Heffalump Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 We timed a lunch stop rather well the other week, and after tying up the heavens opened with fat rain and hail coming down. A narrowboat passed us while we were eating, but there was no umbrella to be seen on the counter, neither was there a person! The back doors were all closed up, so presumably, there was some method of controlling this boat from inside. This must have been from the very front as there was no raised wheelhouse to provide visibility, it looked like a standard NB. Has this been seen before? How was it achieved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 Quite a few boats have steering at the front, although not so many narrowboats as the linkages to the rudder must be very long. I've seen one or two. Presumably (if it's not hydraulic) then there are chains running down either side to a set of pulleys with some mechanism attached to the rudder. I used to steer a 90ft steam boat on the Thames from an amidships steering position and you have to be very careful to remember what's happening behind you - i.e. that half the boat is behind you and will swing out and potentially hit things when you steer under bridges, etc. A bow steering position must be quite difficult to get used to. Presumably most NBs with front or amidships steering must have a tiller or a jury rig to steer from the stern too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heffalump Posted May 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 2 2 minutes ago, blackrose said: Presumably most NBs with front or amidships steering must have a tiller or a jury rig to steer from the stern too? This one looked just like normal from the back, tiller with the bar still attached swinging on its own, very eerie! I imagine they had quickly disappeared below when the hail started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Tee Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 I seem to remember that Wyvern from Leighton Buzzard had one that steered from the front - not a hire craft, but specially built for mild off-shore cruising. (Not mild for a narrowboat!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on the Wey Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 We have seen such a boat on the Thames; it is steered from the very front with a nice comfy chair. Its mooring is at Bourne End on the south bank; it is dark red and cream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 (edited) 18 minutes ago, Mike Tee said: I seem to remember that Wyvern from Leighton Buzzard had one that steered from the front - not a hire craft, but specially built for mild off-shore cruising. (Not mild for a narrowboat!!!) Ocean Princess. http://oceanprincess.co.uk/ Chris Coburn's Progress is a similar boat. http://www.nb-progress.com/index-2.html Edited May 11, 2019 by Ray T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 You can also get push-pull cable steering so no chain or hydraulics but although it was fine for 42ft GRP broads cruiser I would not be so sure of it on a longer narrowboat. Then there are several mechanical systems that either revolve a shaft/shafts between front and back or use levers and push pull shaft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGoat Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 53 minutes ago, blackrose said: Quite a few boats have steering at the front, although not so many narrowboats as the linkages to the rudder must be very long. I've seen one or two. Presumably (if it's not hydraulic) then there are chains running down either side to a set of pulleys with some mechanism attached to the rudder. I used to steer a 90ft steam boat on the Thames from an amidships steering position and you have to be very careful to remember what's happening behind you - i.e. that half the boat is behind you and will swing out and potentially hit things when you steer under bridges, etc. A bow steering position must be quite difficult to get used to. Presumably most NBs with front or amidships steering must have a tiller or a jury rig to steer from the stern too? And a lovely site she was too! We don't go downstream much, so I don't know how many F.B. have now - apart from that awful tin box with the dummy boiler, Back on topic - I was part of a crew writing an article for MB&Y on a 40 footer slightly fat NB on a French river with such an arrangement. Wheel steering near the front - which I found very awkward and standard tiller at the rear. I don't remember any jiggling with controls when you switched steering from one position to another. 'Twas a long time ago.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 Our boat steers by wheel steering from a wheelhouse slightly forward from the middle (its a replica harbour tug) Its very simple, the wheel operates a pump, two hydraulic hoses go to a push / pull hydraulic ram that shoves the rudder to and fro and that's all there is to it. As Blackrose says, it takes a bit of getting used to, the boat still steers from the back even if the steerer sits in the front so its easy to clout things with the stern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil2 Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 30 minutes ago, Bee said: Our boat steers by wheel steering from a wheelhouse slightly forward from the middle (its a replica harbour tug) Its very simple, the wheel operates a pump, two hydraulic hoses go to a push / pull hydraulic ram that shoves the rudder to and fro and that's all there is to it. As Blackrose says, it takes a bit of getting used to, the boat still steers from the back even if the steerer sits in the front so its easy to clout things with the stern. I have the same system with a midships steering position though at only 32' it's not really a problem to see what's going on behind especially from an elevated position. We hired a broads cruiser once that had forward control it was a nightmare as you were so low down - impossible to go astern without a lookout, very easy to clout other boats when mooring and not too clever under low bridges.. I've seen narrowboats like this and I can't see how you could pilot such a boat with total confidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebe Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 We used to hire wide-beam narrowboat style boats from Westview Marina in Earith. They had dual tiller/wheel sterring. On sea-going boats I have used with dual steering, there was a priority system installed so only one position could control the steering. On the Earith boats however, both sytems were permanantly linked so as you moved the rudder the wheel at the front steering position turned. It was always surprising to see how much wheel movement was caused by a small push on the tiller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenataomm Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 When I was inside it never occurred to me to ask if I could steer anything …….. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 I saw one like this glide silently past my mooring one misty morning. I just assumed it was a ghost boat. ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 These all steer from the front, ex Broads, we have one here. The GRP Trentcraft also steered from the front with either an outboard motor or inboard engine which was stuffed up under the foredeck with a long shaft to the reear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyG Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 14 hours ago, zenataomm said: When I was inside it never occurred to me to ask if I could steer anything …….. You could have done a good trade in those mini anchors for use as grappling hooks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twbm Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 Many years ago I used to steer an ex-Amsterdam waterbus on the Bridgewater. Steering position was about 12 feet back from the bow of a 48ft boat. Spent about 60% of my time watching the back end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Williams Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 2 hours ago, bizzard said: These all steer from the front, ex Broads, we have one here. The GRP Trentcraft also steered from the front with either an outboard motor or inboard engine which was stuffed up under the foredeck with a long shaft to the reear. Oh no, those bloody awful Carribeans. Had them on the Thames, no idea what their arse was doing and huge wash. Everyone hated them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adorabelle63 Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 Hopefully the person who was steering (moments before you looked)hadn’t fallen in..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, Chris Williams said: Oh no, those bloody awful Carribeans. Had them on the Thames, no idea what their arse was doing and huge wash. Everyone hated them. Its that very boat that's here, Alphacraft from Blundell, ''Mirage''. 10 berth. We're thinking of opening it as a hostel for distressed dare devils. Edited May 12, 2019 by bizzard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Williams Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 11 minutes ago, bizzard said: Its that very boat that's here, Alphacraft from Blundell, ''Mirage''. 10 berth. We're thinking of opening it as a hostel for distressed dare devils. Get those **** fenders off. Looks like a Christmas tree. Please don't bring it onto the Thames. We like civilised craft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 (edited) On 11/05/2019 at 18:25, Ray T said: Ocean Princess. http://oceanprincess.co.uk/ Each of the brothers who are the owners of Wyvern have a boat like this. As well as James Griffin's Ocean Princess shown above, John Griffin has one called Avonturier. These boats cause much concern when steered from inside with the lights out through Braunston or Blisworth tunnels. You simply pass a boat with a tiller at the back, but nobody visibly holding it. A further unusual boat based in the Stoke Hammond area also has both wheel and tiller steering, but also has 2 engines, 2 props, (and 2 linked tillers). EDIT: "Avonturier" operating in "conventional mode"..... Edited May 12, 2019 by alan_fincher 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 There has been a time or two when I've left the wheelhouse on a straightish bit, nipped down to fill the kettle and stick it on the gas when there really has been nobody steering the thing, passed a very puzzled angler once doing that. (We neither condone or encourage others to take part in this shockingly irresponsible behaviour) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix_V Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 14 minutes ago, Bee said: There has been a time or two when I've left the wheelhouse on a straightish bit, nipped down to fill the kettle and stick it on the gas when there really has been nobody steering the thing, passed a very puzzled angler once doing that. (We neither condone or encourage others to take part in this shockingly irresponsible behaviour) What can happen when you do this https://www.facebook.com/hans.egli/videos/10155378220521134/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Williams Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Bee said: There has been a time or two when I've left the wheelhouse on a straightish bit, nipped down to fill the kettle and stick it on the gas when there really has been nobody steering the thing, passed a very puzzled angler once doing that. (We neither condone or encourage others to take part in this shockingly irresponsible behaviour) Used to do that on the Thames, cruiser came alongside to investigate. Only did it briefly in good visibility and nothing coming. Edited May 12, 2019 by Chris Williams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Cal Posted May 13, 2019 Report Share Posted May 13, 2019 19 hours ago, Chris Williams said: Oh no, those bloody awful Carribeans. Had them on the Thames, no idea what their arse was doing and huge wash. Everyone hated them. Pretty sure thats an Alphacraft not a carribean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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