"centre cockpit" narrowboat

[aread2]

Brass Razoo is a centre cockpit narrowboat just completed by Mill Wharf boats.

[alan_fincher]

A centre wheelhouse narrowboat passed me near Watford (Herts) a few weeks ago going South on the GU. I called across to compliment him on it, but he replied it was a nice idea but very tricky to steer. I don't know if that applies to all boats of that type.

 

I think we may both have encountered the same boat!

 

 

its tricky because the tinyest adjustment just dosnt seam to work, so you dial in more and then it just goes mental lol.

 

first time i took mine out (trip from wilton to ivinghoe) was good fun, looking back behind me where i had been was far from straght and was more zig zags..

 

The one we saw was certainly struggling to go in a straight line. As you say, a kind of ziz-zag, as they over-compensated first one way, then the other.

 

They were also one of the slowest boats I've ever worked through locks with, (between the locks, that is).

 

They did admit to being novices, so one can only hope with time they learn to master the steering better.

 

Is it too simplistic to say that with a tiller, you know straight away whether it's pointed for straight ahead, left, or right. People with wheel steering with many turns from "lock to lock" never seem to, somehow.....

 

Still wheel steering must be best, surely - BW have standardised on it for their new tug fleet after all! (Still can't find that tongue-in-cheek smiley!....)

Edited June 9, 2008 by alan_fincher

[tidal]

This has been absolutely fascinating and I thank you all for the trouble you have gone to in order to answer my question

It is greatly appreciated.

As a child I saw a few wooden canal boats with centre steering but apart from odd ones in adverts I had never seen one since.

 

This thread has been a real eye-opener for me and I now have a lot to look at.

 

I had, up to a few weeks ago almost purchased a centre cockpit grp cruiser (complete with mooring!! but sadly the deal has now fallen through and so I am looking around again.

It is very useful to know that there is still a variety of alternative options available and your pictures and comments have been very welcome.

Tidal

[Lesd]

A centre wheelhouse narrowboat passed me near Watford (Herts) a few weeks ago going South on the GU. I called across to compliment him on it, but he replied it was a nice idea but very tricky to steer. I don't know if that applies to all boats of that type.

 

I think he passed me up at Marsworth, a very light coloured boat which looked pretty new to me. It seemed very quiet too, I remember wondering what type of propulsion she used.

[magpie patrick]

Very interesting indeed, and it just goes to show that all boats have the potential to be interesting, not just the heriatge ones (as an aside, I'm amazed how many people shout to me "is that an ex-clifton cruiser" and display great interest!)

 

Some of the critisisms may be of the designs features of the particular boat rather than centre cockpit: Bramley, I remember Craig commenting in winter he had to be careful not to touch the side of the boat while sleeping in case he froze to it. He may have been exagerating but.

 

How many of the steering foibles are down to wheel steering? When on Ripple I've occassionaly had heretical thoughts like combining semi-trad with wheel steering as it may make a very practical back layout, but then again it may not.

[carlt]

How many of the steering foibles are down to wheel steering? When on Ripple I've occassionaly had heretical thoughts like combining semi-trad with wheel steering as it may make a very practical back layout, but then again it may not.

Wheel steering is far superior to tiller-steering, which is why the vast majority of boats use remote steering.

 

When I had a centre-cockpit boat the wheelhouse doubled up as a dining room, sun room and fishing platform, a far better use of space.

 

Steering foibles arise when the system isn't maintained properly.

 

If you're linked to a rudder the same shape, size and position as a tiller steered boat then the steering characteristics will be the same. It's the person, unused to the change in system, who is the "foible".

 

I have the original tiller for the lifeboat so, I fitted it, to see how it would act, in an emergency.

 

Without the hydraulic assistance, of the remotes, I could barely move the rudder.

 

I think the traditional steering position is another throwback to working boat days which will eventually die out.

 

The only heresy would be to convert a working narrow boat to wheeled steering but even that happened, from time to time, when the old boats were being cut in half, for leisure.

[magpie patrick]

Wheel steering is far superior to tiller-steering, which is why the vast majority of boats use remote steering.

 

When I had a centre-cockpit boat the wheelhouse doubled up as a dining room, sun room and fishing platform, a far better use of space.

 

Steering foibles arise when the system isn't maintained properly.

 

If you're linked to a rudder the same shape, size and position as a tiller steered boat then the steering characteristics will be the same. It's the person, unused to the change in system, who is the "foible".

 

I have the original tiller for the lifeboat so, I fitted it, to see how it would act, in an emergency.

 

Without the hydraulic assistance, of the remotes, I could barely move the rudder.

 

I think the traditional steering position is another throwback to working boat days which will eventually die out.

 

The only heresy would be to convert a working narrow boat to wheeled steering but even that happened, from time to time, when the old boats were being cut in half, for leisure.

 

Thanks Carl. I'm going to put that in the "dream" folder then for when I haven't got more urgent jobs but I do fancy the idea. Ripple's semi trad is a big and comfortable area wheel steering would put the steerer in front of the crowd not at the back. It would also allow people on and off the counter without me having to move the tiller over. The number of times we get to the bank, or course the tiller by defintion is on that side then...