Mooring opposite a winding hole

[Timleech]

It was the one just after the Moore canalside store.

 

I winded there with a 70' boat just a few weeks ago, with room to spare.

Yes your extra width will make it more awkward, as will the wind, but I'd be surprised if it weren't possible.

I still agree they shouldn't have tied there.

 

Tim

[Old Son]

Maybe he should have just carried out the manoeuvre and not worried about the consequence? A 60' wide beam is just like a 70' narrow boat, I mean they handle just the same and the gale force wind, that would have made very little difference because he probably would have crushed the GRP anyway.

 

This post was about people thinking before they moor up not about how great some of us are at winding. Yes he might have made it but I doubt it and for the time it takes to knock and ask somebody to move I think Dean did exactly the right thing.

 

I winded there with a 70' boat just a few weeks ago, with room to spare.

Yes your extra width will make it more awkward, as will the wind, but I'd be surprised if it weren't possible.

I still agree they shouldn't have tied there.

 

Tim

[Chris Pink]

"Miss! Miss! Johnny's moored in the winding hole."

"Oh dear Dean. How long is the winding hole?"

"70 foot Miss"

"And how long is your boat Dean?"

"57 foot Miss"

"And how wide is johnny's boat?"

"7 foot Miss"

"Well Dean, Johnny is very naughty but can you make me a sum with all those numbers"

"But Miss...."

"Now, please Dean"

"But Miss, it's not fair!"

[DeanS]

The thing is...I'm a bit of an introvert (lol..tis true).....and going and knocking on anothers boaters window to ask them to move is quite a big deal.

I think this boating thing is turning me into a grumpy old git.

 

 

"Miss! Miss! Johnny's moored in the winding hole."
"Oh dear Dean. How long is the winding hole?"
"70 foot Miss"
"And how long is your boat Dean?"
"57 foot Miss"
"And how wide is johnny's boat?"
"7 foot Miss"
"Well Dean, Johnny is very naughty but can you make me a sum with all those numbers"
"But Miss...."
"Now, please Dean"
"But Miss, it's not fair!"

 

Morning Chris

On form again I see...

 

but...Oh wise one....once I had swung my boat (assuming there was space which there wasnt), with a side wind blowing, what would have stopped my bow swinging around at full speed back towards the towpath, cracking his hull and dropping him and his wife into the dirty canal mud.

 

The point is....I decided there was a risk TO HIM and asking him to move was the DECENT thing to do.

Edited May 28, 2013 by DeanS

[bizzard]

Mount a JCB type hydraulic arm with grab bucket on your foredeck and dig your own winding hole wherever you want.

[Timleech]

Maybe he should have just carried out the manoeuvre and not worried about the consequence? A 60' wide beam is just like a 70' narrow boat, I mean they handle just the same and the gale force wind, that would have made very little difference because he probably would have crushed the GRP anyway.

 

This post was about people thinking before they moor up not about how great some of us are at winding. Yes he might have made it but I doubt it and for the time it takes to knock and ask somebody to move I think Dean did exactly the right thing.

 

I wasn't knocking Dean for asking them to move, perfectly reasonable thing to do, nor was I making any claims for my own abilities, just that I read Dean as saying it couldn't be done with the boat there.

 

Tim

[Chris Pink]

I agree with you Dean, getting on with it is much better than getting grumpy. In a similar situation I would turn into the winding hole. So my bows are now pinned no matter how strong the wind. I would then start the turn. It may be that there's not enough room because of Johnny's boat but with my bows in the hole and stern in deep water I have enough control. If I couldn't get round. I'd then step from my stern (with rope) onto Johnny's boat and knock. If I could, no harm done.

 

Avoiding stress is the key to happy boating. ( would you like a smiley with that? )

[DeanS]

 

 

Avoiding stress is the key to happy boating. ( would you like a smiley with that? )

 

yes please

actually I had a lovely day, and continued cruising for a good many happy hours...

 

I decided to post about it, because I knew it would be an interesting discussion....and I like Google Map pictures.

[Chris Pink]

My only serious contribution to the discussion is that, in windy conditions, get your bow into the winding hole asap and then it ain't going nowhere.

[DeanS]

ps...if he had realised the error of his ways and given me a simple "Oh I'm terribly sorry...I'll move" response....it wouldnt have got me riled...(we all make mistakes), but there was no recognition by him that he was inconveniencing other boaters.....clueless.

 

Due to his simple lapse of reason, it added an hour onto my journey.

 

Instead of winding in a few minutes, using the wind to help me spin (which would have taken 5mins max), I had to:

 

1. Moor up further down. (as there were more boats past the winding hole I had to get past.)

2. Spend 15mins considering the situation, and checking Google Maps for the next winding hole.

3. 15mins wondering what to do, and eventually deciding to approach him.

4. 15mins waiting for him to get his clothes on and move his boat.

5. 30mins trying to get my boat across to the offside bank in a gale. (so I could safety reverse it past other boats)

 

So...1hr and 15mins later........is the truth of it.

My only serious contribution to the discussion is that, in windy conditions, get your bow into the winding hole asap and then it ain't going nowhere.

 

yes...but I would have been stuck there....with my stern up against his boat...and on approach I didnt know if anyone was home.

[pquinn]

it sounds to me like he didnt have a clue what a winding hole was and still couldnt put 2 and 2 together after you asked him to move or else he was about to get a little action and just pulled up in the closest spot and put his pjs on.

[RLWP]

Maybe he should have just carried out the manoeuvre and not worried about the consequence? A 60' wide beam is just like a 70' narrow boat, I mean they handle just the same{snip}

 

Bet they don't

 

Richard

[Old Son]

Bet they don't

 

Richard

I bet they don't either!!

[tafelberg]

I am singled crewed on a 70ft boat so I really understand what you mean.

[DeanS]

I am singled crewed on a 70ft boat so I really understand what you mean.

 

THAT must be a challenge. ...especially in a crosswind and narrow canal...dont know how you do it ...you must crabwalk

[MtB]

I find handling a 68ft boat single handed reasonably straightforward too, especially on the cut.

 

But the thing that strikes me about the tone of Dean's OP is that he seems to think fibreglass boats are as fragile as eggshells. A thump from a steel boat is highly unlikely to hurt a fibreglass boat. The very light boat would just get pushed along a bit and perhaps the mooring stakes pulled, should an impact occur. Superficial damage (paintwork etc) is far more likely when two steel boats bump each other.

 

MtB

[tafelberg]

Prayer, mainly, a lot of prayer.

[DeanS]

But the thing that strikes me about the tone of Dean's OP is that he seems to think fibreglass boats are as fragile as eggshells.

 

My apologies.

Next time, I wont worry as much

although you put a scratch on one of them, and the next minute you have some maniac chasing you down the towpath with a mooring pin.

[Graham Davis]

Why look on Google Earth when a Guide Book, like Nicholson's, has all the info you require and is instantly available?

[Mike Todd]

I'd almost never copnsider backing into a winding hole - you never know what's there and, also, you lose control over the steering of the boat.

 

Boats turn quickest when in open water so, with the bow against the bank, it can be a bit slow, especially if the wind is wrong. However, it can be useful sometimes to back out just a bit, turn in fwd until back on the bank. repeat until most of the turn is completed.

 

Sorry, grandmothers out there (with eggs) . . .

There are other ways of exploiting the wind. For instance, if you go beyond the hole, then back the stern into it, you can let the wind push the bow around. Quicker if you get your crew to pull it around with a line though

 

Richard

[RLWP]

As it happens, we turned on Monday by putting the stern into the hole. It was far easier to manoeuvre the powered stern against the wind than the unpowered bow. Firefly ably demonstrated what happened the other way around earlier that morning

 

Richard

[DeanS]

all those with bow thrusters are wondering what all the fuss is about.

 

 

ETA....I did chuckle listening to someone with a bow thruster...weeee weeee weeee...and they were just coming around a bend.

Edited May 28, 2013 by DeanS

[bargemast]

all those with bow thrusters are wondering what all the fuss is about.

 

 

ETA....I did chuckle listening to someone with a bow thruster...weeee weeee weeee...and they were just coming around a bend.

 

The bowthruster is often making up for the lack of mastering the rudder, which would be plenty good enough to get the boat on the right track, and by using the bowthrusters like that, they won't live long (the bowthrusters that is) unless they're hydraulic.

 

Peter.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

What would you have done if the boat was moored IN the winding hole?

 

Does the boat boat become a fair target? If my arithmetic is correct and I reckon I have room to turn, should I plant my bow on their side and turn?

 

Next time I see a wannabe/working boat happily hogging a hole, ill try it.

 

Glenn

[Chalky]

What would you have done if the boat was moored IN the winding hole?

 

Does the boat boat become a fair target? If my arithmetic is correct and I reckon I have room to turn, should I plant my bow on their side and turn?

 

Next time I see a wannabe/working boat happily hogging a hole, ill try it.

 

Glenn

 

Don't assume the boat doesn't have the right to be there. Some approved moorings are at wharves that are also used as winding holes.