regular insisted on bringing in even though he'd been told not to)
So just imagine trying to sleep at night when you've got a marina of several hundred thousand feet and god alone knows how many cubic feet of water, bone crushing steel hulls, spilt diesel the list is endless and you are responsible for children who see danger in nothing??? ..............WOW! Not for me.
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How the owners/management decide to run their business is totally up to them.
I used to be a publican, and decided to get out when market forces dictated that I needed to cater for families. I was spending more time asking irresponsible parents to keep their "darlings" under control and having to listen to complaints from the other punters than anything else. Strangely parents are not responsible for how their children behave, morally they might be, but they can cause an accident and then it's down to the manager to sort it out and settle up, whilst the parents concerned walk away.
My third party liability insurance made it quite clear that I would have a battle on my hands should I have a claim against me involving anything to do with a child (cause or affect). And let's be clear about this the nicest, friendliest of people will use litigation the moment they see an opportunity ( we live in the age of Claims Direct) it's seen as a right, and of course TV advertising encourages it. So an accident is caused by or to a child and it's the business' problem.
I doubt that many of us realise that an individual running a business is liable for most things that happen on the premises regardless of how many signs there are disclaiming responsibility or telling everyone what not to do.
How many of us remember the cute little child size trollies that supermarkets started introducing so kiddley-winkies could trail around after mummy with their own version? Didn't last long did they? Too many claims for damage and injuries levelled at the supermarket, not the parent.
A customer of mine was bitten by another customers' dog. I had a sign up saying no dogs allowed. I didn't know the dog was on the premises, it was my afternoon off. I was sued for allowing it to happen, I wasn't even there. Work that one out! It cost me £5K with costs, but it is the law.
So perhaps the marina owner is paranoid about all the worst things that could happen.
Perhaps he's aiming at the wealthy end of the market. There is a company in UK building retirement villages where anyone under the age of 16 is not allowed on site without prior permission from the management committee. Bit over the top I'd have thought, however it is doing well so maybe there is a gap in the market there. Business is business after all!!!!!!
Perhaps also it's all a load of bunkham and lies being used to weed out those scruffy boats whilst meeting BWB's quota for diminishing linear moorings.
I'm sure it's easier to run a quiet marina choc full of boats that only get visited a few times a year then one full of live-aboards, lots of cars, generators, bags of rubbish, friendly faces, laughing kids, community atmosphere, dogs running around.
In business you get the customers you deserve, you set your stall out accordingly ..........
zenataomm
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Yes ........ but at least she had a knock on it
Hey Malc ........... any response to the note I left asking about your wellies?
Zenataomm
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Personally I've never had more than 22hp on a 70'. A slow revver turning a big prop is more effective, easier on the ears and attracts a lot less crud on the blades. If the batteries do get low the handle starts it. Don't forget there is a maximum efficiency which is more down to the length and depth of the swim, which dictates how much water can get to the prop. After that you only waste fuel and the prop cavitates.
In the days of working canals a loaded motor pulling a loaded butty (45 - 55 tons of cargo plus the weight of the 2 boats) would go happily all day on such power, and of course the Bolinder Pup was only 9hp!
Still I doubt The Brays used their washing machine every day nor had much time to use their rivetted satellite dish with the hours they worked.
I like Jollyrogers suggestion, although the colour isn't going to add much to anyone's day as most engines are banished to live under a wooden box somewhere near where the drop down table and back stove should be. Oh dear I'm starting to sound like my dad, next I'll be moaning about the youth of today ............... which reminds me!!!! ...... no, no I'd better not!
zenataomm
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I think Andy is getting a bit confused here with the Lady Hatherton and Duchess Countess. Kingfisher was built for the Grand Junction Canal Company as far as I know as a petrol or TVO engined inspection launch. Apparantly it was built on the IOW, towed over to Southampton and then put on a train to Brentford where it was craned in. It lasted with BW until about 1970 when it was sold to be restored privately. Owned for a time by Mary Turner who operated moorings in London it is now the pride and joy of Alan Paine who keeps it at his marina (Kingfisher Marina!) at Yardley Gobion near Stoke Bruerne.
Paul H
Thanks for that Paul, I am astonished that my recollections were so accurate, now if only I could remember where I put my slippers
zenataomm
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Nice one Malc ............. however whilst you'd got it out the water I'd have thought you'd have taken the opportunity to pump up the bike tyres!
Jeremy
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Hi,
We are wondering if anyone has information on a boat that we saw on the Ashby 25th August 2007. The boat was called Kingfisher and was very Edwardian and gracefull. I cannot call it a narrowboat, for it had a vertical Prow, with centre cockpit, complete with wheel - not a tiller. The boat was all wooden and painted white. The owners/occupiers informed us that it was built in 1920. They had moored up and were picnicking in style!
I passed it on the Northern Oxford last weekend, I last saw it about 25 years ago in London. I used to moor at Lisson Grove and it was owned by the family that ran the moorings there and at Cumberland Basin the other side of the zoo. In fact that is where they kept it moored. I seem to remember her name was Mary but I can't recall their surname. I never saw them move it, but know it was their pride & joy.
I might be wrong but seem to think it was built for the canal company board of directors to allow them to do an annual tour of inspection(?) My addled brain also thinks it was built on the south coast or even the Isle of Wight (????)
It certainly looks splendid now and can only assume the current owner has deep pockets.
There is a sepia type photo of her doing her stuff in one of those little paperback history books you can get in chandleries, it might be The George & Mary which is the story of the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co.
I'm sure somebody else will know and be able to correct my failing memory ......... have I had my tea yet?
zenataomm
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I think the answer to this one is to refer back to the days of commercial carrying and horse drawn boats. The towing mast on working boats is that telescopic box mast set several feet back from the cratch where the first cross plank sat. By pulling from that point there is less chance of just dragging the front end directly to the bank. Also you use the longest line you've got, if necessary tie two together ( a snubber was over 70 feet in length).
So if there's three of you, then two pulling on a very long line tied to a point several feet back from the front end ( distance depending on overall length of boat) and one steering.
If there's only two then the same line set up but one pulling and one steering (once it's moving a boat is almost frictionless). However the steerer needs to understand that the rudder on a motor boat steers by deflecting the propellor's wash and is not so effective as the massive elum butty boats steered with and it may be advisable to adopt the swishing the tiller about in order to steer ( a butty's elum was effective when used as a paddle to push the back end around)
Happy pulling!
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I use zenataomm to identify myself wherever I can. It's only meaningful to me, but I chose it unlike the christian & surname that appear on my birth certificate. They were foistered on me by my parents without any discussion with me, in fact they took advantage of the fact I was very young and unable to enter into any meaningful debate on the issue. An unforgivable liberty so far as I'm concerned.
I vowed never to do the same, as my children Shutup I'mwatchingthetelly and Yousure we'rerelated? will confirm.
Zenataomm is a sort of anagram of the most impressive book I ever read (can anyone work it out?)
There is also a security issue for me using a pseudonym and it's nothing to do with hiding when I want to say something controversial. I have two rules in life
1. If it's on my mind, it's likely to tumble out of my mouth
2. If it itches I'll scratch it, it's what I do.
Experience tells me that my second rule has upset many more people than the first ever has. I once read an advert for TCP ointment it said ......
Do you suffer from personal, embarassing itching? That puzzled me as, far from suffering from it, I've thoroughly enjoyed it over the years, anyway the dangers of being readily identified.
If you know my name it's easy to find out where I live, and to identify my boat. Then if I say which part of the cut I'm enjoying then some little scrote somewhere out there knows my house is empty. Vice versa, if I'm observed boring myself rigid at home then my boat is unattended.
An insurance man once told me that more cars get broken into outside churches and in cinema car parks for the simple reason that not only do they know where the owner is but when they'll return.
zenataomm
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I've been lurking the forum for some time and got lots of useful info; thanks everybody.
We have now decided to have a narrowboat boat built for next Spring. We plan to live on it 9 months a year.
I can't make up my mind whether we should have a cassette toilet that needs carrying regularly, to dispose of the contents; we are both 65+. Or would it be better to have a pump out lu?
What do you think?
Personally it's down to the individual. Over the years I've had 6 boats and every one was a bucket and chuck it. My reasons being: -
* I don't like carrying around gallons of my own "ooh nasty" Often to be found stored in a tank under the bed.
* I object to paying through the nose to get rid of what didn't pass through my nose.
* Experience tells me that whichever side you put the pumpout you tie up with the other side against the bank.
* Walking along the towpath with a blue stained cassette makes others magically ignore you as well as getting immediately out of your way.
* I think I might be addicted to the smell of Elsan Blue
* I often come back from the disposal point with an extra key, often found on the windowsill
* It's free.
........................... however every time I struggle through the length of the boat with my cargo sloshing about, wondering if I can successfully negotiate the steps up to the deck without tripping over the dog I always wonder why I do this instead of plumping for a pump out!
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So: -
You spend a fortune dreging so loaded boats can pass.
You then build a fleet of new boats for commercial work.
You buy back the wharves that are now yuppy flats, so you have somewhere to tranship.
You invest in how many 7ft. wide containers hundreds? thousands?
You obtain national agreement that commercial boats may jump the queue at locks.
That only leaves: -
Lack of water at the summits in the summer.
Closures due to river flooding at any time of the year.
Complete blockage by ice in the winter.
Yearly maintenance stoppage list.
And all that's before we even consider the costs of BWB commercial licence, business insurance and the little point that the customer doesn't actually trade from premises conveniently next door to the canal and as he's going to have to send a truck down to the depot to collect it, so is just as likely to decide to stick it on a truck in the first place.
Being a one man band with a suitable boat and able to be flexible enough to buy a bit of coal to sell to the Thames lock keepers, whilst selling some ropework you knocked up over the weekend. Before being lucky enough to grab a bit of advertising work from a brewery delivering beer to one of their canalside pubs SMILE FOR THE CAMERAS, OOH! CAN YOU JUST BACK IT UP AND WE'LL SHOOT THAT AGAIN MR. BARGEE is one thing. But I'm afraid to say that commercial carrying on long distance narrow boats was on to a loser even when Lesley Morton rubber stamped the business plan for The Grand Union Canal Carrying Co. without which we wouldn't still have so many Royalty, Star and Town Class boats still around.
I wish it were diferrent ................... however
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Me too, I had visions of a floating brothel!!
Don't be daft you'd never make a living selling soup!!
Boat Moving Sideways
in Boat Handling
Posted
I did!!!!!! ...... t'was me!........ I recognise that dribble anywhere!
........... but only because I wanted to create a tenuous link in order to start waffling about slow rotating engines with heavy flywheels that make boats go sideways when they lose way. Perhaps I lost my way! But that's not my fault, you really shouldn't let me on these forums , I can't be trusted you know? Anybody got any custard creams?