Reverse

[nicknorman]

Ours is pretty good and I have successfully reversed 100yds through a bridge hole, and even into a narrow lock from 50 yds away without requiring forwards, but then it has a BIG rudder and long swims. Our marina has long pontoons with about 8 boats on each one, and we are nearly at the far end so I routinely have to reverse past all those boats with just a couple of feet each side. Because the water is very deep it is usually done without having to fend the front off, but I'm sure it would be a different matter if the water was shallow, especially if shallower at one side of the boat than the other (ie not in the centre of the channel).

 

But once you lose concentration and anything more than the slightest rate of yaw develops, you've had it.

Edited April 8, 2014 by nicknorman

[ChimneyChain]

Our boat is normally quite good at going backwards, but if you have problems why not try the method used by the old working boatmen? They used to do it single handed, but it is easier if you ut someone on the back end with the engine in reverse and the tiller in line with the boat. You then take up position on the foredeck with a long pole and steer with that, pushing against the bed of the canal in whichever direction you want the bow to go.

 

I have used that method a couple of times in windy weather and when negotiating bends and it works well.

Did you actually see any old working boatman carry out this manoeuvre or is it something that you have heard in conversation.

 

Darren

[David Schweizer]

Did you actually see any old working boatman carry out this manoeuvre or is it something that you have heard in conversation.

 

Darren

 

Yes, I remember seeing it being done occasionally on the Grand Union back in the 1960's. The last time I saw it done was nearly twenty years ago in Braunston. I used to moor opposite a pair of former working boats owned by an ex-working boatman, one evening I saw one of them moving backwards, in gear, across my bow with no one on the rear deck, I went outside and saw him on the fore deck with a shaft steering it. As the boat approached the lock he stowed the shaft and walked along the top plank back to the stern and took control of the tiller.

Edited April 7, 2014 by David Schweizer

[howardang]

I have never tried it, but I understand that when having to reverse a long way, trawling a bucket or something similar, tied to the bow stud (used like a sea anchor) helps to keep the boat straight?

Towing a bucket etc from the bow is total overkill and of very limited bebefit IMHO, and not good advice for anyone who wants to learn how to handle a boat. Much better to practice handling the boat when you get the chance until you are confident that you instincively know how your boat will react to helm and engine inputs.

 

Howard

[Ange]

Dave's got it sussed now. He gets a bungee cord, wraps it round the tiller and the hatch to hold the tiller in place, puts it in reverse then goes to the front and poles it. That's the only way he's been able to get Iona to reverse for any distance.

 

ETA he also says don't undo one end of the bungee cord so it unravels itself and pings into the water and sends his profuse apologies to anyone who gets a bungee cord round their prop just outside Nantwich on the Shroppie

Edited April 7, 2014 by Ange

[Neil2]

Ours is pretty good and I have successfully reversed 100yds through a bridge hole, and even into a narrow lock from 50 yds away without requiring forwards, but then it has a BIG rudder and long swims. Our marina has long pontoons with about boats on each one, and we are nearly at the far end so I routinely have to reverse past all those boats with just a couple of feet each side. Because the water is very deep it is usually done without having to fend the front off, but I'm sure it would be a different matter if the water was shallow, especially if shallower at one side of the boat than the other (ie not in the centre of the channel).

 

But once you lose concentration and anything more than the slightest rate of yaw develops, you've had it.

I do think a really big rudder helps - a lot of yachts are very easy to steer in reverse and they have huge rudders compared to NB's.

[howardang]

Is it worth worth rmentioning that that a narrowboat axis is, I think, about two thirds of the way down the boat? Someone told me that anyway.

It's not actually a fixed point. When going ahead, a narrow boat pivots around a point about a third of the length from the bow. The faster the speed, the more it creeps towards the bow. However, when going astern, the pivot point is about a quarter of the boats length from the stern and the faster the boat goes astern the nearer the stern it gets.

 

When the boat it stopped, the pivot point is at the COG of the boat, to all intents and purposes in the middle.

 

Howard

[muddywaters]

 

Most boats steer badly or not at all in reverse so set the direction going forwards slightly and stop the boat.

 

Place the tiller straight ahead and then engage reverse, you may find the prop will pull the boat off line (ours does) in which case gently re set the direction with a slight motion forward. Of course you will need to do the same if the wind moves you off line too.

 

To change direction mid reverse reset going forwards slightly and repeat above.

 

The above works most of the time for me.

 

The biggest thing to note is that when you do an absolute perfect reverse there will be not a living soul to witness it but if you mess up there will be a large crowd just waiting to give you 'encouragement' take the pee....

I'm the exception to that one.

When arriving back at Sowerby Bridge on a hire boat and had to reverse the boat into a gap with only inches to spare between boats either side.

Got the boat lined up first and reverse into the gap perfectly first time with staff from the hire boat company watching me

[NickF]

As a regular hire boater I am always on different boats. I always try and practice, if I am waiting for my crew to fill a ,lock i don't wait on the lock landing i try reversing back up the cut a bit, only trouble is if it goes well I end up miles from the lock when they open it!

The only other tip is if a boat has a big swing due to prop walk, if you are traveling forwards get the stern swinging slightly before you go astern to counteract the prop walk that you know is about to happen!

[Pete of Ebor]

For me too. Oh, unless...

- There's a lock filling or emptying within half a mile.

- There's a crosswind of over 2 mph.

- There are (assumed) depth variations on that bit of canal.

- There's a "y" in the day.

....and various other factors.

 

A respected local boat engineer told me that 'Trojan' steers well in reverse: maybe she does, just not quite in the direction that I want her to go in.

- you forgot to mention anyone watching !

[YamYam]

I have enough trouble going forwards :-)

[RichardH]

We often find that on the RYA courses the blokes who come along 'just to get their ticket' or 'to give her some moral support' leave the day saying 'well I never knew you could control a narrowboat in reverse so well'

 

It can be done but technique is king.

[Richard10002]

We often find that on the RYA courses the blokes who come along 'just to get their ticket' or 'to give her some moral support' leave the day saying 'well I never knew you could control a narrowboat in reverse so well'

 

It can be done but technique is king.

I was that bloke

 

In 2006 we bought a yacht which we sailed from UK to Malta and back before buying a narrow boat in 2011. Did the IWHC with my wife before leaving, just so she could get a feel for boats and handling in calm waters. I had been yachting for 30 years, and was a Merchant Navy Deck Officer in another life, but I learned lots on the course, including a bit about reversing.