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

[Guest]

 

Simply because I've seen people performing about down weedhatches for several minutes, including the time to get the lid off and back on again, just to get something off the blades that could be shifted in a matter of seconds with a proper cabin shaft.

I can understand that if the fouling was simple. The truck inner tube on mine was a complete bastard, and in my case the weedhatch came up trumps. I can see that would not always be the case, and it is a good idea to have a suitable pole, and as you rightly say, the knowledge to use it efficiently, but you will have to work much, much harder to convince me that a weedhatch is not efficient on my particular boat (I can't speak for other boats.)

[GUMPY]

Surely with a weedhatch in place you would have two lines of attack? The long pole with a cutter,and the weedhatch? Belt and braces sounds sensible to me. If all else fails, off to the drydock.

Or sometimes when neither approach works, its Christmas and docks are shut for 2 weeks, stick the stern on a lock cill get the bolt cutters out jump down and cut the 20ft of sprung steel off the prop.

Only had to do it once in top lock at Stoke Bruene 20+ years ago.

Wonder what CRT would make of someone doing that now?

[Guest]

Or sometimes when neither approach works, its Christmas and docks are shut for 2 weeks, stick the stern on a lock cill get the bolt cutters out jump down and cut the 20ft of sprung steel off the prop.

Only had to do it once in top lock at Stoke Bruene 20+ years ago.

Wonder what CRT would make of someone doing that now?

Yes I have come across that impromptu drydock method, though never done it myself. I have often wondered how easy it would be to attack the prop from the tender, but have always forgotten to try it when in the water! I have worked on the rudder in this way very easily, so imagine that the prop would be quite accessible with a short hook? It is very low freeboard being an inflatable dinghy.

[Rufford]

My boat didn't come with a weed hatch. It came with chest waders. Not had to use them yet.

[Starcoaster]

What exactly is the disadvantage of a weedhatch? If you fail down the weedhatch and can still do it the "trad" way, you have lost nothing.

If you don't have a weedhatch to start with, you're limited, and so many issues can be sorted by using it?

 

And how viable do you think it would be training tens of thousands of first-time hirers every year, as well as every share boater and new boat buyer, how to sort a prop foul without calling for help most of the time, sans weedhatch?

Edited September 20, 2015 by Starcoaster

[Guest]

what exactly is the disadvantage of a weedhatch? If you fail down the weedhatch and can still do it the "trad" way, you have lost nothing.

If you don't have a weedhatch to start with, you're limited, and so many issues can be sorted by using it?

Agree; two lines of attack; belt and braces. (but you don't want somebody's braces round the prop.)

My boat didn't come with a weed hatch. It came with chest waders. Not had to use them yet.

Probably best of all! Let's hope you never need them.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Guest

[Cheshire cat]

One disadvantage is that you can sink your boat if you don't put the cover back on properly. I haven't done it but I came across such a scenario on the Macc a few years back.

[Guest]

One disadvantage is that you can sink your boat if you don't put the cover back on properly. I haven't done it but I came across such a scenario on the Macc a few years back.

Very true. It is a hole in the hull when all said and done. That said, like most things they are safe if used properly. Dead simple to make a temporary seal out of a piece of foam camping mat if leaking. I always keep a piece on board, and store my g cramps on the weedhatch, where they double up as extra clamps. I tend to be over cautious sometimes

[Guest]

One disadvantage is that you can sink your boat if you don't put the cover back on properly. I haven't done it but I came across such a scenario on the Macc a few years back.

Easily avoided. Just put it back on correctly give a blast of throttle in both directions. Observe.

 

If it doesn't leak it's on correctly.

 

It's not rocket science.

[adam1uk]

One disadvantage is that you can sink your boat if you don't put the cover back on properly. I haven't done it but I came across such a scenario on the Macc a few years back.

That depends on the design of the weed hatch. On a boat like yours (and mine) the weed hatch is trucked right up to the counter, so you don't have that possibility.

[Guest]

Easily avoided. Just put it back on correctly give a blast of throttle in both directions. Observe.

 

If it doesn't leak it's on correctly.

It's not rocket science.

That is the normal test.

That depends on the design of the weed hatch. On a boat like yours (and mine) the weed hatch is trucked right up to the counter, so you don't have that possibility.

Not seen one like that. Mine is about 150mm above the waterline. Is that why I can reach the prop very easily I wonder?

 

Another thing I noticed when helping a poorly man to clear the prop on his boat: The weedhatch was so narrow that I could barely get my arms down it, and even then, it wasn't directly over the prop, making the whole operation difficult. So i suggest that design has a lot to do with the success or otherwise of a weedhatch dive.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Guest

[Hawkmoth]

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 eithe

Many times I've thanked our weed hatch for being there. I can't think how I would have cleared the many foulings that Lyra suffered in our travels. Ropes, wire, tyres, clothes, even and umbrella.

Bob

[Guest]

Many times I've thanked our weed hatch for being there. I can't think how I would have cleared the many foulings that Lyra suffered in our travels. Ropes, wire, tyres, clothes, even and umbrella.

Bob

Just out of interest, does your weedhatch allow easy access to the prop? Reason I ask is some seem badly designed, and I wonder if these are the types that give weedhatches a bad name in some cases. Cheers

[alan_fincher]

Only had to do it once in top lock at Stoke Bruene 20+ years ago.

Wonder what CRT would make of someone doing that now?

 

Well the record shows BW staff continued to be happy to use the cilling method to clear a bad prop foul.

 

Our "Sickle" whilst still in their service.

 

[Photos: Ian Tyler]

 

 

Edited September 20, 2015 by alan_fincher

[Guest]

 

Well the record shows BW staff continued to be happy to use the cilling method to clear a bad prop foul.

 

Our "Sickle" whilst still in their service.

 

[Photos: Ian Tyler]

 

 

Great pics. That's the way to do it

[Tony Dunkley]

 

Well the record shows BW staff continued to be happy to use the cilling method to clear a bad prop foul.

 

Our "Sickle" whilst still in their service.

 

[Photos: Ian Tyler]

 

 

 

Dropping a motor onto the sill to get at the blade like that was a frequent and routine practice, done without even giving it a second thought, whether to get something really stubborn off, to check and sort out a suspected bent blade or even to change the propeller (blade, in boatmen's terminology), or to knock a bit of 'lift' either on or off to improve performance.

It does no harm to sill or boat if done right, although it was never 'officially' approved of. In practice British Waterways, up to and including most Section Inspectors, would just look the other way, even if it was being done right under their noses.

Of course, doing it the way shown only works in double locks, with the shorter sills in single locks you had to drain a short pound with the top gate open.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Tony Dunkley

[RLWP]

Why do muppets cruise with fenders down?

 

So I can retrieve them from rubbish tips at locks when they are fetched out with a keb. I haven't bought one in years, I have begun giving them away

 

Richard

[Guest]

 

So I can retrieve them from rubbish tips at locks when they are fetched out with a keb. I haven't bought one in years, I have begun giving them away

 

Richard

We found a few fenders this year.

[RLWP]

We found a few fenders this year.

 

Get yourself some rope and string them. Often the hardest part is getting the old rope out!

 

Richard

[Midnight]

I must have the world's best weed hatch. Part of the rear deck is hinged and when the hatch cover is off I have direct access to the prop within easy reach. I have removed just about everything from razor wire to a tyre plus all the usual clothing, rope, keepnets, coal sacks plastic bags etc. I often use the reversing method but it's not that successful with anything bigger than plastic bags.

 

If others are struggling perhaps their weed hatches are just badly designed?

[mark99]

I must have the world's best weed hatch. Part of the rear deck is hinged and when the hatch cover is off I have direct access to the prop within easy reach. I have removed just about everything from razor wire to a tyre plus all the usual clothing, rope, keepnets, coal sacks plastic bags etc. I often use the reversing method but it's not that successful with anything bigger than plastic bags.

 

If others are struggling perhaps their weed hatches are just badly designed?

 

 

Ours is easy to use too.

 

You slide the coal box/rear step out of the way (Trad stern), pop head and arms under under the counter and take off hatch. The prop is about 6" from water surface. You can normally see the short shaft section what Starcoaster was on about. You can also see grease emerging from the stern gland (not below however as jumper is in the way).

 

 

 

If tuned to the boat, you can immediately tell if even a tiny bit of stuff gets on prop due to water pattern from prop as said by others.

Edited September 21, 2015 by mark99

[ChimneyChain]

Well on the phone where posts are not numbered I have no idea which posts are being linked to.

Go to the bottom of the menu page and click on Full version button.

 

Darren

[Wanted]

Cruiser stern - weed hatch - bread knife - bolt Croppers.

[Guest]

Go to the bottom of the menu page and click on Full version button.

 

Darren

Cheers yes I know this but I am on a pretty slow connection too and the full version doesn't always load properly.

[Hawkmoth]

Just out of interest, does your weedhatch allow easy access to the prop? Reason I ask is some seem badly designed, and I wonder if these are the types that give weedhatches a bad name in some cases. Cheers

Yes, our hatch seem to be properly designed for access. I can't quite reach to the skeg, but can get to the prop shaft to cut things off if needed. BTW I do suffer ducks disease, so some people would find it easy to go deeper.

Bob