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Centre rope catching on boat pole


comfortably numb

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I've recently replaced my short and rotting wooden pole with a new and longer one. I very rarely use one but feel that it should be there just in case.

 

The roof mountings for this and the gang-plank are towards the rear of the cabin. Because I have a small roof-box behind this (right at the rear of the cabin roof) it prevents the extra length of the pole being able to protrude aft of the cradle which means it protrudes quite a way forwards instead.

 

So I've now found that after using it, it's harder to place the rope back to the 'ready to deploy' position without it going underneath the protruding pole.

 

Somebody told me that you can buy something that fits underneath the pole or onto the end of it, which prevents this, i.e something that fits virtually flush with the roof and has a slope on it so the rope travels up and over the pole rather than underneath it.

 

I've searched the internet and cannot find anything, so I was wondering if anybody knew of somewhere these could be purchased, or any ideas as to what I could use or how I could make something that would do the job.

 

Edited to say that I could move the roof top-box to another position or even get rid of it so that the pole could protrude further back, but I'd rather not if possible.

Edited by comfortably numb
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Hi,

 

Have you tried laying the pole flat on the roof?.........................................it's a wet Sunday Bank holiday afternoon, with some of the topics raised on here I begin to realise why few canal boaters were involved in putting men on the moon....

 

L

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Well thanks for the helpful replies, and the slightly humourous ones too. As for the suggestion of laying the pole on the roof and the inane comment which followed, yes of course I'd thought of that, but if there is a way of avoiding this I'd prefer to keep it in the existing cradle that is designed to hold it, as any other option I can think of to lower to the pole onto or closer to the roof would mean it or something else being in contact with the roof and thus the subsequent possible paint damage or rust problem.

 

I do have two centre ropes so I could after use re site the rope between the pole and the edge of the roof, but sometimes I prefer to throw the rope back on rather than specifically placing it, particularly if the boat is not right by the bank.

 

I think Matchpoint's suggestion fitting of Fairleads might be a good option but even these might not always prevent it.

 

Or perhaps I should just put up with it and learn to put the rope back on properly every time wink.png

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So, fair leads on a traditional tug-style boat: yes or no? I have issue with centre rope catching in pole too and also slowly rubbing paint away on edge of roof. Thought about strip of brass as alternative to fair leads but would that work?

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Or you could consider, Moving the Pole !.

To a more Dead Center location, maybe on top of the Gang Plank (if you have one) Allowing the Warps to go either side (not over) the pole, plank and anything els stored.. Have you got a Picture !.

I am assuming, you have a NB, and therefore it would be reachable from both sides.

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I do have two centre ropes so I could after use re site the rope between the pole and the edge of the roof, but sometimes I prefer to throw the rope back on rather than specifically placing it, particularly if the boat is not right by the bank.

 

I have two ropes and always lay them back on so they are ready for the next time I need to use them, the last thing I want to do is shimmy down to sort them out.

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Angled block of wood with some magnets glued on, to make a "ramp" and stop it going under might work.

This is the solution that immediately occurred to me. Just glue the 'ramp' to the roof.

 

Make it an inch wider than the shaft and radius the edges. Maybe, make it a little higher and provide a recess for the shaft? In my case I would need a similar arrangement for the plank.

 

Leaving the shaft or plank flat on the roof traps moisture which may/will accelerate rot.

 

My single centre rope catches on many obstructions but I have a lot of 'fun' swinging it from side to side over the exhaust stack etc.and throwing a spiral loop to disentangle it from the shaft, plank, mushroom ventilators etc. The best ever trick I have seen was to unscrew a mushroom vent with the centre rope.

 

My centre rope is quite thin, very long and easy to handle. Maybe I would be better off with two centre ropes run through fairleads.

 

Alan

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Hi,

 

Have you tried laying the pole flat on the roof?.........................................it's a wet Sunday Bank holiday afternoon, with some of the topics raised on here I begin to realise why few canal boaters were involved in putting men on the moon....

 

L

Ahem, we did in fact launch our own lunar mission a few years ago and put Willi Gofarr and Nobber on the moon with the barship Londonpride. Splashdown was in Bath deep lock.

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Ahem, we did in fact launch our own lunar mission a few years ago and put Willi Gofarr and Nobber on the moon with the barship Londonpride. Splashdown was in Bath deep lock.

 

I remember that one - and the works canteen supplied nothing but magic mushrooms.

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This used to happen to me until I fitted some fairleads on the handrails. I don't know why builders put the pole and plank rack near the helm - I guess they think people want easy access, but that stuff just gets in the way when you need to get on the roof and can snag your centre ropes. Personally I'd rather have all that stuff up at the bow and out of the way, but I can't be bothered to chop them off and get them re-welded on.

 

Be careful with fairleads though - if you want to handle a boat with a centre rope which is going through a fairlead attached to an integral handrail, then you'll want to make sure it's attached with something more substantial than a couple of self-tapping screws. Some of those integral handrails are only made of 3mm thick steel - there's not going to be a lot of thread there even if you tap the hole and use machine screws. I tapped the holes and pumped some construction epoxy into my handrails and then used 10mm x 40mm stainless machine screws, but I have massive fairleads. If you have proper external handrails then you could just put the ropes underneath on each side and use the upstands if they're in the right positions and don't chafe the ropes too much.

 

Excuse the paintwork - I'm gradually getting it done (very gradually...)

69467516-33e3-404f-bf09-590e9e16192f_zps

Edited by blackrose
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True. They have centrelines. It's mainly climbers who use 'ropes'.

 

Some boaters have ropes. When I started out, another boater showed me them.

 

...but I have massive fairleads.

 

To go with your massive boat. Size is relative and proportion is everything. :)

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