Single handling a Dutch barge

[blackrose]

Looking enviously at all the nice Dutch and new build Dutch style barges going past today, I was just wondering how difficult it is to move these boats by onself? I move my 57' x 12' NB style widebeam alone, but I tend to adopt the single-handed narrowboat approach, using centre ropes from the roof.

 

Most of the barges I see going past have crew and no visible centre ropes. I guess some have central bits or bollards on their side decks so they can use a mid-ship, but I can't help thinking that they look inherently more problematic to handle by oneself.

Edited July 22, 2012 by blackrose

[Guest]

Looking enviously at all the nice Dutch and new build Dutch style barges going past today, I was just wondering how difficult it is to move these boats by onself? I move my 57' x 12' NB style widebeam alone, but I tend to adopt the single-handed narrowboat approach, using centre ropes from the roof.

 

Most of the barges I see going past have crew and no visible centre ropes. I guess some have central bits or bollards on their side decks so they can use a mid-ship, but I can't help thinking that they look inherently more problematic to handle by oneself.

 

Where we boat there is a guy who single hands a replica Dutch Barge, we see him occasionally - I've also watched him moor and he does it with consummate ease declining my offer to help which I made because I could see he was on his own.

 

I am not sure how he manages in the locks but I guess he must be fine too.

 

I've noticed he had lines on bollards which were just outside the wheelhouse door so he can just pick up a rope as he steps ashore, he temporarily secured it with that and then the lines fore and aft.

Edited July 22, 2012 by The Dog House

[MtB]

CWF member 'Paringa' single hands his replica DB around on the Thames. Its about 70ft x 12ft at a guess.

 

He uses ropes on bollards by the wheelhouse doors too IIRC.

 

Mike

[bizzard]

The best way for general use would probably be the same as most leisure boats used before the advent of centre ropes when roofs were not steel, by bringing a long bow rope aft to the steering position, one each side if need be along with the stern rope and just step ashore or onto the lockside with them both and tie up, not much more to it than using a centre rope.

[jenlyn]

Right, I've got me runnings shoes on............... Get one with a bow thruster mike >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[OldGoat]

My neighbour does it with consumate ease - and bow thrusters, but not to exccess, you understand!

A centre rope on a DB is much more sophisticated.

 

Girt big bollards in the centre of the side decks.

Nice wide side decks you can walk along

AND the boat is at the right height for working big locks.

[Hairy-Neil]

I'll bet member Steilsteven does/has.....

[Steilsteven]

I'll bet member Steilsteven does/has.....

 

Yes, quite often and it's not too difficult, easier than many narrow boats in fact.

Having wide side decks and knowing the rudder will remain in position means I can walk from one end to the other and drop a line over a bollard to use as a spring. I then return to the wheelhouse and give a bit of forward with the rudder turned which brigs her into the side. Once she's alongside she'll stay put, as long as she's still in gear, and I can casually go about mooring up or setting a lock etc.

 

Keith

Edited July 23, 2012 by Steilsteven

[weaverbarge]

wish i had the confidence with the boat and the physical capabilties to do this! maybe if i were 20 years younger ...

[Robbo]

Looking enviously at all the nice Dutch and new build Dutch style barges going past today, I was just wondering how difficult it is to move these boats by onself? I move my 57' x 12' NB style widebeam alone, but I tend to adopt the single-handed narrowboat approach, using centre ropes from the roof.

 

I single-handle my dutch barge, even though I have a centre ring, I don't use it. I just use two ropes (well four), two long ones either side from the bow that run along the length of the boat and two on the bollards next to the wheel house. The image below shows where the bollards are. When I come in I tie up the stern first (or just loop a rope around a bollard to bring the boat to a stop). When in a lock I use both ropes to tie up as well, I can't imagine just using a centre rope to be honest.

 

[Paringa]

Yes...What they all said!

[blackrose]

Yes, quite often and it's not too difficult, easier than many narrow boats in fact.

Having wide side decks and knowing the rudder will remain in position means I can walk from one end to the other and drop a line over a bollard to use as a spring. I then return to the wheelhouse and give a bit of forward with the rudder turned which brigs her into the side. Once she's alongside she'll stay put, as long as she's still in gear, and I can casually go about mooring up or setting a lock etc.

 

Keith

 

But would you do that on the Thames with other boats in the lock?

 

I single-handle my dutch barge, even though I have a centre ring, I don't use it. I just use two ropes (well four), two long ones either side from the bow that run along the length of the boat and two on the bollards next to the wheel house. The image below shows where the bollards are. When I come in I tie up the stern first (or just loop a rope around a bollard to bring the boat to a stop). When in a lock I use both ropes to tie up as well, I can't imagine just using a centre rope to be honest.

 

 

Nice boat!

 

I don't just use a centre rope either, I just use it initially when I step off the boat. After that I put the stern and bow ropes on

[GUMPY]

I would but slightly differantly

Enter lock stop boat take a turn on the stern bits engage forward gear bow comes accross to bank stop engine go and tie up front.

Easypeasy

Can't do the same as easily on a NB will have to work out a new technique for that

[blackrose]

I would but slightly differantly

Enter lock stop boat take a turn on the stern bits engage forward gear bow comes accross to bank stop engine go and tie up front.

Easypeasy

Can't do the same as easily on a NB will have to work out a new technique for that

 

I have to say that when I'm coming into a lock going upstream/uphill, I think I would have a bit of difficulty keeping control at the helm while at the same time throwing a stern rope around a bollard on top of the lock wall. How do you do that?

Edited July 24, 2012 by blackrose

[bargemast]

Steilsteven, Robbo, Paringa and idleness, gave their story here, and you clearly see that there's a difference between the handling of a narrowboat in locks, and a Dutch barge, or bigger barge, as you don't jump ashore with your ropes, but use the loop of your ropes on the bollards in the locks, and if it's a heavy barge you come to a stop by using the (hopefully) well placed bollards next to the wheelhouse doors, and just flick the ropes of the lockbollards when you're ready to leave.

 

Personally I have no experience with the Thames-locks, but I have (mainly) single handed more then 30years all kinds of boats and commercial barges upto 50m x 6.60m (166' x 22') without B.T.'s and with many other barges and pleasure boats sharing the locks in Holland, Belgium and France, probably a lot bigger and bussier than the Thames locks.

 

Here is an example of the terrible behaviour of the pleasure boaters, almost fighting to get into the lock, during the summer-months this is a regular happening that attracts lots of spectators for the free and exiting ongoing show, you can imagine that it's far from easy, even if you have the prority with a commercial barge, to get through without doing any damage, but normally slowly pushing does it.

 

 

I was thought to never get of the boat, until safely tied-up.

 

Peter.

Edited July 24, 2012 by bargemast

[blackrose]

Steilsteven, Robbo, Paringa and idleness, gave their story here, and you clearly see that there's a difference between the handling of a narrowboat in locks, and a Dutch barge, or bigger barge, as you don't jump ashore with your ropes, but use the loop of your ropes on the bollards in the locks, and if it's a heavy barge you come to a stop by using the (hopefully) well placed bollards next to the wheelhouse doors, and just flick the ropes of the lockbollards when you're ready to leave.

 

On my boat I rarely jump ashore with my ropes and I don't use lock bollards to stop my boat. I've seen enough of them uprooted to know that's not always a safe bet.

[GUMPY]

I have to say that when I'm coming into a lock going upstream/uphill, I think I would have a bit of difficulty keeping control at the helm while at the same time throwing a stern rope around a bollard on top of the lock wall. How do you do that?

Its easy on Parglena, however I have done it for the last time.....

Going uphill in a lock the side of the lock is normaly just above the deck downhill is slightly harder as the lockside is 5ft below the deck.

Take it slowly and with Parglena the Bits are just outside the wheelhouse door, I Just drop the rope over the bollard take a turn on the bits and retire to the wheelhouse with the end of the rope in hand.

I will admit that it is much easier coming alongside on the port side as the throttle is that side, the whole secret is that the Bits are in the right place, on a fat narrowboat they are always behind the steerer, not next to them and blocked by rails etc so its almost impossible to do it.

[Tam & Di]

 

Personally I have no experience with the Thames-locks, but I have (mainly) single handed more then 30years all kinds of boats and commercial barges upto 50m x 6.60m (166' x 22') without B.T.'s and with many other barges and pleasure boats sharing the locks in Holland, Belgium and France, probably a lot bigger and bussier than the Thames locks.

 

Here is an example of the terrible behaviour of the pleasure boaters, almost fighting to get into the lock, during the summer-months this is a regular happening that attracts lots of spectators for the free and exiting ongoing show, you can imagine that it's far from easy, even if you have the prority with a commercial barge, to get through without doing any damage, but normally slowly pushing does it.

 

Peter.

 

Its easy on Parglena, however I have done it for the last time.....

Going uphill in a lock the side of the lock is normaly just above the deck downhill is slightly harder as the lockside is 5ft below the deck.

Take it slowly and with Parglena the Bits are just outside the wheelhouse door, I Just drop the rope over the bollard take a turn on the bits and retire to the wheelhouse with the end of the rope in hand.

I will admit that it is much easier coming alongside on the port side as the throttle is that side, the whole secret is that the Bits are in the right place, on a fat narrowboat they are always behind the steerer, not next to them and blocked by rails etc so its almost impossible to do it.

 

 

As several people have said, working a Dutch barge or any similarly designed vessel single handed ordinarily presents no great difficulty. It is more difficult on the Thames where they have the absurd rule that you turn your engine off, which means you must control what is a very heavy boat (ours is 80 tonnes) with just your lines in a lock together with lots of small craft. One essential though is that there are paired bitts immediately outside the wheelhouse door, as explained by idleness.

 

At the end of the link given by Peter there is a sequence of the loaded automoteur "Traveler" dropping down through the lock at Diou on the Canal Latéral à la Loire which shows perfectly how the doubled bitts are used to check the boat

. You do NOT take figure of eight turns around the two of them. In a Freycinet lock a 39m x 5.05m spitz has hardly any clearance on either side or at either end. You need to use two lines, as the rudder generally has to be swung over at 90 degrees to clear the gates and you cannot stay in head gear. It is not unusual though for them to be worked one handed. The steerer will put the eye of one line over a lockside bollard and check his forward motion, then put another line going forwards from the same pair of bollards next to the wheelhouse door. That leaves him there and able to adjust the length of his lines as necessary. Leaving the lock he will take off the line which goes backwards first, and the one running forward will stop him drifting back onto the gates/cill behind him. In a larger lock he can simply use just the one line to check his forward movement and then stay in head gear driving against that.

 

Note that it takes about 8 minutes for Traveler to pass the lock with about 240-250 tonnes of freight - no shouting, no pfaffing about - just a calm organised operation.

 

edited to add direct link to loaded péniche in a Freycinet lock

Edited July 25, 2012 by Tam & Di

[Robbo]

As several people have said, working a Dutch barge or any similarly designed vessel single handed ordinarily presents no great difficulty. It is more difficult on the Thames where they have the absurd rule that you turn your engine off, which means you must control what is a very heavy boat (ours is 80 tonnes) with just your lines in a lock together with lots of small craft.

 

Of course if your single handing you won't be on the boat in a lock to control the engine, so using ropes is the only method, (my boat isn't 80ton though!)

 

80tonnes, pictures!

[Tam & Di]

Of course if your single handing you won't be on the boat in a lock to control the engine, so using ropes is the only method, (my boat isn't 80ton though!)

 

80tonnes, pictures!

 

 

In truth although we converted "Friesland" at Adelaide Dock and Bulls Bridge on the bottom of the GU we never took it further up or cruised it for pleasure there. We simply went up and down from Bulls Bridge to the Thames a few times, and occasionally me doing it on my own (very very carefully as she is 24m long and 4.2m wide). Even our experience in Thames locks has been mostly two handed, though when we operated our similar sized Trent barge Clinton taking grain from Tilbury up to Coxes Mill on the Wey in the 80s we were never asked to stop the motor in the Thames locks and worked her with lines exactly as I describe.

 

We could leave our working narrowboats leaning on the top gates on canals, but you can't do that with a Dutch or replica barge as the anchors would foul, so the techniques have to allow for that.

 

Anyway, here is a photo of our 80t barge "Friesland" on the grid at Strand-on-the-Green on the Thames in 1994 immediately before bringing her back across to France.

 

Edited July 25, 2012 by Tam & Di

[Robbo]

We could leave our working narrowboats leaning on the top gates on canals, but you can't do that with a Dutch or replica barge as the anchors would foul, so the techniques have to allow for that.

 

Nice boat, one day I would like to own something that size or larger, would you say it could be done single handed easily?

[Robbo]

I have to say that when I'm coming into a lock going upstream/uphill, I think I would have a bit of difficulty keeping control at the helm while at the same time throwing a stern rope around a bollard on top of the lock wall. How do you do that?

 

I tend to coast when coming in so the boat is just at a stop before the gates or side if not a lock. So been at the helm isn't the best place. As I don't like fenders on (spoils the lines of the boat) whilst on the move, you'll see me walk down the side putting them out before hand as well. The larger gunnels makes getting around the boat so much easier as well as position of the bollards.

[Tam & Di]

Nice boat, one day I would like to own something that size or larger, would you say it could be done single handed easily?

 

"Friesland" is too big for UK canals - we could get it onto the bottom of the GU, and it would have fitted on the Paddington Arm, Regents Canal and Lea. It would not have been particularly pleasurable for cruising though. "Easily?", not really until you have the necessary experience, but then yes. On the Continent there is no problem at all, again with the proviso that you have the necessary knowledge and experience, as on the one hand you are mixing it with the big commercial boys in the north of France and Benelux countries, and are trying to cope with canals full of small hire boats and inexperienced steerers on the small central France waterways and the Midi.

Edited July 25, 2012 by Tam & Di

[blackrose]

As several people have said, working a Dutch barge or any similarly designed vessel single handed ordinarily presents no great difficulty. It is more difficult on the Thames where they have the absurd rule that you turn your engine off, which means you must control what is a very heavy boat (ours is 80 tonnes) with just your lines in a lock together with lots of small craft.

 

What is the reason for that rule exactly? I always assumed it was because a load of engines running simultaneously is a lock might present an asphyxiation hazard to those onboard boats in the lock.

 

Of course if your single handing you won't be on the boat in a lock to control the engine, so using ropes is the only method

 

On the Thames you might be - I think that's how Idleness does it - he stays on his boat (but with his engine off). I get off my boat and do it from the lock side.

 

In truth although we converted "Friesland" at Adelaide Dock and Bulls Bridge on the bottom of the GU we never took it further up or cruised it for pleasure there. We simply went up and down from Bulls Bridge to the Thames a few times, and occasionally me doing it on my own (very very carefully as she is 24m long and 4.2m wide).

 

Hang on? 24m is over 78ft. How did you get down the Hanwell flight to Brentford and the Thames? I thought those GU locks would only accommodate a 72ft boat? Perhaps they are bigger than I thought?

 

At the end of the link given by Peter there is a sequence of the loaded automoteur "Traveler" dropping down through the lock at Diou on the Canal Latéral à la Loire which shows perfectly how the doubled bitts are used to check the boat

.

 

Perfectly? But they're wearing gloves! (I recall an article you wrote in Blue Flag about your dislike of the practice, and the minor spat that followed.)

Edited July 25, 2012 by blackrose

[Tam & Di]

What is the reason for that rule exactly? I always assumed it was because a load of engines running simultaneously is a lock might present an asphyxiation hazard to those onboard boats in the lock.

 

The Thames has been used by pleasure craft for a long long time - "3 Men in a Boat" and all that stuff. When motorised pleasure boats first appeared they were petrol engined, so the mixture of funny people wearing straw boaters in punts and skiffs with them in large locks like Boulters was rather risky. It's just continued on from there. (well, I made that up, but I think it is probably correct)

 

 

Hang on? 24m is over 78ft. How did you get down the Hanwell flight to Brentford and the Thames? I thought those GU locks would only accommodate a 72ft boat? Perhaps they are bigger than I thought?

 

Because the cills on the locks up from Brentford are curved, which allows a much large boat - except for one , which has been "made good" with a straight baulk of timber. We measured the maximum length of that one, and had the beurtschip we bought in Friesland cut down by 1.5m to fit, so we could get up to our yard.

 

Perfectly? But they're wearing gloves! (I recall an article you wrote in Blue Flag about your dislike of the practice, and the minor spat that followed.)

 

Ah, you remember that . The marinière is wearing stiff gloves, which are far less likely to catch than the floppy things some people turn up with. She is also stood well clear of the bollards (other than when she quickly drops a half hitch on) which makes it less likely to catch a bit of glove between bollard and the line. Even then, if you got 100 mariniers to hold up their hands it is doubtful that you would see 1000 fingers. No matter how careful you are, ropework with a heavy boat which can move about and changes its angle relative to the lockside bollard is a dangerous scenario; we believe that wearing gloves adds to the danger, particularly for novices, and won't allow trainees to wear them on our boat.