Winding a butty

[Chertsey]

We have decided that when No.2 Son and his girlfriend visit at the end of the month we are going to take the butty for a ride. Only to High Offley and back, but this will involve winding twice.

 

My experience of boating with a butty is not extensive (to put it mildly), and I have never winded one. I don't believe I've even watched anyone else do it.

 

So, any advice or tips, or even better, a step by step beginner's guide, from someone who has done it, would be very welcome.

 

Thank you.

[Timleech]

We have decided that when No.2 Son and his girlfriend visit at the end of the month we are going to take the butty for a ride. Only to High Offley and back, but this will involve winding twice.

 

My experience of boating with a butty is not extensive (to put it mildly), and I have never winded one. I don't believe I've even watched anyone else do it.

 

So, any advice or tips, or even better, a step by step beginner's guide, from someone who has done it, would be very welcome.

 

Thank you.

 

Depends on the winding hole and how many bodies you have available.

What I would do if on my own is - start from well back from the winding hole. Pull the boat from the stern, get it moving and at the appropriate time, push the bows out towards the hole. Then you can encourage them to swing further by pulling from the stern, varying tension and angle to steer the bows into the widest point. If you get it right, just keep pulling round from the stern and eventually the boat will come right round and come away from the hole, facing in the new direction.

 

You might need to modify the method if it's windy, the wind can of course either help or hinder but with a strong wind you'll need to plan a methos where it helps.

 

Tim

[Chris Pink]

If you don't have crew who can wind a butty on ropes and pole then breasted up is the way to go.

 

Breast up in the bridge hole before the winding hole.

 

if you have competent crew then let the butty go (not on the turn - ask me how I know) then one on the bank with the bow rope the other poles round from the back. If you do the opposite to the motor, ie the stern in the bulge then the person with the rope can pull the bow around at the same time.

[Chertsey]

We'll have four people. How best can they be deployed with ropes and shaft?

 

("Shall we just go for a little cruise... there's this really nice pub...")

 

Sorry Chris, failed to spot that you'd covered that.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Chertsey

[Timleech]

We'll have four people. How best can they be deployed with ropes and shaft?

 

 

 

If you use my method, two at the front with a long shaft in case of need and to throw a line to the bank at the end, two on the bank with the stern line.

 

Tim

[carlt]

I agree with Chris unless, as was usually the case, in my experience, the winding hole is too tight, when I agree with Tim (misread Tim's. I would actually use the motor to turn the butty, not lines to the bank).

 

If there are 4 people I would have one on each back deck, one on the bank at the apex of the hole (if possible) and one on the towpath to walk the butty round if necessary.

 

If you can't get someone ashore offside then I'd put them on he butty front deck, to control ropes and half the screaming volume between butty and motor steerer.

Edited May 8, 2012 by carlt

[Chris Pink]

If you turn the motor first. ie stop completely mid-channel just before t'hole. then take a long rope from the butty bow as you pass the butty going the other way you can do most of the turn without aid from the crew.

 

This works especially well if the winding hole is on a corner or there's lots of deep water in the bulgy bit.

[Chertsey]

So what is the motor doing while this is going on? Does it have a part to play or is it better to deal with the butty as a separate operation?

[Chris Pink]

ah yes, 'apex' not 'bulgy bit'

 

So what is the motor doing while this is going on? Does it have a part to play or is it better to deal with the butty as a separate operation?

 

There will be a point where you can get a long line from the butty bow to help.

 

Mostly I find it easier to throw a long rope from the motor.

 

and then you're off, so to speak.

 

You didn't say whether you'd be long lining or strapped

[carlt]

So what is the motor doing while this is going on? Does it have a part to play or is it better to deal with the butty as a separate operation?

I would use the motor as Chris describes but I've never had a crew of 4 to help me turn round.

[Chertsey]

ah yes, 'apex' not 'bulgy bit'

 

 

 

There will be a point where you can get a long line from the butty bow to help.

 

Mostly I find it easier to throw a long rope from the motor.

 

and then you're off, so to speak.

 

You didn't say whether you'd be long lining or strapped

Straps.

And the bulgy bit, at the home end at least, is v.v. shallow.

[Chris Pink]

it is one of the manoeuvres I have made a right pig's ear off doing it on my own, so I almost always breast up first which is probably slower but at least I don't spend time chasing the butty.

[alan_fincher]

Unless it is very tight, I'd agree with Chris, the easiest would appear to be to to breast up first.

 

But, (as you are on the Shroppie), avoid the "in a bridge hole" bit of the suggestion, as I found them quite a tight fit with Chertsey on it's own, without trying to squeeze Bakewell into one as well.

[carlt]

And the bulgy bit, at the home end at least, is v.v. shallow.

 

Easy then.

 

Approach the winding hole breasted up and, at the appropriate moment let the straps loose, leaving a long line attached stern to stern.

 

Use the butty's momentum to steer it into the winding hole and, when the fore end is grounded pull the back end round with the motor.

 

If I am not going far I wouldn't bother turning the motor, just breast up top and tail and reverse back steering with the butty, winding the motor solo at your leisure.

 

Take care not to get the long line near the prop.

Edited May 8, 2012 by carlt

[Timleech]

There's much more potential for chaos for the inexperienced if you get the Motor involved.

 

Tim

[alan_fincher]

There's much more potential for chaos for the inexperienced if you get the Motor involved.

 

Tim

Yes,

 

I suppose you could have a point.

 

Also, what I don't think Sarah has mentioned is that they lost Chertsey's long shaft on a recent expedition.

 

Not sure if Bakewell has its own ??

[carlt]

There's much more potential for chaos for the inexperienced if you get the Motor involved.

 

Tim

But if you never get the motor involved how do you gain experience?

[Chris Pink]

they lost Chertsey's long shaft on a recent expedition.

 

 

Gosh, how do you mislay something 15 foot long?

[Timleech]

But if you never get the motor involved how do you gain experience?

 

You don't need to gain all your experience in one hit!

 

You can learn a lot about boat behaviour from manipulating them by hand, which should stand you in good stead when using power either directly or indirectly.

 

Tim

[RLWP]

Gosh, how do you mislay something 15 foot long?

 

Unintentionally make it into two poles with a combined length of 15'?

 

Richard

[Keeping Up]

You don't need to gain all your experience in one hit!

 

You can learn a lot about boat behaviour from manipulating them by hand, which should stand you in good stead when using power either directly or indirectly.

 

Tim

 

This choice of words could be misinterpreted ...

 

(with memories of being hit by David Blagrove's wayward butty as he lost control of it while trying to show off when winding)

[carlt]

You don't need to gain all your experience in one hit!

True but if I had two metal boats to play with I'd learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible, before switching to the gentler world of wood.

[matty40s]

Unintentionally make it into two poles with a combined length of 15'?

 

Richard

useful for poling round corners...

[Chertsey]

Yes,

 

I suppose you could have a point.

 

Also, what I don't think Sarah has mentioned is that they lost Chertsey's long shaft on a recent expedition.

 

Not sure if Bakewell has its own ??

We have a borrowed one.

 

There's much more potential for chaos for the inexperienced if you get the Motor involved.

 

Tim

I am inclined towards this view. If we've got all these people, it makes sense to use them.

 

Gosh, how do you mislay something 15 foot long?

You get someone to leave it behind at a lock because you thought you were stuck on the bottom but you weren't really, so that it is then picked up by a BW bod who gives it to a hireboat full of Morris dancers (that's the bit that's hard to understand) but is unable to tell you the name of the hire fleet. Ringing/emailing every hire fleet you can think of produces no results so someone has acquired a very nice nearly new ash shaft.

[carlt]

 

(with memories of being hit by David Blagrove's wayward butty as he lost control of it while trying to show off when winding)

I recall one occasion where I left Lucy and the OH in Wolfhampcote winding hole having paid out the long line, taking great care not to foul the prop, but forgotten to attach it to the towing dolly.