Advice for a would-be liveaboard

[blackrose]

8 hours ago, Mikesp said:

Yes I suppose that holding people up did cross my mind. Widebeams don't fare well with impatient people from what I've gathered

 

If someone is impatient to get past, let them past. I've offered to let people go into locks ahead of me before. Sometimes they've done it and other times helped me work the lock. On the other hand I've occasionally been faster getting my widebeam through locks single-handed than pairs of narrowboats with crew. It's just about being aware and being considerate to others.

[Mikesp]

12 hours ago, peterboat said:

I am with you it's going to be a hard learning curve at 67 not something I would want to do

I've had the same thoughts really, but I'm reasonably fit, learning new things still seems to happen ok. I've just learned to fly gliders at 65 years old, never flown before and it keeps you pretty fit on a busy day. I'm up for the challenge and it's something I've thought about for years. In between locks, the peace, tranquility and back to nature aspect seems very appealing. Had enough of the rat-race.

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

If someone is impatient to get past, let them past. I've offered to let people go into locks ahead of me before. Sometimes they've done it and other times helped me work the lock. On the other hand I've occasionally been faster getting my widebeam through locks single-handed than pairs of narrowboats with crew. It's just about being aware and being considerate to others.

Good advice, thanks

[ditchcrawler]

16 hours ago, Mikesp said:

Yes I suppose that holding people up did cross my mind. Widebeams don't fare well with impatient people from what I've gathered

I wasn't considering you holding people up, you can always pull over and wave them by if it bothers your. It was more you are completely inexperienced and have a lot to learn.

[peterboat]

18 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

Or you might hoik the bollard out of the ground.

I was thinking if my centre eye came off I would look for a better boat builder!

When I moored overnight at gainsborough the aager came up about 2 and half foot high, my boat went up the floating pontoon didn't and the tie downs on the pontoon were ripped out! 2 inch thick hardwood nil boat 1

[peterboat]

6 hours ago, Mikesp said:

I've had the same thoughts really, but I'm reasonably fit, learning new things still seems to happen ok. I've just learned to fly gliders at 65 years old, never flown before and it keeps you pretty fit on a busy day. I'm up for the challenge and it's something I've thought about for years. In between locks, the peace, tranquility and back to nature aspect seems very appealing. Had enough of the rat-race.

Good advice, thanks

I learned to fly gliders years ago and didn't find it that easy so maybe you will be ok

I have to say I learned to fly a girocopter from a book when I was younger and found it easy so some things I can take in

[Mikesp]

49 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I wasn't considering you holding people up, you can always pull over and wave them by if it bothers your. It was more you are completely inexperienced and have a lot to learn.

That's very true. I suppose that being a liveaboard you can do as little or as much as you want. Your time is your own to learn at your own pace. The idea of joining up with someone else sounds good as Blackrose said

4 minutes ago, peterboat said:

I learned to fly gliders years ago and didn't find it that easy so maybe you will be ok

I have to say I learned to fly a girocopter from a book when I was younger and found it easy so some things I can take in

I think the 'younger' comment may have something to do with it lol. I took to gliding ok but it still took me twice as long as the youngster's in the club!

[peterboat]

16 minutes ago, Mikesp said:

That's very true. I suppose that being a liveaboard you can do as little or as much as you want. Your time is your own to learn at your own pace. The idea of joining up with someone else sounds good as Blackrose said

I think the 'younger' comment may have something to do with it lol. I took to gliding ok but it still took me twice as long as the youngster's in the club!

Normally I go slow cruising stopping often for walks and visiting places it's never been a race especially when single handed, so give it a whirl mate and live life in the slow lane 

[Bacchus]

Just echoing what others have said, go slowly. Doesn't matter if you only get through one or two locks a day; it's all about being somewhere not getting somewhere!

 

Learn to let the boat do the work. Put it in the right place and steel boats have a presence in the water that gives you a valuable bit of time to get a line on even in fairly windy conditions.

 

Not sure whether it's taboo on this forum, but a single engine and a bow-thruster is an awesome combination for manoeuvring a bigish boat!

[alistair1537]

59 minutes ago, Bacchus said:

Not sure whether it's taboo on this forum, but a single engine and a bow-thruster is an awesome combination for manoeuvring a bigish boat!

Spot on comment - The other day I had to reverse down between a line of moored up boats on either bank after turning - It was Storm Bella or such - blowing around 30 knots...I managed not to bump a single boat...a lot of shouting at the "mate" in the bow...

 

The bow thruster actually over-heated as we rafted up...scary few moments, but impossible to do without the bow thruster.

Edited January 23, 2021 by alistair1537
I looked up the Storm name - Bella not Daisy...Sorry Daisy.

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, Bacchus said:

 

 

Not sure whether it's taboo on this forum, but a single engine and a bow-thruster is an awesome combination for manoeuvring a bigish boat!

 

It's taboo but it's also true. Mind you, even biggish boats can be made to manoeuvre without a thruster.

 

One day I'll get someone to film this from the bank so I can see exactly how tight the boat is turning and if it really is spinning on it's own axis. I don't think it's far off.

 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by blackrose

[Ex Brummie]

With a good depth of water and precious little wind, that's fairly straightforward. You realise though, that if you do get someone to film it from the bank, then sods law comes into play and all the little demons in the water will come out to amuse the gongoozlers.

[Bacchus]

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

It's taboo but it's also true. Mind you, even biggish boats can be made to manoeuvre without a thruster.

 

 

Very true - I thought it worth mentioning because the OP is new and no-one else had (c:

 

My current boat is the first I have ever had with a thruster, and I hardly ever use it on my own but it comes in very useful to correct for the actions of over-exuberant crew!

 

28 minutes ago, Ex Brummie said:

With a good depth of water and precious little wind, that's fairly straightforward. You realise though, that if you do get someone to film it from the bank, then sods law comes into play and all the little demons in the water will come out to amuse the gongoozlers.

 

This is very, very true. It can always go wrong, however experienced you are.

 

Also when you execute a particularly skilled manoeuvre in a howling gale at the end of a long day, there will be nobody there but you to see it and the Mrs will stick her head up and ask "are we there yet?"

 

 

 

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, Ex Brummie said:

With a good depth of water and precious little wind, that's fairly straightforward. 

 

Yes I agree, however I do remember a much esteemed wooden boat expert/forum member once told us all that what was shown in the video was impossible and attributed it to the river current. 

[PD1964]

Have you done any boating before?

As you say your not young, maybe a narrow would be better if your by yourself, that way you could learn the ropes and gauge if a widebeam would suit, be what you need or just too much for you to enjoyably cruise.
 Also if you really think you need a widebeam, just sell it and trade up to a widebeam. If you buy a widebeam first and it’s not for you due to the size and navigation problems or just realise you don’t need the space or the lifestyle is not for you. You could waste a lot of money. 
 Also moorings are easier to find for a narrow, should you find CCing isn’t for you, you could find a permanent mooring that suits your lifestyle in a rural or city location with the odd week/month out here and there and have the peace of mind of a home base to return to.

 

  

Edited January 23, 2021 by PD1964

[Chris John]

Bow thruster. Wow that makes life simple and makes the traditional brigade lose even more grey hair. ??

[mrsmelly]

42 minutes ago, Chris John said:

Bow thruster. Wow that makes life simple and makes the traditional brigade lose even more grey hair. ??

Theres nowt wrong with bowthrusters, they have a place much like the stabiliser wheels on childrens bikes.

[Alan de Enfield]

24 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Theres nowt wrong with bowthrusters, they have a place much like the stabiliser wheels on childrens bikes.

 

I might have to make use of that - can you authorise its use (assuming you have copyright)

[mrsmelly]

6 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

I might have to make use of that - can you authorise its use (assuming you have copyright)

Indeed you may use my work, it does explain the matter quite well imho.

[blackrose]

Can I use it too please to illustrate the prevailing luddite canal mindset? ?

[Alan de Enfield]

22 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Can I use it too please to illustrate the prevailing luddite canal mindset? ?

 

I can sub-let the permissions for a very reasonable fee.

[alistair1537]

I've heard the new 5G towers are all equipped with Bow thrusters too...so...

[Chris John]

2 hours ago, alistair1537 said:

I've heard the new 5G towers are all equipped with Bow thrusters too...so...

And the vaccine injects a bow thruster to control you ?

[tree monkey]

19 minutes ago, Chris John said:

And the vaccine injects a bow thruster to control you ?

So Bill Gates can control you

 

 

 

Actually how funny would that be "go on, make TM walk into that wall", it would provide much entertainment on a cold wet Sunday afternoon 

Edited January 24, 2021 by tree monkey

[alistair1537]

2 hours ago, tree monkey said:

Actually how funny would that be "go on, make TM walk into that wall", it would provide much entertainment on a cold wet Sunday afternoon 

Every time you fall down, bump into things, knock stuff over, you can shout at Bill Gates like a demented Tourette's sufferer... 

[tree monkey]

11 minutes ago, alistair1537 said:

Every time you fall down, bump into things, knock stuff over, you can shout at Bill Gates like a demented Tourette's sufferer... 

Isn't that what everyone does?