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Handling Course

anthony

By anthony
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Breals Proficient

Breals

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On a nice quiet stretch of canal, practice controlling the boat at a very slow speed, using reverse to slow the boat almost to a standstill, and corrective blasts of throttle with the tiller pushed right over to maintain a straight line... It took me a while to get the hang of this, and I have scratched off a lot of blacking at the front of the boat through grazing the side of lock entrances... :smiley_offtopic:

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I'm booked on a weekend course with T.R Boat Handling (07947 337492) cos I met the guy (Terry) and he seemed a really calm, experienced person.

32672[/snapback]

Carrie

My wife & I did the IWHC with Terry, he's very good. We joined him at Great Heywood and did two days with him, Staffs&Worcs and Shroppy. When are you doing it and where from/to?

Peter

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anthony Proficient

anthony

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Carrie

My wife & I did the IWHC with Terry, he's very good. We  joined him at Great Heywood and did two days with him, Staffs&Worcs and Shroppy. When are you doing it and where from/to?

Peter

33787[/snapback]

 

Hi, I did a day with John Orentas on his boat last week which was very good.

Nice boat too.

I never realised how hot those stoves can get.

We did'nt get a chance to do any locks which IM still worried about but there's plenty of time for that yet.

 

Thanks.

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Carrie Proficient

Carrie

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Posted
Carrie

My wife & I did the IWHC with Terry, he's very good. We  joined him at Great Heywood and did two days with him, Staffs&Worcs and Shroppy. When are you doing it and where from/to?

Peter

33787[/snapback]

 

 

Hi

Doing the weekend of 5-6th November. Starting at Stafford (Great Heywood junction I guess) down Tamworth way. Stoppages meant we would be on the Birmingham Fazely canal and not the Shrop. union.

Can't wait!

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Carrie Proficient

Carrie

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Yeah but if Terry cooks, who's steering the boat?!! :)

33903[/snapback]

 

 

Why, my own steady hand of course! :D

 

That is, if I can get there. Just been to try and book train tickets up from Bristol. Look like there are 'stoppages' on the line as well as on the water! Doh!

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Breals Proficient

Breals

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No major pitfalls as such that I've found in my limited experience - its just tricky maneuvring into a space only slightly wider than the craft... You can't really see what the front end is doing that easily, and peering round the side often causes me to accidentally pull the tiller over. If you go too fast any errors are compounded and hitting the side will cause a nasty bump. But if you go really slowly, its very hard to correct the steering and side winds take you out all over the place.

 

Hang well back while your crew does the paddles, then you can sail in quite briskly maintaining a straight line. (Assuming you don't have to queue or wait). If you're on your own and you have to moor up to do the gates, I find it quicker to tow the bloody thing in with a rope attached to the middle!

 

You'll soon work out your own techniques, and witness the bumbling, flapping hire boaters to take some comfort in your own abilities!

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Breals Proficient

Breals

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From one novice to another, don't forget to pull up the fenders going through locks, and check for debris between you and the lock walls - got crammed stuck in the locks at Great Bridge; it was a bread crate, which was fortunately discovered before we raised the paddles. Could have sunk the boat!

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anthony Proficient

anthony

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From one novice to another, don't forget to pull up the fenders going through locks, and check for debris between you and the lock walls - got crammed stuck in the locks at Great Bridge; it was a bread crate, which was fortunately discovered before we raised the paddles. Could have sunk the boat!

 

Thanks for that,

Would BW be liable if your boat was sunk from rubbish in the lock?

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  • 2 weeks later...
anhar Rising Star

anhar

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I'll be needing to go on a course at some point, both as a newcomer and because I may as well get the RYA Inland Waterways Helmsman certficate while I'm at it.

 

I'm in London but most of the courses, like most canal businesses in general, are in the Midlands. However I've found one in London from an ad in a mag, which would suit me because it is fairly local, run by a John Polley. He's also a marine surveyor.

 

http://redbaron.bulldoghome.com/pages/redb...boatmaster.html

 

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience of Mr Polley's course? I'd rather go on one that people can recommend, even if I have to travel, though clearly local makes sense if it's good.

 

regards

Steve

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Pirate Community Regular

Pirate

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I've just come back from my boat handling course with Terry Robertson, up at Great Heywood now. To anyone hesitating about taking a course - DO IT! It was money very well spent, I reckon.

 

 

Hi Carrie...did you get a certificate at the end of the course?

 

I`m thinking of going on a course and getting the CEFNI certificate for useing abroad since when I tire of the UK I may take my boat over there and I believe you need this certificate.

 

Oh and was it easy? hehehe

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Carrie Proficient

Carrie

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Yes, you get a certificate and that can help you get a better deal with insurance, I'm told.

Terry does that course you were talking about and will also train people on their own boats.

 

Easy? er well, no, not for me!!! :) Plus the weather was about as bad as you'd get I reckon. It was windy as hell, raining for most of the weekend and cold, so good training for a future liveabord like myself.

There was a couple also training with me and they had had 3 boat hiring holidays before, but said they learnt loads from it and gained a lot in confidence.

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Jon Rising Star

Jon

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Regarding handling courses. This is an (uneditied) account of my day. Please excuse any errors. I will post a tidy version in the articles section shortly.

 

------

 

Anyone can steer a boat in a straight line, but what about turning those sharp bends and blind corners? What about turning the boat around? Many people do not know how to do this properly, and as a result end up making a fool of themselves in front of their crew, other boaters, and worst of all, passers-by. But now there is a course available that will show you how to handle your boat properly, and prevent those embarrassing situations occurring.

 

The RYA Inland Waters Helmsman's Certificate has been designed to teach boaters, old and new, how to handle their boat in a safe way. The scheme has been devised to give boaters the confidence that they need to tackle the every-day navigational hazards they will face when cruising the Inland Waterways. On 10th June 2001, I took this course with Union Canal Carriers Ltd of Braunston.

 

The course started when we got onboard the Union Canal Carries Ltd 60ft hire-boat Brendon. Once onboard, I was introduced to the instructor, Mick, David his assistant, and Kevin, the other person taking the course. The first thing that was covered was safety. This included the man-overboard drill, as well as the use and maintenance of gas appliances onboard to boat. We were then shown over Brendon, with the essential parts being indicated by the instructor. Once we were familiar with the safety procedures, and the parts of the boat, we were shown how to do the pre-start engine checks, and the use of the weed hatch was explained to us. We were then able to start the engine.

 

After donning our fleeces and coats (in June!), we slipped our moorings, We were given the choice of two routes. The first heading through the very twisty canal to Napton, and going down the three Calcutt locks, or the second, going up the six Braunston locks, through the tunnels and turning at Norton Junction. After talking about what we hoped to get out the course (and also considering which direction the boat was facing) it was decided to go along the Grand Union Canal to Napton. I was nominated to be the first to take the boat out, so I slowly manoeuvred Brendon past the plethora of moored boats, and past two that were waiting to go up the locks in the opposite direction to which we were heading. I took the boat past the entrance to Braunston Marina, and handed the tiller over to Kevin once we reached the junction between the Oxford Canal and the Grand Union.

 

We were instructed on the basics of steering the boat, passing other boats, and other ‘rules of the road’(sorry- canal!). The canal was very busy, and this gave us ample opportunity to pass other boats. The main aim of the course was to encourage us to remain in control of the boat at all times, and we were shown how to do this using tick-over forwards and reverse. We then proceeded through some very tight corners, most of which were blind. We were told to keep to the outside of corners, as the canal is deeper here, and it also allows boats headed in the opposite direction to see you before they turned around the corner. One of the hardest things about boating is getting used to the idea of steering from the back, and overcoming the psychological urge to turn the corner too soon.

 

We carried on through more and more of these challenging corners before we arrived at Napton Junction. We turned left, heading towards Leamington Spa, and arrived at the three locks. We moored the boat up, and got off to look around the lock. There was not time to have a detailed look around, as behind us were another three boats waiting the use the lock. So we and another boat proceeded down the lock. I was first to handle the boat through the lock, and I was shown the correct way of entering the lock, using only tick over. This stopped the boat from going sideways and blocking the path of the other boats. After successfully heading down the first lock, I swapped with Kevin, and operated the locks. Having been on boating holidays, this was something that I was no stranger too! We then swapped again for the bottom lock, and once again I took the boat through the lock. As I was the helmsman for the bottom lock, it was my responsibility to turn the boat around at the bottom. Further complicated by another boat waiting to use the lock we had just come down, I swung the bow into the marina entrance and used the wall as a pivot to swing the stern around. This manoeuvre completed, I was instructed to take the boat back up the first lock. Going up was a completely different experience, and I could feel the boat being buffeted around and the front. Once the lock was full, I swapped with Kevin, and I operated the last two locks.

 

As soon as we had got out of the lock, we moored up for lunch, provided by Union Canal Carriers before heading back to Braunston. When the canal was clear, I was told to bring the boat to a full stop by throttling in full reverse. This illustrated the paddle wheel effect, which causes the boat to swing violently. We continued, taking it in turn to navigate the corners, while the instructor went over some other aspects of boating such as tunnel safety, and other varieties of locks and bridges.

 

We then approached a winding hole about half an hour outside of Braunston. Much to the amusement and entertainment of passing boaters and walkers, we turned the boat around four times, reversing it back after each turn. It is a commonly held misconception that you can’t steer a narrow-boat in reverse. It is possible, but not with the same effectiveness as forwards. This was demonstrated, even with quite a strong wind.

 

We then took the boat back to Braunston, where about 500m from our mooring point, the instructor got off the boat and walked the rest of the way, leaving us to steer the boat into the mooring completely unaided. This I did, and I even surprised myself with the outcome. Once the boat was safely moored and secured, we sat on the front deck and went over knots. We were told that knots were simply a ‘confusion’ in the rope and we shown how to tie the round turn and two half hitches, the sheet bend, the clove hitch, the canal man’s hitch, the tee-stud hitch and the bowline.

 

This concluded our course. I can not believe how much more confident I am now at handling boats, than I was when I started the course. The course is very worthwhile for anyone who goes boating, and encourages the safe use of the waterways. The instructor was excellent and it was one of the most enjoyable days that I have had.

 

 

 

More Information:

 

Course provided by : Union Canal Carriers Ltd

Contact Address : Braunston Pump House, Dark Lane, Braunston, Daventry, Northants, NN11 7HU

Telephone Number : 01788 890784

Fax : 01788 891950

Cost : £89.50 including buffet lunch and course book

Start Time 09:00

Finish Time (approx): 16:30

 

 

Please bear in mind this was now 3 or 4 years ago!

Edited by Jon
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DHutch Veteran II

DHutchDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Sounds like a good day.

 

I did a fair bit of basic ropework (knots etc) as a member of the school sailing club, dueing certain lunch times, which was good fun, and did my RYA leval 1, 2 & 3 sailing awards as weekends at a local lake.

- And was then started my Aprentiship of emilyanne with hours of supervised helming practice and instruction, and though talking about the thery involved.

 

Also, not that im planning to do one, but how much woulda day like that cost, roughly?

 

 

Daniel

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