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Fastest Cruiser through the Harecastle Tunnel

Hayabusabart

By Hayabusabart
in Cruise Diaries & Reports

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FadeToScarlet Veteran

FadeToScarlet

Posted
Posted

Going through a tunnel can feel much, much faster than going outside. Tickover sounds like flat out the moment you go in! Often, I've looked at the tachometer, feeling we're going at Warp Factor 10 and the engines cannae tak it much moooor, captan, and been surprised to be doing only 1800 rpm, or what I use on a deep, piled but of canal outside.

 

As an aside, the best thing I got for tunnels was a floodlight on the engine room roof, it illuminates the whole length of the boat and makes steering a huge amount easier,

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Hayabusabart Explorer

Hayabusabart

Posted
  • Author
Posted

It is possible to"make a bit of progress" without going full throttle and boasting about speed records isn't it?

 

What next F1 narrowboat racing!

Yes I am sure that it is possible without full throttle I am sure.. I just wanted to see what my tub could do. Whats wrong with that?

Nowt wrong with having a bit of an adventure on the canals either (maybe you should try it sometime?)

More importantly.. I was not "boasting" just relaying the facts and to see what others thought.

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nine9feet Collaborator

nine9feet

Posted
Posted

Can anyone else remember when it had a tow path. I remember it diving off under water, but only as a childs memory.

Yes! First went through, going south, in 1971. The towpath was in a bad state with long sections collapsed, often leaving the supporting structure sticking up out of the water.

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

But they might be...

Manageable is manageable. We go through with a coal fired steamboat...

I know you do Daniel. Point is if every diesel/petrol boat went through with the throttle wide open, would it be manageable then?

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  • 2 weeks later...
Dave Payne Influencer

Dave Payne

Posted
Posted

I havent been through the Harecastle yet. But with 60hp engine in a 27 foot Dawncraft..I think I would be quick..At full throttle the bow lifts so much its difficult to see ahead and the wash goes over the towpath.

Why so much power?.........1.8 litre Ford diesel engine was much cheaper to put in than recon BMC engine.

For those that will complain about the potential speed speed of my boat, I dont care, I think near enough everyone has tried out the top speed of their boat.at one time or another.

 

 

I didnt realise you could drop in a standard car engine, do you have to do much adapting?

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mayalld Veteran II

mayalld

Posted
Posted

Second to everyone - I dunno about the 4mph limit applying to the tunnel..

 

The 4mph limit DOES apply to the tunnel.

 

By my reckoning, you averaged 4.9mph

 

 

 

 

Speed of Vessels 14. No person shall navigate a power-driven vessel on any canal at a

speed over the bed of the canal greater than the following:-

a On the Trent Navigation (except between Averham Weir and

Newark Nether Lock and between Beeston Lock and Trent Lock,

Nottingham), a speed of 6 miles per hour upstream and 8 miles

per hour downstream.

b On the Aire and Calder Navigation (except the Selby Canal),

the New Junction Canal, the Sheffield and South Yorkshire

Navigation, the Grand Union Canal (from the junction with the

River Trent at Soar Mouth to West Bridge, Leicester), the Weaver

Navigation and the Witham Navigation a speed of 6 miles per

hour.

c On any canal or part thereof other than those to which

paragraphs a and b hereof apply, a speed of 4 miles per hour.

Provided that no person shall be convicted of any offence under

this Bye-law upon proof by him that the speed at which he

navigated the vessel was necessary for safe navigation in

conditions of flood tide or strong ebbtide or flood water.

Provided also that where and so often and for so long as the

Board may in their discretion having regard to all the

circumstances consider it reasonable to relax in any respect the

restriction hereby imposed they may do so by erecting a notice in

the vicinity of the canal and if the Board shall erect such a notice

the said restrictions shall not apply in such respects and to such

extent as may be specified in the notice.

 

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Mike Tee Experienced

Mike Tee

Posted
Posted

Just been through Braunston tunnel - visibility was the clearest I've known in there, absolutely no problem seeing the far exit. No other boats around, and I didn't touch the sides anywhere going through - having read this thread last night, I timed myself and cruising at a comfortable speed, did it in 16 minutes. I've just surprised myself by working it out to be 4.3mph, it felt a lot slower! However, my RN DM2 has minimal silencing, SO I'M NOW A BIT DEAF.

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DHutch Veteran II

DHutchDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I didnt realise you could drop in a standard car engine, do you have to do much adapting?

Well ultimately, as long as you don't impinge things like the boatsafteyscheme and other requirements, you can do what you like! There have been some boats that even retain there automotive gearbox!

 

If you do a search for 'marinising' 'marinisation of' engines there are some past threads, as well as coverage on other sites.

 

 

Daniel

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Capt Col Engager

Capt Col

Posted
Posted

Recall watching the boats at the north end of the tunnel late one sat afternoon a few years ago.

As the last northbound boat came out of the tunnel a fibreglass/plastic crusier appeared just under the railway bridge, and just by passed all the waiting southbound boats and went straight into the tunnel...think the crew on board had been having a good afternoon with the beer.

All the tunnel keeper and waiting boaters could do was stand in amazment as the cruiser dissapered and all that could be heard was the thuds from the collisions with the tunnel wall.

So job stopped until they got out the other side and who knows how long that took?

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  • 5 months later...
river dragonfly Explorer

river dragonfly

Posted
Posted

Some years ago a friend was told off by the tunnel keeper for speeding thru Harecastle tunnel .He asked "How did you know"? The reply was "We know what time you went in and we know when you came out , its not rocket science " The limit iS 4mph Damage will be caused to a 200 year old structure These speedsters should be ashamed Buy a stupid speedboat and annoy people at Skegness

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