Controlling your narrowboat in strong current

[Porcupine]

Hi all, 

i have just entered the K&A at Reading. The flow is quite powerful. It really does take the boat sometimes. Any good tips on how to control the boat in these conditions. 

I am using quite a lot of power but sometimes the flow just takes me. Someone told me the ferry-glide is a good technique when it comes to mooring up? 
Any tips gratefully received. 
 

Thanks, 

Matt 

[booke23]

At this time of year my advice would be to get off the river Kennet section asap, and make for Newbury. The Kennet goes onto red boards very quickly after rain. 

 

But power and speed through the water is what gives you control, although even then you can run into trouble...like at Woolhampton lock where the river flows across the entrance. 

[Tony Brooks]

The trick is to try to foresee the direction of current and try to keep your boat parallel to it, if you don't the current will hit the side of the boat and push it to the opposite side to the current. This is not always easy. As the prop is pushing the backend forward, if you get it too far out of line with the current, the current is likely to take command of the bow and push it away from the current.

 

If you can do it then a ferry glide sideways is a good way of getting into a tight mooring, BUT practice in low current and only try it is high current when you understand what is going on. If there are two of you, you can moor just as well by putting the bow into the bank close to the boat in front, putting the crew member off the bow to secure the front line so the current pushes the back in. Never try mooring pointing downstream in high current unless you get the stern line off very fast and tie off before the current takes command.

 

 

[blackrose]

I remember coming off the Thames onto the Kennet at Reading 10 years ago after a lot of rain and I honestly thought something had wrapped itself around the prop because of the sudden loss of power. I actually got a centre rope around that black steel fence on the left so I could go down and check but found nothing and realised it was just the increased current that was sapping the power.

 

And Woolhampton lock - that's got to be one of the hardest to get into without hitting anything coming upstream when the river is really flowing.

[Cheshire cat]

I remember coming downstream through Reading in a strong current. The light was on green at the bridge, I gave it lots of revs to try to retain control and just managed to miss the bridge by the skin of our teeth. It was very close but I still can't see how I could do anything differently other than tie up.

 

By the time you get there it's too late.

[Bee]

Woolhampton!!!! I've got a dent from going out of that place. But seriously there is not a lot that you can do, you can point the boat into the current but on canals there is not enough room to do that very effectively. if you have a bow thruster that will help a lot but all you can do is watch for water entering the canal and steer into it a bit, you might just end up where you wanted to be or you might not. Those slab sides on a narrow boat really catch the current.

[robtheplod]

Kudos to you people for getting out the marina... i spend my time in the reeds usually! 

[Porcupine]

Thanks so much for the responses. So it feels the take out is:

 

throttle up, stay parallel to the flow and pray to the canal gods. 

[robtheplod]

7 minutes ago, Porcupine said:

Thanks so much for the responses. So it feels the take out is:

 

throttle up, stay parallel to the flow and pray to the canal gods. 

The pray bit is quite important..

[Porcupine]

👍 another little question. I am winter mooring at Newbury on the banks of the park. Is Newbury ever on red boards? 
 

 

[dmr]

Kennet is a difficult river, but its easier going up than going down.

As you say, try to keep in the flow and avoid getting the flow on the side, especially at the front.

On the sharp bends slow down as you approach till you have almost no speed through the water, then put a load of power on to make the turn, keeping the front mid channel if you can.

This is also how you do Woolhampton, don't aim for the lock, stay a bit to the right and then turn a bit left keeping in the flow, slow down, then a huge burst of power to turn right into the lock.

Where there is a push onto the lock landing (like approaching Garston) stat a bit out in the river, slow right down and let the flow push you onto the lock landing (but watch out for eddies).

[Porcupine]

Thanks. But I am curious. If you stay right of Woolhampton Lock won’t the current coming in from the Kennet on your left push you further right towards the editing Barge? 
 

Would it not be simpler to stay left of the lock and allow the current from the Kennet to push you towards  the lock entrance? 

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, Bee said:

if you have a bow thruster that will help a lot 

 

That's a common misconception. Bow thrusters don't do very much in strong currents. 

9 minutes ago, Porcupine said:

 

Would it not be simpler to stay left of the lock and allow the current from the Kennet to push you towards  the lock entrance? 

 

I was doing ok until the flow from the weir or whatever it is on the left of the lock hit my stern. Bashed the bow on one side of the lock harder than I've ever hit anything and I was sure there would be a dent but somehow the hull resisted it. 

[dmr]

16 minutes ago, Porcupine said:

👍 another little question. I am winter mooring at Newbury on the banks of the park. Is Newbury ever on red boards? 
 

 

Yes, that channel takes the full flow of the Kennet so will be a bit difficult for much of the winter and impossible at times. The channel narrows heading up towards the old bridge so flows very fast.

Is this an official winter mooring? When we were based in Newbury the park was seen as a not particularly wise or safe place to stay overnight. This was quite a few years ago and so things have likely improved, but parks in a town/city do rather attract youth at night.

[Porcupine]

Yes, it’s an official winter mooring. Blimey, you’ve got me worried now. 

[dmr]

8 minutes ago, Porcupine said:

Yes, it’s an official winter mooring. Blimey, you’ve got me worried now. 

 

Don't worry, it only takes one or two lads to get a place a bad reputation that sticks for years. They have likely long since grown up, they are probably coppers now😀 Above Fobney lock used to be the big K&A no go area but thats quite a popular spot now, things change.

 

Getting water (and fuel/gas etc) might need a bit of thought and planning. There is water at the little marina but I think they charge for it and there is a tricky bywash between there and the park.

 

It is possible to go upsrtream in quite a high flow as long as you have a biggish engine that you are confident with.

48 minutes ago, Porcupine said:

Thanks. But I am curious. If you stay right of Woolhampton Lock won’t the current coming in from the Kennet on your left push you further right towards the editing Barge? 
 

Would it not be simpler to stay left of the lock and allow the current from the Kennet to push you towards  the lock entrance? 

Some people do say just head directly for the lock mouth at full power and it can be done, but the flow will really push the front over and if you miss the entrance its then a very big bang and the front will spin round, you might turn 180 degrees or might end up wedged accross the river.

 

Stop below the swing bridge, walk up, get the lock ready and study the flow. The plan is to try to stay within/follow the flow upstream. You can't do this totally but staying in as best as you can is better than crossing it. Go slow and then a high power turn at the right moment. You don't actually get very close to the moored boat (unless things go wrong).

and then stop on the moorings above the lock and go have a few pints in the Rowbarge. 

[booke23]

29 minutes ago, Porcupine said:

Yes, it’s an official winter mooring. Blimey, you’ve got me worried now. 

 

Don't worry about it, even if there is still problematic yuff they don't like dark nights and bad weather so won't be an issue in the winter. And high flow isn't an issue when you're not moving and tied to rings. The weirs keep the level pretty static most of the time in Newbury. 

[magnetman]

When I did the K&A in 2001/02 there was a bit of water going through Reading. I remember the town lock has a towback type effect below it where the weir tries to take the boat and spin it around while waiting for the lock. 

 

55ft narrow boat. 

 

As for Woolhampton I actually managed to get in without hitting anything and same coming down even missing the fenders above the swingbridge. 

 

What you have to do is steer the boat as if you are definitely going to crash it into the other side then let the water take it lever it a bit with the starn. 

 

Get the bow in the right place in fact a bit further over than wanted then you can lever the starn across. 

 

Once you lose position of the bow you're done for. You may be standing at the back of the boat but your brain needs to be at the front of the boat concentrating on where it is.  

 

Never reverse to try to correct an error made when manoovering downstream in flowing water. It will just make things worse. More power in forward gear gives control. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[blackrose]

11 hours ago, magnetman said:

When I did the K&A in 2001/02 there was a bit of water going through Reading. I remember the town lock has a towback type effect below it where the weir tries to take the boat and spin it around while waiting for the lock. 

 

55ft narrow boat. 

 

As for Woolhampton I actually managed to get in without hitting anything and same coming down even missing the fenders above the swingbridge. 

 

What you have to do is steer the boat as if you are definitely going to crash it into the other side then let the water take it lever it a bit with the starn. 

 

Get the bow in the right place in fact a bit further over than wanted then you can lever the starn across. 

 

Once you lose position of the bow you're done for. You may be standing at the back of the boat but your brain needs to be at the front of the boat concentrating on where it is.  

 

Never reverse to try to correct an error made when manoovering downstream in flowing water. It will just make things worse. More power in forward gear gives control. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes I'm sure I could have done it without hitting anything if there was only a bit of water coming down. Unfortunately there was a lot coming down when I did it.

[magnetman]

The bloke at the aldermaston boatyard said he had never managed to get out of Woolhampton lock going down and through the swing bridge without touching the side. 

 

There was plenty of water about. My mother who also had a 55ft narrow boat hit the side. Maybe I was sensible to let her go first ! 

Learn from others mistakes. 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

No one has mentioned insurance yet. If the river is on red boards and you get in to trouble while on the move, the insurers could decide you were reckless and not pay out. The navigation authority has advised against moving and you ignored it. Never heard of it being a problem when moored up in a river going in to flood though.

I know that isn't what the OP is asking. It needs some boating skills to avoid losing control in a high, but safe current and some times you can't even. All you can do is minimise the bump!

[booke23]

It is possible to not hit anything at Woolhampton in moderate flow in a narrowboat with reasonable power, but in a wide beam it's very hard!  

[ditchcrawler]

5 hours ago, magnetman said:

The bloke at the aldermaston boatyard said he had never managed to get out of Woolhampton lock going down and through the swing bridge without touching the side. 

 

There was plenty of water about. My mother who also had a 55ft narrow boat hit the side. Maybe I was sensible to let her go first ! 

Learn from others mistakes. 

I have been through both with this boat and our shared narrowboat and didn't hit anything, had I been 4 foot wider it may have been a different story

[GUMPY]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have been through both with this boat and our shared narrowboat and didn't hit anything, had I been 4 foot wider it may have been a different story

But you are a really skilled boater, not some Johnny  come lately 🤔

[Oddjob]

On 10/10/2023 at 19:10, blackrose said:

I remember coming off the Thames onto the Kennet at Reading 10 years ago after a lot of rain and I honestly thought something had wrapped itself around the prop because of the sudden loss of power. I actually got a centre rope around that black steel fence on the left so I could go down and check but found nothing and realised it was just the increased current that was sapping the power.

 

And Woolhampton lock - that's got to be one of the hardest to get into without hitting anything coming upstream when the river is really flowing.

Offset into the flow ie about 30 deg to the left when going up stream lots of power let the flow push you back in line by then your about 2/3 past the major part of the flow and just about online to enter the lock. That worked for me when I went through. But my God don’t moor between the bridge and the lock you must go through bridge and enter lock in one go.