Plastic Boats

[peterboat]

I brought my friends colvin 28 back from up the canal yesterday it is my first experiance of them and I was pleasantly surprised by it. However I did find certain aspects hard work like mooring and having to climb out of the back! So I now know why cruisers are always mob handed as it makes life much easier.I am about to put wheel steering in my wide beam and hope it has more feel than the colvin? Anyway would I change from my boat to a plastic one? I dont think so unless it was a center cockpit

 

Peter

[Naughty Cal]

You just get used too it.

 

We can easily single hand our aft cockpit cruiser it just takes a different method.

 

You don't need to be mob handed even with larger cruisers.

 

That said some do manage to make a song and dance of a very simple task!

[peterboat]

Yes agree with you I do like the twin engines and the fact it can spin in its own length. The couple that bought it love her and it was cheap so once they have the knowledge I am sure they will have great times

 

Peter

[luctor et emergo]

Some? Some?

 

I must have met all three of them yesterday... Good grief. I reached a big river lock yesterday, in what can only be described as the f-ing downpour and thunderstorm to end all downpours, followed by a flottila of cruisers. I had to set the lock. No one made an effort to assist. Just as I'm about to open the lock, the downpour abates to a drizzle, and as I opened the lock, one of them came up and commented on how lousy the weather was..

Anyway, that I could live with, because I was drenched which ever way. I took my boat in, and made the extra effort to use my bow line to secure the bow, something unheard of when locking up alone, or with another steel boat. The next two small cruisers motored in then, and were held by 'centre lines'. Fine. Next in was a mahhoosive cruiser, which was pulled in, gingerly, inch by painfull inch, taking the best part of ten minutes...

One of the cruiser owners opened a paddle. A little bit. Then, after several minutes, a little more. Just a little mind. It was excruciating to watch the pained expression on their faces when my boat started to move a little. One of the grabbed the edge of the cratch, to pull the bow back in... Like I'm not capable of doing that myself, with the bow rope.

 

After that I let them go past to get to the next lock, I rather lock on my own than doing all that again.

 

Perhaps Phylis can explain to them that their boats will not disintegrate when they are touched?

[Naughty Cal]

Each to their own. There are plenty of steel boat owners who don't like their boats to be touched either!

 

It doesn't bother us but it obviously bothers some. If you leave the boats alone instead of pulling in vain on ropes they will settle against each other and rise/fall with little fuss.

 

Worst we have had us some hull blacking on the fenders which transferred to our hull. Took a bit of elbow grease to get it off again but no harm done.

[peterboat]

The lock business was easy reached out grabbed ladders boat stayed where it was! perfik In my wide arese semi dutch barge its a little bit harder so I dont bother

 

Peter