Long barge pole

[blackrose]

5 hours ago, dmr said:

Surprised that some people never use them, how do you turn in a tight winding hole, especially if the wind is not helping?

 

.................Dave

 

Tiller and bow thruster. I've turned my boat in that winding hole below Cowley lock on the GU in one go without using the BT and without going into reverse. Someone told me it's a 60ft winding hole and my boat is 57ft, but I suspect longer boats can turn. My boat turns very easily as the length to width ratio is 4.75:1.

5 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Stick nose on bank, wind, pull backwards to clear, put appropriate tiller and revs and move off. 

 

Yes I sometimes do that too if it's a soft bank.

Edited June 5, 2020 by blackrose

[blackrose]

3 hours ago, David Mack said:

We have long poles on both Fulbourne and Belfast. They don't get used that often, but there are occasions when nothing else will do.

Midland Chandlers (and probably others) can supply poles up to 12 ft long, but longer poles are harder to find. Rose Narrowboats had some a while back - no idea if they still have any in stock. Or you could enquire of your local specialist timber merchant if they can get them.

As for delivery, can't you ask if CWDF couriers could help transporting one from, say, Stretton to the Nene?

 

Yes if I find one that I can't get here that might be an option, thanks.

[Slim]

My pole is only about 12' but I 've used it a couple of times over the years, mainly after going aground overnight. It's one of those things you don't need until you've not got one.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

When I’m slowly reversing, I’ll often use the pole to nudge the bank to keep the boat straight. 

In a wide lock I might use it to push the boat from oneside to the other. 
 

Occasionally, I’ll use it to shut lock gets. 
 

And of course when I get stuck it comes in handy. 
 

So yea, I’d miss having a pole. 

[Murflynn]

30 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

 

Aluminum scaffold pole? I always thought they were steel? Where does one procure an aluminum one?

Thanks

keep up at the back!    they WERE, but this is the 21st century. 

[dmr]

Just now, Goliath said:

When I’m slowly reversing, I’ll often use the pole to nudge the bank to keep the boat straight. 

In a wide lock I might use it to push the boat from oneside to the other. 
 

Occasionally, I’ll use it to shut lock gets. 
 

And of course when I get stuck it comes in handy. 
 

So yea, I’d miss having a pole. 

yeah, I forgot about reversing. There was/is a very brave single handed bloke on the K&A who would reverse quite long distances by putting his boat into reverse then going down to the front and steering the front with the pole.

 

..................Dave

[Mike Tee]

Just Google 'aluminium tube' and the suppliers will give the weight / dimensions / length,and you can make your choice - far better than a wooden pole, but that's just my preference.

The difficult bit is finding the correct size plugs (unless you are a dab hand at woodworkig!)

Doesn't help with delivery, maybe find one canalside?

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

5 minutes ago, dmr said:

yeah, I forgot about reversing. There was/is a very brave single handed bloke on the K&A who would reverse quite long distances by putting his boat into reverse then going down to the front and steering the front with the pole.

 

..................Dave

?

you do get inventive when on you’re own 

 

not tried it that way mind. Works just as well from the back 

[system 4-50]

I have used mine more lately.  I have it marked off in 2M segments...

[Guest]

Been stuck a few times.

 

Pole pretty essential I would say, a long one? Depends on how long a peice of string is.

33 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

keep up at the back!    they WERE, but this is the 21st century. 

Why are you quite so aggressive in your posts?

[WotEver]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

Aluminum scaffold pole? I always thought they were steel? Where does one procure an aluminum one?

All over the place.  For instance... https://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/1-29-32-in-x-7-swg-aluminium-scaffold-tube

[Dr Bob]

We use our pole quite a lot. Wouldn't be without one!

[magnetman]

The blue fibreglass poles the railways use as handrails are quite good as boat shafts. 

 

Keep an eye out around railway embankments as sometimes they drop them when constructing the railings. I found several a few years ago at the bottom of the embankment above fisheries lock on the GU. Or the next lock up is it North Grove lock? It was quite a while ago about 15 years actually.   Anyway it was just before the railway bridge below Winkwell swing bridge. 

 

Not amazingly long probably about 10ft but a decent durable non rotting rigid pole. Look out the window of the train and you will see them here and there as heath Robinson handrails and piles of poles and some fallen down the embankments. Early 2000s thing I think. 

 

I guess it was one of Tony Blair's friends who made them.. let's just buy a million of these and sort out mates out. 

Edited June 5, 2020 by magnetman

[blackrose]

7 hours ago, Slim said:

My pole is only about 12' but I 've used it a couple of times over the years, mainly after going aground overnight. It's one of those things you don't need until you've not got one.

 

If my boat ran around and I couldn't get it off with the engine I very much doubt my body weight and upper body strength would be able to free it with a pole. It depends on the situation I suppose but there's a bit of a difference in trying to do that depending on the size and weight of the boat. It reminds me of an RYA course I went on where the instructor told us that if we ran around on one side of the boat we should stand on the other side and our weight might free it. Me and the other guy on the course looked at each other. My boat weighs 29 tonnes and his was a 60 tonne Dutch barge! Later we went out on the instructor's 25ft grp cruiser.

 

7 hours ago, Murflynn said:

keep up at the back!    they WERE, but this is the 21st century. 

 

I think you'll find that most scaffold poles are still made of galvanised steel even in the 21st Century.

 

https://www.metalsupermarkets.co.uk/scaffolding-materials/#:~:text=The metals used for scaffolding,transport heavy equipment and supplies.

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by blackrose

[blackrose]

6 hours ago, dmr said:

yeah, I forgot about reversing. There was/is a very brave single handed bloke on the K&A who would reverse quite long distances by putting his boat into reverse then going down to the front and steering the front with the pole.

 

..................Dave

 

Leaving the helm with the boat in reverse? I don't like the sound of that.

6 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Why are you quite so aggressive in your posts?

 

He can't help it, he's socially inept. ?

[blackrose]

6 hours ago, Mike Tee said:

Just Google 'aluminium tube' and the suppliers will give the weight / dimensions / length,and you can make your choice - far better than a wooden pole, but that's just my preference.

The difficult bit is finding the correct size plugs (unless you are a dab hand at woodworkig!)

Doesn't help with delivery, maybe find one canalside?

 

Yes the idea of plugging both ends so it floats if it falls in does sound like a good idea.

6 hours ago, WotEver said:

All over the place.  For instance... https://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/1-29-32-in-x-7-swg-aluminium-scaffold-tube

Thanks

[Mike Tee]

I like WotEver’s link - they sell the end caps!!!

[Scholar Gypsy]

I replaced mine with a 5m hardwood pole a couple of years ago, roof rack was needed. I have used it a couple of times since, mainly to push off the bank when a decent bit of bank is a long way from where the boat is (if you see what I mean). The chandlery did 3.4m I think,.

 

As for winding holes in the wind, I have once (Crick) turned in a very strong tail wind, using a long line. 

• stop on the left side of the canal, if the winding hole is on the right, with the bows just short of the far end of the winding hole. Hold the boat in place using a stern line.
• run a very long line from the bows, down the right side of the boat, and tie it off to the bank (mooring pin was needed I think) as far behind the boat as you can (30 feet plus). Joining ropes together is allowed.
• recover the stern line, push the bows out, and engage forward gear, steering left a little to keep the stern just off the piling
• the rope will pull the bows out and round to the right, into the winding hole
• the wind will push the stern round nicely.
• recover rope and mooring pin. 

[Phoenix_V]

cheap option if there is a timber yard near you that you can walk tohttps://www.travisperkins.co.uk/stair-accessories/mopstick-handrail-50mm-x-50mm-x-4-2m/p/880311

 

[Bod]

Much lighter to handle, but nothing like the strength of an ash pole.

 

Bod

[Martin Nicholas]

I have 3mm wall aluminium poles. Delivery was no problem, there are plenty of shippers who'll deliver anything, mine came via Tuffnells. I sealed the ends with foam and then put blanking plugs on top of that. Methinks that scaffold pole is too heavy to float and also heavy to wield in use.

[WotEver]

39 minutes ago, Phoenix_V said:

cheap option if there is a timber yard near you that you can walk tohttps://www.travisperkins.co.uk/stair-accessories/mopstick-handrail-50mm-x-50mm-x-4-2m/p/880311

 

Hugely dangerous if they snap. Long, sharp, thin splinters instead of the relatively clean break you’d get with ash. 

[Phoenix_V]

8 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Hugely dangerous if they snap. Long, sharp, thin splinters instead of the relatively clean break you’d get with ash. 

true but if you cannot get anything else or cannot afford anything else used with proper care they are OK we used them for years (and they all eventually failed through rot)

[jetzi]

I'm amazed that some people consider poles optional! We have a short (5') that we keep at the stern and a medium pole (10') that we keep at the bow and a boat hook. They came with the boat - wish they were a bit longer. Use them almost every cruise. Maybe we're doing it wrong?

 

Bow thruster.

Stern thruster.

Most effective way to steer in reverse.

Punter when run aground.

Depth checker when considering a mooring.

Keep hands clean when fending against dirty things e.g. lock walls

Retrieve litter and things overboard.

 

Most importantly, if you don't have at least a ten foot barge pole, what do you use to not touch things with...?

[Alan de Enfield]

13 hours ago, mark99 said:

Usefull for depth checking on increasingly shallow waterways.

Which canals do you need a 14' pole to check the depth ?