Equipment for going to sea

[gazza]

I shall keep an eye on look east or Anglia news for the inevitable bulletin about a guy getting into difficulty whilst trying to cross the wash...

 

Our news is incredibly dull at the moment ;-)

[Loafer]

If only this topic had been headed 'Equipment needed for crossing the Wash, maybe all you know-it-alls out there may have been kinder and less rude to the OP. Sometimes this forum does not come over in a positive light.

 

More than sometimes! Greenie.

 

Should also say 'Equipment needed for crossing the Wash on a good forecast' possibly.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Loafer

[Naughty Cal]

I shall keep an eye on look east or Anglia news for the inevitable bulletin about a guy getting into difficulty whilst trying to cross the wash...

 

Our news is incredibly dull at the moment ;-)

Wouldn't be the first time!

 

http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/Hunstanton-RNLI-lifeboat-launched-amid-concerns-for-70ft-narrow-boat.aspx

[gazza]

Wouldn't be the first time!

 

http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/Hunstanton-RNLI-lifeboat-launched-amid-concerns-for-70ft-narrow-boat.aspx

Sad that my donations get spent on plonkers who won't heed the advise they are given!

 

Good news is our Elysian will have a new skeg (all 7' of it!) rudder and sterngear ready for playing in the wash this summer :-)

Edited January 27, 2015 by gazza

[Naughty Cal]

Sad that my donations get spent on plonkers who won't heed the advise they are given!

 

Good news is our Elysian will have a new skeg (all 7' of it!) rudder and sterngear ready for playing in the wash this summer :-)

Might see you out and about this year then. We are looking forward to our next bbq on Roger Sand.

[David Mack]

So Salters Lode is out of action for 6 weeks.

 

How long will it take you organise the kit and pilot and wait for suitable weather to make the passage across the Wash?

 

Will it really save any time? And why is saving that time so important? And why is it worth spending the extra money and taking the risk?

[howardang]

So Salters Lode is out of action for 6 weeks.

 

How long will it take you organise the kit and pilot and wait for suitable weather to make the passage across the Wash?

 

Will it really save any time? And why is saving that time so important? And why is it worth spending the extra money and taking the risk?

"Because it's there?"

 

At the risk of being dubbed a know it all by Wandering Snail, the OP doesn't seem to want to listen to common sense so the reactions are not surprising. He could have the boat transported safely and quickly at a cost which would be comparable with what he may be contemplating to equip the boat to do the trip, not to mention the delays and his obvious lack of experience which may expose him and his crew to unnecessary risk.

 

Howard

[wandering snail]

As far as I can see, the OP is intent on equipping his nb for the trip and will be taking on a pilot. That would seem to be a responsible attitude to take.

[gazza]

Might see you out and about this year then. We are looking forward to our next bbq on Roger Sand.

Here's to some safe fun boating :-)

As far as I can see, the OP is intent on equipping his nb for the trip and will be taking on a pilot. That would seem to be a responsible attitude to take.

But a bit fool hardy in a boat that to all intents and purpose is an unknown quantity.

 

I wonder how much shite is waiting to be stirred up in the fuel tank?

Is the cooling system up to sustained high speed operation?

Gearbox and drive plate in good nick?

 

The list could go on.

 

One things for sure, if there are any problems they will soon show themselves, more often than not when you least need it.

Edited January 27, 2015 by gazza

[Naughty Cal]

Gazza, you know it all

[gazza]

Who me? Don't know what you mean :-)

[sirweste]

Ok, so my post about irritation was aimed at Cal specifically as I found that persons posts full of assumptions about me and generally a bit wee bit insulting.

With reference to other posts that were just offering general advice; while some were useful most were just unnecessarily negative. I feel like I asked "I'm buying a narrowboat and this Sunday I'm going into the wash, but only if there's some good waves. For equipment I just need some inflatable armbands yer?"

I am not underestimatubg the task at hand, but as yet I don't see it as I'm possible and it sounds like a bloody good adventure which is what I am all about.
The planning and prep for the trip would be thorough - which I would personally assume of a person rather than assuming the opposite, and would include a fuel tank drain and clean. The engine is my biggest concern at the moment, having had only a few hours on it, it did however perform well and at a stable temp all day Sunday at around 6-7mph up the Ouse. Just to state it as I feel certain someone will assume otherwise, the engine will be freshly serviced and checked though.

If this trip saves me a week or more it will be worth it. And I'd rather spend double the money doing this than using a lorry. My back up option is to go to Bedford and commute in from there until Salter Lode opens. If something did go wrong rest assured I would feel suitable guilty about calling the lifeboat and make a suitable donation. I've had some hairy moments in the past and but have yet to shamefully call out mountain rescue.

Some of the replies I have got here have been very similar to when I asked for advice on buying the boat. I was very grateful for some good advice received but a lot of it was rather aggressive and assumed that I had little common sense about buying anything. I've been a very big contributor to two other forums in the past and present and I've never quite experienced one as opinionated and aggressive as this - which is suprising given the relaxed nature of boating!

My mistake was giving any background info at all, I simply should have asked what equipment was require for going to sea (I titled it as sea rather The Wash to be more easily found by searchers in the future). This way an off topic escalation would have been avoided.

Anyhow some good info gleaned (such as post #14) and a great list of kit needed/suggested on page one. I'm hopeful I can find a willing pilot!

Thanks for the helpful info and non abusive posts.

Apologies for any bad English above, words aren't my strong suit and I'm on me phone.

Over and out.

Edited January 28, 2015 by sirweste

[Alan de Enfield]

 

Over and out.

 

Presumably you have not actually undertaken the VHF course yet.

 

"Over & Out" is for the 'films', that is not the correct 'sign off'.

[Sabcat]

 

Presumably you have not actually undertaken the VHF course yet.

 

"Over & Out" is for the 'films', that is not the correct 'sign off'.

 

You've got to love this forum.

[sirweste]

 

Presumably you have not actually undertaken the VHF course yet.

 

"Over & Out" is for the 'films', that is not the correct 'sign off'.

 

 

Ha! 10 on 10 for comedy pal!

 

However this is internets and not VHF

Edited January 28, 2015 by sirweste

[Naughty Cal]

 

 

Ha! 10 on 10 for comedy pal!

 

However this is internets and not VHF

So how do you plan to contact the docks at Lynn and Wisbech or any other vessels in the Wash if you don't have VHF?

Ok, so my post about irritation was aimed at Cal specifically as I found that persons posts full of assumptions about me and generally a bit wee bit insulting.

 

With reference to other posts that were just offering general advice; while some were useful most were just unnecessarily negative. I feel like I asked "I'm buying a narrowboat and this Sunday I'm going into the wash, but only if there's some good waves. For equipment I just need some inflatable armbands yer?"

 

I am not underestimatubg the task at hand, but as yet I don't see it as I'm possible and it sounds like a bloody good adventure which is what I am all about.

The planning and prep for the trip would be thorough - which I would personally assume of a person rather than assuming the opposite, and would include a fuel tank drain and clean. The engine is my biggest concern at the moment, having had only a few hours on it, it did however perform well and at a stable temp all day Sunday at around 6-7mph up the Ouse. Just to state it as I feel certain someone will assume otherwise, the engine will be freshly serviced and checked though.

 

If this trip saves me a week or more it will be worth it. And I'd rather spend double the money doing this than using a lorry. My back up option is to go to Bedford and commute in from there until Salter Lode opens. If something did go wrong rest assured I would feel suitable guilty about calling the lifeboat and make a suitable donation. I've had some hairy moments in the past and but have yet to shamefully call out mountain rescue.

 

Some of the replies I have got here have been very similar to when I asked for advice on buying the boat. I was very grateful for some good advice received but a lot of it was rather aggressive and assumed that I had little common sense about buying anything. I've been a very big contributor to two other forums in the past and present and I've never quite experienced one as opinionated and aggressive as this - which is suprising given the relaxed nature of boating!

 

My mistake was giving any background info at all, I simply should have asked what equipment was require for going to sea (I titled it as sea rather The Wash to be more easily found by searchers in the future). This way an off topic escalation would have been avoided.

 

Anyhow some good info gleaned (such as post #14) and a great list of kit needed/suggested on page one. I'm hopeful I can find a willing pilot!

 

Thanks for the helpful info and non abusive posts.

 

Apologies for any bad English above, words aren't my strong suit and I'm on me phone.

 

Over and out.

However you did greatly underestimate the distance involved.

[gazza]

6-7 mph upstream on a narrow boat?

 

Christ, you will be across the wash before you know it.....

[Naughty Cal]

http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/hunstanton

 

You need the wave heights on here to have been reading 0 for at least a couple of days before heading out in a narrowboat. It isnt called the Wash for nothing, it takes at least a couple of days to settle down.

6-7 mph upstream on a narrow boat?

Christ, you will be across the wash before you know it.....

Well at least thats something he didnt underestimate

[starman]

Good luck to you mate. Daryl is the top man, fully experienced in dealing with narrowboats out there (perhaps unlike some others). If he says it's ok then it's ok and you should have a good trip.

Weeding out the snippy posts, most of us are just offering our tuppence worth of advice and info. I hope you find a weather break with tide times that suit a daylight trip and let us know how you get on.

[Alf Roberts]

Ok, so my post about irritation was aimed at Cal specifically as I found that persons posts full of assumptions about me and generally a bit wee bit insulting.

 

With reference to other posts that were just offering general advice; while some were useful most were just unnecessarily negative. I feel like I asked "I'm buying a narrowboat and this Sunday I'm going into the wash, but only if there's some good waves. For equipment I just need some inflatable armbands yer?"

 

I am not underestimatubg the task at hand, but as yet I don't see it as I'm possible and it sounds like a bloody good adventure which is what I am all about.

The planning and prep for the trip would be thorough - which I would personally assume of a person rather than assuming the opposite, and would include a fuel tank drain and clean. The engine is my biggest concern at the moment, having had only a few hours on it, it did however perform well and at a stable temp all day Sunday at around 6-7mph up the Ouse. Just to state it as I feel certain someone will assume otherwise, the engine will be freshly serviced and checked though.

 

If this trip saves me a week or more it will be worth it. And I'd rather spend double the money doing this than using a lorry. My back up option is to go to Bedford and commute in from there until Salter Lode opens. If something did go wrong rest assured I would feel suitable guilty about calling the lifeboat and make a suitable donation. I've had some hairy moments in the past and but have yet to shamefully call out mountain rescue.

 

Some of the replies I have got here have been very similar to when I asked for advice on buying the boat. I was very grateful for some good advice received but a lot of it was rather aggressive and assumed that I had little common sense about buying anything. I've been a very big contributor to two other forums in the past and present and I've never quite experienced one as opinionated and aggressive as this - which is suprising given the relaxed nature of boating!

 

My mistake was giving any background info at all, I simply should have asked what equipment was require for going to sea (I titled it as sea rather The Wash to be more easily found by searchers in the future). This way an off topic escalation would have been avoided.

 

Anyhow some good info gleaned (such as post #14) and a great list of kit needed/suggested on page one. I'm hopeful I can find a willing pilot!

 

Thanks for the helpful info and non abusive posts.

 

Apologies for any bad English above, words aren't my strong suit and I'm on me phone.

 

Over and out.

 

I am sorry but you were, and are, coming across as inexperienced and worse still, arrogant.

 

The help you were offered early in the post was given in good part by people who have done this before. It's for you, as the one asking the question, to listen and sift through the information without getting arsy because that helps no-one, especially you.

 

The equipment you need to go to sea - it's trivial compared to the experience and knowledge you need, and once you have that knowledge you won't need to ask about the equipment. Equipment is only as good as the person using it and you don't give the impression you would even know how to deploy an anchor, use a VHF competently or legally, use a lifejacket safely. What is your experience of MOB procedures?

 

You are coming across as the kind of arrogant know-it-all that we see weekly in the newspapers being rescued by the RNLI because they thought they knew a whole lot more than they do.

[bizzard]

They took honey and plenty of money, wrapped up in a five pound note. The owl looked up at the stars above................................

[sirweste]

 

I am sorry but you were, and are, coming across as inexperienced and worse still, arrogant.

 

The help you were offered early in the post was given in good part by people who have done this before. It's for you, as the one asking the question, to listen and sift through the information without getting arsy because that helps no-one, especially you.

 

The equipment you need to go to sea - it's trivial compared to the experience and knowledge you need, and once you have that knowledge you won't need to ask about the equipment. Equipment is only as good as the person using it and you don't give the impression you would even know how to deploy an anchor, use a VHF competently or legally, use a lifejacket safely. What is your experience of MOB procedures?

 

You are coming across as the kind of arrogant know-it-all that we see weekly in the newspapers being rescued by the RNLI because they thought they knew a whole lot more than they do.

 

 

I haven't intended to come across as arrogent, my apologies.

I am far from a "no it all", I not all but nothing about this planned venture but will be educating myself prior to it and most importantly listening intently to the pilot. I came here as a first port of call as, in my experience, that's what a forum is for. First do a search and then, if the info isn't available, post to ask for help. My point is that there has been more unhelpful and negative opinion than I have experience before on a forum. When I was admin on a mini forum one of my charges was to ensure good content rather than senseless bickering, so as to prevent threads from degenerating into...well this. I do not agree that the OP should have to sift through the posts to find the non abusive and helpful ones, if that's how the forum here is intended and how you locals want it then fair enough my mistake.

I had previously read a few posts about crossing the wash and had seen quite a few negative off topic posts about the plan, and hence why I specifically didn't ask about this and why I tried (and failed) to keep the discussion on topic!

 

I am massively inexperienced, I have not said otherwise, if I wasn't I wouldn't have needed to post... The idea of my post was to get experience of the equipment required to then allow me to assess if it was a financially viable. There's no point of speaking to pilots if I cannot afford the gear to get out there.

 

I am grateful for the info and tried to express that, more than once.

 

I fully appreciate the tools are only as good as the user, and yes if I had the experience I wouldn't need to ask, but as I said if you can't ask basic questions here where are you supposed to start from aye. I completely dissagree with the all the gear no idea posts, I have none of the gear and folk are making wild assumptions that I'm some rich bloke wanting to spend enough money so he can go and mess around in the sea safely. I'm completely the opposite to this, almost everything I do is on a shoe string and bodged, most my friends would consider it laughable to label me as "all the gear"! However for going to sea, I figured it might make sense to have the right kit, water scares me, you can't stop and get off when you want to.

 

A lack of experience is does not equal a lack of competence or future ability. I'm happy to give out a go, this is no exception.

 

Damn, this was supposed to be a quick reply

[howardang]

I haven't intended to come across as arrogent, my apologies.

I am far from a "no it all", I not all but nothing about this planned venture but will be educating myself prior to it and most importantly listening intently to the pilot. I came here as a first port of call as, in my experience, that's what a forum is for. First do a search and then, if the info isn't available, post to ask for help. My point is that there has been more unhelpful and negative opinion than I have experience before on a forum. When I was admin on a mini forum one of my charges was to ensure good content rather than senseless bickering, so as to prevent threads from degenerating into...well this. I do not agree that the OP should have to sift through the posts to find the non abusive and helpful ones, if that's how the forum here is intended and how you locals want it then fair enough my mistake.

I had previously read a few posts about crossing the wash and had seen quite a few negative off topic posts about the plan, and hence why I specifically didn't ask about this and why I tried (and failed) to keep the discussion on topic!

 

I am massively inexperienced, I have not said otherwise, if I wasn't I wouldn't have needed to post... The idea of my post was to get experience of the equipment required to then allow me to assess if it was a financially viable. There's no point of speaking to pilots if I cannot afford the gear to get out there.

 

I am grateful for the info and tried to express that, more than once.

 

I fully appreciate the tools are only as good as the user, and yes if I had the experience I wouldn't need to ask, but as I said if you can't ask basic questions here where are you supposed to start from aye. I completely dissagree with the all the gear no idea posts, I have none of the gear and folk are making wild assumptions that I'm some rich bloke wanting to spend enough money so he can go and mess around in the sea safely. I'm completely the opposite to this, almost everything I do is on a shoe string and bodged, most my friends would consider it laughable to label me as "all the gear"! However for going to sea, I figured it might make sense to have the right kit, water scares me, you can't stop and get off when you want to.

 

A lack of experience is does not equal a lack of competence or future ability. I'm happy to give out a go, this is no exception.

 

Damn, this was supposed to be a quick reply

It's good to read your point of view and thanks for the clarifications. Initially, most people were trying to be helpful but it is not helpful to have advice either ignored or rubbished. This forum is comprised of many different characters but the one thing that people on here have in common is that if advice is asked for they will give it in abundance.

 

Good luck with your plans and have a trouble free trip.

 

Howard

[Alf Roberts]

 

 

I haven't intended to come across as arrogent, my apologies.

I am far from a "no it all", I not all but nothing about this planned venture but will be educating myself prior to it and most importantly listening intently to the pilot. I came here as a first port of call as, in my experience, that's what a forum is for. First do a search and then, if the info isn't available, post to ask for help. My point is that there has been more unhelpful and negative opinion than I have experience before on a forum. When I was admin on a mini forum one of my charges was to ensure good content rather than senseless bickering, so as to prevent threads from degenerating into...well this. I do not agree that the OP should have to sift through the posts to find the non abusive and helpful ones, if that's how the forum here is intended and how you locals want it then fair enough my mistake.

I had previously read a few posts about crossing the wash and had seen quite a few negative off topic posts about the plan, and hence why I specifically didn't ask about this and why I tried (and failed) to keep the discussion on topic!

 

I am massively inexperienced, I have not said otherwise, if I wasn't I wouldn't have needed to post... The idea of my post was to get experience of the equipment required to then allow me to assess if it was a financially viable. There's no point of speaking to pilots if I cannot afford the gear to get out there.

 

I am grateful for the info and tried to express that, more than once.

 

I fully appreciate the tools are only as good as the user, and yes if I had the experience I wouldn't need to ask, but as I said if you can't ask basic questions here where are you supposed to start from aye. I completely dissagree with the all the gear no idea posts, I have none of the gear and folk are making wild assumptions that I'm some rich bloke wanting to spend enough money so he can go and mess around in the sea safely. I'm completely the opposite to this, almost everything I do is on a shoe string and bodged, most my friends would consider it laughable to label me as "all the gear"! However for going to sea, I figured it might make sense to have the right kit, water scares me, you can't stop and get off when you want to.

 

A lack of experience is does not equal a lack of competence or future ability. I'm happy to give out a go, this is no exception.

 

Damn, this was supposed to be a quick reply

 

Yes, I hear what you are saying. But the people replied, did so in good faith, most of them have been there.

 

As a boater on a shoestring, the thing that takes the place of money is experience, learning and knowledge.

 

Study navigation. Boat on the rivers you have access to. Practice setting an anchor and retrieving it. Make MOB procedures. Etc etc.

 

You can go to sea with no equipment at all. I'd rather go with someone who knows what they are doing and no kit than someone who has all the kit but knows nothing.

 

Good luck with your venture.

[Giant]

Coming to this forum to ask a specific question doesn't tend to work very well.

 

People will tend to run off into why you're asking, and what the rest of your situation is, and in the absence of any information they will try to guess, with a tendency to assume the worst.

 

This can sometimes be a good thing in the end, because quite often the asking of a question is a clue to some deeper misunderstanding.

 

It can also be infuriating, when you were trying to focus on a particular question.

 

This all goes double for any query involving (a) "lumpy water" or ( b ) London.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Giant