Moving my boat in this weather

[Naughty Cal]

 

No, I'm seriously suggesting you are not qualified to to comment.

 

 

MtB

Ha ha!

 

If you wish.

Narrowboats have throttles? :-0

Why don't they use them then?

 

No, I'm seriously suggesting you are not qualified to to comment.

 

 

MtB

Rather more qualified in the common sense department than someone who suggests a novice takes their boat out in this though.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25502730

 

Sometimes the advice given on this forum astounds me:(

[Guest]

No, I'm seriously suggesting you are not qualified to to comment.

 

 

MtB

Even Matty knocked off at lunchtime yesterday are you being serious or just indulging in some light trolling?

 

Of course it's relatively easy when underway, the problems come at the point you have to carry out any sort of manoeuvre.

[mark99]

Even Matty knocked off at lunchtime yesterday are you being serious or just indulging in some light trolling?

 

Of course it's relatively easy when underway, the problems come at the point you have to carry out any sort of manoeuvre.

 

Riding a tiger - it's great fun - but what happens when you want to get off? lol

[MtB]

Even Matty knocked off at lunchtime yesterday are you being serious or just indulging in some light trolling?

 

Of course it's relatively easy when underway, the problems come at the point you have to carry out any sort of manoeuvre.

 

Its a question of degree really. I was more challenging the views of a surprising number of contributors to this thread that boating in windy conditions of any sort is to be avoided.

 

Checking back, the OP says a howling gale so no, I'm not suggesting the OP takes his boat out in a howling gale. The blustery conditions yesterday in Reading and west London were not what I call a howling gale, and I think the BBC links of severe weather posted by others were for coastal areas, not Cheshire.

 

I still maintain that Phylis having never steered a NB is not best qualified to comment on the risks of steering a narrowboat in the wind. Fibreglass boats are one whole lot more easily blown around than steel NBs in my personal experience.

 

 

MtB

[Naughty Cal]

 

Its a question of degree really. I was more challenging the views of a surprising number of contributors to this thread that boating in windy conditions of any sort is to be avoided.

 

Checking back, the OP says a howling gale so no, I'm not suggesting the OP takes his boat out in a howling gale. The blustery conditions yesterday in Reading and west London were not what I call a howling gale, and I think the BBC links of severe weather posted by others were for coastal areas, not Cheshire.

 

I still maintain that Phylis having never steered a NB is not best qualified to comment on the risks of steering a narrowboat in the wind. Fibreglass boats are one whole lot more easily blown around than steel NBs in my personal experience.

 

 

MtB

 

You would be wrong there again.

[John V]

anyone who takes an avoidable risk on the water is both stupid and unfair, unfair because if they get into trouble other people are put at risk to help them.

[MtB]

You would be wrong there again.

Sorry Phylis. I was forgetting you know everything about everything.

 

 

MtB

[Naughty Cal]

anyone who takes an avoidable risk on the water is both stupid and unfair, unfair because if they get into trouble other people are put at risk to help them.

Apparently not!

 

(Tongue in cheek of course)

Sorry Phylis. I was forgetting you know everything about everything.

 

 

MtB

Mike I'm not even going to bother with you today.

 

Hopefully the op will be able to establish just how stupid you are being.

[Paul C]

Mike's right though, there does seem to be an irrational fear of windy conditions in narrowboating. Is something which requires more skill, automatically riskier?

[Naughty Cal]

Mike's right though, there does seem to be an irrational fear of windy conditions in narrowboating. Is something which requires more skill, automatically riskier?

We are not talking about a bit of a breeze here. We are talking about a storm system which has brought with it gales and structural damage. There is a huge difference between going out in yesterday's gales and going out when it is breezy.

[Paul C]

We are not talking about a bit of a breeze here. We are talking about a storm system which has brought with it gales and structural damage. There is a huge difference between going out in yesterday's gales and going out when it is breezy.

 

Were you on a narrowboat, in Cheshire, yesterday?

[Guest]

Mike's right though, there does seem to be an irrational fear of windy conditions in narrowboating. Is something which requires more skill, automatically riskier?

 

Isn't one of the skills of a boater assessing as to whether (no pun intended) it's safe to set off in the first place?

 

Were you on a narrowboat, in Cheshire, yesterday?

 

No body needed to be to advise the OP did they?

I'm in Cheshire and probably like much of the country, we are currently being battered by strong winds. It's howling here, must be close to gale force. I could do with moving the boat today so I can get my motorbike off the towpath and get to the shops. At a pinch I could do it tomorrow instead, but similar winds are forecast for then.

[Paul C]

 

Isn't one of the skills of a boater assessing as to whether (no pun intended) it's safe to set off in the first place?

 

Cheshire was windy yesterday but the wind was manageable from first light to around 10am, then it got marginal for boating, but it died down again around 2pm. Picked up again in the evening but much nicer day today. I appreciate that other areas of the country were more affected by the wind.

[davel]

Mike's right though, there does seem to be an irrational fear of windy conditions in narrowboating. Is something which requires more skill, automatically riskier?

 

I agree.

 

But.

 

We were moored behind Rensol (he set of this morning in far calmer weather) and being on the spot my advice to him would, bearing in mind his inexperience and that Rensol is (I believe) a Springer with very little grip in the water, would have been to wait.

 

However, I would have considered going out on Iona (but only if I really had to) and of course Brian and Ann Marie came through and managed a deft manoeuvre next to Iona (Cheers guys) with ease, despite the conditions.

[MtB]

 

I agree.

 

But.

 

We were moored behind Rensol (he set of this morning in far calmer weather) and being on the spot my advice to him would, bearing in mind his inexperience and that Rensol is (I believe) a Springer with very little grip in the water, would have been to wait.

 

However, I would have considered going out on Iona (but only if I really had to) and of course Brian and Ann Marie came through and managed a deft manoeuvre next to Iona (Cheers guys) with ease, despite the conditions.

 

Going off at a tangent, did he really need to go two miles to the winding hole? There are usually hundreds of places where the cut is wide enough to turn a 35ft boat.

 

MtB

[Guest]

 

Cheshire was windy yesterday but the wind was manageable from first light to around 10am, then it got marginal for boating, but it died down again around 2pm. Picked up again in the evening but much nicer day today. I appreciate that other areas of the country were more affected by the wind.

 

Then I'm afraid I don't understand the relevance of your question to NC.

 

The OP posted at 12.51pm which is within the time period you describe as 'marginal for boating'. Clearly what is marginal to you (I assume you are much more experienced) is potentially unsafe for a lone novice and those around him.

 

There is indeed a time and a place to learn how to handle your boat in a wind but in near gale force (as described by the OP and reinforced by you) is perhaps not the best time to be doing it.

[davel]

 

Going off at a tangent, did he really need to go two miles to the winding hole? There are usually hundreds of places where the cut is wide enough to turn a 35ft boat.

 

MtB

 

I think it was to get to a more suitable place to get his bike off the towpath on to the road.

[ChimneyChain]

 

 

 

Isn't one of the skills of a boater assessing as to whether (no pun intended) it's safe to set off in the first place?

 

 

Maybe if he was crossing the channel then yes it would be a good idea to carry out a risk assessment, but being as he was venturing out on to a 5ft deep stretch of canal then I don't think it matters that much.

 

Darren

[Guest]

Maybe if he was crossing the channel then yes it would be a good idea to carry out a risk assessment, but being as he was venturing out on to a 5ft deep stretch of canal then I don't think it matters that much.

 

Darren

 

Whilst you may be happy to boat in whatever the prevailing conditions are at a particular time others (with perhaps a bit more sense) might not.

[MtB]

 

I think it was to get to a more suitable place to get his bike off the towpath on to the road.

 

Not as I read the OP

 

AIUI, the OP said he was in the right place but could only get his bike off from one side of the boat, the wrong side, so he needed to turn the boat around. This meant going to the winding hole two miles away and coming back to the same place. I was suggesting turning a 35ft boat can often be done without a long cruise to an official winding hole and back.

 

MtB

[PaulJ]

Narrowboats have throttles? :-0

 

Lol. Ok I will give you that one- the bit we adjust to go from really slow to slow

[davel]

 

I think it was to get to a more suitable place to get his bike off the towpath on to the road.

 

 

 

Not as I read the OP

 

AIUI, the OP said he was in the right place but could only get his bike off from one side of the boat, the wrong side, so he needed to turn the boat around. This meant going to the winding hole two miles away and coming back to the same place. I was suggesting turning a 35ft boat can often be done without a long cruise to an official winding hole and back.

 

MtB

 

This is my interpretation from my conversation with him this morning.

 

There is a winding hole just in front of where Rensol was moored yesterday.

 

But the bridge in front and the bridge behind both have steps leading up to the road.

[matty40s]

[quote name="The Dog House" post="1202210" timestamp="1387882848"

 

Maybe if he was crossing the channel then yes it would be a good idea to carry out a risk assessment, but being as he was venturing out on to a 5ft deep stretch of canal then I don't think it matters that much.

 

Darren

 

I disagree, it was dangerous to move yesterday afternoon. When I decided to be moored up, an hour later there were branches coming off trees, rain was horizontal and the boat couldnt have been kept away from the bank in exposed stretches.

[Nightwatch]

I think it was to get to a more suitable place to get his bike off the towpath on to the road.

yes but, but would you ride a bike in these conditions? If the OP wouldn't why is he contemplating turning his boat to be able to get the bike off in the first place.

MtB. I agree there are often places to turn a tiddly boat. We used to have one and enjoyed this fact.

 

And yes, I am changing the subject, but only slightly.

 

Martyn

Edited December 24, 2013 by Nightwatch

[ChimneyChain]

Whilst you may be happy to boat in whatever the prevailing conditions are at a particular time others (with perhaps a bit more sense) might not.

Oh Please!!!

 

Darren