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Canal Boat Diaries


Kendorr

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1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

I thought he would have had his weed hatch raised by now, about half an inch of freeboard

I was surprised at the water lapping over the edge when he opened it.

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1 hour ago, Ianws said:

I'm not a marine engineer or electrician, but does somebody whose been on a boat as long as he has (a few years now) need to get an expert out to replace his water pump? 

 

Indeed. And pay them £300 to fix it too.

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At the start, when he had the fouled prop, I couldn't quite understand how he was being pushed backwards up a lock, against the flow of water ??

 

Ref weed hatch, ours has only an inch of freeboard, and if a boat comes past, you can get water slopping over.

 

Anyway, he's a nice lad and I'm glad he's finding some happiness in his life.

Edited by jake_crew
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22 minutes ago, jake_crew said:

At the start, when he had the fouled prop, I couldn't quite understand how he was being pushed backwards up a lock, against the flow of water ??

 

Ref weed hatch, ours has only an inch of freeboard, and if a boat comes past, you can get water slopping over.

 

Anyway, he's a nice lad and I'm glad he's finding some happiness in his life.

The rush of water pulls the boat backwards in to the bottom gates.  I've experienced this on a motor whilst waiting for a butty to be locked down, once the bottom paddles were opened the motor, even with engine in forward, is sucked in to the bottom gates with considerable force.  The first time this happened to me if I hadn't been stood on the steerers step I would probably have been swept over the side by the tillar.

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10 hours ago, Ianws said:

I'm not a marine engineer or electrician, but does somebody whose been on a boat as long as he has (a few years now) need to get an expert out to replace his water pump? 

When we had a share boat which in the end we self managed, one of the members took care of all the paper work, we were a limited company, we also did most of our own maintenance where we found out that the paperwork king had trouble working out which end of a paintbrush to hold.
Like wise I had a Brother in Law who was a professor, written several books on mathematics, but was unable to grasp how to put a 13A plug top on or check the oil in a car engine.

Some peoples minds just don't work like that just like some people have great trouble reading and writing.

37 minutes ago, jake_crew said:

 Anyway, he's a nice lad and I'm glad he's finding some happiness in his life.

Not sure about that, on his Youtube channel he announced that he had split with his girlfriend, probably a bit further on than last nights ending.

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7 hours ago, Rob-M said:

The rush of water pulls the boat backwards in to the bottom gates.  I've experienced this on a motor whilst waiting for a butty to be locked down, once the bottom paddles were opened the motor, even with engine in forward, is sucked in to the bottom gates with considerable force.  The first time this happened to me if I hadn't been stood on the steerers step I would probably have been swept over the side by the tillar.

I am not sure how conscious a design choice it was, but on narrow locks this behaviour was (and still can be) a real help as it holds the boat in place whilst the steerer can alight and tend to the lock. Similar effect holds a boat to the top gate when the lock is filling. Like many things with locks, these effects vary, especially between canal companies and you need to know your road in order to take best advantage.

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15 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

I am not sure how conscious a design choice it was, but on narrow locks this behaviour was (and still can be) a real help as it holds the boat in place whilst the steerer can alight and tend to the lock. Similar effect holds a boat to the top gate when the lock is filling. Like many things with locks, these effects vary, especially between canal companies and you need to know your road in order to take best advantage.

It can be embarrassing though when the flow stops and the motor drifts off whilst you are attending to the butty.  A mistake you only make once.

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21 hours ago, Rob-M said:

The rush of water pulls the boat backwards in to the bottom gates.  I've experienced this on a motor whilst waiting for a butty to be locked down, once the bottom paddles were opened the motor, even with engine in forward, is sucked in to the bottom gates with considerable force.  The first time this happened to me if I hadn't been stood on the steerers step I would probably have been swept over the side by the tillar.

 

Last month I was perilously close to sinking a CRT workboat when trying to reverse up Junction Lock at Fradley. As the lock began to fill, a large garment fouled the prop and stalled the engine. The boat got sucked against the gate and the cascading water began pouring over the deck, totally submerging much of it a good few inches.

 

It's the scariest lock experience I've ever had in 44 years narrowboating, and only the prompt action from my colleague with the lock paddles prevented a disaster. I'm glad it wasn't in my boat  :) .

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38 minutes ago, Grassman said:

 

Last month I was perilously close to sinking a CRT workboat when trying to reverse up Junction Lock at Fradley. As the lock began to fill, a large garment fouled the prop and stalled the engine. The boat got sucked against the gate and the cascading water began pouring over the deck, totally submerging much of it a good few inches.

 

It's the scariest lock experience I've ever had in 44 years narrowboating, and only the prompt action from my colleague with the lock paddles prevented a disaster. I'm glad it wasn't in my boat  :) .

I prefer to reverse down Junction Lock, which I do regularly, so I can then come up forward. I feel safer that way round.

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31 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

Having passed through Fradley junction on several occasions, I’m unclear as to why one may feel the need to reverse up or down junction lock?

We visit Fradley for the weekend from Great Haywood and don't wish to go to Alrewas to wind so turn in the junction, reverse down the lock, stay for the weekend and then back up through the lock back to Great Haywood.  I will be doing this on Friday afternoon this week I expect.

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I was surprised last night that his centre line was long enough to get around his blade. Even more surprised that an experienced boater would let it happen and admit it on camera.

Destroying a good rope with a bow saw seemed a bit over the top, suppose its all playing to the camera to make dramatic TV.

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5 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I was surprised last night that his centre line was long enough to get around his blade. Even more surprised that an experienced boater would let it happen and admit it on camera.

Destroying a good rope with a bow saw seemed a bit over the top, suppose its all playing to the camera to make dramatic TV.

Ref the bow saw bit. probably due to inexperienced. We were in Droitwich basin and a hire boat reversed in and went straight over his own stern rope. The boater the other side said straight away " you need a bread knife for that" I stopped the hirer just as he was about to take the boats bread knife down the hatch, spent about 15-20 minutes and removed the complete rope intact. Mind you the water was warm.

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In my case when I have had a stern line around the prop I found gearbox in neutral and pull on the fixed end of the rope caused it to unwind with only a bit of fraying on the rope but in this case I think he has a Lister SR and probably an LH150 gearbox so as soon a she stopped the engine it would have jammed in ahead gear. I doubt he knew enough to leave the engine idling in neutral or how to jack the ahead clutch out of engagement so the box was in neutral. In those circumstances I may have done something similar.

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15 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

In my case when I have had a stern line around the prop I found gearbox in neutral and pull on the fixed end of the rope caused it to unwind with only a bit of fraying on the rope but in this case I think he has a Lister SR and probably an LH150 gearbox so as soon a she stopped the engine it would have jammed in ahead gear. I doubt he knew enough to leave the engine idling in neutral or how to jack the ahead clutch out of engagement so the box was in neutral. In those circumstances I may have done something similar.

Good point Tony.  I suppose stopping the engine in reverse gear was also out of the question. I stalled an SR3 coming out of a lock when it picked up a keep net. The stranded steel cable was a devil to get off the blade.

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35 minutes ago, JohnEW2912 said:

What other light could it be shown in?

 

I just thought thought the good weather and the fact it actually had water in it for most of the way showed it quite well. 

 

Particularly our favourite bit between Barnoldswick and Gargrave.

31 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I was surprised last night that his centre line was long enough to get around his blade. Even more surprised that an experienced boater would let it happen and admit it on camera.

Destroying a good rope with a bow saw seemed a bit over the top, suppose its all playing to the camera to make dramatic TV.

 

Is not a 'longer than normal' centre line useful to a single hander in wide deep locks??

 

(Until that is it wraps around the prop).

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