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Boat hook


Alan Wheeler

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You might find it easier with a plane or a rasp than using a knife or chisel. The sole of the plane will help keep things flat, even if you need to taper it. A lumpy taper will work loose quite quickly. If there is a taper in the hook try and match it best you can, friction is your friend with this type of thing.

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57 minutes ago, Alan Wheeler said:

I bought a new ash pole, as the original one had rotten and broke. Any tips and/or recommended tools/method to whittle the end of the pole to fit the boat hook, other than a huge pencil sharpener!? I'm assuming a descent wood knife or chisel knife as I don't have a lathe.

A good sharp axe.  Patiently pare it down. If the hook is iron, I get it red hot and burn it on for the final fit.

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7 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

On a long pole I like a hook and spike combined so that I can use from the deck it to close bottom gates when leaving a lock by engaging the handle on the balance beam.

Better done when beams have sacrificial stab boards that the spike can stick in so it doesn't slip but not that many on the system now.

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Just been doing this a few days ago when re-handling some old gardening tools. I roughly measured the thin end of the socket ( bent sheet metal sockets rather than solid, so readily  accessible), drew a circle that size on the end of the shaft and used a plane to rough it to size. Marked the inside of the socket with a carpenter's pencil (dry earth or mud would do) and pushed in and twisted the taper firmly. On removing, the graphite showed the high points, which were then trimmed with a Stanley knife and rubbed down with a piece of 60 grit abrasive paper wrapped around in a cone shape.  Repeated as often as  neccessary. to get a good fit. 

 

I do have a spokeshave, but the plane/ knife/abrasive paper worked Ok. You need to mount the stick in a vice to use the plane, and have to keep unclamping, turning  and reclamping to roughly shape it. For the second phase you can hold the stick in one hand and whittle with a knife with the other hand, resting the stick on the jaws of the vice to steady it without having to clamp it. Doing this with a spokeshave, as I did for the first one, involved more repetitive clamping and unclamping, as you need to use both hands to draw a spokeshave. I found it was quicker to use the knife.

Edited by Ronaldo47
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1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

On a long pole I like a hook and spike combined so that I can use from the deck it to close bottom gates when leaving a lock by engaging the handle on the balance beam.

I use my long boathook/spike to hook and close narrow bottom gates.

To taper the pole in order to accept the hook I used a bench belt sander with a fairly course belt. A handheld sander or electric plane are alternatives as would a traditional smoothing plane (I wonder where the hell mine is 😄)

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1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

On a long pole I like a hook and spike combined so that I can use from the deck it to close bottom gates when leaving a lock by engaging the handle on the balance beam.

 

I've tried that and it's a dangerous game on wide locks with heavy gates....! 

 

Be prepared to let go of the shaft if the gate isn't playing along, is my advice as a novice. I'm doing it wrong, prolly...

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1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

I've tried that and it's a dangerous game on wide locks with heavy gates....! 

 

Be prepared to let go of the shaft if the gate isn't playing along, is my advice as a novice. I'm doing it wrong, prolly...

It doesn't work with wide locks, a narrow boat moves across too much to enable the gates to be pushed far enough as you leave slowly. Its a technique for narrow locks when single handing.

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1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

I've tried that and it's a dangerous game on wide locks with heavy gates....! 

 

Be prepared to let go of the shaft if the gate isn't playing along, is my advice as a novice. I'm doing it wrong, prolly...

 

It's best to have the boat only moving very slowly before trying to hook a gate.  Fast is bad, but educational.  You learn a lot about the practical applications of the Conservation of Momentum.

 

Don't ask me how I discovered this ...

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1 minute ago, Tracy D'arth said:

It doesn't work with wide locks, a narrow boat moves across too much to enable the gates to be pushed far enough as you leave slowly. Its a technique for narrow locks when single handing.

 

Ok fanx. Single handing narrow locks is something I do a LOT of.

 

I'll give it another try. NEVER seen anyone else do it....

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

It's best to have the boat only moving very slowly before trying to hook a gate.  Fast is bad, but educational.  You learn a lot about the practical applications of the Conservation of Momentum.

 

Don't ask me how I discovered this ...

 

Same here. 

 

What I discovered is there is 'slow' (which is WAY too fast), and really slow, which just means you have to try to unhook your shaft as the gate learns you all about momentum. 

 

Or let it go, moor up and spend 30 minutes recovering it. 

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5 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Ok fanx. Single handing narrow locks is something I do a LOT of.

 

I'll give it another try. NEVER seen anyone else do it....

 

I've observed Nick Wolfe do it successfully at one of the Hillmorton top locks.

 

I tried it at Fradley, the shaft finished up in the cut.

Edited by Ray T
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You are assuming that the gate handle is hooked. It is not. The fork in the hook between that and the end spike is engaged under the handle so that it is pushed, not retained. Or the spike is driven into the block on the balance beam if fitted and again only pushed.

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I don't hook the gate, I push the end of the beam with the hook. If there is a stab board I push against that but if there isn't I push against the handle or the end of a bolt. You need a shaft long enough to reach the end of the beam when it is in the closed position.

 

If you ever follow Rick on Auriga down Atherstone you will see him do it.

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Did working boats back in the day have a metal hook on the end?

 

I dont think they did but I am more than happy to be corrected.

 

Last time I saw one was on a broads hire boat.....🤔🤔🤔

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10 hours ago, Slim said:

I use my long boathook/spike to hook and close narrow bottom gates.

To taper the pole in order to accept the hook I used a bench belt sander with a fairly course belt. A handheld sander or electric plane are alternatives as would a traditional smoothing plane (I wonder where the hell mine is 😄)

I just push against the beam. On the Llangollen I use a short pole as the locks are mostly not as deep as on other canals.

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10 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Did working boats back in the day have a metal hook on the end?

 

I dont think they did but I am more than happy to be corrected.

 

Last time I saw one was on a broads hire boat.....🤔🤔🤔

Yes, as there was no weed hatch on the motors a hook was a necessity.

 

Photo Longdon: / Rolt.

Clearing the blades.jpg

Original Eric de Mare photo 1948 394[6].jpg

 

Photo: Eric de Mare 1948.

 

 

Edited by Ray T
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