Damage to boats due to low water levels

[judith]

Has anyone else suffered damage to their boat due to low water levels? I was coming back up from Skipton the other week (the Leeds Liverpool). I'd just come through the first lock at Gargrave and had the lock keeper with me who was going to work the second lock. I pulled up below the lock and got severely grounded. The lock keeper, after much struggling, managed to get me afloat again and opened up the lock gates. As he was filling up the lock he waved to me to move back BUT no drive, therefore no movement of boat. the boat had to be hauled out of the lock and tied up at the side. Lo and behold the gearbox had been ripped off. To add insult to injury, while I was at the boatyard getting advice some tit went down through the same lock, left a paddle open which caused the water level to drop by three feet so I came back to a severely tilted boat and plenty of damage inside. Suffice it to say I was not a happy bunny.

 

Okay we know the water levels have been low but surely not outside the bottom of the lock. I know of someone else who had the same happen to them on the same canal and wondered if there's anyone else out there who has had a similar problem or damage caused recently? I have a complaints form from BW to fill out but I doubt I'll get much change out of them although one can but try!

[GUMPY]

Has anyone else suffered damage to their boat due to low water levels? I was coming back up from Skipton the other week (the Leeds Liverpool). I'd just come through the first lock at Gargrave and had the lock keeper with me who was going to work the second lock. I pulled up below the lock and got severely grounded. The lock keeper, after much struggling, managed to get me afloat again and opened up the lock gates. As he was filling up the lock he waved to me to move back BUT no drive, therefore no movement of boat. the boat had to be hauled out of the lock and tied up at the side. Lo and behold the gearbox had been ripped off. To add insult to injury, while I was at the boatyard getting advice some tit went down through the same lock, left a paddle open which caused the water level to drop by three feet so I came back to a severely tilted boat and plenty of damage inside. Suffice it to say I was not a happy bunny.

 

Okay we know the water levels have been low but surely not outside the bottom of the lock. I know of someone else who had the same happen to them on the same canal and wondered if there's anyone else out there who has had a similar problem or damage caused recently? I have a complaints form from BW to fill out but I doubt I'll get much change out of them although one can but try!

 

Afraid you are on your own on this one.

 

BW are not responsible for damage (cue howls of derision) its down to you and your insurance Co

 

I assume that the boat is a narrow boat, if it is are you sure the gearbox has been ripped off, I find that very hard to believe from a grounding, on a boat with an out-drive then yes that is possible but I would have to ask is that a suitable boat to be using on that canal?

 

Good luck

 

What is it about today's society that there always must be someone to blame.

Edited August 10, 2009 by idleness

[dor]

I'm not quite sure how grounding would rip out a gearbox - it may be coincidental damage.

 

There should be a big bit of steel under the prop to prevent that hitting the bottom. Boats often get grounded in the canals, damage is very rare.

[Guest]

I'm not quite sure how grounding would rip out a gearbox - it may be coincidental damage.

 

There should be a big bit of steel under the prop to prevent that hitting the bottom. Boats often get grounded in the canals, damage is very rare.

 

Have to admit at being concerned about the OP's post as we will be passing through their 2 weeks today on Katie's Drum (a NB) en route from Silsden on to pass over the Pennines.

 

then I too though how the hell does a grounding rip out the gearbox on a narrowboat (as I'd assumed we were talking NB's) - clearly though we can't be can it??

[Naughty Cal]

Even a stern drive will survive a grounding or two. I know ive been there

[BeckyJC]

Have to admit at being concerned about the OP's post as we will be passing through their 2 weeks today on Katie's Drum (a NB) en route from Silsden on to pass over the Pennines.

 

then I too though how the hell does a grounding rip out the gearbox on a narrowboat (as I'd assumed we were talking NB's) - clearly though we can't be can it??

 

I don't know the full details, but we ended up turning round at Gargrave on the 20-somethingth of July and heading back towards Skipton because a boat had been sunk in one of the locks there, thus preventing us from going on any further. The water was indeed very shallow when we were up there - boats having trouble tying up before / after the locks as it was too shallow to get into the bank.

 

B

[mayalld]

Have to admit at being concerned about the OP's post as we will be passing through their 2 weeks today on Katie's Drum (a NB) en route from Silsden on to pass over the Pennines.

 

then I too though how the hell does a grounding rip out the gearbox on a narrowboat (as I'd assumed we were talking NB's) - clearly though we can't be can it??

 

I feel sure that there is something amiss with the description.

 

Perhaps the OP could clarify.

 

Are we actually talking either or both of;

• Flexible drive sheared between PS and earbox
  
• Rear engine leg fracture
  

Both these can and do happen, not as a direct result of running aground, but as a result of dragging some bottom hugging debris onto the prop.

 

Mention of the engine that you have may well be useful as well.

[Naughty Cal]

Did you rip your gearbox out?

 

That was aimed at Beck, Dave just replied too quickly

Edited August 10, 2009 by Phylis

[BeckyJC]

Did you rip your gearbox out?

 

That was aimed at Beck, Dave just replied too quickly

 

No, didn't do any damage to my boat, got grounded numerous times though just trying to drop off / pick up crew on that stretch. It was really shallow when we were up there.

 

B

[Lady Muck]

Have to admit at being concerned about the OP's post as we will be passing through their 2 weeks today on Katie's Drum (a NB) en route from Silsden on to pass over the Pennines.

 

then I too though how the hell does a grounding rip out the gearbox on a narrowboat (as I'd assumed we were talking NB's) - clearly though we can't be can it??

 

We came through Skipton on the 25th of July. No low pounds, no problems at all, unsurprising, because it chucked it down solidly.

[RichardH]

2 pounds on Gargrave are notorious for suffering low water - the one between the top lock and Scarland and the one between Higherland Lock (by the visitor moorings) and Eshton Road Lock. It isn't something people should worry about - stick to the centre of the channel if the water is low and wait in the middle for your lock (more of a challenge if you are single handing)

 

Make the crew walk !

 

Agree with others, not sure how it is BW's fault.

[Proper Job]

Surely when using our much loved canal system, grounding is an occupational hazard?

 

I would suggest that if a boat is not capable of taking such incidents, you may have the wrong boat for cruising canals, or just accept that if your not extremely careful, you will damage your boat.

 

I spend most of my life either on the bottom or very close to it (even at normal water levels). I even know where a lot of the underwater 'obstructions' are on my local waterway. I just accept that that's the way it is.

[Naughty Cal]

I spend most of my life either on the bottom or very close to it

 

Not just me then

[judith]

Surely when using our much loved canal system, grounding is an occupational hazard?

 

I would suggest that if a boat is not capable of taking such incidents, you may have the wrong boat for cruising canals, or just accept that if your not extremely careful, you will damage your boat.

 

I spend most of my life either on the bottom or very close to it (even at normal water levels). I even know where a lot of the underwater 'obstructions' are on my local waterway. I just accept that that's the way it is.

 

 

Surely when using our much loved canal system, grounding is an occupational hazard?

 

I would suggest that if a boat is not capable of taking such incidents, you may have the wrong boat for cruising canals, or just accept that if your not extremely careful, you will damage your boat.

 

I spend most of my life either on the bottom or very close to it (even at normal water levels). I even know where a lot of the underwater 'obstructions' are on my local waterway. I just accept that that's the way it is.

[judith]

I take it Steve means you're male? I bet you suck your teeth at people too. A patronising response is not at all helpful to a genuine query. For your information this was the first time such an incident has happened and usually I am VERY aware of the possibilities of grounding!

 

For other responses (a) yes it is a narrowboat

( yes I am a 'single-hander'

© I did point out I'm not the only one this has happened to although the other incident was further down stream

(d) whoever was getting technical - don't-please!

(e) you'll be pleased to know the water levels have recently improved due to rain and one of the two reservoirs

undergoing repair is now feeding the canal system again

[tony collins]

Judith, I sympathise with your predicament. However I am intrigued as to how your gearbox became detached. If it is a conventional narrowboat set up, i.e. engine and gearbox bolted together via a bell housing, driving a shaft to which a propeller is attached. It seems almost impossible that the gearbox should become detached from the engine block/bellhousing. Normally the first thing to fail would be the drive disc attached to the flywheel. This would meant that any rotational force applied by the engine will no longer be effected at the gearbox input shaft. This usually caused by an immoveable object getting into the blades of the propeller.

 

The circumstance in which a tensile force (i.e. sharp pull backwards) is applied to the propeller when the boat is in forward motion, must be very rare. This indeed could extert a force on the engine/bell housing/gearbox connection, but I would have thought that one of the shaft connections, (some of which will be frictional) would have failed well before the direct attachment bolts holding the major components together, or the flange fixings of either part.

 

That said, I am afraid that BW are unlikely to get involved. It is regrettably as others have said the boat owner's responsibility to ensure the navigation of the boat is safely executed.

 

I am sorry if this post imposes on you, in which case please ignore it.

 

Tony.

[Speedwheel]

I take it Steve means you're male? I bet you suck your teeth at people too. A patronising response is not at all helpful to a genuine query. For your information this was the first time such an incident has happened and usually I am VERY aware of the possibilities of grounding!

 

If you don't like the answers people give then don't ask the questions.

 

Proper Jobs answer was quite reasonable and not at all patronising.

 

Maybe providing clear information to start with would have helped.

[dor]

I take it Steve means you're male? I bet you suck your teeth at people too. A patronising response is not at all helpful to a genuine query. For your information this was the first time such an incident has happened and usually I am VERY aware of the possibilities of grounding!

 

Oh dear oh dear.

 

Sorry Judith, but I think you are looking for patronising when it just isn't there. Are you sure you don't have your own agenda here? I can only echo Satellite's response - you asked the question and got some reasonable replies whilst failing to give us any proper details.

 

As I said in my first post, it is difficult to see how you can rip your gearbox out just by grounding.

[saltysplash]

I once knew of a black prince hire boat (yellow and blue style) rip its engine off its mounts due to ramming a wharf wall at speed but to rip off a gear box sounds odd to me if the water was shallow. cant imagine youd get too much speed up to do such damage.

[mayalld]

I take it Steve means you're male? I bet you suck your teeth at people too. A patronising response is not at all helpful to a genuine query. For your information this was the first time such an incident has happened and usually I am VERY aware of the possibilities of grounding!

 

For other responses (a) yes it is a narrowboat

( yes I am a 'single-hander'

© I did point out I'm not the only one this has happened to although the other incident was further down stream

(d) whoever was getting technical - don't-please!

(e) you'll be pleased to know the water levels have recently improved due to rain and one of the two reservoirs

undergoing repair is now feeding the canal system again

 

Judith,

 

I asked a couple of questions above about EXACTLY what broke.

 

A back engine/gearbox mount and/or prop shaft bolts are very possible outcomes of getting some rubbish off the bottom round the prop (but not simply as a result of running aground).

 

However, your post implied that the gearbox was ripped off the engine, and if this is the case, can you explain?

[Guest]

I take it Steve means you're male? I bet you suck your teeth at people too. A patronising response is not at all helpful to a genuine query. For your information this was the first time such an incident has happened and usually I am VERY aware of the possibilities of grounding!

 

For other responses (a) yes it is a narrowboat

( yes I am a 'single-hander'

© I did point out I'm not the only one this has happened to although the other incident was further down stream

(d) whoever was getting technical - don't-please!

(e) you'll be pleased to know the water levels have recently improved due to rain and one of the two reservoirs

undergoing repair is now feeding the canal system again

 

Dummy well and truly ejected from the pram or what. :lol:

 

No patronising responses that I can see only requests for further information as the following posters couldn't not fully understand (and probably still can't now you've confirmed its a NB) understand how a gear box gets 'ripped off' a narrow boat that has run aground.

 

I'm afraid it is probably suspected you are talking from the rear of the bit between your shoulders and your head,

 

AKA the back of your neck

Edited August 11, 2009 by MJG

[Proper Job]

I take it Steve means you're male? I bet you suck your teeth at people too. A patronising response is not at all helpful to a genuine query. For your information this was the first time such an incident has happened and usually I am VERY aware of the possibilities of grounding!

 

For other responses (a) yes it is a narrowboat

( yes I am a 'single-hander'

© I did point out I'm not the only one this has happened to although the other incident was further down stream

(d) whoever was getting technical - don't-please!

(e) you'll be pleased to know the water levels have recently improved due to rain and one of the two reservoirs

undergoing repair is now feeding the canal system again

Ouch

 

The last time I looked, I was male

No I don't suck my teeth in at people. I regard myself as very tolerant when others have slight fo'pahs (there by the grace of god go I) and laugh at myself when it happens to me (and believe me it does)

I don't regard my response as patronising. Its just the way it is when cruising on canals.

I blew a gearbox on a Petter when a log jammed between the uxeter plate and the prop. I phoned the insurance company, not BW.

 

Not just me then

Ah...... The difference is....... my 26" prop tends to come off better than yours after such an incident

[Naughty Cal]

Ah...... The difference is....... my 26" prop tends to come off better than yours after such an incident

 

Yours is bronze though, mines aluminium and two of them