can anybody help a friend

[Smudge]

Afternoon all ive just had a phone call from a friend of mine her boat has decided to fall out with its engine mounts and depart from the prop shaft. At the moment she is at whilton lock but has to be at Napton to get her boat painted on monday . Is there anybody heading that way who could give her a tow please ? Or at least to the pub at the top of the flight

[Captain Fizz]

What size boat?

Would it not be more expedient to repair the mounts?

[Purple Fairie]

RCR are due to fix mountings and prop shaft next Wednesday, but she's booked the polytunnel at calcutt boats for repainting on Monday so she needs to get the boat there this weekend

[MarinaNina]

Thanks Purple Fairie and Smudge, only three boats have passed heading in the right direction - a couple who were very new to boats ( but were pleasant enough), one hire boat approaching their first lock and three people who looked at me as if I had maggots pouring out of my mouth...

[Purple Fairie]

Keep at it chick, someone will take pity on you I'm sure! ;-)

[DeanS]

Put a big sign saying...engine problems, need an urgent tow. .......on your boat. I would never pass a boat with a sign like that, I'd throw a rope, and I'm sure if you do that , you'll have some luck.

 

 

;-)

[Captain Fizz]

What Dean said, I would always offer a tow.

[Southern Star]

Just out of interest, how would you normally tow a stricken boat? From the rear. like towing a car, or tied up side by side? I personally would never mind giving somebody a tow if they had problems. Is there any other advice anybody could offer about towing a boat, or being towed?

[Tuscan]

I would hope that someone would brace up to get you up the Buckby flight at least if you helped do the locks. Good luck

[frangar]

I've met some great people when I have offered help and tows..:..sadly though it seems to becoming less common to help other boaters out....as I was towing one boat a couple of years ago several other boaters expressed suprise I was helping a complete stranger...quite sad really....I work on the principal that you should always offer help as you never know when you might need some in return.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

PS if I had seen this earlier I would have happily diverted and dropped down buckby but I'm now up on the leicester summit...sorry!!

[Captain Fizz]

I would think breasted up through the Buckby flight, then a long tow through Braunston tunnel and then breasted for the Braunston flight.

Any further news on this?

Thanks Purple Fairie and Smudge, only three boats have passed heading in the right direction - a couple who were very new to boats ( but were pleasant enough), one hire boat approaching their first lock and three people who looked at me as if I had maggots pouring out of my mouth...

You might want to make a few more posts so that you can PM if you need to.

[MarinaNina]

Thank you all for your comments, I've managed to get the painting back a week so I've got some time to sort a few things out :-)

[bottle]

Here's to Wednesday then.

 

Good luck

[Captain Fizz]

Thank you all for your comments, I've managed to get the painting back a week so I've got some time to sort a few things out :-)

Let me know if you need any assistance, I'm only up at Barby.

[Alan Saunders]

I have often offered and never denied anyone a tow. My 20" (semi-vee) draft 20hp, 33' little nb can move a 25+ tonne boat through shallows or for many miles. I didn't even mind them (unecessarily) ramming into my stern on a long tow when I have to stop due to duckeed blocking my raw water filter. Of course, they did not realise that without their engine running their rudder had little effect and required much more anticipaiton.

 

The T&Cs of hire boats (insurance) uually deny them from towing.

 

Breast-up through wide locks, cross-brace on short pounds. Even with a close-coupled, cross-braced towed boat slowing down/stopping is difficult, the towed boat will 'jacknife' across the cut; reversing is even more difficult.

 

Recently, towing a short boat, I judged my speed to allow an oncoming boat to pass in a wider section and then allowed an unexpected second boat to safely pass me. I was not prepared for the third of this convoy, clearly he should have 'hung back' and allowed me to pass the obstruction first. His crew, on the bow informed me that he had to proceed due to their deep draft, I could only reply, "Me too!". Only the various suction, repulsion effects luckily prevented a collision between my boat and either the moored boat and/or the oncoming boat.

 

When you are towing oncoming boats have no idea of your lack of manouverabilty and overtaking boats cannot conceive of 140' or much more. Then again there are many who handle a boat or a pair better than I.

 

Alan

[Alan&sue]

Thank you all for your comments, I've managed to get the painting back a week so I've got some time to sort a few things out :-

hi

If we had been in the area we would have defiantly offer to help, hope you get everything sorted :0 )

[ditch paddler]

Hi, Village at war is on at Stoke Bruerne this weekend you might well get a few boats back past you later today or tomorrow who would be more than happy to tow iam sure. Shame i not any Nearer with Bletchley or i would have come and towed you myself.

[MarinaNina]

Morning ditch paddler! It is a shame you're not nearer, you could probably just pick my boat up and put it in Bletchley ;-)

I had thought that boats will be leaving Stoke Bruerne so I'll keep a look out...

[Captain Fizz]

If you manage to get a tow to Braunston, I can come out tomorrow and tow you on to Calcutt.

[MarinaNina]

Thank you Captain Fizz, so far I'm still at Whilton. I'll let you know if I get moving today :-)

[junior]

Have you done a 'tow needed' sign? I'm amazed nobody has offered to take you up the Buckby Flight breastfed up, even if they don't want to tow.

[Tony Brooks]

I would comment that we do not know what experiences those who declined to offer a tow in this and the Trent thread have had. A fair while back I found a boat with a trad engine above the Watford that had split an olive in one of his injector pipes so was suck. I was more than happy to offer him a tow to his mooring at Crick but as my T studs are offset and we had to face the tunnel I provided my river line to long line. For some reason he would insist on keep shortening the tow and making it much harder to control my boat. That tunnel was difficult. maybe some have suffered and do not wish to duplicate the experience.

[Starcoaster]

Auto-correct issues, Junior?

[MarinaNina]

I've got a sign made, there aren't that many boats going the right way... I did check in the mirror after the last one to make sure I don't look terrifying!

[Athy]

I'm amazed nobody has offered to take you up the Buckby Flight breastfed up,

This must be a very young boater who has broken down.