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Reversing in a straight line


Dave_P

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I think my boat must be full off them murphys laws.

Reversing in the marina to get some fuel I made a right pigs ear off it and managed to get a bit stuck. Bearing in mind it was only the fourth time off taking the boat out.

When we got up the canal in a clear very wide bit, Gloucester and sharpness, I had a play around turning it, mooring up, pretended parking in a marina (finding a spot and aiming in at it 90 degree turn) reversing it etc all was spot on, as soon I do it for real all hail breaks loose.

I think the boats next to us runs and hide.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Mine steers in reverse, but it doesn't appear to steer based on any input from me, just kinda does it's own thing!

 

The only way I can go backwards is get some speed, then throttle forward to change direction, then reverse, then throttle and so on ad nauseum!

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I have found anything like that is far too likely to snag in the assorted prams, shopping trolleys etc on the bottom.

 

I have used a length of 1" iron pipe filled with scrap metal. Use a blanking cap at the bottom and a reducing coupling at the top for the rope to pass through, knotted internally. Make it long enough so the bottom can scrape along the bottom of the cut, but the leading edge is suspended by the fairly short rope you deploy it on. That way there is nothing to snag.

 

I have used the device on many occasions to reverse from Furness Vale to the junction at Bridgemont on the Peak Forest. About 3/4 mile with several narrows and bends.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

Edit: of course you must still spend 90% of the time looking at the bows for that slight movement off course and correct it.

Interesting, but how long is the pipe and what does it weigh?

 

 

 

Interesting

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Interesting, but how long is the pipe and what does it weigh?

 

 

 

 

The pipe was about 4-5ft long. Weight? At a guess about 20-25lb. Sorry I can't be more specific but it stayed on Alton when I sold her.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

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I have found anything like that is far too likely to snag in the assorted prams, shopping trolleys etc on the bottom.

 

I have used a length of 1" iron pipe filled with scrap metal. Use a blanking cap at the bottom and a reducing coupling at the top for the rope to pass through, knotted internally. Make it long enough so the bottom can scrape along the bottom of the cut, but the leading edge is suspended by the fairly short rope you deploy it on. That way there is nothing to snag.

 

I have used the device on many occasions to reverse from Furness Vale to the junction at Bridgemont on the Peak Forest. About 3/4 mile with several narrows and bends.

 

 

So can anyone tell me why it's ok to drag an object along the bottom of the canal or river bed, which is attached a rope at the bow of the boat as an aid to reversing in a straight line, but for some reason it's not ok to use a propeller attached to a motor mounted in a transverse pipe in the bow of the boat for the same purpose?

 

Both appendages seem ok to me - one method is rather more expensive than the other, but possibly slightly easier for the single-handed boater to deploy.

Edited by blackrose
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So can anyone tell me why it's ok to drag an object along the bottom of the canal or river bed, which is attached a rope at the bow of the boat as an aid to reversing in a straight line, but for some reason it's not ok to use a propeller attached to a motor mounted in a transverse pipe in the bow of the boat for the same purpose?

 

Both appendages seem ok to me - one method is rather more expensive than the other, but possibly slightly easier for the single-handed boater to deploy.

 

Gosh - you don't mean a, you know, 'girlie button' thingy?

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The pipe was about 4-5ft long. Weight? At a guess about 20-25lb. Sorry I can't be more specific but it stayed on Alton when I sold her.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

So a 4 foot length of scaffolding pipe filled with scrap/concrete should do the trick.

I'll give it a try.

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Gosh - you don't mean a, you know, 'girlie button' thingy?

We call them ' bow thruster birds ' they sometimes flock together as they ' trill' away. Yes sometimes ( only under duress) we are part of that flock too . Bunny
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So a 4 foot length of scaffolding pipe filled with scrap/concrete should do the trick.

I'll give it a try.

Should be OK.

 

Some people have used a sash weight but I think the extra length of the pipe keeps the top out of the mud and any potential snags.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

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Worth trying, must try it out next time we take off. Old saying........don't knock it unless you've tried it

Phil

 

UNTIL you've tried it, Phil! There's a fine borderline there, which could easily be the undoing of the unwary.

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Has anyone tried a small sea-anchor (drogue)? I worry that a 20kg weight might snag and rip the bitts off the boat.

 

A drogue is equally likely to snag and rip itself to destruction. Unless you reel it in as you slow down.

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