Beginners Bad Luck or a life of pain?

[mark99]

The biggest splitter on the cut could bang into me and I'd not worry a bean.

Edited August 14, 2014 by mark99

[jelunga]

 

We did have twin Volvo straight 6's (200hp each)

 

A "pussy" to handle, catches the wind but had a V hull, draws around 1 metre, so no problem steering into, across, or down wind

 

Has the power to get out of trouble, go against any flow or tide.

 

Can run on one engine at tickover - 3mph

 

If it wasn't for frightening SWMBO crossing the Irish Sea (waves over the fly-bridge) we would still have it.

 

We now have adjusted to 'muddy ditches' and 'sewer tubes' and enjoy them but there is no comparison to Tupperware doing 25 knts down Gare Lock (Faslane) and being chased by Commados in rubber boats pointing sub-machine guns at you, when they think you are terrorists going to attack the submarines.

I had a similar experience off Dairen in China un 1971. The Captain thought it was time for a lifeboat drill, and as we were anchored off waiting for a berth we launched two rowed lifeboats and the motor one. I was engineer on the motor one. We really were minding our own business when thus chinese navy gunboat pulls along side of us abd lots of guns are pointed at hs with instructions to return to the ship. Seems Dairen was akso a naval base and they got a bit hot under the collar.

We also had lifeboat races in King Gearge 5th Docks jn London (now London City Airport iirc) That was more fun

[JohnnyHop]

Which river are you on?

Maybe a forum member could help?

 

We all start out weak and helpless!

Trent, moored at Sawley. I always take advice but am not a natural at asking for it

[Grace and Favour]

Trent, moored at Sawley. I always take advice but am not a natural at asking for it

I used Trent Boat Handling for our training, (the position of Sawley is super - for you've canal, locks and river all within a few hundred yards)

 

 

I found the experience invaluable.

[Alan de Enfield]

I'll be more specific, it's a Cruisers International 267, 10 foot beam as opposed to most cruisers' 6 to 7 feet. And it sits soooo high.

 

I think you will find that in fact MOST cruisers are considerably 'wider' than yours - you are just 'slightly chubby' rather than a 'fat-boat'

 

Canal boats are generally under 7 foot (either tupperware or sewer tubes) but River and Lumpy water cruisers (of which there are many, many times more than canal cruisers) will be 12', 13', 14' or more beam. Our old boat was 33 foot x 13 foot, and 'just for fun' we hired for a week a 40 foot x 14 foot last September.

 

Practice, practice, practice - it really does get easier, I'm sure someone at Sawley would be pleased to show you the basics.

[MtB]

 

Practice, practice, practice - it really does get easier, I'm sure someone at Sawley would be pleased to show you the basics.

 

 

I disagree.

 

In the OP's case no amount of training is going to help until the fault with the Teleflex/Morse engine controls is fixed.

 

He describes the power as turning on and off like a switch instead of feeding in progressively. I suspect it's an adjustment problem such that the engine revs rise to start with, then as the levers are moved further, drive is engaged and the boat leaps forward. Until this is fixed the boat will be a right handful and steerer training somewhat pointless.

 

As each lever is moved forward (or back) to start with, the engine revs should not rise, but the gear should engage. Then once drive is engaged further movement of the lever should gently raise the engine revs and therefore prop speed. Once set up like this I suspect the OP will find the boat transformed in to a pussycat at manoeuvring speeds.

 

 

MtB

Edited August 15, 2014 by Mike the Boilerman

[Alan de Enfield]

 

 

I disagree.

 

In the OP's case no amount of training is going to help until the fault with the Teleflex/Morse engine controls is fixed.

 

 

 

Completely agree.

 

When we bought ours there was some conflict between the Fly-Bridge controls and the cabin controls and it was very difficult to get into Neutral from either station, I eventually managed to work with it (planning to get it sorted eventually), but my Brother In Law (on a trip over to Ireland) managed to 'run into' another boat when trying to dock, the anchor hooked over the other boats rail and when he eventually got it into neutral and then reverse managed to 'rip' the rail off the other boat.

 

We got it fixed on our return !!!

[JohnnyHop]

thanks for advice so far and training, practise and mechanical rectification are all on the agenda. not in that order.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

& Lots of Fenders !

Edited August 15, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[David Mack]

We also had lifeboat races in King Gearge 5th Docks jn London (now London City Airport iirc) That was more fun

 

King George V Dock is still there. London City Airport is located on the spit of land between King George V and Royal Albert Docks.

 

But when a few of us tried to boat into KGV some years ago on a St Pancras CC outing to the Royal Docks we were hastily called back over the radio - apparently the presence of steel narrowboats in the KGV (but not apparently the Albert Dock) completely confuses the airport radar systems!

Edited August 15, 2014 by David Mack

[craftycarper]

I'll be more specific, it's a Cruisers International 267, 10 foot beam as opposed to most cruisers' 6 to 7 feet. And it sits soooo high. On sunday it sat calmly in the water but I was fooled by the fact I was in the shelter of an even bigger flybridge cruiser, as soon as I moved out of its protection the wind got me. Another lesson learned.

. Mate I have a 34 ft narrow beam yoghurt pot flat bottomed to boot and the best way to describe the handling is a wet bar of soap on a pain of glass , I know it's hard to grasp as a new pilot but more throttle means more control I spent a lot of time being tossed around by the wind whilst trying to creep along on tick over now if I want it to turn it's full revs and the back end whips round . Mind you I still have my share of bangs

[JohnnyHop]

. Mate I have a 34 ft narrow beam yoghurt pot flat bottomed to boot and the best way to describe the handling is a wet bar of soap on a pain of glass , I know it's hard to grasp as a new pilot but more throttle means more control I spent a lot of time being tossed around by the wind whilst trying to creep along on tick over now if I want it to turn it's full revs and the back end whips round . Mind you I still have my share of bangs

yes I've noticed more throttle = more control and when out on the river I was using more revs and turning it almost on its own length. A different matter when there are obstacles in the way though, especially when they belong to folk!

[craftycarper]

yes I've noticed more throttle = more control and when out on the river I was using more revs and turning it almost on its own length. A different matter when there are obstacles in the way though, especially when they belong to folk!

. And they are always there watching when it goes wrong but the day you leave and return to your birth in a perfect non contact manner there will be know one to witness , I am in a very windy mooring right alongside the river Severn and I would say it took around a year before I was comfortable coming and going in all but the calmest of conditions ,I travelled sideways across the marina coming to rest against other peoples boats on many occasion,s but never causing any damage and always be polite and apologise and it's always been fine ,just remember everyone else were as inexperienced as you so they do understand get out and use it as much as possible would be my advice and enjoy it good luck

[Arthur Brown]

You couldn't walk the first time you tried, nor ride a bicycle the first time, so keep at it! If you have easy access to the Trent then get out on some wide water and play with the boat, Controlled ahead, port and starb'd turns. Do it with the rudder, do it with differential power, do it on one engine.

[tillergirl]

JohnnyHop - I'm four foot zip tall and can negotiate a 60 ft NB in and out of a lock without touching the sides so there's hope for you yet ...........

[Tam & Di]

thanks for advice so far and training, practise and mechanical rectification are all on the agenda. not in that order.

 

if you do follow up the training make sure it is on a craft pretty much the same as yours - training on a tiller steered narrow boat will be useless to you. Best would be training on your own boat, but even then you would need to know that the instructor was completely familiar with it or again his instruction will not be as useful as it could be.

[John Williamson 1955]

JohnnyHop - I'm four foot zip tall and can negotiate a 60 ft NB in and out of a lock without touching the sides so there's hope for you yet ...........

<Grin> So can I, if it's got a bow thruster and it's a wide lock. (I'm not really that bad, but I could improve a lot. I need more practice.)

[MtB]

JohnnyHop - I'm four foot zip tall and can negotiate a 60 ft NB in and out of a lock without touching the sides so there's hope for you yet ...........

 

Yes but how hard are you hitting the gates at the end when you need to stop??

(Just teasing', I hope you know!)

[tree monkey]

 

Yes but how hard are you hitting the gates at the end when you need to stop??

(Just teasing', I hope you know!)

and of course no one will dare to tell her shes hit something

 

where you hiding mike and can i join you?

[Plonk]

Hi

My own (mis)adventures have been so far been a mix of stupidity and bad luck(I hope). Not too many problems so far in steering our 60ft, except first time out getting pinned to the side of the marina by the wind, whilst trying to return to base and the occasional .

Second time our I slipped and badly bruised my leg. Third time out....(amongst other things) we managed to get a 13" tyre wrapped arround our (i think)15" ish prop. Canal and River Rescue eventually saved us on that occasion. I have NEVER seen anyone so determined as our (second) engineer was to remove that tyre. He was down the weed hatch for a couple of hours with a hacksaw blade on a handle. The first engineer they sent tried for an hour to cut it off, then thought the boat would have to be slipped out . I tried and still had the bruises a week later. Please tell me that this won't happen on a regular basis!

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Hi ya,

Wish I could, but !

 

No in fairness, it's 'Sort' of Rare you get anything of a massive cruise stopping event like a Tyer/Spring Mattress or Bike wrapped around your prop.

Logs, Branches, Plastic Bags and things of that nature are much more common, but can normally be a quick fix, just more an inconvenience than anything else.

For me it's Baldly marked Crab, Cuttlefish & Lobster Pots or Fishing Net. But my Shaft Rope Cutter makes short work of them.(in fairness, it's only happened Twice).

However the Cuts, Bruises, Bangs & nocks are just Boaters way of life.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[John V]

rope from Aicertron's prop by mudlarker2, on Flickr

 

 

 

These two heaps of rope came off the prop of a tug I was on, picked it up somewhere in the Bristol Channel....we just kept going but it didn't do the outer part of the shaft bearing a lot of good