Atlas and Minus on the way to Braunston

[matty40s]

On Thursday I was at a loose end and chatting to a guy named Ivor about all things boats as you do(who had also just completed the BCN challenge). He said they were going to move a couple of boats on Friday towards the Braunston Festival site......and aiming to finish the job Saturday or Sunday.

The boats were in Atherstone, so having another loose end day ( , I volunteered to give them a lift, which was an offer snapped up.

Anyhow, got to the boats, Atlas (followed by NB Firefly video at the start of the BCN challenge) and Malus and we decided that a loose end day wasn't to be any more.

 

The wind was very difficult, and we were caught by a couple of monstrous showers, but had a great time, and were moored in the Greyhound at Sutton Stop by 3pm.

It has highlighted to me how challenging it is to tow a butty, especially in variable cross winds, and also how daft some boaters are that think that they can get through a bridge between motor and butty if they don't slow down....

I then got absolutely drenched walking to the station to fetch the car.

Great day out, thanks chaps.

My first attempt at a proper vid, enjoy

Edited June 16, 2012 by matty40s

[allybsc]

Thanks for sharing that, 'twas lovely. I liked the music too x

[Tuscan]

On Thursday I was at a loose end and chatting to a guy named Ivor about all things boats as you do(who had also just completed the BCN challenge). He said they were going to move a couple of boats on Friday towards the Braunston Festival site......and aiming to finish the job Saturday or Sunday.

The boats were in Atherstone, so having another loose end day ( , I volunteered to give them a lift, which was an offer snapped up.

Anyhow, got to the boats, Atlas (followed by NB Firefly video at the start of the BCN challenge) and Malus and we decided that a loose end day wasn't to be any more.

 

The wind was very difficult, and we were caught by a couple of monstrous showers, but had a great time, and were moored in the Greyhound at Sutton Stop by 3pm.

It has highlighted to me how challenging it is to tow a butty, especially in variable cross winds, and also how daft some boaters are that think that they can get through a bridge between motor and butty if they don't slow down....

I then got absolutely drenched walking to the station to fetch the car.

Great day out, thanks chaps.

My first attempt at a proper vid, enjoy

 

 

Matty

 

great video thanks for sharing

[paddy r]

Sorry we keep missing you.Glad you enjoyed it can't watch the vid as really poor 3g here.Ruth says if you want some more practise in the wind let her know!

[matty40s]

Sorry we keep missing you.Glad you enjoyed it can't watch the vid as really poor 3g here.Ruth says if you want some more practise in the wind let her know!

I have PM'd you, (several times I think!!!)

[Laurence Hogg]

Great to watch but why boat with side cloths up when unladen? This is why you found the wind difficult.

[Tam & Di]

Great to watch but why boat with side cloths up when unladen? This is why you found the wind difficult.

 

and the empty butty on a line rather than cross straps

Edited June 16, 2012 by Tam & Di

[Mick and Maggie]

and also how daft some boaters are that think that they can get through a bridge between motor and butty if they don't slow down....

 

I spoke to the boater concerned this morning at Hawkesbury on the waterpoint. He told me about the "meeting" and that he did not see the butty and timed his approach to the bridge just as the other boat cleared.... Well that's his excuse...

 

 

M n M

[Pykebird]

Brilliant,great to see how the "proper" boaters do it! Thanks for sharing, did anyone else duck as they went under the bridge!

[ChimneyChain]

Now why can't I watch thic video. Looking at the thread on the iPad it's got u tube picture with a cross going through the play symbol . What's the title so I can watch it direct on u tube please . Thank you

 

Darren

[carlt]

What's the title so I can watch it direct on u tube please . Thank you

 

Darren

 

atlas to hawkesbury_0001.wmv

[ChimneyChain]

Thanks Carl appreciate that

 

Darren

[XAlan W]

and the empty butty on a line rather than cross straps

That was my thought as well & I couldn`t come up with a reason to use the line + shortening up about half way through the video Would have thought it was less hassle on cross straps

[alan_fincher]

and the empty butty on a line rather than cross straps

 

That was my thought as well & I couldn`t come up with a reason to use the line + shortening up about half way through the video Would have thought it was less hassle on cross straps

Yes, I'm no great expert on the topic, I can't see any reason at all why cross straps wouldn't be the obvious choice - seems perverse to be doing it on a line with an empty butty.

 

If cross winds are an issue with an empty clothed up boat, using cross straps would guarantee that the front end of the butty stayed firmly behind the motor, with far less scope for it being able to be blown of course, I would have thought.

 

Still, it is nice to see all such boats actively being boated.

[kathleen bridget]

Very enjoyable.. and great music.. nice one Matty

[RLWP]

Yes, I'm no great expert on the topic, I can't see any reason at all why cross straps wouldn't be the obvious choice - seems perverse to be doing it on a line with an empty butty.

 

If cross winds are an issue with an empty clothed up boat, using cross straps would guarantee that the front end of the butty stayed firmly behind the motor, with far less scope for it being able to be blown of course, I would have thought.

 

Still, it is nice to see all such boats actively being boated.

 

That's pretty much how they did the BCN Challenge too. Apparently we were lucky not to have been hit by them

 

Richard

[john6767]

That's pretty much how they did the BCN Challenge too. Apparently we were lucky not to have been hit by them

 

Richard

 

They hit us, and I suspect precisely for the reasons here.

 

They were using a single short line and when they eventually saw us coming the other way and tried to do something about it, the butty was overrunning the motor and they were all over the place. I did not have kind words to say at the time, but no damage seems to have been done.

 

 

 

[Liam]

They hit us, and I suspect precisely for the reasons here.

 

They were using a single short line and when they eventually saw us coming the other way and tried to do something about it, the butty was overrunning the motor and they were all over the place. I did not have kind words to say at the time, but no damage seems to have been done.

 

The parade should be a lot of fun then if they have the butty wandering around behind on a short line like a disobedient puppy on a lead !

[alan_fincher]

Matty has said in another post that they explained they were not on cross straps because the butty has some load on.

 

I still think they would be better on cross straps, and the suggestions made by others that the butty is running into things or overshooting the motor on occasions would support that to me.

 

The front end of the butty to me doesn't look far enough in for straps not to be a good option, but I admit that's based on observation of other boats, not on any personal experience of handling a Star class motor/butty pair.

 

As Liam says, I think if they start engaging at "contact sports" at Braunston, it may not go down too well!

[bristol & argo]

Matty has said in another post that they explained they were not on cross straps because the butty has some load on.

 

-snip-

 

But on long lock free stretches - droping onto a short line gets the butty out of the propwash for a smidgen more speed,

 

 

the only drawback is both motor and butty steerers need to stay awake and not daydream!!!!

 

Simon.

[alan_fincher]

But on long lock free stretches - droping onto a short line gets the butty out of the propwash for a smidgen more speed,

 

 

the only drawback is both motor and butty steerers need to stay awake and not daydream!!!!

 

Simon.

 

Yes but, as Matty said in first post...

 

The wind was very difficult, and we were caught by a couple of monstrous showers, but had a great time, and were moored in the Greyhound at Sutton Stop by 3pm.

It has highlighted to me how challenging it is to tow a butty, especially in variable cross winds.........................

 

I still think it sounds like they didn't really have the skills for boating on a line in those conditions, and even if having the butty on straps meant a "smidgen less speed", it might have given them greater control in the conditions.

[matty40s]

]

Yes but, as Matty said in first post...

 

I still think it sounds like they didn't really have the skills for boating on a line in those conditions, and even if having the butty on straps meant a "smidgen less speed", it might have given them greater control in the conditions.

 

It wasn't THEY Alan, it was I.

The first part of the voyage was fairly sheltered from the prevailing gusts,when the long line was deployed, it was only as we entered Nuneaton and beyond that the canal becomes exposed and the line was shortened. This also co-incided with me steering.

The set-up worked for Ivor, I was learning a whole new set of skills along with the wind gust issues.

 

As you said earlier, it is great to see the boats out, I had a brilliant time and have picked up something new.

 

They hit us, and I suspect precisely for the reasons here.

 

They were using a single short line and when they eventually saw us coming the other way and tried to do something about it, the butty was overrunning the motor and they were all over the place. I did not have kind words to say at the time, but no damage seems to have been done.

 

They probably hit you because they couldn't see you. Boating at night without lights is not recommended.

[pete harrison]

But on long lock free stretches - droping onto a short line gets the butty out of the propwash for a smidgen more speed,

 

 

the only drawback is both motor and butty steerers need to stay awake and not daydream!!!!

 

Simon.

I have never been at all convinced about dropping an empty butty onto a line gives "a smidgen more speed". In my opinion the vast majority of the motors propeller wash passes underneath an empty butty, and the clear advantages of freeing up the butty steerer when on cross straps far outweighs any perceived increase in speed.

 

I have always been of the opinion that properly fitted cross straps assist the bouyancy of the motors stern (i.e. the height of the butty fore end holds up the motors stern when moving forwards) so allowing more water underneath the motor and into the propeller - possibly adding "a smidgen more speed" but certainly reducing the motors draft when on the move so protecting the motor from some under water scraping - better for the boat and better for the butty steerer I can not recall a single occasion when I have not been able to keep up with a empty single motor when I have been steering an empty pair (excluding when passing through narrow locks).

 

Personally I would probably keep a butty on cross straps until it was more than about 25% loaded - and I consider boating empty boats with the cloths up as 'unprofessional', unless of course the boats are set up as camping boats of some sort

[john6767]

 

They probably hit you because they couldn't see you. Boating at night without lights is not recommended.

 

I was not that dark really, but I agree they should have had their light on; not been going so fast, and watching what they were doing would have also helped I think

 

I don't know enough about the techniques used, but others that do seem to be saying that what they were doing was not a good technique, and it certainly meant that when they slowed down the butty overran the motor, and they were all over the place.