New style of (sinking) pipe fenders-big problem in the making

[adam1uk]

As others have said, these fenders are not new at all. The sinking quality can be very useful when moored by an underwater shelf, as you can lower the fender accordingly. Surely the important point is to avoid losing them in the water -- and the best way to achieve that is to use fenders only when moored. Often if you find a lock gate which won't close properly because of something on the chill, that something will be one of these fenders.

[Bee]

Non floating fenders are banned in most of Europe for these very reasons, have to admit not all of mine comply but there is no way they will ever fall or be pulled off.

[Paul C]

I've often thought of fitting a weed cutter on the propshaft, but it would be a nightmare if something (ie bigger) gets onto the prop anyway, then you have to fumble around in the weedhatch and avoid it. We got a piece of rope caught there on this year's BCN and it took ages to remove it, normally its not too much hassle but this one was trickier. Visibility is normally a non-issue in our weedhatch - but you need to pick a time when the canal is quiet and has been for a while, for the silt to settle and the water to become transparent (enough).

[GUMPY]

Why do muppets cruise with fenders down?

Its asking to lose them.

My fenders are of that type but are always stowed when moving.

[johnmck]

We have had two of these causing us problems. It is not so much the fender, but the clip and length of rope attached when they are clipped onto the gutter.

 

The first one wrapped around the prop, then the fender drummed against the hull. Luckily, this happened exiting a lock, so we were able to stop and remove it quite easily.

 

Second occasion, dare I say this, jammed the bow thruster. The eye at the end of the rope was all that remained of the clip, this was injested by the thruster, and wrapped itself around the blade. The fender then drummed against the side of the boat as we progressed. Only option was out of the water to remove it. Long story!!

 

So, tis the length of rope that is the problem. These type are for mooring only and should not be used when cruising. Our old neighbour found this out in Newbold tunnel, when one of his came off and wrapped itself around his prop!

 

Hope the damage is less severe than anticipated to Reg.

[Tony Dunkley]

I've always regarded weedhatches as being one of the most pointless and useless things that can be fitted to any boat, and this thread does nothing to convince me otherwise.

Having first had to mess about opening the thing up you're almost invariably going to be faced with dealing with something that you can neither see nor reach.

In 56 years of operating power driven vessels of many different types, I've never once had to resort to grovelling about down a weedhatch, which is just as well, because none of the boats I've either worked or used have ever had one. They are time consuming and not very easy to use, and this incident with MtB's boat shows that they really aren't much use either.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Tony Dunkley

[Paul C]

I've always regarded weedhatches as being one of the most pointless and useless things that can be fitted to any boat, and this thread does nothing to convince me otherwise.

Having first had to mess about opening the thing up you're almost invariably going to be faced with dealing with something that you can neither see nor reach.

In 56 years of operating power driven vessels of many different types, I've never once had to resort to grovelling about down a weedhatch, which is just as well, because none of the boats I've either worked or used have ever had one. They are time consuming and not very easy to use, and this incident with MtB's boat shows that they really aren't much use either.

 

I can see and reach into my weedhatch - are there boats out there where you can't?. I'm not surprised you've not used a weedhatch if the boats weren't fitted with one.

[magnetman]

 

I'm not surprised you've not used a weedhatch if the boats weren't fitted with one.

[Tony Dunkley]

 

I can see and reach into my weedhatch - are there boats out there where you can't?. I'm not surprised you've not used a weedhatch if the boats weren't fitted with one.

 

Can you reach the shaft, and see it in muddy, murky water ?

[Paul C]

 

Can you reach the shaft, and see it in muddy, murky water ?

see post #28

[tree monkey]

 

Can you reach the shaft, and see it in muddy, murky water ?

I can reach the prop and shaft easy and every time I've needed to i have been able to see what I needed to see

[sjc]

I got caught by the same one twice, having dropped off the first time it sank and waited for me to come around a few weeks later. Eventually removed it and kept it as that's the type we use - firmly fixed, never down whilst cruising. BTW the correct name for them is Linfords...

[magnetman]

I agree about weedhatches though. All mine have stayed shut and I have found other ways of getting rubbish off if it decides to get in there. I find the best tool for preventing prop fouling is my ears

 

Any slightest change in engine tone straight into neutral then blip of reverse and listen

[Tony Dunkley]

see post #28

That sounds like no, then.

[magnetman]

And a stout cabin shaft with the hook end ground down in strategic places for cutting and stabbing helps

[vulpyfox]

My weed hatch isn't the best located one but it does it job and I'm sure glad tipsy has it!

[Paul C]

I've often thought of fitting a weed cutter on the propshaft, but it would be a nightmare if something (ie bigger) gets onto the prop anyway, then you have to fumble around in the weedhatch and avoid it. We got a piece of rope caught there on this year's BCN and it took ages to remove it, normally its not too much hassle but this one was trickier. Visibility is normally a non-issue in our weedhatch - but you need to pick a time when the canal is quiet and has been for a while, for the silt to settle and the water to become transparent (enough).

 

 

That sounds like no, then.

 

Time for specsavers, Tony?

[Tony Dunkley]

I can reach the prop and shaft easy and every time I've needed to i have been able to see what I needed to see

 

You must be blessed with extremely long arm's, or a very small diameter propeller that's very near the surface and a weedhatch with very shallow sides.

[Guest]

I've always regarded weedhatches as being one of the most pointless and useless things that can be fitted to any boat, and this thread does nothing to convince me otherwise.

Having first had to mess about opening the thing up you're almost invariably going to be faced with dealing with something that you can neither see nor reach.

In 56 years of operating power driven vessels of many different types, I've never once had to resort to grovelling about down a weedhatch, which is just as well, because none of the boats I've either worked or used have ever had one. They are time consuming and not very easy to use, and this incident with MtB's boat shows that they really aren't much use either.

You sometimes talk sense on here.

 

This is not one of those occasions.

 

When we were on the shallow canals the weed hatch often made it a cinch to remove stuff from the prop, it wasn't a faff to open at all.

 

They are not designed to cope with every prop foul scenario as evidenced by this thread. They will assist in lots though.

[Starcoaster]

This is the first time I have ever been weedhatch mining and been unable to resolve the problem.

[Scholar Gypsy]

I certainly needed the weed hatch when we got a 9 inch length of barbed wire around the prop shaft (ie between the stern gland and the prop) on the Witham Drains last month,

 

I was just about to send a child into the water when it came off. ..

[Guest]

This is the first time I have ever been weedhatch mining and been unable to resolve the problem.

We had a few prop fouls over the years, two particularly severe ones. One was on the Leeds and Liverpool and the other was on the Erewash.

 

Both were clothing, large amounts in both cases. The alternative to using the weed hatch would have been to get in the canal with a knife rather than go down the weed hatch.

 

More usually they were just minor prop fouls and were easily removed via the weed hatch.

[Tony Dunkley]

I agree about weedhatches though. All mine have stayed shut and I have found other ways of getting rubbish off if it decides to get in there. I find the best tool for preventing prop fouling is my ears

 

Any slightest change in engine tone straight into neutral then blip of reverse and listen

 

Watching for changes to the stream of water that's being thrown back from under the counter and being sensitive to any unusual vibrations in the tiller can also alert you to even the smallest amount of rubbish on the blades, and as you say, what used to be called a 'chuck back' will often get rid of stuff before it gets itself too well tightened on.

When steering a loaded motor, canal boatman would be always be looking behind at the propwash just as much as they'd looking ahead where they were going.

These days, however, most folk seem totally insensitive, and much too slow in reacting, to what's going on with their boats, whether it's getting hung up in a lock or collecting rubbish round the blades.

[Tony Dunkley]

Visibility is normally a non-issue in our weedhatch - but you need to pick a time when the canal is quiet and has been for a while, for the silt to settle and the water to become transparent (enough).

 

 

Time for specsavers, Tony?

 

Still sounds a lot like "no" to me.

[bizzard]

 

Watching for changes to the stream of water that's being thrown back from under the counter and being sensitive to any unusual vibrations in the tiller can also alert you to even the smallest amount of rubbish on the blades, and as you say, what used to be called a 'chuck back' will often get rid of stuff before it gets itself too well tightened on.

When steering a loaded motor, canal boatman would be always be looking behind at the propwash just as much as they'd looking ahead where they were going.

These days, however, most folk seem totally insensitive, and much too slow in reacting, to what's going on with their boats, whether it's getting hung up in a lock or collecting rubbish round the blades.

They're most probably on the phone.