Boat Handling

[Hairy-Neil]

- If I've got the wrong term Neil will correct me, I feel sure.....

 

[mattlad]

Experience tells me that

1:- It is possible to operate a narrowboat solo.

2:- While a short boat may be easier to turn around, a long 'un is much more stable.

3:- One Cap'n , One crew & one bike is worth about 4 or even 5 people!!!

 

BUT.............. You can't beat beat boating with Loved Ones, Friends, & if they behave themselves, family

[Purple Fairie]

Although a helmsman course sounds good, I don't know whether what we'd learn on a course we wouldn't get from just experience and practice anyway. (We got quite nifty on the Trent & Mersey in the end). And might save the spondoolees...!

 

Between us we have about 20 years of 'experience'. But only having hired before we had never been on tidal waters and where we are now moored we can't get anywhere without going onto tidal so last year we did a helmsman course on the Trent and we learned loads. We were able to do it on the Fairy and the instructor came out to us. As well as teaching us how to handle a NB on tidal water he also showed us some 'tricks' that would make the job a lot easier, eg mooring in a strong flow. The price wasn't too bad either, it was £160 for 1 person, but as we both did it the total was £185.

 

IMO well worth it. Our reasoning was if it was a weekend boat we probably wouldn't have bothered, but because it is our home, you can't be too careful!

[KenK]

Although a helmsman course sounds good, I don't know whether what we'd learn on a course we wouldn't get from just experience and practice anyway. (We got quite nifty on the Trent & Mersey in the end). And might save the spondoolees...!

 

I first ventured on a narrow boat in 1970 and have been hiring them for holidays on a regular basis ever since. When we decided to buy our own my wife organised a helmsman course for me as a Christmas present. One of the most enjoyable and useful things I've ever done and certainly worth every penny. I'd never single handed a boat before the course but had no problem shifting our 60 ft semi-trad from Great Haywood down to Banbury last year on my own. Not sure I would have been so confident without the course. Someone who really knows how to handle a boat can show you things it would take a lifetime to learn on your own.

 

Good luck with the boat search

 

Ken

[BlueStringPudding]

I first ventured on a narrow boat in 1970 and have been hiring them for holidays on a regular basis ever since. When we decided to buy our own my wife organised a helmsman course for me as a Christmas present. One of the most enjoyable and useful things I've ever done and certainly worth every penny. I'd never single handed a boat before the course but had no problem shifting our 60 ft semi-trad from Great Haywood down to Banbury last year on my own. Not sure I would have been so confident without the course. Someone who really knows how to handle a boat can show you things it would take a lifetime to learn on your own.

 

Good luck with the boat search

 

Ken

 

Sound advice - thanks all.

[Theo]

Do all of my boat deliverys on my tod, as long as you have a centre line and take your time you will be fine

 

 

And in broad locks, particularly, have a clear plan of action as to precisely you intend to go about the operation.

 

And to reiterate: NEVER be in a hurry!!

 

Nick

[BlueStringPudding]

And in broad locks, particularly, have a clear plan of action as to precisely you intend to go about the operation.

 

And to reiterate: NEVER be in a hurry!!

 

Nick

 

I didn't think there was any such thing as a "hurry" on the canals!? That's the whole idea, isn't it?!

 

[Alan Saunders]

I didn't think there was any such thing as a "hurry" on the canals!? That's the whole idea, isn't it?!

To me 'fast' on the cut = efficiently! Waste no water, break no banks, don't send moored boats surging backwards and forwards, don't run aground! Step off, don't jump, walk, don't run. Set locks in advance but don't waste water. It is a joy to operate the boat efficiently but dissapointing when I get it wrong, e.g setting the lock against the boat after the summit pound :-( - it is easy to get into a routine . . . think ahead . . .

 

A lot of the time you will be working locks, bridges etc. with other boats. As others have said a crew of one is sufficient and two can be better than several! The real challenge for a crew of one or two is not handling the boat it is stiff swing bridges and also heavy lift bridges if you are on the light side.

 

I have learned by experience over the last 30 years but before that I had tuition in my small, sea-going boat from experienced boaters and professional mariners as well as previous experience of small sailing boats. Otherwise I would seriously consider the 'Inland Helmsman's Course'. I may well yet go for a Boatmasters Certificate. I am certain that I can handle my boats well and know my limitations but I expect that the training would make me a better, safer boater.

 

I find 70' seems a lot of boat compared to 60' - make sure you wear your spectacles if you need them. OTOH, 40' plus of steel n/b is easier to position within an inch than a ton or less of fibreglass.

 

If you must bimble along on tickover and spend hours discussing which herbal tea you should brew rather than working the flight - fine, but please let me pass!

 

Alan

[carlt]

If you must bimble along on tickover and spend hours discussing which herbal tea you should brew rather than working the flight - fine, but please let me pass!

 

Alan

 

What a generalisation! I love 'bimbling' but hate 'herbal' hot drinks.

[magnetman]

I don't like herbal tea either but I do enjoy the vibe and experience of travelling up a lock flight by myself at a sensible and efficient pace.

If someone wants to race up a flight in order to 'get it out of the way because it's a pain in the arse' then I'll certainly let them past me.

edited

Edited February 15, 2007 by magnetman

[carlt]

I don't like herbal tea either but I do enjoy the vibe and experience of travelling up a lock flight by myself at a sensible and efficient pace.

If someone wants to race up a flight in order to 'get it out of the way because it's a pain in the arse' then I'll certainly let them past me.

Sorry to be a pedant but tea is the only herb that should be served hot (Coffe, being a ground seed I think of as a spice). All other vegetable liquids should be thoroughly processed before drinking.

[magnetman]

the only HERBAL INFUSION I do quite like is chamomile """tea""".

[Hairy-Neil]

the only HERBAL INFUSION I do quite like is chamomile """tea""".

 

And its not the same in T bag form once you've sampled the real thing....

[Theo]

nothing practice and a good sense of humour won't resolve!

 

 

A really long rope is a good idea, especially if you are upwind of the boat If you get to the end of the rope before you have got things properly under control you are in a real fix. Either you fall in or you let the boat go and the boat ends up on the other side of the canal either with you swearing on the opposite bank or you searing in the water half way across the canal. I am not sure which is preferable!

 

Nick

[magnetman]

...If you get to the end of the rope before you have got things properly under control you are in a real fix...

 

From which the term 'the bitter end' comes, rather appropriately really.

[antarmike]

Hello,

 

While perusing various second-hand narrowboats, I've noticed some ideal ones that vary in length from 50ft, 54ft, 62ft and 65ft. The ones at the larger end of that scale being more appealing, because of the extra living space.

 

But with only two of us intending to live aboard, are we going to be able to handle crewing and manoevring a boat of that kind of size?

 

We've spent time on a 35ft narrowboat, and Kev's familiar handling plastic noddy boats of varying sizes on the Thames - but they're obviously much lighter in weight.

 

Do any of you have any advice on what it'll be like with something over 60ft - both on rivers and canals? My concerns were aroused when I noticed many Hire firms specify minimum crew sizes on their larger boats?

 

Thanks

 

Lisa

 

The standard crew for a pair of working narrowboats was two, so I reckon if you have just one boat you should manage any boat with two people!

[bottle]

The standard crew for a pair of working narrowboats was two, so I reckon if you have just one boat you should manage any boat with two people!

 

They do and have had three years experience since that post.