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"New" Hazards appearing on the River Trent

Alan de Enfield

By Alan de Enfield
in General Boating

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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The water levels are very low on the Trent at the moment.

 

Yesterday got stuck on a 'sandbank' about 200-300 yards downstream of Farndon Marina entrance, and on the opposite side.

The water is about 2 feet deep and the bottom can easily be seen to be mussel shells and gravel.

Tried poling-off but no chance,

Another boat tried ro pull us off forwards - it got stuck,(but managed to get itself off)

Another boat tried to pull us off backwards, got stuck (but managedto get itself off).

 

We had quite a list - all the cupboard drawers slid open.

 

The first boat then approached us at 90o got their bow-rope onto out bow T-Stud and reversed - no movement. Came in close again, engaged reverse and did a 'snatch' - we very slowly slid off after 2 'snatches'.

 

Coming back towards Newark today saw a NB trying to 'pole-off' in exactly the same spot as we were yesterday,saw several boats pass and wave, so we approached his bow at 90o, "snatched" him off.

The guy didnt appear to have a single word of English but I guess his 'thumbs up' conveyed his message.

 

I dont understand why boats would not come to his assistance - who knows what tommorow will bring ?

 

 

For information to assist others transiting the Trent :

Water level - less than 2 feet

Location 200-300 yards downstream of Farndon Marine Entrance

Size - extends at leat 1/4 towards 1/3 of the width of the River.

 

Talking to the lockies there are (apparently) 'islands' popping up all over the place (where they have never been seen) on the tidal Trent beyond Cromwell lock, and several 'new' shallows on the non-tidal part.

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Hawkmoth Rising Star

Hawkmoth

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I also can't understand how some boaters ignore others who are stuck. We have pulled people of sand/mud banks several times over the years, but when we ourselves were shelved up on the Thames once, quite a few boats went barreling past without stopping. We did get ourselves off eventually.

Bob

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Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

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Sounds very like or close to the place I slid off and and mentioned in the thread about buying a VHF set for the Trent. Its a great pity CaRT do not take a leaf out of the EA's book and buoy the danger, after all they seem to have put poles into the tidal section in places.

 

I simply can not understand this reluctance to help/tow. I understand that at sea it is a mariners legal requirement and duty to help those in trouble. It's a sad state of affairs when one needs a signal to get help.

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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Obviously with lower water levels it will be further out into the river!

 

I very much doubt that it has in fact followed the water and moved further out - what has probably happened is that it has always been there, but has had sufficient depth of water and boats have happily floated over it - but now the water levels are lower the distance between the water surface and the 'bottom' has reduced such that where once you could pass with ease, there is now insufficient depth.

 

I'm sure thats a much more realistic scenario than that you suggest.

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Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

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Coming past that same spot last month I thought I was well out into the deep part of the river when I looked down and was horrified to see the bottom clearly only a couple of inches below the bottom of the boat. Luckily I was able to make an urgent change of course and miss the shallows. I found the same problem half a dozen times further upstream too.

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benfordboy Proficient

benfordboy

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Coming past that same spot last month I thought I was well out into the deep part of the river when I looked down and was horrified to see the bottom clearly only a couple of inches below the bottom of the boat. Luckily I was able to make an urgent change of course and miss the shallows. I found the same problem half a dozen times further upstream too.

Normal service for the Trent on low water levels.........

 

Seen many 'Tubes' aground or close to on low water on the Tidal (Mainly because they either cant read the river or wont buy the charts)

 

But - Its a shame folks wont help out if someones aground, tidal reaches aside, no excuse for not helping a fellow boater in trouble on the upper Trent !

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Tony Dunkley Influencer

Tony Dunkley

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Normal service for the Trent on low water levels.........

 

Seen many 'Tubes' aground or close to on low water on the Tidal (Mainly because they either cant read the river or wont buy the charts)

 

But - Its a shame folks wont help out if someones aground, tidal reaches aside, no excuse for not helping a fellow boater in trouble on the upper Trent !

I'm curious to know . . . what is a "tube" in this context?

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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I'm curious to know . . . what is a "tube" in this context?

Sewer Tube.

 

It was the lockie at Grand Sluice, Boston who introduced us to the term some years ago now.

Normal service for the Trent on low water levels.........

 

Seen many 'Tubes' aground or close to on low water on the Tidal (Mainly because they either cant read the river or wont buy the charts)

 

But - Its a shame folks wont help out if someones aground, tidal reaches aside, no excuse for not helping a fellow boater in trouble on the upper Trent !

We will offer help if we can do so safely with out damaging our own boat.

 

Our bow cleats for example are not rated for as high a loading as the stern cleats. We are reluctant to tow larger vessels off with the bow cleats, especially much heavier boats, in case of damage. This means getting the stern closer and putting the deepest part of the boat in shallow water. Not ideal.

 

At Farndon at least a tow is never far away. The marina is opposite with their tug.

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Tony Dunkley Influencer

Tony Dunkley

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Sewer Tube.

 

It was the lockie at Grand Sluice, Boston who introduced us to the term some years ago now.

 

We will offer help if we can do so safely with out damaging our own boat.

 

Our bow cleats for example are not rated for as high a loading as the stern cleats. We are reluctant to tow larger vessels off with the bow cleats, especially much heavier boats, in case of damage. This means getting the stern closer and putting the deepest part of the boat in shallow water. Not ideal.

 

At Farndon at least a tow is never far away. The marina is opposite with their tug.

Approaching a grounded boat bow on may well be the best plan for passing the towline, wind and stream permitting, but pulling from forard using astern power won't give you the best chance of success. No conventionally propelled vessel will develop as much bollard pull running astern as when running in ahead. Use two lines the same length from one stern cleat with an eye at both ends and long enough to run forard outboard of all the deck stanchions etc., then have the grounded boat pass their line to you and make it off to both the eyes at the forard ends of those lines . . . now move steadily astern and as the line(s) begin to take up you will be swung stern on to the tow . . . allow the lines to go slack and quickly transfer one line to the cleat on the other side, then steadily ahead to take up the tow. You're now well out of the shallow water with the bridle that you've just set up giving you better steering and control than if pulling from just one cleat on one side of your stern . . . there's also the added bonus of dividing the strain between two cleats.

Edited by tony dunkley
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phill Collaborator

phill

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It's much easier to pretend you can't help because your coastal rated cleats can't take any strain and then you can motor on past. ( probably waving cheerily at the same time to compound the feeling you generate in the stranded boat. )

 

Mind I am surprised that someone who bleats on about the Rules would so casually break the most important one.

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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Who said we break any rules.

 

We help when it is safe to do so and wont cause damage or danger to our own vessel.

 

No rules broken.

 

If you had cleats rated at 2.5 tonnes strain would you tow a beached steel boat weighing much more with them?


Approaching a grounded boat bow on may well be the best plan for passing the towline, wind and stream permitting, but pulling from forard using astern power won't give you the best chance of success. No conventionally propelled vessel will develop as much bollard pull running astern as when running in ahead. Use two lines the same length from one stern cleat with an eye at both ends and long enough to run forard outboard of all the deck stanchions etc., then have the grounded boat pass their line to you and make it off to both the eyes in the ends of your lines . . . now move steadily astern and as the line(s) begin to take up you will be swung stern on to the tow . . . allow the lines to go slack and quickly transfer one line to the cleat on the other side, then steadily ahead to take up the tow. You're now well out of the shallow water with the bridle that you've just set up giving you better steering and control than if pulling from just one cleat on one side of your stern . . . there's also the added bonus of dividing the strain between two cleats.

 

Please feel free to have a go at your method with NC if you think it will work.

 

You will most probably end up on the beach with the boat you are trying to assist.

 

In the case the OP is talking about why put your own boat in danger of grounding when there is a marina tug not 100 yards away who does the job day in day out?frusty.gif

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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In the case the OP is talking about why put your own boat in danger of grounding when there is a marina tug not 100 yards away who does the job day in day out?frusty.gif

 

Its called being nice to people you dont know, and, helping those in a position you may find yourself in one day (when there isn't a tug available)

 

As the OP - I'd like to explain that we were in a flotilla, and if the two friends who came to assist had abandond me & gone merrily on their way, I wouldn't have been best pleased.

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