A few newbie handling questions.

[bestyman]

Just got back from my third time on a canal boat. I have spend hours reading these forums but have a few questions.

 

1.If I want to turn around is it best to almost stop the boat, put the tiller almost on full lock (but not full lock) and rev the engine to just above tick over?Should the boat be positioned initially in the centre of the canal? I have seen others stick the nose of the boat in the bank and pivot on that, is this good practise?

I have read the long thread on reversing so should be OK with that.

 

2. When moored near a lock and leaving is it best to reverse out first so that the back end of the boat does not scrape along the bank, or should someone physically push the front end out?

 

3. Is it necessary to moor up near a lock or is it OK to drop a passenger off somehow and just float about until the lock is ready?

 

4 Is it OK just to open one lock gate on a double lock. If going uphill its not so bad if you nudge the other gate but going downhill I imagine it could be a disaster.

 

5. When in a lock I have noticed two types of people, those who make a big deal out of the centreline and those who don't bother with it. Personally I don't see why its needed other than to pull the boat to one side to make room for another.

I read the boating manual and I think it said to use it going up but not down?

 

Cheers all.

[steelaway]

Just got back from my third time on a canal boat. I have spend hours reading these forums but have a few questions.

 

1.If I want to turn around is it best to almost stop the boat, put the tiller almost on full lock (but not full lock) and rev the engine to just above tick over?Should the boat be positioned initially in the centre of the canal? I have seen others stick the nose of the boat in the bank and pivot on that, is this good practise?

I have read the long thread on reversing so should be OK with that.

 

2. When moored near a lock and leaving is it best to reverse out first so that the back end of the boat does not scrape along the bank, or should someone physically push the front end out?

 

3. Is it necessary to moor up near a lock or is it OK to drop a passenger off somehow and just float about until the lock is ready?

 

4 Is it OK just to open one lock gate on a double lock. If going uphill its not so bad if you nudge the other gate but going downhill I imagine it could be a disaster.

 

5. When in a lock I have noticed two types of people, those who make a big deal out of the centreline and those who don't bother with it. Personally I don't see why its needed other than to pull the boat to one side to make room for another.

I read the boating manual and I think it said to use it going up but not down?

 

 

 

 

 

This'll be good!!!

 

Could go on for weeks

 

Alex

Cheers all.

Edited December 9, 2009 by steelaway

[mayalld]

Just got back from my third time on a canal boat. I have spend hours reading these forums but have a few questions.

 

1.If I want to turn around is it best to almost stop the boat, put the tiller almost on full lock (but not full lock) and rev the engine to just above tick over?Should the boat be positioned initially in the centre of the canal? I have seen others stick the nose of the boat in the bank and pivot on that, is this good practise?

I have read the long thread on reversing so should be OK with that.

 

2. When moored near a lock and leaving is it best to reverse out first so that the back end of the boat does not scrape along the bank, or should someone physically push the front end out?

 

3. Is it necessary to moor up near a lock or is it OK to drop a passenger off somehow and just float about until the lock is ready?

 

4 Is it OK just to open one lock gate on a double lock. If going uphill its not so bad if you nudge the other gate but going downhill I imagine it could be a disaster.

 

5. When in a lock I have noticed two types of people, those who make a big deal out of the centreline and those who don't bother with it. Personally I don't see why its needed other than to pull the boat to one side to make room for another.

I read the boating manual and I think it said to use it going up but not down?

 

Cheers all.

 

1. Bring the boat to a near stop and use a bit over normal cruising revs to get maximum rotation with zero forward movement,

 

2. IME, the easiest way to do it without having crew rushing about is to give the STERN a really good shove out, as you step on board, then wait for the stern to be well out bedore steering the rear end back in on engine (at which point the bows will come out of their own accord)

 

3. Touching in to drop a crew member off then holding off is the way that those who can steer do it. Leaping off with ropes at every opportunity is for amateurs!

 

4. Touching the bottom gate either way is a problem. You are thinking only in terms of the damage to the boat, but rubbing against the mitre post of a bottom gate causes locks to leak.

 

5. If you are in a wide lock with a GRP/wooden/outrageously shiny boat or you are singlehanding, use a centreline. Otherwise don't even think of it.

[steelaway]

1. Bring the boat to a near stop and use a bit over normal cruising revs to get maximum rotation with zero forward movement,

 

2. IME, the easiest way to do it without having crew rushing about is to give the STERN a really good shove out, as you step on board, then wait for the stern to be well out bedore steering the rear end back in on engine (at which point the bows will come out of their own accord)

 

3. Touching in to drop a crew member off then holding off is the way that those who can steer do it. Leaping off with ropes at every opportunity is for amateurs!

 

4. Touching the bottom gate either way is a problem. You are thinking only in terms of the damage to the boat, but rubbing against the mitre post of a bottom gate causes locks to leak.

 

5. If you are in a wide lock with a GRP/wooden/outrageously shiny boat or you are singlehanding, use a centreline. Otherwise don't even think of it.

 

 

 

Hi

I new this thread would start an argument discussion.

You dont have to touch the gates if you are any good at steerin

 

Edited because I missread it again

 

Alex

Edited December 9, 2009 by steelaway

[Naughty Cal]

Just got back from my third time on a canal boat. I have spend hours reading these forums but have a few questions.

 

1.If I want to turn around is it best to almost stop the boat, put the tiller almost on full lock (but not full lock) and rev the engine to just above tick over?Should the boat be positioned initially in the centre of the canal? I have seen others stick the nose of the boat in the bank and pivot on that, is this good practise?

I have read the long thread on reversing so should be OK with that.

 

2. When moored near a lock and leaving is it best to reverse out first so that the back end of the boat does not scrape along the bank, or should someone physically push the front end out?

 

3. Is it necessary to moor up near a lock or is it OK to drop a passenger off somehow and just float about until the lock is ready?

 

4 Is it OK just to open one lock gate on a double lock. If going uphill its not so bad if you nudge the other gate but going downhill I imagine it could be a disaster.

 

5. When in a lock I have noticed two types of people, those who make a big deal out of the centreline and those who don't bother with it. Personally I don't see why its needed other than to pull the boat to one side to make room for another.

I read the boating manual and I think it said to use it going up but not down?

 

Cheers all.

 

Lets see

 

1.- I cant answer for you as our boat has a different steering and propulsion system and spins on a penny.

 

2.- Again slightly different as we are more manouverable and much lighter but we push the bow out.

 

3.- We tend to just drop off the person who will work the lock and the person who will be doing the steering hangs around mid channel. If it is really windy or there is a strong flow we will sometimes both get off and one of us will hold the boat in.

 

4.- We are too wide to enter/exit a lock via one gate so have no choice other than to use both gates. Most competent narrowboat steerers just use one gate, however as has been stated above if you are unsure as to your manouvering it is probably best to use both gates to avoid damaging the lock.

 

5.- Again slightly different as we are lighter, but we always rope Cal up front and back to stop her banging around in the lock. It is also much appreciated if boats we are sharing locks with do the same (especially if much heavier.) It is down to personal preference if you use centre ropes in locks or not.

[Pluto]

Just got back from my third time on a canal boat. I have spend hours reading these forums but have a few questions.

 

1.If I want to turn around is it best to almost stop the boat, put the tiller almost on full lock (but not full lock) and rev the engine to just above tick over?Should the boat be positioned initially in the centre of the canal? I have seen others stick the nose of the boat in the bank and pivot on that, is this good practise?

I have read the long thread on reversing so should be OK with that.

 

2. When moored near a lock and leaving is it best to reverse out first so that the back end of the boat does not scrape along the bank, or should someone physically push the front end out?

 

3. Is it necessary to moor up near a lock or is it OK to drop a passenger off somehow and just float about until the lock is ready?

 

4 Is it OK just to open one lock gate on a double lock. If going uphill its not so bad if you nudge the other gate but going downhill I imagine it could be a disaster.

 

5. When in a lock I have noticed two types of people, those who make a big deal out of the centreline and those who don't bother with it. Personally I don't see why its needed other than to pull the boat to one side to make room for another.

I read the boating manual and I think it said to use it going up but not down?

 

Cheers all.

The first thing to think about is what is the wind doing, and use it to help rather than hinder if possible. This particularly applies to turning, which is usually called winding, or wanin' on the L&LC. The term comes from the German - wenden - to turn. On lock gates, one thing to remember is that if just opening one gate you will damage the mitre which creates a watertight seal. One reason why so many wide ocks leak excessively is that people with narrow boats only open one gate and so rub against the mitre of the other gate which ultimately damages it. This is one reason why lock gates on wide canals have to be replaced more often than previously. to some extent, your other queries can be solved by your own preference as to how careful you want to be with your boat.

[dor]

When you want to turn hard, as in when winding, this really makes a difference:

 

With revs a bit above crusing speed, turn the tiller to about 70 degrees away from straight and look at the wash coming off the prop. You will probably see the prop wash split around the propellor, with half of it coming out behind the prop and half coming out a bit past straight the other way. Now give the tiller a couple of good wiggles and look again. It doesn't always work, and it won't work on all boats, but if you are lucky you will suddenly see the wash 'attach' itself to the rudder and all come out nearly sideways. The boat will then practically turn in its own length. There is some fluidics principle that describes why this happens, but once you master it, it is a real revelation.

I move several boats around a marina in a week, and I would say this works on just over half of them.

 

Another tip: If you are turning in a winding hole and there is a strong wind coming down the canal, go just past the winding hole and reverse in. The wind will swing the bows round. Try and do it normall y and usually you get stuck across the canal.

Edited December 11, 2009 by dor

[koukouvagia]

2. When moored near a lock and leaving is it best to reverse out first so that the back end of the boat does not scrape along the bank, or should someone physically push the front end out?

 

3. Is it necessary to moor up near a lock or is it OK to drop a passenger off somehow and just float about until the lock is ready?

 

I'm not worried about scraping the boat, but I'm always careful about running aground. I can name several lock approaches going uphill on the Southern GU where the water is shallower the closer you get to the lock and where a deep boat will get stuck it it tries to leave the bank stem first.

For this reason I often shove the boat's stern before leaving the bank.

If I know the depth is going to be OK a good technique for getting the stem out into the channel is to loop a line round a bollard and hold the boat with this while going into reverse. The front end will then swing out, just as if you've got a bow thruster .

 

In practice I try not to get into the side before going into go into a lock, but I wait in the channel, OH having stepped off at a convenient bridge hole.

 

As with all boating there's no hard and fast way to do things – just find out what works for you.

[AlanH]

2. IME, the easiest way to do it without having crew rushing about is to give the STERN a really good shove out, as you step on board, then wait for the stern to be well out bedore steering the rear end back in on engine (at which point the bows will come out of their own accord)

 

 

 

5. If you are in a wide lock with a GRP/wooden/outrageously shiny boat or you are singlehanding, use a centreline. Otherwise don't even think of it.

 

2. I, and most people I've seen, walk to the bow, push it off - the stern will stay close to the bank - then walk back to the stern and get aboard. No need for crew members.

 

5. You have obviously never been on the Calder & Hebble. If you don't tie up then your boat rattles around in the lock severely when you open the ground paddles even when you open the paddle on the same side as your boat.

[Keeping Up]

You have obviously never been on the Calder & Hebble. If you don't tie up then your boat rattles around in the lock severely when you open the ground paddles even when you open the paddle on the same side as your boat.

We found it intriguing that the boat behaved differently on the Rochdale than on other boroad canals. Eventually worked out it's because the water from the ground paddles emerges very near the surface when the lock is empty, so it pushes the boat away, but as the lock fills up it reverts to the more conventional "pull" effect. I found I could balance it, at a certain point during the filling, according to how far forward I was in the lock (although at 67ft long there wasn't much room for movement) so I could carefully bring it across without using ropes. But it was quite difficult and ropes often would have been an easier option although it would usually mean having to climb up the ladder with it. I wonder if the C&H behaves in the same way?

 

In broad locks where the gates open fully (not usually the case on the Rochdale but usually OK here on the Grand Union) then I certainly won't consider opening more than one gate to enter or leave a lock, getting past without rubbing the mitre is not a problem unless it is very windy.

[bestyman]

Many thanks for all the helpful replies. We are hoping to get away for another long weekend early spring , so will be able to put this into practice. Its the turning around bit that was the biggest problem. TBH I used to think that the faster the boat was going then the quicker it would turn!

Thanks again

[nb Innisfree]

My advice would be when entering one gate, assuming no wind, is to go very slowly, almost at a standstill until you have mastered it, that way you will cause no damage to gate.

 

As for turning remember if you are going forward and pivoting selecting reverse will slow or stop you but boat will carry on pivoting for a while which is very handy especially when turning into a tight bridge hole. Winding when heading into wind is much easier than with a tailwind. With a headwind it will push bow back the way you want to go.

 

The best way when locking or maneovering is to make the least effort, go slowly, don't use ropes if it can be avoided and be patient and wait for boat to react in it's own time rather than revving and roaring, it's very rarely necessary, only sometimes when it's very windy.

 

The secret is to look cool and unconcerned when others are creating much ado

[Naughty Cal]

Many thanks for all the helpful replies. We are hoping to get away for another long weekend early spring , so will be able to put this into practice. Its the turning around bit that was the biggest problem. TBH I used to think that the faster the boat was going then the quicker it would turn!

Thanks again

 

A lot of people still do.

[steelaway]

After many years of experience you will get to be as good as me. I can enter locks perfectly.

 

When approaching locks I slowly let my wife of the boat at the stern and drift into the middle without even touching the bank.

I enter the lock, both single and double, without touching a thing, I stop before the front gate. Some times, gracefully stepping of with centre rope.

Although there is no one to witness your mastery of narrowboating, you can be proud of your ability, competence, skilfulness, talent and dexterity

 

On some days non of this happens - it all goes very wrong. .................... You bounce off everything!

and always when you have an large audience of gongozzlers.

 

Alex

Edited December 10, 2009 by steelaway

[Giggetty]

The first thing to think about is what is the wind doing, and use it to help rather than hinder if possible. This particularly applies to turning, which is usually called winding, or wanin' on the L&LC. The term comes from the German - wenden - to turn. On lock gates, one thing to remember is that if just opening one gate you will damage the mitre which creates a watertight seal. One reason why so many wide ocks leak excessively is that people with narrow boats only open one gate and so rub against the mitre of the other gate which ultimately damages it. This is one reason why lock gates on wide canals have to be replaced more often than previously. to some extent, your other queries can be solved by your own preference as to how careful you want to be with your boat.

More likely from OE 'windan' to turn or twist

 

I'm not sure about the advice not to use a centre rope.

 

With a 40' boat going through a 70' lock single-handed you need some control from the bank to keep the boat off cills or away from unbaffled gate paddles filling up foredecks.

[PhilR]

Now give the prop a couple of good wiggles and look again. It doesn't always work, and it won't work on all boats, but if you are lucky you will suddenly see the wash 'attach' itself to the rudder

 

Interesting stuff ;-) ............ are you a Morris Dancer? or a member af CAMRA?

[billS]

How do you "wiggle" a prop anyway?

[dor]

OK OK; we all know I meant wiggle the rudder! I'll edit my post!

[Robbo]

A lot of people still do.

 

It amazes me how some boaters seem to use full throttle forward then in reverse to manoeuvre there boat, they must be bus drivers.

[mayalld]

2. I, and most people I've seen, walk to the bow, push it off - the stern will stay close to the bank - then walk back to the stern and get aboard. No need for crew members.

 

5. You have obviously never been on the Calder & Hebble. If you don't tie up then your boat rattles around in the lock severely when you open the ground paddles even when you open the paddle on the same side as your boat.

 

2. Yes, you can do it that way, but why bother with all that walking?

 

5. I have been on the C&H

[Naughty Cal]

It amazes me how some boaters seem to use full throttle forward then in reverse to manoeuvre there boat, they must be bus drivers.

 

[Chertsey]

1. Bring the boat to a near stop and use a bit over normal cruising revs to get maximum rotation with zero forward movement,

 

2. IME, the easiest way to do it without having crew rushing about is to give the STERN a really good shove out, as you step on board, then wait for the stern to be well out bedore steering the rear end back in on engine (at which point the bows will come out of their own accord)

 

3. Touching in to drop a crew member off then holding off is the way that those who can steer do it. Leaping off with ropes at every opportunity is for amateurs!

 

4. Touching the bottom gate either way is a problem. You are thinking only in terms of the damage to the boat, but rubbing against the mitre post of a bottom gate causes locks to leak.

 

5. If you are in a wide lock with a GRP/wooden/outrageously shiny boat or you are singlehanding, use a centreline. Otherwise don't even think of it.

Agree with all the above but have come to the conclusion that if waiting for a lock to empty, it is a damn sight easier to put a hitch round a bollard and leave the boat on tickover in forward gear to hold it into the side. You can go and have a wee or put the kettle on while you're waiting then. What I really cannot understand is people who leap off with a rope and then try desperately to hold on to it without even taking a turn round a bollard, below an emptying lock, yet you see it all the time.

Edited December 11, 2009 by WarriorWoman

[GeoffS]

2. When moored near a lock and leaving is it best to reverse out first so that the back end of the boat does not scrape along the bank, or should someone physically push the front end out?

 

One tip I learnt on here was to push the stern off and step on the boat. Reverse out to the middle and straighten up ready to approach the lock, or even just leaving the bank. Should save on bank erosion too.

 

Now give the tiller a couple of good wiggles and look again.

 

Another tip: If you are turning in a winding hole and there is a strong wind coming down the canal, go just past the winding hole and reverse in. The wind will swing the bows round. Try and do it normall y and usually you get stuck across the canal.

 

These two I will definitely try out.

 

What if the wind is blowing up the canal?

[furnessvale]

When you want to turn hard, as in when winding, this really makes a difference:

 

Another tip: If you are turning in a winding hole and there is a strong wind coming down the canal, go just past the winding hole and reverse in. The wind will swing the bows round. Try and do it normall y and usually you get stuck across the canal.

 

With all the rubbish in winding holes and the shallow water this can be a dangerous practice! I always nose into winding holes. If the wind is blowing hard against you just touch her on the bank and power round.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Naughty Cal]

What if the wind is blowing up the canal?

 

It doesnt matter which way the wind is blowing, the trick is to use it to your advantage instead of trying to fight it.

 

Same goes for flowing water