Is it actually possible to steer a narrowboat when going astern ? ! ?

[Naughty Cal]

As for contact between fibre glass and steel boats I have been on the recieving end of three collisions (none my fault) with plastic boats and each time i was the worst off resulting in permanent damage to my boat and costs well into thousands of pounds to repair. On each occasion the vessel at fault failed to stop.

 

Must have been pretty big collisions for a GRP boat to cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to a NB.

[GSer]

Must have been pretty big collisions for a GRP boat to cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to a NB.

 

 

I'm not sure what the rolled eyes smiley was for but yes they were.

[Naughty Cal]

I'm not sure what the rolled eyes smiley was for but yes they were.

 

Just saying it must have been a big collision and im sure the GRP boats would have suffered big damage as well.

[alan_fincher]

Yes very funny, although why they would be under pressure steering is beyond me.

The ones on the big GRP gin palances that looked most "under pressure" to us, were always the white gloved ladies that found that once their boat had completed the race to the next lock, ahead of most of the steel, the lock-keepers would them keep them waiting, to fill up the back half of the lock with the big black nasty boats with a lower top speed.

 

Boy, don't the "dangly testicles" get deployed quickly in such circumstances!

 

I must admit, that, seeing how much of a hurry everybody was in, and how quickly they want to go, I felt I should get into each lock as quickly as I felt comfortable with in such circumstances, and (obviously) try and get as close to them as possible, so as not to waste any lock length, and fit as many boats in as possible!

[GSer]

Just saying it must have been a big collision and im sure the GRP boats would have suffered big damage as well.

 

One was unmarked, on the other, it's bow anchor roller was ripped from the fiberglass so I suppose that might have cost a bit to repair i suppose, the third was never found but there was plenty of fiberglass in my well deck so I suspect, yes, that was damaged as well.

 

It's a common misconception that steelboats can take the contact and fiberglass won't, that's not the case IME (i've owned both BTW) main issues with contact between the different styles of boats is more due to height and different shapes, plastic boats tend to be higher so any defences offered by a narrowboat are over ridden by the pointy bits of plastic. 19-25mm thick of fiberglass is very very strong and is very capable of damaging steel superstructures.

 

Paul

[FadeToScarlet]

The ones on the big GRP gin palances that looked most "under pressure" to us, were always the white gloved ladies that found that once their boat had completed the race to the next lock, ahead of most of the steel, the lock-keepers would them keep them waiting, to fill up the back half of the lock with the big black nasty boats with a lower top speed.

 

Boy, don't the "dangly testicles" get deployed quickly in such circumstances!

 

I must admit, that, seeing how much of a hurry everybody was in, and how quickly they want to go, I felt I should get into each lock as quickly as I felt comfortable with in such circumstances, and (obviously) try and get as close to them as possible, so as not to waste any lock length, and fit as many boats in as possible!

 

You can have great fun, on a river navigation, deciding a "testicle award" at the end of the day to the boat with the most absurd fendering.

 

It can be a cause of hot debate, too!

[Naughty Cal]

You can have great fun, on a river navigation, deciding a "testicle award" at the end of the day to the boat with the most absurd fendering.

 

It can be a cause of hot debate, too!

 

Ah but we do get our own back at the end of the day by leaving strategicly sized gaps that are too small for NB's to fit into.

[FadeToScarlet]

Ah but we do get our own back at the end of the day by leaving strategicly sized gaps that are too small for NB's to fit into.

 

I've got no qualms about asking people politely and persuasively to move up.

 

(Here we go again... )

[Naughty Cal]

I've got no qualms about asking people politely and persuasively to move up.

 

(Here we go again... )

 

No room at the inn

[nb Innisfree]

Ah but we do get our own back at the end of the day by leaving strategicly sized gaps that are too small for NB's to fit into.

 

Us nb owners can soon 'create' a gap between tupperwares

[Naughty Cal]

Us nb owners can soon 'create' a gap between tupperwares

 

Yes but only if you want a large insurance claim.

 

Us GRP owners can just stand and watch whilst you try and find a gap big enough to fit the tube into. Great spectator sport especially outside busy pubs.

(This did back fire on us last weekend though when the only gap was between a small NB and a large cruiser. Managed to get a 25ft boat into a 23ft gap with the bow of our boat sitting under the bow of the cruiser and the front fender of the NB overhanging our stern. Worked great until boats went by and rattled them all into each other )

[FadeToScarlet]

No room at the inn

 

That's fine, I'll breast up.

[GSer]

Yes but only if you want a large insurance claim.

 

Us GRP owners can just stand and watch whilst you try and find a gap big enough to fit the tube into. Great spectator sport especially outside busy pubs.

(This did back fire on us last weekend though when the only gap was between a small NB and a large cruiser. Managed to get a 25ft boat into a 23ft gap with the bow of our boat sitting under the bow of the cruiser and the front fender of the NB overhanging our stern. Worked great until boats went by and rattled them all into each other )

 

That would never happen if the boats were moored properly

[Naughty Cal]

That would never happen if the boats were moored properly

 

Ours was. Think thats why it got rattled fore and aft

 

That's fine, I'll breast up.

 

Could be interesting

[Tiny]

How did this topic get to 3 pages long without anybody daring to mention steering with a bowthruster?

 

Edited to add: I mean 4 pages now!

 

 

The second post on page 1 mentions it.

[Radio-Ga-Ga]

Until it breaks down... and you've come so reliant on it that when it doesn't work you don't know what to do.

 

As a single handed CCer (57 ft narrowboat) I can handle a boat as well as most, and better than many (including reversing). I rarely use the thruster and would never rely on it, but there are times when those with crew might resort to somebody on the bow with a pole to get out of trouble (including the anti-everything they don't want brigade), Those are the times when the thruster is my only crew! to be honest I only put my original post in this thread to see the reaction! and it was a total success!

[Justin Smith]

Us nb owners can soon 'create' a gap between tupperwares

 

I did notice when we hired a boat on the River Ouse that glassfibre boaters are much slower into and out of locks than Narrowboaters.

We were a bit surprised how slowly they all edged in then tied up on the bollards. I know you`re technically supposed to do the latter but most Narrowboaters don`t bother and just hold it on the engine.

One of the days we`d got our boat was a Bank Holiday Monday and the Qs for the locks were huge, although that was partly due to a trip out by the Ouse Valley River Club, they were friendly enough but slower through the locks than on any canal I`ve seen ! I do have a bit of sympathy for them though, I`m not sure how well plastic boats and locks go together, the yard where we hired our (glassfibre) boat was certainly of that opinion ! We were reasonably careful with the hire boat but would have been that much more careful had it been our own.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Justin Smith

[Justin Smith]

Do I take it you can steer a boat in reverse if it`s got an outboard motor/ outboard drive ?

Edited April 27, 2010 by Justin Smith

[Naughty Cal]

Do I take it you can steer a boat in reverse if it`s got an outboard motor/ outboard drive ?

 

Yes you can. Quite easily.

 

I did notice when we hired a boat on the River Ouse that glassfibre boaters are much slower into and out of locks than Narrowboaters.

We were a bit surprised how slowly they all edged in then tied up on the bollards. I know you`re technically supposed to do the latter but most Narrowboaters don`t bother and just hold it on the engine.

One of the days we`d got our boat was a Bank Holiday Monday and the Qs for the locks were huge, although that was partly due to a trip out by the Ouse Valley River Club, they were friendly enough but slower through the locks than on any canal I`ve seen ! I do have a bit of sympathy for them though, I`m not sure how well plastic boats and locks go together, the yard where we hired our (glassfibre) boat was certainly of that opinion ! We were reasonably careful with the hire boat but would have been that much more careful had it been our own.

 

No sympathy needed for us cruiser owners. We just do things in a different manner to narrowboat owners. (i.e dont just crash into everything to aid manouvering )

[RLWP]

Yes you can. Quite easily.

 

 

 

No sympathy needed for us cruiser owners. We just do things in a different manner to narrowboat owners. (i.e dont just crash into everything to aid manouvering )

 

You must have some very strange narrowboaters in your marina, have you considered moving?

 

Richard

[Naughty Cal]

You must have some very strange narrowboaters in your marina, have you considered moving?

 

Richard

 

No we are well away from them. They cant get anywhere near our mooring.

 

It isnt just in the marina though. The narrowboaters around here just use the bank/concrete/wooden pontoons to act as a brake for their momentum. To the point that BW have restricted some of the wooden floating pontoons to cruisers only and have applied signs stating no steel hulled craft permitted.

[RLWP]

That is an unusual way of handling a narrowboat and doesn't happen around here.

 

Richard

 

Perhaps you gave them too much Bud

[saltysplash]

It isnt just in the marina though. The narrowboaters around here just use the bank/concrete/wooden pontoons to act as a brake for their momentum. To the point that BW have restricted some of the wooden floating pontoons to cruisers only and have applied signs stating no steel hulled craft permitted.

 

 

That may be more to do with the loading weight that the pontoons or mooring cleats are able to take.

 

Last time I was moored on a pontoon on the medway my boat was used as a stopping aid by a twin screwed cruiser who kindly popped off the Iron running band at the stern with his pointy bow....

[Naughty Cal]

That is an unusual way of handling a narrowboat and doesn't happen around here.

 

Richard

 

Perhaps you gave them too much Bud

 

As a general rule, the bud has gone well before the narrowboat owners arrive at the chosen mooring destination.

[Chertsey]

The ones on the big GRP gin palances that looked most "under pressure" to us, were always the white gloved ladies that found that once their boat had completed the race to the next lock, ahead of most of the steel, the lock-keepers would them keep them waiting, to fill up the back half of the lock with the big black nasty boats with a lower top speed.

 

Boy, don't the "dangly testicles" get deployed quickly in such circumstances!

 

I must admit, that, seeing how much of a hurry everybody was in, and how quickly they want to go, I felt I should get into each lock as quickly as I felt comfortable with in such circumstances, and (obviously) try and get as close to them as possible, so as not to waste any lock length, and fit as many boats in as possible!

Oh yes, we had that joyful moment when towing the Duck breasted up... all the plastics had raced in ahead and we were waiting on the landing, the lock keeper calls 'How long are you?' We reply 54', and he says, Come on, I can squeeze you in'. I was just glad it was his assistant holding our rope and not me.

 

And back to the OP, I can steer Tarporley (71'6 former working boat) in reverse but not Warrior (54' modern tug, with good swims for a modern boat.) Tarp and other similar boats steer a damn sight better in forwards too, compared to modern boats. So maybe some modern boats need bowthrusters to compensate for their poor underwater shape rather than any lack of skill on the part of their steerer.

 

Took me ages to get my head round which way to point the tiller; I now find it easiest to picture the flow from the prop (flowing towards the front of the boat) hitting the balance plate (if that is the right term) of the rudder and pushing the boat round on the same principle as when going forwards, but obviously with a lot less effect.

 

Two other helpful hints I've been given: Always watch the front of the boat arther than where you're going, and always reverse further than you think you need to.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Chertsey