Bizarre sighting or comon occurrence?

[Bettie Boo]

Ok, so we were sitting having breakfast this morning; moored up on the towpath just before bridge 103 and we both look up at the same time as a boat passes by at about 2 -3 km with NO ONE at the helm. Now there was another boat about a boat length before us also moored up and about 70 yards after us was a blind bend in the canal.

 

We went to the back of the boat to see what we could do if anything. As we opened the stern doors and as we made our way up our steps the man on the boat casually walked up his back steps with bevvie in hand and took the tiller, about 10 yards from the bend; after some pretty heavy swinging of the tiller and reduction and increasing of the throttle he made the blind bend; just.

 

Now we were both pretty surprised, and couldn't imagine why someone would do this. Surely it's not common practice. Is it?

 

 

[Martin Megson]

As a single handler I have occasionally had to leave the helm to get something from the boat - 30 sec max. I only ever do so on a clear straight when there is not another boat in sight and always drop it out of gear.

[Starcoaster]

Was it an inspection launch or something similar? Ie., with wheel steering from the bow as well as the tiller.

[Paul C]

I do it if needs be; if its for longer, normally put it into a (narrow canal) bridge hole, if no bridge then just slow the boat down, pull into towpath side maybe 2 feet away but without actually mooring/tying ropes etc and leave the boat stopped in neutal.

 

He's obviously done it before but made a bit of a misjudgement this time.

[Clifford]

Yes, bridge hole for me when 'popping downstairs' for a coat or whatever.

 

Even on a straight boat-free stretch, the boat would be in the bank if I left the deck while the boat was moving.

 

For the sake of any potential new boaters reading this, let's be clear ..... only a smug, arrogant git who cares nothing for others would leave their boat steering itself for any time at all along a stretch of canal with moored boats about.

[Athy]

I saw exactly the same thing in Upwell last week, a short green narrowboat apparently steering itself. As I was on a bus at the time I couldn't stop to see if help was needed. But by the time I came back an hour later, the boat was moored up at Outwell basin a mile further along the river.

It was on a straight stretch with no moored craft in the vicinity, so perhaps the (non) steerer wasn't taking too much of a risk.

[pquinn]

What kind of bevvie was it? if it was a beer for breakfast [Jim Morrison style] then he may have only left the tiller for a few seconds,but if it was a tea or coffee he could have been gone a while and the man is clearly a maniac.

[furnessvale]

What kind of bevvie was it? if it was a beer for breakfast [Jim Morrison style] then he may have only left the tiller for a few seconds,but if it was a tea or coffee he could have been gone a while and the man is clearly a maniac.

I don't really believe he took the time to go inside, put the kettle on, wait for it to boil, brew up, then return to the tiller.

 

My present boat is so steady on the tiller I can nip into the cabin and make a brew in stages ie I come back out to check things between each stage.

 

However, my last boat (tug) was a different matter. Immediately you took your hand off the tiller she would about turn and return whence she came.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Athy]

 

 

However, my last boat (tug) was a different matter. Immediately you took your hand off the tiller she would about turn and return whence she came.

 

 

.....as the CCer explained to the CART moorings warden.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Hi ya BB,

Yes I suppose it can be a bit unnerving to see a boat go by with a ghost helm, but as said earlier, I suspect its a well practiced event by the owner/helmsman.

I must admit, I have done it myself, but tends to be as suggested on a straight streach, or open water, Even while at sea with my Automatic Pilot On, I'm never away from the Helm for more than say a minute. (Normally just time to grab a Donut).

Than heaven we don't do that sort of thing in say a Campervan on the M4 !.

[RLWP]

Do that on Tawny and she tries to get into the fields

 

Richard

[Bettie Boo]

"Unnerving" is the perfect word to describe how I felt, along with astonished, & surprised.

 

What you all have said makes sense. Still being very much novices to all of this, it was the first time we've seen it.

 

Not really sure what an "inspection launch" is, will Google it after posting this; but it was a normal looking narrow boat about 55 - 60 foot long, it didn't look like it had two steering positions.

 

No idea what the beverage was, it was in a mug. But could have been a mug of water for all I know

 

I think the bit that was most surprising, was that it occurred while passing another boat; with a blind bend approaching. I have no idea, if the man was at the helm when he passed the boat before us or not.

 

At least next time I see something like this, I won't think the worst. My initial thought being that the helmsman had gone overboard!

 

It was just a case of novices making assumptions really. Since there is two of us, we never really considered the issues that single handed boaters encounter other than the trickiness of locks and swing bridges. And the fact we can only measure things by how our own boat handles as we've never been on another moving canal boat. If we left ours in gear with the throttle on she would head to the nearest right hand bank without hesitation. Now that I really think about it, he could have simply popped into the back cabin for a quick relief break and picked up his mug from the back steps.

 

Ta for the replies - makes more sense now

 

B~

 

ETA - missing sentence....now where did that go?

Edited May 21, 2014 by Bettie Boo

[pquinn]

I don't really believe he took the time to go inside, put the kettle on, wait for it to boil, brew up, then return to the tiller.

 

My present boat is so steady on the tiller I can nip into the cabin and make a brew in stages ie I come back out to check things between each stage.

 

However, my last boat (tug) was a different matter. Immediately you took your hand off the tiller she would about turn and return whence she came.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

I was not being serious George but these days you cant be so sure .I have seen bus drivers reading books while driving and people texting on motorways.

 

Some of the acts i have commited while in charge of a boat must surely be illegal if not immoral

[bizzard]

Shouldn't be a problem if you know your boat. I regularly make tea in stages, nip down to roll or light a fag if the wind keeps blowing all my baccy away. Ideally calm condition and in neutral of course or prop walk will swing you into the bank. If windy, take note of the strength and direction and set the boat over a touch accordingly against it with a bit of bias .

[IanM]

If we have the range going with a kettle on top I quite often nip down and make a cup of tea (in stages like others have said).

Do that on Tawny and she tries to get into the fields

 

Richard

With the power on Piglet does too but back it off to tickover and she does almost go in a straight line.

[alan_fincher]

Obviously not what you saw, but several narrow boats you might see on that stretch can also be steered from inside the cabin at the front.

 

One is "Ocean Princess" owned by James Griffin of Wyvern Shipping, which is fully equipped for going to sea.

 

If they wheel steer it through Blisworth or Braunston tunnels, then generally the cabin is completely dark, and you can't see the steerer at the front, so all you are aware of it passing something that looks much like a normal Wyvern hire boat, but with nobody at all on the back deck, or at the tiller!

 

Quote unnerving if you are not familiar with that boat!

Edited May 21, 2014 by alan_fincher

[bizzard]

Obviously not what you saw, but several narrow boats you might see on that stretch can also be steered from inside the cabin at the front.

 

One is "Ocean Princess" owned by James Griffin of Wyvern Shipping, which is fully equipped for going to sea.

 

If they wheel steer it through Blisworth or Braunston tunnels, then generally the cabin is completely dark, and you can't see the steerer at the front, so all you are aware of it passing something that looks much like a normal Wyvern hire boat, but with nobody at all on the back deck, or at the tiller!

 

Quote unnerving if you are not familiar with that boat!

Oddly enough we had here a number of years ago a boat called Griffin which used to belong to a Griffin from Wyven Shipping, possibly that James fellows father? The boat was a narrow boat about 60' long, very palacial inside with Lister SR3 engine. It had a wooden top. We renewed some of the cabins side panels which had become rotten, which were of the oiled treated hardboard type, I can't for the life of me remember what the stuff is called now.

[Keeping Up]

On my boat I have discovered after extensive testing that if it is out of gear there is enough time to go downstairs and achieve any ONE of filling the kettle, or lighting the gas, or pouring a cup of instant coffee, There is definitely NOT enough time to use the loo, no matter how desperate you are.

 

If it is in gear it will turn steadily to the right, but slowly enough to allow you to fetch something (a coat, a map, etc) from inside the cabin. Knowing this you can allow for it be setting up a swing to the left before leaving the tiller, and the gradually-increasing deflection of the tiller acts as a countdown warning for when you need to be back on deck.

 

 

Oddly enough we had here a number of years ago a boat called Griffin which used to belong to a Griffin from Wyven Shipping, possibly that James fellows father? The boat was a narrow boat about 60' long, very palacial inside with Lister SR3 engine. It had a wooden top. We renewed some of the cabins side panels which had become rotten, which were of the oiled treated hardboard type, I can't for the life of me remember what the stuff is called now.

 

Yes that was the boat that Major Griffin, proprietor of Wyvern Shipping and father of John and James Griffin, made for his own use. Both brothers now have boats that can be steered from the front (Ocean Princess as Alan Fincher mentions belongs to James; Avonturier belongs to John).

 

Wasn't the hardboard stuff called Masonite, or is that something different?

[Guest]

We can get away with this on a lot of the waterways up here due to width and the straightness combined with not seeing a boat (moored or other wise) often for yonks.

 

This is the A&CN with the ECML bridge at Great Heck in the distance, a particularly straight and wide bit.

 

 

Like others have indicated our boat does tend to start to turn to port with no body on the tiller so if I do it I back right off the power and be as quick as poss. getting what I need (assuming the crew are languishing below of course and I cannot ask them to fetch what I need).

 

(In fact its turning in that pic. as I had both hands off the tiller whilst I took some pictures)

[Bettie Boo]

Wow!!! that is the widest, straightest bit of canal I've ever seen, the GU looks nothing like that round these parts

[Guest]

Bettie Boo, on 21 May 2014 - 1:03 PM, said:Bettie Boo, on 21 May 2014 - 1:03 PM, said:Bettie Boo, on 21 May 2014 - 1:03 PM, said:

Wow!!! that is the widest, straightest bit of canal I've ever seen, the GU looks nothing like that round these parts

 

Lots of the North Eastern waterways particularly The A&CN and New Junction canal are similar in width.

 

That section is probably about the straightest for the most length on the A&CN, we moor not far from there having been underway for about 15 mins. when that picture was taken.

 

New junction Canal is a perfectly straight line for its entire length of 5.5 miles.

 

You do have to remember of course the size of the boats these waterways were built to carry and those that subsequently used them commercially until recently.

 

You wont see any boats like Battlestone on the Southern GU I would wager.....

 

 

You'll be impressed by the locks too..

 

Edited May 21, 2014 by The Dog House

[Naughty Cal]

You can just about leave the helm of NC and grab a beer from the cockpit fridge before she has mounted the flood bank.

[bizzard]

On my boat I have discovered after extensive testing that if it is out of gear there is enough time to go downstairs and achieve any ONE of filling the kettle, or lighting the gas, or pouring a cup of instant coffee, There is definitely NOT enough time to use the loo, no matter how desperate you are.

 

If it is in gear it will turn steadily to the right, but slowly enough to allow you to fetch something (a coat, a map, etc) from inside the cabin. Knowing this you can allow for it be setting up a swing to the left before leaving the tiller, and the gradually-increasing deflection of the tiller acts as a countdown warning for when you need to be back on deck.

 

 

 

Yes that was the boat that Major Griffin, proprietor of Wyvern Shipping and father of John and James Griffin, made for his own use. Both brothers now have boats that can be steered from the front (Ocean Princess as Alan Fincher mentions belongs to James; Avonturier belongs to John).

 

Wasn't the hardboard stuff called Masonite, or is that something different?

Yes Allen Masonite's the stuff, thanks.

[Clifford]

Having read another thread, I'm thinking my rudder has a bit too much 'balance' in front of the pivot. Hence the rather weak centering feedback and a pronounced tendency for the boat to wander off line. On clear stretches (especially like Martin's photo!) it would be nice to be able to get a few seconds down below when I realise I've not got the tiller pin in, or something.

 

But I still say you should never SEE anyone doing this. If you are there, then the stretch is NOT clear, and they have no right to leave the deck and put your boat at risk, however experienced they think they are.

[Alan Saunders]

I often 'go below' to get something I need or need to do leaving the helm unattended but I do not do it if there is any chance of meeting another boat.

As others have suggested, I reduce speed to tickover and point the bow a little into wind. On some boats you can see right through the boat and the front windows to determine if you are heading for the bushes or another boat.

 

Tiller strings may help? Or even an adjustable bungy? With hydraulic (wheel) steering the rudder tends to stay where you left it.

 

There are many 'tricks' that single-handers use that may worry many of us. e.g. As we were descending (in 1995) a Southern Oxford (narrow) lock My 11 year-old advised me that an (ex?) working boat had it's bows held against the lower gates blocking our exit. When the lock was almost empty the single-handed steerer emerged with his mug of tea and casually reversed his 70' NB to one side. I aspire, wish, and strive to achieve that level of competance.

 

However, a cautionary tale. Many moons ago (35 years?) I was steering a 60' hire boat. It started raining and the rear bunks were getting damp so I closed the sliding hatch. Unable to get the attention of the five crew I went to get my hat. Not to keep my hair dry; the big, floppy brim, pulled well down on my forehead would keep the rain off of my spectacles. I rushed back up the steps and collided with the (now closed) hatch. The bridge of my glasses made dent in the bridge of my nose which is still apparent today. The pain was, perhaps, eight out of ten but I managed to steer and blip the horn until a crew member relieved me.

 

On a boat, even a canal boat, we must learn to plan in advance and operate efficiently. Coat, hat, tea etc. to hand before setting off!

 

Alan