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Punting a Narrowboat

Bones

By Bones
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Bones Veteran

Bones

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Punting over long distances is not advisable, owing to the effort required and the difficulty steering.

 

Bow hauling is much less effort and, once you've got the hang of it, you can keep the boat on a steady course.

 

 

Hmm... I was toying with it for a sponsered thing.

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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Punting over long distances is not advisable, owing to the effort required and the difficulty steering.

 

Bow hauling is much less effort and, once you've got the hang of it, you can keep the boat on a steady course.

 

Who was the guy who used to bow haul his home around the BCN?

 

Richard

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Bones Veteran

Bones

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I know a couple of people who still do, if they can't get a tow.

 

I'm sure Smelly would know but didn't Chris Leah bow-haul Southam a good few miles, to get her oop north?

 

no no no! We need to know about punting! There is a separate thread on bow hauling!!!

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Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

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Never tried it so this is no good towards answering the original question, but I wonder if quanting would be better than punting?

 

In punting you stand still and wave the pole about, in quanting which I remember doing on windless days on the Norfolk Broads you plant the pole in the bottom and then walk the whole length of the boat (on the roof I guess for a narrowboat) from bow to stern, twist the pole to loosen it (very important if you don't want to be pulled over the stern) and walk briskly back to the bows. You can get up quite a good speed that way.

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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no no no! We need to know about punting! There is a separate thread on bow hauling!!!

 

You be quiet, otherwise we'll move on to Keel-hauling.

 

Richard

 

Have you got a straw boater?

Edited by RLWP
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saltysplash Experienced

saltysplash

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yes.

 

Sooo what is the consensus on punting a boat for charity?

 

I dont know about 'for charity mate' but we had to do it for 2 hours just to get back on the mooring at the end of our june trip due to the weed on the Slough Arm...I was a bit thirsty afterwards

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Liam Veteran II

LiamDonate to Canal World

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ello Bones,

 

Not a narrowboat, but on our mooring what we, correctly or incorrectly, call a Pontoon. it's probably about 10ft long, and 6ft wide. As our moorings are on the offside with access only at the bridges at either end, we have the Pontoon in the middle of the moorings which is punted over to the towpath side, where we're able to park our cars. It was made some time in the 80's I beleive and used to be punted with a wooden pole, until that snapped. We now use an old scaffold pole. It's a LOT lighter than a narrowboat of course, and alot easier to move about as it is lower in the water, and has pretty good access all around over the low-ish handrail, plus the canal is only inches over 50ft wide at this point so it's relatively easy..

 

However, we have had times where a floating pontoon was needed on some job or other, and it's also handy for shifting material around on it which is delivered to the towpath side... A few years ago I had a go at punting it for a bit and although it's very small and light, the pole certainly felt like it was getting heavier.

 

If you are going to be punting a narrowboat I'd suggest you do it from the cabin top with suitable footwear but because your higher up you'll need a much longer pole to save you poking the mud and shifting the pole every foot or three. The only problem with that is the longer the pole, generally the heavier it will get as it'll need to be sturdy.

 

If you don't have muscles now you certainly will have when you've done it!

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Bones Veteran

Bones

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How many punters? 2

 

From where to where? depends on research and viability

 

How long will it take? as above

 

How fast? depends on muscles

 

How will you stop? slowly

 

How will you cope with other boats? go around them

 

Richard

 

.

 

 

I did punt my boat for diesel, one handed past moored boats. It isn't too bad, but I haven't done it for any length of time you see. And we would have two punters, one on the front and one on the back

Edited by Bones
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magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

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there may be issues around insertion of sharp objects into the canal bed and the subsequent retention of said object. I think your pole will get stuck too easily. riverbed where punting takes place tends not to be puddling clay.

 

you could try rowing maybe?

 

if you did row it'd be best to get someone else to do it and make them aware of this rule:

 

"Consider the comfort of the lady in preference to exhibiting your skill as an oarsman. Many serious accidents are caused when ladies become frightened and stand up at inopportune moments"

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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

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It sounds totally barmy in the great tradition of the British Eccentric, an admirable but threatened species which still thankfully flourishes on our waterways. So go for it - but how will you have time to fit in all that DIY?

A less stressful alternative which you might conider is a Sponored Lock Crawl. Mrs. A. and I did one a few years ago to raise funds for a couple of local charities. We took a new boat from below the Caen Hill Flight to a marina on the Coventry - 180 miles and 150 locks, which we did in 11 days despite losing a day when the gearbox detached itself from the engine in Hungerford Lock. It did wonders for our muscle tone and our thirst, whilst being a bit less back-breaking than punting.

I trust that you will announce your plans here when you have finalised them.

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Bones Veteran

Bones

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there may be issues around insertion of sharp objects into the canal bed and the subsequent retention of said object. I think your pole will get stuck too easily. riverbed where punting takes place tends not to be puddling clay.

 

you could try rowing maybe?

 

if you did row it'd be best to get someone else to do it and make them aware of this rule:

 

"Consider the comfort of the lady in preference to exhibiting your skill as an oarsman. Many serious accidents are caused when ladies become frightened and stand up at inopportune moments"

 

The pole is blunt, and I find it comes out quite easily with a twist.

 

I like the rule...

 

It sounds totally barmy in the great tradition of the British Eccentric, an admirable but threatened species which still thankfully flourishes on our waterways. So go for it - but how will you have time to fit in all that DIY?

A less stressful alternative which you might conider is a Sponored Lock Crawl. Mrs. A. and I did one a few years ago to raise funds for a couple of local charities. We took a new boat from below the Caen Hill Flight to a marina on the Coventry - 180 miles and 150 locks, which we did in 11 days despite losing a day when the gearbox detached itself from the engine in Hungerford Lock. It did wonders for our muscle tone and our thirst, whilst being a bit less back-breaking than punting.

I trust that you will announce your plans here when you have finalised them.

 

 

Bones does not DO locks.

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magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

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The pole is blunt, and I find it comes out quite easily with a twist.

 

I like the rule...

 

 

 

 

Bones does not DO locks.

 

A proper punting pole has an iron shoe known as quant fork, or swallowtail on the end. they aren't blunt in fact they could probably pass as an offensive weapon. of course if you are using a plain 'bargepole' then I believe you would be 'shafting' the boat as opposed to punting it.

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Bones Veteran

Bones

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A proper punting pole has an iron shoe known as quant fork, or swallowtail on the end. they aren't blunt in fact they could probably pass as an offensive weapon. of course if you are using a plain 'bargepole' then I believe you would be 'shafting' the boat as opposed to punting it.

 

 

ladies don't shaft.

 

I will attach a fork to the end of my pole.

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tidal Rising Star

tidal

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I have never punted a narrowboat but I have quanted one using the roof as a walkway for about 3 miles.

It wasn't too bad once we got going............except for the bridgeholes.

 

With a totally overgrown towpath it was probably easier than hauling.

 

We did however get some very strange looks.

 

In my now far off youth, when there were fewer boats and less pressure on the system I did form part of a team who tried to "walk" a boat through a tunnel.

Now THAT is a task for real masochists.....so eminently suitable for a charity stunt :lol:

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