Tam & Di Posted May 9, 2022 Report Share Posted May 9, 2022 You just need to regard it as a ±2' "boat" being steered by a ±50' "rudder" and act accordingly. Tam 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam & Di Posted May 9, 2022 Report Share Posted May 9, 2022 5 minutes ago, Ronaldo47 said: Using a barge pole in the bows is fine if you have a second person to wield the pole, but impractical for a single hander. When we used the Leeds&Liverpool short boat Fanworth as a passenger boat we used to reverse it quite a distance to turn between trips. The crew would be sorting the bar and interior, and the steerer would simply tie the tiller to prevent it moving, go gently into reverse gear, and steer from the fore end with a long shaft. To turn meant giving the bow a push in the required direction and running back to the stern to complete winding in the conventional way. Could not have been done on a boat with no side decks or easily accessible roof. Tam 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XLD Posted May 9, 2022 Report Share Posted May 9, 2022 4 hours ago, PD1964 said: 🏇You sound more like Tony McCoy after taking the wrong “Canal Turn” in the Grand National. 5 Furlong, how many miles is that?😂🏇🏇🏇 Five eighths🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow and Steady Posted May 9, 2022 Report Share Posted May 9, 2022 I wonder if it makes a difference how much ballast you have at the front compared to the back? I bet the front of this would swing about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam & Di Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 Yes. Also a longer boat will generally be easier than a short one. Tam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grassman Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 When we're doing the offside vegetation cutting we sometimes have to reverse the workboat quite a distance at the end of the day so as to find somewhere secure to leave it. We find the easiest and quickest way is to have a person at each end guiding the boat from the towpath using the fore and aft ropes. If one end or other of the boat begins to stray towards the offside the relevant person just pulls their end of the boat back towards them in order to straighten to direction of travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roland elsdon Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 9 hours ago, Tam & Di said: When we used the Leeds&Liverpool short boat Fanworth as a passenger boat we used to reverse it quite a distance to turn between trips. The crew would be sorting the bar and interior, and the steerer would simply tie the tiller to prevent it moving, go gently into reverse gear, and steer from the fore end with a long shaft. To turn meant giving the bow a push in the required direction and running back to the stern to complete winding in the conventional way. Could not have been done on a boat with no side decks or easily accessible roof. Tam Indeed. From the swan and bottle to uxbridge lock as I recall. Always done slowly. Used to do same thing at Batchworth, untie from the mooring stand on bow with shaft , let the current take the butty to the lock, round the bend. Fill up water tanks empty loo and then cadge a tow back to the mooring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyG Posted May 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 22 minutes ago, Grassman said: When we're doing the offside vegetation cutting we sometimes have to reverse the workboat quite a distance at the end of the day so as to find somewhere secure to leave it. We find the easiest and quickest way is to have a person at each end guiding the boat from the towpath using the fore and aft ropesm. If one end or other of the boat begins to stray towards the offside the relevant person just pulls their end of the boat back towards them in order to straighten to direction of travel. Yes, perfect handling, agreed, for a boat designed for working, and i'm assuming your towpath guys don't include one with a broken ankle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idle Days Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 12 hours ago, reg said: Got a house point for that around 1965, used it give the weight of a gallon of water which is 10 pounds. I got a "thick ear" in '56 when I gave that answer because my teacher thought I was asleep and guessed the answer to his question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idle Days Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 10 hours ago, Ronaldo47 said: Using a barge pole in the bows is fine if you have a second person to wield the pole, but impractical for a single hander. That's why the sensible among us have bow thrusters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyG Posted May 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 (edited) 11 hours ago, Chagall said: You can do it and just think how you will feel when its done. Good luck. Yes, I'm not in any doubt, thanks, at the moment I'm more concerned with trying to comply with the cc requirements after my marathon overstay, locally. It was just a thowaway post when I thought it might be an easy option to hitch a lift from a neighbouring boat, I can't see any problem being towed abreast backwards, slowly, but sometimes the forum can provide an insight. It's a great discussion forum, and things do pop up which are of general interest. Edited May 10, 2022 by LadyG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 41 minutes ago, Grassman said: When we're doing the offside vegetation cutting we sometimes have to reverse the workboat quite a distance at the end of the day so as to find somewhere secure to leave it. We find the easiest and quickest way is to have a person at each end guiding the boat from the towpath using the fore and aft ropes. If one end or other of the boat begins to stray towards the offside the relevant person just pulls their end of the boat back towards them in order to straighten to direction of travel. That’s how I manage but on my own. I steer from the bank with a rope tied front and back, and the boat ticking slowly in reverse. If there’re boats in the way I steer from the boat, with a bit of difficulty but usually manage of a sorts. Otherwise I go to the next winding hole. I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable asking for a tow backwards because I missed the winding hole. And I don’t know if I’d want to tow someone because they missed a winding hole? Bit cheeky I think. I’d ask “how long you been sitting here waiting for a tow? When you could have sorted yourself out?” Could probably get to the next winding hole before finding a tow. I’ll always tow someone broken down or pull them out of the mud. But there are times when people have just got to sort themselves out. 12 minutes ago, LadyG said: Yes, I'm not in any doubt, thanks, at the moment I'm more concerned with trying to comply with the cc requirements after my marathon overstay, locally. It was just a thowaway post when I thought it might be an easy option to hitch a lift from a neighbouring boat, I can't see any problem being towed abreast backwards, slowly, but sometimes the forum can provide an insight. It's a great discussion forum, and things do pop up which are of general interest. Are you still there? 😂🤣😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyG Posted May 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Goliath said: That’s how I manage but on my own. I steer from the bank with a rope tied front and back, and the boat ticking slowly in reverse. If there’re boats in the way I steer from the boat, with a bit of difficulty but usually manage of a sorts. Otherwise I go to the next winding hole. I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable asking for a tow backwards because I missed the winding hole. And I don’t know if I’d want to tow someone because they missed a winding hole? Bit cheeky I think. I’d ask “how long you been sitting here waiting for a tow? When you could have sorted yourself out?” Could probably get to the next winding hole before finding a tow. I’ll always tow someone broken down or pull them out of the mud. But there are times when people have just got to sort themselves out. Don't worry about it, I just throw a few of these odd posts on to the forum to stimulate discussion. I've no intention of asking for a tow, it just occurred to me there might be some occasion when it might actually be a requirement. According to Canallplan it's 26 locks to get back to my location, but in fact there is an unofficial one fairly close, unfortunately I thought it was this side of the locks, but it's not. Edited May 10, 2022 by LadyG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 Just now, LadyG said: Don't worry about it, I just throw a few of these odd posts on to the forum to stimulate discussion. I've no intention of asking for a tow, it just occurred to me there might be some occasion when it might actually be a requirement. So are you still there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyG Posted May 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 1 minute ago, Goliath said: So are you still there? I'm on a mooring, no problem, just hanging about waiting for a prescription to be , err, prescribed, so I don't want to go too far in either direction at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 Being a soft twit I’d probably help, but there’d be some muttering and piss taking from me. 😃 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow and Steady Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 20 minutes ago, Goliath said: Being a soft twit I’d probably help, but there’d be some muttering and piss taking from me. 😃 Fair payment - I'm the same. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 (edited) 13 hours ago, LadyG said: I tend to point the blade of the rudder to my destination, maybe that works best when there is a decent keel and plenty of thrust, but it should work on any boat, in theory. , It works for Midnight in tickover with the occasional burst of forward if the bow wanders off line. I used the walking method last year when reversing up the bottom couple of locks on the Curdworth flight. Walking along the towpath next to the rear cabin holding the rope threaded through the rear roof drain with the boat in reverse tickover. As you say, not good for passing moored boats though or occasional shallow sides. Edited May 10, 2022 by Midnight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanD Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 1 hour ago, Idle Days said: That's why the sensible among us have bow thrusters! Warning, warning, incoming missiles... 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howardang Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 45 minutes ago, LadyG said: Don't worry about it, I just throw a few of these odd posts on to the forum to stimulate discussion. I've no intention of asking for a tow, it just occurred to me there might be some occasion when it might actually be a requirement. According to Canallplan it's 26 locks to get back to my location, but in fact there is an unofficial one fairly close, unfortunately I thought it was this side of the locks, but it's not. It has taken three pages of posts to come clean on your lack of intention to be towed. Throwing out these random posts so you can stimulate discussion may inadvertently cause an issue for other boater who might wish to help you. Just bear in mind that someone who gives you a tow maybe negating the terms of their own boat insurance, or are you not bothered about this?. Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 (edited) 9 minutes ago, howardang said: Just bear in mind that someone who gives you a tow maybe negating the terms of their own boat insurance, or are you not bothered about this?. Does breasting a boat up to one's own to move it count as "towing"? I don't think it does, as towing means pulling another <whatever> along behind you on a rope. P.S. I do hope not as I breasted a stricken boat up to mine the other day to move it back past a couple of moored behemoths and through a lock to a mooring space. Insurance never crossed my mind and even it had, I'd still have done it. Edited May 10, 2022 by MtB Add the P.S. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 5 minutes ago, IanD said: Warning, warning, incoming missiles... 😉 Not from me. If you suvvern softies need a girlie button it's fine. Tin hat in place. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanD Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 2 minutes ago, Midnight said: Not from me. If you suvvern softies need a girlie button it's fine. Tin hat in place. If you northern softies need an engine that's fine. Real boaters bow-haul... 😉 Tin underpants in place 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow and Steady Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 2 minutes ago, IanD said: If you northern softies need an engine that's fine. Real boaters bow-haul... 😉 Tin underpants in place 😉 To be pedantic - stern haul in this case. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idle Days Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 2 hours ago, Midnight said: Not from me. If you suvvern softies need a girlie button it's fine. Tin hat in place. Don't forget to feed your horse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Featured Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now