one person boater

[michael brown]

I am looking to buy a 40 ft. (ish) narrowboat, hoping to travel in the North West area, I have travelled the Leeds/Liverpool (1975) with a mate, small boat, not too many probs. is it going to be difficult for a single operator to do this. Thanks in anticipation. Michael Brown.

[rayman]

hi michael, and welcome, some good people on here.plenty of good advice just hope you have plenty money to spend

[Liam]

Hi Michael, welcome to the forums!

 

Single handed boating is a huge subject, and there's bits which we have covered before..

 

Here's a few links to previous posts which may help you..

 

Solo Locking

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2214

 

Reversing

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1959

 

Single Handed Cruising

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=142

 

Have a good luck around the forums to pick other single handed tips up, aswell as lots of other handy hints.

Edited September 22, 2005 by Liam

[DHutch]

Hi, welcome.

 

 

Single handed boating is very possable, you have to slow down at locks and be a little more organised, but its very possable.

- Going down the trent&mersey we followed a guy who had hired a narrowboat and sailed it single handed for fortnight every year for the last 9years. He was absoloutly in his eliment and wouldnt stop talking about how great it was. A really character.

 

 

 

Daniel

[Liam]

Just to add..

 

A mate of mine used to have a 30ft narrowboat, and although it's smaller than the boat you're looking for, it still basically acts the same.

 

He's retired and he's been all over the place on his own, doing god knows how many miles, locks, swing and lift bridges etc. He went off for 3 months on his own down to London visiting his Son on the Thames. He has a towing contract for the local boat yard which do brokerage, repairs etc. bring boats from all 4 points back 'home'. He's now got a 60 footer, and a partner but still goes all over the show

 

As long as you take time when out and about on your own when working locks etc, you should be fine as Dan says. Locks and other obstacles are more busier these days than when I started boating so there's usually always someone to help you through.

 

As I've said earlier, lots of people have already commented on this subject and I've got no doubt lots more will continue to do so. Go out onto the cut and speak to people and watch them. A picture is worth a thousand words, so go one better

[matt]

I've a 60ft and do move it sometimes on my own (I find it easier to lock on my own than for my misses to get the kids strapped into to pushchairs etc.)

 

I really wouldn't advise doing it from the beginning on your own if you can avoid it. It's taken me from Bath to Great Heywood (approx 180 locks) to get the confidence and knowledge to do them solo.

 

What I've learnt from trial and error this year:

 

- Get good fenders front and back, I double them up.

 

- Get all your stuff near the rear within reach (windlass, flask, coat, phone etc.) before you start

 

- Have a pair of center ropes, one running each side of the boat, keep the ends at the back at all times

 

- Keep a peg and mallet in reach in case you need to moor up in a hurry

 

- Always tie up (center + front or back) when waiting at a lock, always take a center rope if you are off the boat.

 

- When you get into the lock leave the boat in gear so you push against the lock door, you can then climb out and set the lock correctly.

 

- If people are 'helping' be prepared for them to open the paddles up full straight away (an old girl helped me last week - I could see her about to do it - I shouted but she didn't hear, I was walking on the roof and nearly fell off). I hear a lot of people say don't let people rush you, but you often get swamped by helpers - especially from hire boats - which is where the fenders help.

 

- Swing bridges are an issue, if I'm coming up to one I usually slow down a bit before and wait for another boat (coming through or coming up behind) a bit cheeky but some are just impracticle for a solo boater.

 

- Closing locks is an issue - some say it's unecessary but you get flack if you leave them open ... older boaters have told me closing gates is a new phenomenon - it would be a lot easier if you didn't need to do it.

[Yamanx]

- Closing locks is an issue - some say it's unecessary but you get flack if you leave them open ... older boaters have told me closing gates is a new phenomenon - it would be a lot easier if you didn't need to do it.

32260[/snapback]

 

I've done a bit of single handed boating on my 36' boat and its fine. Takes a little longer. The biggest pain is closing the gates as mentioned above. On the GU, or parts of it, for some reason I've yet to discover, it seems ok to leave the gates open. Yet on other canals I've been on its the norm that "if you open it you close it". There are BW signs on many locks that ask you to close everything, so I do.

[AJLintern]

In my (limited) experience of working through locks, whenever you close the gate it always seems to have re-opened itself by the time you get back to the boat!

[DHutch]

- When you get into the lock leave the boat in gear so you push against the lock door, you can then climb out and set the lock correctly.

Is this going up, or down, or for both?

- I guess in narrowboat with a std bow its fine for going up ad well as down.

 

Also, the bit about always taking a center line with you when you leave the baot is defonatly good advice, and make sure its a good long one, gone enough to reach the lock beams if there arnt any bollards.

- When going up we always use a warp around the bottom lock beam to keep the boat from running forwards into the cill, but i know a lot of people dont do this, and with a standard style bow you can get away with leting it ride up the cill/door.

- Also make sure you have an alumium split link in all of your fender chains, this way if they get hung up or held down the chains will give, rather then sink the boat.

- I also agre that it is nessary to assume all helpers are incompetant untill proven otherwise. Maybe a little harsh, but you never know what they might do untill they've helped you though a few locks.

 

 

 

Daniel

[John Orentas]

Hi Michael.

 

I terms of single handed locking there is nothing you cannot do. The overiding consideration must always be safety for obvious reasons, you will develop your own techniques but the trick is to do everything very slowly and have a long think before you do anything.

[matt]

Is this going up, or down, or for both?

- I guess in narrowboat with a std bow its fine for going up ad well as down.

Daniel

32270[/snapback]

 

It's very useful both ways, especially in single locks where there is nothing to tie up to (Oxford, Coventry etc.). It stops you bashing the gate if the paddles were opened fast and gives you more control over the boat generally.

 

Double locks require a lot more rope work and can take a long time to solo, so if you're on canals like the Kennet it's best to find a buddy. interestingly I was talking to someone the otherday who recommended lashing the boats together on flights like Caen - not sure if this would help or hinder.

 

On the issue of closing lock gates someone did point out how dangerous it is to close gates if the ladder is short or there is no ladder provided - if somone fell in they couldn't easily get out.

 

I agree with John on the take is slowly, I think thats just good advice for any activity on the cut - if you're in a hurry then you should have used a car or something ...

[matt]

Another point about double locks, if you first open the paddle closest to the side the boat is tied up - it pushes the boat further into the wall.

 

If you open the other paddle it has the opposite effect, so I open the boat side full and the offside half - gives more control too.

[weeble]

It's very useful both ways, especially in single locks where there is nothing to tie up to (Oxford, Coventry etc.). It stops you bashing the gate if the paddles were opened fast and gives you more control over the boat generally.

 

32277[/snapback]

 

When I came up through Glascote two weeks ago I noticed that a wooden bollard had appeared by both locks. I don't know if this is a trend that is going to be extended elsewhere on the Coventry

 

Mike

[Keeping Up]

Double locks require a lot more rope work and can take a long time to solo, so if you're on canals like the Kennet it's best to find a buddy. interestingly I was talking to someone the otherday who recommended lashing the boats together on flights like Caen - not sure if this would help or hinder.

32277[/snapback]

It definitely helps as you only need one person to steer both boats, but you often have to "single out " if you meet a boat coming the other way especially when the pounds are very short as on Caen Hill.

[Maffi]

There are a few books written on the subject, Micheal. I have a copy of Colin Edmondson's 'Going it alone' on my desk. Priced at £4. Published by 'The Wandering Boater'. His mobile No is 07721 620747.

[Carrie]

Hi Michael

 

I'm going to be solo boating and I've only ever been on the water with other people. The boats are their homes, so I can't really 'go it alone' as practice.

 

So I've booked myself onto a Helmsman course in November, to learn how to do everything for myself. The guy running it has promised to teach me some useful techniques with locking, swing bridges, etc, which I've only read about.

 

Also, I chose to do the course in winter (well, winterish) to know what it's going to be like.

[Maffi]

It definitely helps as you only need one person to steer both boats, but you often have to "single out " if you meet a boat coming the other way especially when the pounds are very short as on Caen Hill.

 

But ................................. Doh!

Edited September 25, 2005 by Maffi

[Keeping Up]

But then surely the incoming boat will shut the gate, so that isn't much of a problem.

32304[/snapback]

Don't quite understand you Maffi. I was referring to the fact that when you have 2 boats lashed together side-by-side ("breasted up") there may not be enough room in the pound to pass a boat that is coming the other way. Nothing to do with shutting gates.

[DHutch]

Another point about double locks, if you first open the paddle closest to the side the boat is tied up - it pushes the boat further into the wall.

- If you open the other paddle it has the opposite effect, so I open the boat side full and the offside half - gives more control too.

But for gate paddels, like on the lower end of the T&M the opersite is true, espcially with the ones in the middle of the gate (rather then the ones right my the wall) they hold the bow right against the opersite side.

 

 

 

Daniel

[michael brown]

Many thanks for the welcome (s). You have given me plenty to be going on with. I will let you know how I get on. Michael.