Ribble Link rescue

[rgreg]

http://m.lythamstannesexpress.co.uk/news/stranded-canal-boat-leads-to-rnli-emergency-call-1-6037736

[matty40s]

http://m.lythamstannesexpress.co.uk/news/stranded-canal-boat-leads-to-rnli-emergency-call-1-6037736

A Fylde lifeboat crew was on hand to rescue a stricken boat left broken down in the middle of the River Ribble.

 

A failed engine saw the 50ft canal narrow boat marooned near the mouth of the River Astland where it joins the River Ribble, close to the BAE Systems Warton site.

The inshore Lytham lifeboat, Sally, was hailed by Liverpool Coastguard to rescue two women aboard the stranded vessel on Saturday, shortly after 1pm.

The disabled boat was found with the two occupants attempting to restart the overheated engine.

Lytham crewman Vinny Pedley went aboard the canal boat to rig a tow line to drag the stricken vessel to the entrance of Tarleton lock.

With Southport coastguard standing by to assist, Lytham helmsman Tom Stuart used the Sally to nudge the narrow boat into the safety of the lock chamber, out of the reach of the fast flowing tide in the river.

Volunteer crewman Ben McGarry later said: “The inshore lifeboat had the power to tow the large canal boat with no problem despite it being against the ebb tide.

“If the boat had been left and not towed in though she could have been in real trouble as she grounded at low water.”

[Ange]

Only very slightly veering

 

When I first read the article my immediate thought was River Astland? When we did the Ribble Link we believed we went from the River Douglas onto the River Ribble. The marker that you go around to move between the two was marked up as the Astland lamp on one side and the Asland lamp on the other. Dave thinks the River Douglas is also known as the River Astland.

 

Any local knowledge would be great

[Señor Chris]

The OS has it as "River Astland or Douglas".

[pearley]

The cause of the breakdown is given as 'overheated engine'. Just goes to prove you need to know the capabilities of your boat before venturing out onto rivers and to keep an eye on your gauges.

 

Regards

Pete

[Tony Brooks]

The cause of the breakdown is given as 'overheated engine'. Just goes to prove you need to know the capabilities of your boat before venturing out onto rivers and to keep an eye on your gauges.

 

Regards

Pete

 

 

And know the dodges to compensate for an undersized skin tank like running all your hot water off if calorifier heated and spraying the inside face of the skin tank with water (you can use the bilge pump for this if you fill the bilge first and fit another length of hose).

 

Of course it would be far better to find a safer river and give the boat a good thrashing upstream for at least half an hour to ensure the cooling system is up to the job. This, of course, assumes it was an undersized skin tank and not something more serious.

[Captain Fizz]

I am considering making a separate raw water heat exchanger to put into the cooling line just for use on rivers when pushing the tide.

[Tony Brooks]

I am considering making a separate raw water heat exchanger to put into the cooling line just for use on rivers when pushing the tide.

 

 

To be honest it all adds complexity. In my view it would be better if the skin tank size was sorted so you do not need anything else. I ran my boat flat out from Maidenhead to Teddington (trying to stay ahead of a flood) in a day and there was no sign of overheating. A seal in the water pump started dripping but it in no way affected the cooling as long as I kept it topped up.

 

However that would require expense so as a DIY project your solution would be ideal.

[Macc Lad]

An ex-local writes: it is River Asland or Douglas - no T.

[Tacet]

This is what is says on the lamp:

 

 

We were on the same sailing as Sally albeit it locked out immediately after us. At Tarleton,the crew said they had crossed to the Lancaster Canal before, but not on this boat.

 

We cracked on down the Douglas, with Sally often in sight astern until close to the lamp; in fact it seemed to be closing in at one point, but it is hard to be sure. With hindsight, it would have been preferable to slow down and not overheat (assuming that was the cause) - there was plenty of time to pass over the sea gate and anyway, the option of Preston Basin is not a bad one. A boat from the previous days sailing joined us on the Ribble, having diverted to Preston with no harm done.

 

 

[Dave_P]

The cause of the breakdown is given as 'overheated engine'. Just goes to prove you need to know the capabilities of your boat before venturing out onto rivers and to keep an eye on your gauges.

 

Regards

Pete

The are other reasons for overheating other than just an incapable boat.

 

A leak in your cooling system for example.

 

A split in one of your pipes could happen at any time. What this goes to prove is that you should have decent emergency equipment and a decent plan for when the worst does happen on waters like this.

[neil m]

My son is on the Lytham crew and was on this rescue, the crew and local fishermen know it as the Douglas, though Ben said he has heard the coastguard refer to it as the Asland so maybe its known as that on the Southport side, The station manager told me overheating narrowboats happen on the link as crews tend to go flat out once out onto the river, pushing against the strong current must overheat the skin tank on some boats, This crew got their anchor down, when they hit problems, others have ended up on a sandbank and listing when the tide goes out, and there has been a battle to stop them sinking when it comes back in.

I have done it and think the majority cross with no problems though so don't be put off.

neil m

[Captain Fizz]

To be honest it all adds complexity. In my view it would be better if the skin tank size was sorted so you do not need anything else. I ran my boat flat out from Maidenhead to Teddington (trying to stay ahead of a flood) in a day and there was no sign of overheating. A seal in the water pump started dripping but it in no way affected the cooling as long as I kept it topped up.

 

However that would require expense so as a DIY project your solution would be ideal.

Yes Tony, I take your point.

I may just fit another skin tank on the other side the next time I am out for blacking.

I don't have a problem with overheating, but it is nice to know that you can push hard if you need to.

[rgreg]

Having done the crossing many times the best method is 'steady away" without thrashing the engine too hard. Of course, things can still go wrong despite the best preparation.

[Naughty Cal]

Having done the crossing many times the best method is 'steady away" without thrashing the engine too hard. Of course, things can still go wrong despite the best preparation.

I would tend to agree. It's nice to have some extra revs in the bag should you need it though.

[Neil2]

Just to display my ignorance once again, if this boat was heading for the Lanky wouldn't she be going with the ebb tide along the Douglas? So the engine shouldn't have been working that hard.

 

IIRC to do the Link they recommend your boat should be capable of 6mph or is is 6 knots, in still water. I tried this on the Weaver with our last boat and she couldn't do it without overheating.

Edited September 19, 2013 by Neil2

[homer2911]

Yes Tony, I take your point.

I may just fit another skin tank on the other side the next time I am out for blacking.

I don't have a problem with overheating, but it is nice to know that you can push hard if you need to.

 

Because when we first acquired our present boat my engine even overheated when travelling 'upstream' on the Lllangollen canal, I asked Oxley Marine to fit another skin tank. The incredible Orph at Oxley said 'Nah - we'll fit an iron pipe in series with your cooling system', out of the boat, along the swim, back down the other side and back into the hull to complete the circuit. Problem cured at a stroke - the engine has never over-heated since, having been thrashed more than once since the mods on the Llangollen, as well as on the Bristol Channel, River Trent and tidal Thames. Nice one Orph!

[rgreg]

Just to display my ignorance once again, if this boat was heading for the Lanky wouldn't she be going with the ebb tide along the Douglas? So the engine shouldn't have been working that hard.

 

IIRC to do the Link they recommend your boat should be capable of 6mph or is is 6 knots, in still water. I tried this on the Weaver with our last boat and she couldn't do it without overheating.

No, you're pretty much punching the tide all the way with a bit of slack at the end of the Douglas. Never heard of the 6mph guide and I've seen some fairly slow boats do it.

[Captain Fizz]

Because when we first acquired our present boat my engine even overheated when travelling 'upstream' on the Lllangollen canal, I asked Oxley Marine to fit another skin tank. The incredible Orph at Oxley said 'Nah - we'll fit an iron pipe in series with your cooling system', out of the boat, along the swim, back down the other side and back into the hull to complete the circuit. Problem cured at a stroke - the engine has never over-heated since, having been thrashed more than once since the mods on the Llangollen, as well as on the Bristol Channel, River Trent and tidal Thames. Nice one Orph!

Yes, they work fine, but I saw one torn off on an underwater obstruction. It fractured the weld on the hull and nearly sank the barge.

[Ange]

This is what is says on the lamp:

 

 

We were on the same sailing as Sally albeit it locked out immediately after us. At Tarleton,the crew said they had crossed to the Lancaster Canal before, but not on this boat.

 

We cracked on down the Douglas, with Sally often in sight astern until close to the lamp; in fact it seemed to be closing in at one point, but it is hard to be sure. With hindsight, it would have been preferable to slow down and not overheat (assuming that was the cause) - there was plenty of time to pass over the sea gate and anyway, the option of Preston Basin is not a bad one. A boat from the previous days sailing joined us on the Ribble, having diverted to Preston with no harm done.

 

 

This was the lamp when we crossed in 2010 - interestingly the T wasn't there then. I recall that they changed the lamp while we were on the Lanky (we were on the first 2011 return crossing)

[Neil2]

No, you're pretty much punching the tide all the way with a bit of slack at the end of the Douglas. Never heard of the 6mph guide and I've seen some fairly slow boats do it.

It's para 5.4 in the Skippers Guide http://www.ribblelink.co.uk/Skippers%20Guide.pdf

[Mike Todd]

It says Asland on one side and Astland on the other!

[Rob@BSSOffice]

A Fylde lifeboat crew was on hand to rescue a stricken boat left broken down in the middle of the River Ribble.

 

A failed engine saw the 50ft canal narrow boat marooned near the mouth of the River Astland where it joins the River Ribble, close to the BAE Systems Warton site.

The inshore Lytham lifeboat, Sally, was hailed by Liverpool Coastguard to rescue two women aboard the stranded vessel on Saturday, shortly after 1pm.

The disabled boat was found with the two occupants attempting to restart the overheated engine.

Lytham crewman Vinny Pedley went aboard the canal boat to rig a tow line to drag the stricken vessel to the entrance of Tarleton lock.

With Southport coastguard standing by to assist, Lytham helmsman Tom Stuart used the Sally to nudge the narrow boat into the safety of the lock chamber, out of the reach of the fast flowing tide in the river.

Volunteer crewman Ben McGarry later said: “The inshore lifeboat had the power to tow the large canal boat with no problem despite it being against the ebb tide.

“If the boat had been left and not towed in though she could have been in real trouble as she grounded at low water.”

 

 

The Coastguard tweeted this message at 8am this morning

Lytham Coastguard ‏@LythamCG 11h

Narrow boat from earlier in the day successfully re floated on midnight tide and escorted to bull Nose Preston by Lytham ILB and CG's

 

There seems to have been another incident yesterday

Edited September 20, 2013 by Rob@BSSOffice

[Tacet]

 

 

The Coastguard tweeted this message at 8am this morning

Lytham Coastguard ‏@LythamCG 11h

Narrow boat from earlier in the day successfully re floated on midnight tide and escorted to bull Nose Preston by Lytham ILB and CG's

 

There seems to have been a another incident yesterday

 

I am (honestly!) told that it was a widebeam.

[ditchcrawler]

I am considering making a separate raw water heat exchanger to put into the cooling line just for use on rivers when pushing the tide.

First posting from my iPad and it looks in the wrong place, anyway have a look at this http://boatbuildblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/making-keel-cooling-for-friend.html

I am considering making a separate raw water heat exchanger to put into the cooling line just for use on rivers when pushing the tide.

First posting from my iPad and it looks in the wrong place, anyway have a look at this http://boatbuildblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/making-keel-cooling-for-friend.html

 

It worked