Driving a narrowboat - how difficult?

[nb Innisfree]

When midway through a forward turn plenty of revs in reverse will tighten it. 

[LadyG]

Can you rise on a five year old child's scooter, it's a bit like that, then try going backwards, it's a bit like that 

[enigmatic]

It's fine. Trust me, I just started  

[LadyG]

On 04/11/2020 at 19:04, Tracy D'arth said:

Its easier than steering a glass resin cruiser, you will have no problems.  A tiller is much preferred to a wheel IMHO

Not if you are in a proper big boat, a salty water rag and stick also has a balanced rudder, not so on an outsize steel datebox,  it's not possible to set the thing up on self steer to go below to pee or put kettle on, it's exhausting. I just give up, let the thing drift to one side snd go below. Needless to say, someone (Martin, perhaps) comes slong and says, "what's she up to now?"

 te he.

Edited November 7, 2020 by LadyG

[Jerra]

2 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Not if you are in a proper big boat, a salty water rag and stick also has a balanced rudder, not so on an outsize steel datebox,  it's not possible to set the thing up on self steer to go below to pee or put kettle on, it's exhausting. I just give up, let the thing drift to one side snd go below. Needless to say, someone (Martin, perhaps) comes slong and says, "what's she up to now?"

 te he.

More and more I am starting to wonder if you are really cut out for living on the canals.

[tehmarks]

39 minutes ago, LadyG said:

it's not possible to set the thing up on self steer

What do you think is likely to happen if you did have a self-steering narrowboat on a waterway that is often barely 40' wide, rarely runs in a striaght line for very long, and often has conflicting traffic?

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, tehmarks said:

What do you think is likely to happen if you did have a self-steering narrowboat on a waterway that is often barely 40' wide, rarely runs in a striaght line for very long, and often has conflicting traffic?

Plot the course on the plotter, switch on auto-helm and it follows every curve, bend etc. The AIS should compensate for any conflicting traffic so, the technology is out there.

[TheBiscuits]

44 minutes ago, Jerra said:

More and more I am starting to wonder if you are really cut out for living on the canals.

 

I'm not ...

[tehmarks]

...and how many other boats on the...Oxford, say...are going to be equipped with AIS!? Brings us back to the old adage aboout good ideas and possibilities not necessarily being the same thing.

 

To the fair lady: it's not exactly hard to moor up for a minute or two on a canal, is it? I assume canal, because I assume you're not mental enough to try your solution on a flowing river...

 

(Edit to add: I've occasionally gone belowdecks very briefly with the boat floating in the channel; that's not a problem - I just don't understand the problem you'd like an autohelm to solve on an average inland waterway)

Edited November 7, 2020 by tehmarks

[Alan de Enfield]

5 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

I'm not ...

I was but now the doubts have been removed and a decision arrived at.

[Sea Dog]

53 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Plot the course on the plotter, switch on auto-helm and it follows every curve, bend etc. The AIS should compensate for any conflicting traffic so, the technology is out there.

Let's hope it stays "out there" and canal navigation doesn't have to endure those who can't even be bothered to watch the world go gently by. 

[LadyG]

8 hours ago, Jerra said:

More and more I am starting to wonder if you are really cut out for living on the canals.

I might tend to exagerate a bit, for fun, but indeed I was below,  in a lock heating my soup when Martin came past with his dog, and I did hear snatches of conversation, I am not recommending folks do as I do, but when nature calls, you have to do something!

7 hours ago, tehmarks said:

...and how many other boats on the...Oxford, say...are going to be equipped with AIS!? Brings us back to the old adage aboout good ideas and possibilities not necessarily being the same thing.

 

To the fair lady: it's not exactly hard to moor up for a minute or two on a canal, is it? I assume canal, because I assume you're not mental enough to try your solution on a flowing river...

 

(Edit to add: I've occasionally gone belowdecks very briefly with the boat floating in the channel; that's not a problem - I just don't understand the problem you'd like an autohelm to solve on an average inland waterway)

I never mentioned autohelm, a good sailing boat can be set up to look after itself for a bit. The helm is much lighter. I used to helm for a four hour watch, and sometimes a double watch without tiring. The rudder is balanced, so you rarely have grip it firmly.

I was on a wide canal with no mooring when I got caught short, the wind held me to the side, while I went below, no problem, nowadays I have a pee before setting off, and most journeys are only two hours, or in stages, so I can cope.

Edited November 8, 2020 by LadyG

[haggis]

8 hours ago, LadyG said:

I might tend to exagerate a bit, for fun, but indeed I was below,  in a lock heating my soup when Martin came past with his dog, and I did hear snatches of conversation, I am not recommending folks do as I do, but when nature calls, you have to do something!

 

Just as well you are on the Chesterfield where it sounds as if there are not many boats moving ? . The normal procedure if you want to eat or go to the loo when working a lock is to moor up outside - but off the lock landing - , go back and close the gate then do whatever you feel has to be done. Locks are NOT for making lunch!!!

haggis

[LadyG]

I just got in to the lock when I decided it was time to go below, obviously there are no others about, in three months, I've only met one travelling in the opposite direction, and another one coming up when I was going down, that was weird, 'cos his wife let me in and dropped me, so when the gates opened he was heading towards me, it was a single width lock!

Edited November 8, 2020 by LadyG

[Sea Dog]

6 hours ago, haggis said:

Locks are NOT for making lunch!!!

Couldn't agree more Haggis - but methinks, to coin a phrase, "the Lady is NOT for turning"! 

[Alan de Enfield]

12 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Couldn't agree more Haggis - but methinks, to coin a phrase, "the Lady is NOT for turning"! 

Not unless it is a very wide lock.