Towing

[Canalboater]

My canal boat got broken into the other day and as well as some internal things that were stolen they also took some parts of the engine. I therfore want to get it moved to a mooring to be repaired in safety. Two problems here, one the boat is not mobile and the engine work will take time, and second the only available/affordable mooring i can find is about a 9 nine hour canal boat ride away. It is currently in Hockley Heath, Birmingham and needs to be moved to Warwick. Any advice/help offered would be much appeciated.

 

Thanks Joe

[bargeeboy]

Just stand on the fore end looking pathetic with your front line and ask any boat passing to give you a snatch

[magnetman]

Just stand on the fore end looking pathetic with your front line and ask any boat passing to give you a snatch

why do you need to 'look pathetic'? Is that in order to appeal to someone's better side in the sense of how much is it going to cost?

 

is it for sale?

[dave moore]

Just stand on the fore end looking pathetic with your front line and ask any boat passing to give you a snatch

 

Malcolm...most passing boats would have no idea what a "snatch" is...this is 2008 after all!

Seroiusly, I hope someone offers one soon

Cheers

Dave

[fuzzyduck]

Malcolm...most passing boats would have no idea what a "snatch" is...this is 2008 after all!

Seroiusly, I hope someone offers one soon

Cheers

Dave

 

well referring back to my posts on the SOW meeting there is a minority of boaters who know what snatch is, or still care. :lol: :lol:

[US Marines]

Malcolm...most passing boats would have no idea what a "snatch" is...this is 2008 after all!

 

There's certainly a risk that it would get misinterpreted and you might get a thump......

 

....or, of course, it might be your lucky day !

 

 

Safer to ask for a 'tow' methinks !

 

Good luck and I'm sure it won't be long before someone lends a hand !

[PaulG]

Malcolm...most passing boats would have no idea what a "snatch" is...

 

Pat Glenn, US weightlifting commentator:" And this is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning and it was amazing."

[DHutch]

As has (loosly) been said.

- Make sure the boat is in a condition ready to be towed. And wait around asking likly looking passing boats.

- Start up convasations as they pass, in the hope they will spare you the time to give the tow as you need it.

 

A lot of the people still canaling about the place would be happy to help, just let them know the problem, and ask them kindly.

 

And ofcaurse while your waiting, you could be making progress. Partiularly if theres two of you bow-hauling boats work supprisingly well.

 

Failing that, wait around here still someone on here offers. But at this time of the year movements are less than often they are, so it migh be a wait.

 

 

 

Daniel

[Liam]

Have you tried lifting your back deck board (if it's a cruiser stern)? Just with like cars who leave their bonnet up, it's an indication to passing boats that you are having problems. Whenever I see a raised deckboard, I always enquire as to whether they are OK. Most of the time they are but on the odd occasion I have been known to tow a boat back to its moorings.

 

Just a thought.

[carlt]

Or, lift your deck board (or any sizable lump of ply) and paint on it: "Broken down...Any chance of a tow?" that way you can nip back inside for a cuppa, until someone gives you a shout.

Edited October 17, 2008 by carlt

[Keeping Up]

I hope you get a tow quickly. Lifting the back deck board is certainly a good way of letting people know that you have a problem.

 

Many people will refuse to offer a tow, on the grounds that they are specifically prevented from doing so by the wording of their insurance policy. It is probably also one of the hire conditions all hire boats.

 

I've never let that stop me, although on one particularly long job I required the towee to sort out specific insurance cover for the 2 weeks. Similarly when I've needed a tow I've always got one fairly rapidly.

[John Orentas]

Many people will refuse to offer a tow, on the grounds that they are specifically prevented from doing so by the wording of their insurance policy. It is probably also one of the hire conditions all hire boats.

 

 

I keep reading about insurances influencing people's boating. Is this really the case, or has it just been accepted into the language in some way. I have never seen any kind of exclusion or endorsement along those lines on any of my boat insurance policy's.. Or have things changed very recently.

 

I once thought I would do the right thing and Email my company because I had arranged for a friend to take my boat down to the Severn, their attitude was "what are you telling us for, we couldn't care less".

[Chris Lingwood]

I keep reading about insurances influencing people's boating. Is this really the case, or has it just been accepted into the language in some way. I have never seen any kind of exclusion or endorsement along those lines on any of my boat insurance policy's.. Or have things changed very recently.

 

I'm pretty certain mine says that, I'm with euromarine, but there is an exemption for emergencies. I can see why, you could get into a bit of a mess if you don't know what you are doing, which incidentally I don't!

[Serendipity]

I don't see towing listed as an exclusion on my Noble Marine policy.

 

Be prepared to do the journey in several hits if necessary - not everyone will want/be able to tow you the full distance even if that's where they're headed. I towed someone larger than ourselves three miles and had to keep the speed right down as the temp gauge started going off the scale.

[Bones]

Or, lift your deck board (or any sizable lump of ply) and paint on it: "Broken down...Any chance of a tow?" that way you can nip back inside for a cuppa, until someone gives you a shout.

 

good idea. That would certainly make me stop and discuss the matter with you to see whether it was viable.

[Keeping Up]

I keep reading about insurances influencing people's boating. Is this really the case, or has it just been accepted into the language in some way. I have never seen any kind of exclusion or endorsement along those lines on any of my boat insurance policy's.. Or have things changed very recently.

 

I once thought I would do the right thing and Email my company because I had arranged for a friend to take my boat down to the Severn, their attitude was "what are you telling us for, we couldn't care less".

My policy used to have a specific clause outlawing towing. Although I have remained with the same insurer (Stimpson), a couple of years ago the under-writers changed and that exclusion has disappeared from the revised wording of the policy.

 

However I still have a printed list of conditions that I must follow, for each stretch of connecting tidal waterway that I may use; these vary from "No restrictions" on the Trent, through "Must travel in company with another craft" on the Thames below Brentford (I know the reasons why that restriction is there but I'm still not sure that I agree with it) to "Must engage the services of a pilot and notify the insurer" for the Severn estuary.

 

---

 

To the OP one piece of advice I would suggest, if someone offers you a tow ask if he has any experience of towing. If he hasn't towed before, think very carefully about whether oro not to accept his kind offer. There is a lot more to towing than simply opening the throttle wider; I speak as someone who was once towed through every single offside bush from Warwick to Braunston by a friend who kept his own boat in the middle of the canal but didn't know (on the rare occasions when he did look over his shoulder to see if I was still there) what he had to do to bring the towed boat back to the centre of the canal.

[Bones]

My policy used to have a specific clause outlawing towing. Although I have remained with the same insurer (Stimpson), a couple of years ago the under-writers changed and that exclusion has disappeared from the revised wording of the policy.

 

However I still have a printed list of conditions that I must follow, for each stretch of connecting tidal waterway that I may use; these vary from "No restrictions" on the Trent, through "Must travel in company with another craft" on the Thames below Brentford (I know the reasons why that restriction is there but I'm still not sure that I agree with it) to "Must engage the services of a pilot and notify the insurer" for the Severn estuary.

 

---

 

To the OP one piece of advice I would suggest, if someone offers you a tow ask if he has any experience of towing. If he hasn't towed before, think very carefully about whether oro not to accept his kind offer. There is a lot more to towing than simply opening the throttle wider; I speak as someone who was once towed through every single offside bush from Warwick to Braunston by a friend who kept his own boat in the middle of the canal but didn't know (on the rare occasions when he did look over his shoulder to see if I was still there) what he had to do to bring the towed boat back to the centre of the canal.

 

 

the way you say that just tickles me pink!!!!! You will be pleased to hear the mental image made me giggle out loud, spit my tea out, and now my professional image is ruined.

Edited October 17, 2008 by Bones

[Keeping Up]

the way you say that just tickles me pink!!!!! You will be pleased to hear the mental image made me giggle out loud, spit my tea out, and now my professional image is ruined.

What professional image?

 

Now I'm contemplating a mental picture of a skellington made up of pink bones

[bottle]

Was it this mental image:

[US Marines]

I read on another thread somewhere that, apparently, when you put them in the bath, they're as good as soap....

[Serendipity]

There is a lot more to towing than simply opening the throttle wider; I speak as someone who was once towed through every single offside bush from Warwick to Braunston by a friend who kept his own boat in the middle of the canal but didn't know (on the rare occasions when he did look over his shoulder to see if I was still there) what he had to do to bring the towed boat back to the centre of the canal.

 

What's the consensus of best line length - short line 4-6 feet, or much longer?

[carlt]

What's the consensus of best line length - short line 4-6 feet, or much longer?

Cross straps

 

In their absence, though, I'd make a set up, using one longer line.

Edited October 17, 2008 by carlt

[Liam]

Yeah I'm with Carl, stick it on cross straps as close to the boat as possible, so that when the motor stops, the "butty" doesn't run up the side of you.

[RLWP]

My canal boat got broken into the other day and as well as some internal things that were stolen they also took some parts of the engine. I therfore want to get it moved to a mooring to be repaired in safety. Two problems here, one the boat is not mobile and the engine work will take time, and second the only available/affordable mooring i can find is about a 9 nine hour canal boat ride away. It is currently in Hockley Heath, Birmingham and needs to be moved to Warwick. Any advice/help offered would be much appeciated.

 

Thanks Joe

 

Have you contacted Swallow cruisers? They are very near to Hockley Heath on the Warwick side.

 

Richard

[Keeping Up]

Cross straps

 

In their absence, though, I'd make a set up, using one longer line.

Agreed. A simple lash-up would probably suffice in this case, if the towing boat has two stern dollies and the towed boat has a single T-stud.

 

Position the towing boat a couple of feet in front of the towed boat, directly in line (eg while moored to a straight bit of bank if you can) then just take the stern line from one dolly across to the other side of the bows, up to the T-stud, tie with the usual figure of eight, then continue down the other side of the bows and across to the opposite T-stud. Tie them equally tightly and it should tow in a straight line. If the whole affair is too 'rigid' (the stern of the towed boat swings outwards on bends) the straps are probably too short, and if it is too 'flexible' (the stern of the towed boat cuts to the inside of bends) thay are probably too long.

 

Make sure there is a fender suitably positioned to prevent any damage when the towing boat tries to stop.

 

Here's a picture that may help (note that on this occasion we improved the width of the cross using a couple of spring-clips on to the front fender eyes of the towed boat)