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Tiller Pin


Ray T

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What would a dinnerplate be doing on the cabin roof?

 

Yes alright, I asked for that with the rather sloppy wording . . . . . of course, there might be a dinnerplate on the cabintop if you'd just had your snap while you were steering, but you wouldn't put a coiled up line on it unless you'd licked all the gravy off first.

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Yes alright, I asked for that with the rather sloppy wording . . . . . of course, there might be a dinnerplate on the cabintop if you'd just had your snap while you were steering, but you wouldn't put a coiled up line on it unless you'd licked all the gravy off first.

Phew that's a relief I thought I had missed some important boating etiquette...

 

But seriously, can I ask what the reasoning behind placing the water can by the chimney is?

 

BTW I haven't heard the word "snap" used for a while - you are from God's County then?

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That (the stern string) should be coiled up small enough to fit on a small dinnerplate and (on a motor) placed just ahead of the can, which itself should be right up against the chimney, and not, as is frequently seen nowadays, halfway down the cabintop as though you've just clouted a cill too hard.

 

Looking through a few old photos, some well known names from the past actually must have based it on very big dinner plates!

 

What I do always like, is that if anybody cites what is "proper" you can usually find pictures of well respected boaters doing something else - a personal favourite of mine is the Whitlock's plastic water carrier on the butty, which clearly was often preferred to the traditional cans.

 

Another favourite is being told the mop should always be placed balanced on the can, but countless pictures regularly show them laid on the right hand side of the cabin roof, alongsidre the shaft, leaving the can(s) unobstructed.

 

I'm never sure where on the roof I should position the GPS though, to be strictly correct!

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Phew that's a relief I thought I had missed some important boating etiquette...

 

But seriously, can I ask what the reasoning behind placing the water can by the chimney is?

The water can should be placed directly in front of the chimney so that it can be easily reached by the steerer whilst stood on the cabin step. This allows for the kettle to be filled from the can whilst steering. The can should also rest on the handrail which makes it considerably easier to pour captain.gif

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Another favourite is being told the mop should always be placed balanced on the can, but countless pictures regularly show them laid on the right hand side of the cabin roof, alongsidre the shaft, leaving the can(s) unobstructed.

Mr preference is to rest the mop on the water can on a motor, but lay the mop alongside the cabin shaft on a butty. This is because I tend to have a single two gallon water can on the motor but at least two three gallon water cans on the butty which would make the mop difficult to reach.

 

I also rest the mop on top of the water can with the top handle laying on the mop to hold it in place - rather than than through the lower handle. Mr reason for this is that to my eye the greater angle of the mop running from the top of the water can to the cabin top looks 'cool' captain.gif

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The water can should be placed directly in front of the chimney so that it can be easily reached by the steerer whilst stood on the cabin step. This allows for the kettle to be filled from the can whilst steering. The can should also rest on the handrail which makes it considerably easier to pour captain.gif

 

Is Daphne doing it incorrectly then? wink.png

 

16343370558_90aa7d2775_c.jpglarge by r

 

Plus her tiller pin:

15908528814_b10d5986ef_c.jpg

Edited by Ray T
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Phew that's a relief I thought I had missed some important boating etiquette...

 

But seriously, can I ask what the reasoning behind placing the water can by the chimney is?

 

BTW I haven't heard the word "snap" used for a while - you are from God's County then?

 

I don't think there's anything other than practical considerations for the can being right up against the chimney. When filling something with water from the can it was done without moving the can from it's position and standing on the footboard in the doorholes, left hand holding whatever was being filled, and left arm passed round outboard of the chimney with your right hand on the small fixed handle of the can to tilt it. If the can was any further forward then it would be difficult to reach and pour from unless you had arms like an orangutan.

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Is Daphne doing it incorrectly then? wink.png

Daphne can do it however she likes, but this method is unconventional.

 

My ex-wife was 'slightly built' and she could not pour a two gallon water can without moving it, let alone a three gallon water can. In the end I acquired a one gallon can for her which was kept in the cabin captain.gif

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Is Daphne doing it incorrectly then? wink.png

 

16343370558_90aa7d2775_c.jpglarge by r

Unless her aim is spot on, and the flow starts and ends perfectly, I can see at least one obvious good reason for not doing it that way!

 

EDITED TO ADD:

 

Daphne has also failed the "small dinner plate test", and her chimney chain is a bit different to many.

 

For all that, I always absolutely love that photo!

Edited by alan_fincher
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Is Daphne doing it incorrectly then? wink.png

 

16343370558_90aa7d2775_c.jpglarge by r

 

Plus her tiller pin:

15908528814_b10d5986ef_c.jpg

That picture was probably posed specially, she certainly wouldn't do that normally, or have a photographer on the cabintop.

Edited by Tony Dunkley
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Looking through a few old photos, some well known names from the past actually must have based it on very big dinner plates!

 

What I do always like, is that if anybody cites what is "proper" you can usually find pictures of well respected boaters doing something else - a personal favourite of mine is the Whitlock's plastic water carrier on the butty, which clearly was often preferred to the traditional cans.

 

Another favourite is being told the mop should always be placed balanced on the can, but countless pictures regularly show them laid on the right hand side of the cabin roof, alongsidre the shaft, leaving the can(s) unobstructed.

 

I'm never sure where on the roof I should position the GPS though, to be strictly correct!

 

As well as personal preference, there was a practical reason for laying the mop down the sidebed side of the cabintop, depending on what sort of engine you had. A motor with a righthand blade would generally have the butty on the sidebed side in locks. Working downhill the mop would be in the way for jumping back down on to the motor if it was on the chimney side with the handle on the can.

Edited by Tony Dunkley
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The water can should be placed directly in front of the chimney so that it can be easily reached by the steerer whilst stood on the cabin step. This allows for the kettle to be filled from the can whilst steering. The can should also rest on the handrail which makes it considerably easier to pour captain.gif

 

That 'handrail' is a cant.

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I don't think anyone has been complaining. My original comment was just a bit of fun, simply because brass tiller bars and fancy tiller pins are nowadays seen as de rigeur, while in working narrow boat days they were more of an optional extra.

 

Tim

in my earliest boating days the tiller bar was steel tube painted barbers pole to match the swan neck On a stop in Tamworth to sample the excellent fish & chips from the shop near the bridge above the locks,.there was also a general tat/ junk shop near & he had about 10 sets of hearth tidy sets,6 or so sets in brass poker,brush, dust pan & stand 3 of the sets had very ornate tops, Which we bought, 2 sets were converted to tiller pins 5 of the knobs were sold & a profit was made. 1 set kept for the range There used to be a scrapyard in the Cowroast lock area who specialized in non ferrous metals who had a quantity of brass tube of the right diameter so with the profit from the tidy pins 2 lengths were bought, again 1 was bartered with Charity, & he other was kept mostly for show etc he steel one being everyday wear Tiller strings were also a must to prevent jamming & damage The original Charity dock supplied pin was a galvanised eyebolt with the thread cut off

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One of the reasons that boaters had different set ups, was that money was not as plentiful as nowadays, & most if not all the "bits" were bartered, scrounged, acquired by possibly not legal means, so if anything was suitable to do the job, it was more likely than not used, & the adage "if it's not broke don't fix/change it"was the way it was done.

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That 'handrail' is a cant.

I go back quite a long way with these boats, and I am very familiar with the correct terms for most parts of a narrow boat.

 

About 10 years ago I was watching a loaded narrow boat pair passing through the Watford area, and for my own entertainment followed for a while on my bicycle. This pair is operated by a charity and their volunteer crew tends to be of very mixed ability. The steerer of the motor on that occasion was pretty capable but had a liking for using all of the 'old fashioned' boating terms. Unfortunately the less experienced crew did not have a clue what the motor steerer was asking them to do as he may as well of being talking a different language, the consequence being a catalogue of mini disasters and a far from professional portrayal of how a working pair should be operated.

 

Consequently as many enthusiasts do not know what a 'cant' is, or will only associate a 'cant' to be the raised coamings of a fore / stern deck, then I am more than happy in these circumstances to stick with 'handrail'.

 

captain.gif

  • Greenie 1
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I go back quite a long way with these boats, and I am very familiar with the correct terms for most parts of a narrow boat.

 

About 10 years ago I was watching a loaded narrow boat pair passing through the Watford area, and for my own entertainment followed for a while on my bicycle. This pair is operated by a charity and their volunteer crew tends to be of very mixed ability. The steerer of the motor on that occasion was pretty capable but had a liking for using all of the 'old fashioned' boating terms. Unfortunately the less experienced crew did not have a clue what the motor steerer was asking them to do as he may as well of being talking a different language, the consequence being a catalogue of mini disasters and a far from professional portrayal of how a working pair should be operated.

 

Consequently as many enthusiasts do not know what a 'cant' is, or will only associate a 'cant' to be the raised coamings of a fore / stern deck, then I am more than happy in these circumstances to stick with 'handrail'.

 

captain.gif

 

Maybe the 'less experienced crew' were struggling to understand him because they had only heard or seen the wrong terms being used, . . . by people on canal related discussion Forums, for instance.

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I also rest the mop on top of the water can with the top handle laying on the mop to hold it in place - rather than than through the lower handle. Mr reason for this is that to my eye the greater angle of the mop running from the top of the water can to the cabin top looks 'cool' captain.gif

For me, another reason for the mop resting on the can is that, if I am in the trees for whatever reason, any branches are already being lifted by the angled mop and are more easily reached to lift over the chimney.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

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Maybe the 'less experienced crew' were struggling to understand him because they had only heard or seen the wrong terms being used, . . . by people on canal related discussion Forums, for instance.

I imagine the monthly waterways press of the last 40 years or so has had much more of a negative effect on enthusiasts understanding and opinions than the ramblings of a few internet Forum members. It is my opinion that most boat owners and enthusiasts have little interest in 'historical' terminology, and that much of this knowledge will die with the likes of you and me. I have no problem accepting this as I have no intention of pushing sh*t up hill (and I have tried) captain.gif

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I imagine the monthly waterways press of the last 40 years or so has had much more of a negative effect on enthusiasts understanding and opinions than the ramblings of a few internet Forum members. It is my opinion that most boat owners and enthusiasts have little interest in 'historical' terminology, and that much of this knowledge will die with the likes of you and me. I have no problem accepting this as I have no intention of pushing sh*t up hill (and I have tried) captain.gif

 

Yes, I know what you mean. I can recall a few occasions when I've tried to convince folks that something they've seen in a Museum or read about in a boating magazine was along way from being an accurate portrayal of the way things really were.

I was going to post something more about that H & W prototype wooden butty 'Orion' ( sister to the one in Geoff Wheat's photo) but I can't remember, or find, the thread it was on.

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When we used to hire camping boats from UCC Kimberley had an exhaust valve for a tiller pin. I have always liked a simple pin, but my 9 year old daughter has recently bought me a bird one for a present so I feel bound to use that now

My introduction to the canals was on Kimberly from UCC in 1973, she along with another camping boat were hired by a mixed venture scout unit for a week. The bug but despite the limitations imposed on drinking by the scouts and I have never looked back.

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A tiller pin is something I currently have on my acquisition list, just a case of finding a nice old poker of the 'right shape' with a brass shaft. Mind you I do not have a boat to use it on, and I have no intention of buying one.

A poker with a brass shaft would probably take some finding. Usually plain steel or 'brassed', with a skin of brass rolled onto the steel.

 

I also rest the mop on top of the water can with the top handle laying on the mop to hold it in place - rather than than through the lower handle. Mr reason for this is that to my eye the greater angle of the mop running from the top of the water can to the cabin top looks 'cool' captain.gif

I agree that's what looks 'right' to me, though no good with a row of cans the same size.

 

 

Is Daphne doing it incorrectly then? wink.png

 

16343370558_90aa7d2775_c.jpglarge by r

 

Plus her tiller pin:

15908528814_b10d5986ef_c.jpg

That's a rather shiny, fancy can wink.png

I do like the tiller pin.

 

One of the reasons that boaters had different set ups, was that money was not as plentiful as nowadays, & most if not all the "bits" were bartered, scrounged, acquired by possibly not legal means, so if anything was suitable to do the job, it was more likely than not used, & the adage "if it's not broke don't fix/change it"was the way it was done.

Probably a sign of gradually increasing prosperity, I was sent out, as a young man, to order a (rather expensive!) length of brass tube from an engineers' merchants as a tiller bar for the Hotel Boat 'Jupiter', about 1969/70. Up to that point, it had one in painted steel.

 

I go back quite a long way with these boats, and I am very familiar with the correct terms for most parts of a narrow boat.

 

About 10 years ago I was watching a loaded narrow boat pair passing through the Watford area, and for my own entertainment followed for a while on my bicycle. This pair is operated by a charity and their volunteer crew tends to be of very mixed ability. The steerer of the motor on that occasion was pretty capable but had a liking for using all of the 'old fashioned' boating terms. Unfortunately the less experienced crew did not have a clue what the motor steerer was asking them to do as he may as well of being talking a different language, the consequence being a catalogue of mini disasters and a far from professional portrayal of how a working pair should be operated.

 

Consequently as many enthusiasts do not know what a 'cant' is, or will only associate a 'cant' to be the raised coamings of a fore / stern deck, then I am more than happy in these circumstances to stick with 'handrail'.

 

captain.gif

I've been boating since 1965, by no means only Narrow Boating though, and earned my living on the waterways since about 1970. Although I did socialise a bit with boatmen at the very end of NB carrying in the North West I've never got deeply immersed into the Working Narrow Boat Culture, either real or preserved, maybe for that reason the only time I've heard of back cabin 'handrails' called 'cants' was on this forum a few months ago.

 

 

Tim

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