Crossing the Wash

[howardang]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

 

Surely flat bottomed boats are designed to take to ground? I've beached mine several times on the Thames tideway at isleworth where the ground is a lot rougher than the sand shown in the OP's blog. I've come down unevenly on rocks but I think it's going to take something pretty sharp to puncture a 10mm baseplate.

 

The greatest danger in taking to ground is coming down onto something really big like a sunken car that might tip the boat over. However the chance of that happening seems pretty unlikely. 

 

I've also heard about the possibility of "mud suction" preventing the boat from rising on the next tide but I'm not sure if this is a real or imagined risk? It would need to be very strong suction to overcome the boat's buoyancy.

 

Anyway, I would have no problem at all beaching my boat on the sand where the OP did it. Plenty of boats do it. I seem to remember seeing pictures of Julian (Loddon) beaching his barge, but that may have been in the Thames estuary or Medway.

It is easier to beach a flat bottomed boat, but not  wise in my view, unless an emergency may make it necessary. Like many situations, there may never be a problem and therefore people may wonder what is the issue. However, when grounding on a bottom where the state of the bottom is unknown, there' s always a possibility, where the boat could sit on an unseen object- a rock, wooden stake, a lost anchor or whatever. If the bottom is punctured, or the contact causes a split weld, there is a real possibility of the boat being flooded. Most narrowboats in my opinion, would not have the pumping capacity to cope, especially in the cabin bilge area, and unlike many boats designed to take the bottom safely they do not have the added protection of a cellular double bottom. There is also agreat deal of difference between boats taking the ground in a canal, and in an open water/tidal location.

 

My thoughts are why take an unnecessary risk? This is another example of using a canal boat to do something for which it it is not designed to do. That is a personal choice for each boat skipper, but personally, I wouldn't do it. 

 

Howard

[Scholar Gypsy]

A few photos of our trip last weekend. We only ran the bows aground, the sterns remained floating throughout. We then spent 2 hours riding at anchor, a good time for supper to be consumed.

 

https://nbsg.wordpress.com/2019/06/26/summer-cruise-3-crossing-the-wash-from-boston-to-wisbech/

 

Edited June 29, 2019 by Scholar Gypsy

[Grassman]

A great blog and lovely photos Simon. It almost makes me want to do it  

[Flyboy]

On 21/05/2019 at 07:12, Jennifer McM said:

Thank you for sharing! It looked an exiting day! A day to remember...

I'm glad it wasn't an exiting day !!