Questions, Advice and Discussio boating Adventure.

[Calranthe]

Hello,

Looks like the old thread went a little off topic so here we are again.

For those that do not know we bought the GRP boat Kathleen, a 1981 Buckingham 20ft, hull is in very good condition, so is electrics, new batteries, cables, apart from the bilge boat is dry as a bone that has been left out in the sun.

She has a few quirks and the engine needed some work but we are still in what I feel is a win win situation, Engine has new glow plugs, starts easily needed a new fuel system (fitted a couple of days ago reconditioned), final test of boat will be on Sunday engineer is taking her out for a two hour cruise down the Trent to load test the engine if all goes well and he will sign off on the work and we will bring her home.

Quirks that still need sorting but can wait till she is home Gear leaver works in reverse (push forward for reverse) RPM gauge does not work and Horn is none functional.

Future upgrades if we decide she is the right boat to keep and spend our River/Canal life on:

240v system including solar.

This will comprise of a couple of small panels, controller, 300w Inverter and one additional battery (raising our leisure battery to 2)

Replacing the alternator   

Heating eberspacher Artronic D2

Plan

She is currently moored at Sawley Marina and we have a waiting berth at Aston Marina, if the final load test on Sunday goes well then we will move her up the TMC to her new home on Monday.

 

[Naughty Cal]

Best of luck with the boat move. 

[Calranthe]

I am looking forward to it, yes lots of challenges and things to learn even if Kathleen is too small for long term goal she is an excellent stepping stone and a good boat to cut our teeth on.

[Naughty Cal]

I would ditch the idea of fitting the Ebbersplutter. Webasto seem to be far more reliable in our experience.

 

[howardang]

3 hours ago, Calranthe said:

Hello,

Looks like the old thread went a little off topic so here we are again.

For those that do not know we bought the GRP boat Kathleen, a 1981 Buckingham 20ft, hull is in very good condition, so is electrics, new batteries, cables, apart from the bilge boat is dry as a bone that has been left out in the sun.

She has a few quirks and the engine needed some work but we are still in what I feel is a win win situation, Engine has new glow plugs, starts easily needed a new fuel system (fitted a couple of days ago reconditioned), final test of boat will be on Sunday engineer is taking her out for a two hour cruise down the Trent to load test the engine if all goes well and he will sign off on the work and we will bring her home.

Quirks that still need sorting but can wait till she is home Gear leaver works in reverse (push forward for reverse) RPM gauge does not work and Horn is none functional.

Future upgrades if we decide she is the right boat to keep and spend our River/Canal life on:

240v system including solar.

This will comprise of a couple of small panels, controller, 300w Inverter and one additional battery (raising our leisure battery to 2)

Replacing the alternator   

Heating eberspacher Artronic D2

Plan

She is currently moored at Sawley Marina and we have a waiting berth at Aston Marina, if the final load test on Sunday goes well then we will move her up the TMC to her new home on Monday.

 

It would be a good idea to fix your horn button as soon as possible - either repair the existing one or by fitting a new horn. Otherwise you will not be able to comply with the requirement to make the appropriate sound signals called for in the Canal Bye laws.

I also think you should try to get your throttle working in the correct sense - i.e. forward for ahead and back for astern to avoid confusion when manoeuvring.

 

Howard

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, howardang said:

It would be a good idea to fix your horn button as soon as possible - either repair the existing one or by fitting a new horn. Otherwise you will not be able to comply with the requirement to make the appropriate sound signals called for in the Canal Bye laws.

Simply fitting a horn - and using it would not actually comply with the law.

Actually - there is a far simpler way to comply with the laws :

Sound signals 12.

(1) Every power-driven vessel navigating on any canal shall be furnished with an efficient whistle.

(2) When vessels are in sight of one another the master of a power-driven vessel under way in taking any of the courses hereinafter referred to in this Bye-law shall indicate that course by following signals on such whistle, namely : One short blast to mean “I am altering my course to starboard”, two short blasts to mean “I am altering my course to port”, three short blasts to mean “My engines are going astern”, four short blasts to mean “I am about to turn or to turn round”.  This signal shall be followed after a short interval by one short blast if turning to starboard or two short blasts if turning to port and shall be repeated to any approaching vessel, whereupon such approaching vessel shall take action to avoid collision.

Edited July 8, 2017 by Alan de Enfield

[MtB]

7 minutes ago, howardang said:

It would be a good idea to fix your horn button as soon as possible - either repair the existing one or by fitting a new horn. Otherwise you will not be able to comply with the requirement to make the appropriate sound signals called for in the Canal Bye laws.

 

In theory yes, but the reality is that boaters hardly ever use 'appropriate sound signals' so the missing horn won't matter particularly.

I'd guess that only about 1 in 100 boaters on the cut know the sound signals, so that's a one in 10,000 chance that they'll be both used correctly by a boater and understood correctly by the other boat. 

 

On one of the few occasions I used a sound signal the woman on the other boat just got cross with me, saying I was hooting my horn at her. 

[mrsmelly]

7 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

In theory yes, but the reality is that boaters hardly ever use 'appropriate sound signals' so the missing horn won't matter particularly.

I'd guess that only about 1 in 100 boaters on the cut know the sound signals, so that's a one in 10,000 chance that they'll be both used correctly by a boater and understood correctly by the other boat. 

 

On one of the few occasions I used a sound signal the woman on the other boat just got cross with me, saying I was hooting my horn at her. 

I used the correct sound signals on the Trent on the Princess and one day some plonker rung our office to COMPLAIN that one of our boats had repeatedly blown our ( rather load ) horns at them. I had as always sounded before turning at the top of Holme lock and they were not near anyway as I wouldnt have turned in front of them, they had kindly left  their tel number to be rung back on with the " Results " of what the company had done about it!! The Princess owners gave me the number and I very politely rang the " complainant " and after a couple of questions and answers they realised they new nowt about boating and thanked me for the advice I gave them.

[MtB]

Yes it's only the trip boat skippers I see (or hear) ever using sound signals.

I'm sure the skippers are aware no-one has a clue what their sound signals mean but like Richard Parry and his life jacket, they can't just not bother. 

[Calranthe]

I have a hand horn in case needed one of the first purchases when I found out the horn did not work.

[OldGoat]

I ALWAYS use sound signals on the Thames if I am unsighted (can't see boats coming out of the next lock when I am turning. The Management hates it and gives me a mouthful - but it has saved a couple of potentially nasty situations. At least if the lockie hears me coming he gets the lock ready.....

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

I ALWAYS use sound signals on the Thames if I am unsighted (can't see boats coming out of the next lock when I am turning. The Management hates it and gives me a mouthful - but it has saved a couple of potentially nasty situations. At least if the lockie hears me coming he gets the lock ready.....

Do the Thames Lockies not have VHF ?

[OldGoat]

7 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Do the Thames Lockies not have VHF ?

No, they abandoned it years and years ago in favour of mobile phones.... (as a matter of policy, they never responded to a call).

The launches do have VHF, but only publicly use it during Henley regatta  to stop boaters crashing into each other at Henley bridge! I believe Teddington Lock keeps a listening watch. 

I decommissioned my set as there was no traffic - even from local boaters!

Edited July 8, 2017 by OldGoat

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

No, they abandoned it years and years ago in favour of mobile phones.... (as a matter of policy, they never responded to a call).

The launches do have VHF, but only publicly use it during Henley regatta  to stop boaters crashing into each other at Henley bridge! I believe Teddington Lock keeps a listening watch. 

I decommissioned my set as there was no traffic - even from local boaters!

Well - that's 1 : 0 to C&RT then.

They do at least provide lockies with both fixed and portable sets and you can call up (say) 10 minutes before arriving and they ensure the lock is in your favour, and the gates open - or - tell you to slow down / hurry up as they are currently in a locking operation.

It all works well.

[jocave]

Hope it all goes to plan for you, keep us posted on the trip..

[Calranthe]

Oh I will, we have most things packed and ready, just waiting on the call tomorrow, what I know of the use of the horn and I am a complete new person on the canal and the way I will use it is on blind bends and tunnels as for everything else the two most important things Peter taught me was pass on the right and close locks after you have gone through them unless you can see some one coming the other way then it is okay to leave it open for them.

[bizzard]

3 minutes ago, Calranthe said:

Oh I will, we have most things packed and ready, just waiting on the call tomorrow, what I know of the use of the horn and I am a complete new person on the canal and the way I will use it is on blind bends and tunnels as for everything else the two most important things Peter taught me was pass on the right and close locks after you have gone through them unless you can see some one coming the other way then it is okay to leave it open for them.

Thats the way to do it, as said by Mr Punch.   Have a great adventure both of you.

[Calranthe]

I just wanted to say thank you to all those who offered advice even when it was not what I wanted to hear, I have learnt a lot since coming here and I know that I still have a lot to learn

[bizzard]

Just now, Calranthe said:

I just wanted to say thank you to all those who offered advice even when it was not what I wanted to hear, I have learnt a lot since coming here and I know that I still have a lot to learn

Don't take too much notice of some of the Jonahish remarks responces, I'm sure they mean well, really. Your only travelling along canals after all, not attempting to sail around the world on a lolly stick. Your obviousely not daft.  There are certain things like locks where you need to take it easy, don't rush and take care but I'm sure you and Paola will get along the cut splendidly. Great stuff, take care.

[OldGoat]

3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Well - that's 1 : 0 to C&RT t.hen

They do at least provide lockies with both fixed and portable sets and you can call up (say) 10 minutes before arriving and they ensure the lock is in your favour, and the gates open - or - tell you to slow down / hurry up as they are currently in a locking operation.

It all works well.

Glad to concede  that! 

I've only cruised the Avon - those locks are 'proper' ship locks with no access to boaters and no boater operation either, so something extra is useful.

It would be chaos on the Thames if you could ring ahead! Well you can try, the response might be rather frosty, though...

[howardang]

4 hours ago, Calranthe said:

I have a hand horn in case needed one of the first purchases when I found out the horn did not work.

I'm glad to hear you have an alternative and apologies if  you are annoyed by the suggestion  - I was only trying to be helpful bearing in mind the title of the post.

Howard

[Calranthe]

2 minutes ago, howardang said:

I'm glad to hear you have an alternative and apologies if  you are annoyed by the suggestion  - I was only trying to be helpful bearing in mind the title of the post.

Howard

No apology needed your post was taken as it was meant advice from one person to another and yes please keep doing that:)

[lampini]

4 hours ago, Calranthe said:

I have a hand horn in case needed one of the first purchases when I found out the horn did not work.

We used one of these - works fine! Got our horn repaired only to find out it was pants anyway.... this'll do till I can be arsed to swop it out for one you can hear 57 foot away!

 

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/PUMP-ACTION-AIR-HORN-HAND-HELD-FOOTBALL-FESTIVAL-LOUD-Never-Runs-Out-/322282696344?hash=item4b098bae98%3Ag%3AZtcAAOSwzaJX87op&_trkparms=pageci%3A62353716-63e3-11e7-84fb-74dbd1808cb0%7Cparentrq%3A22709b3815d0aa46b6e6e450ffedfa96%7Ciid%3A10

[Naughty Cal]

5 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Yes it's only the trip boat skippers I see (or hear) ever using sound signals.

I'm sure the skippers are aware no-one has a clue what their sound signals mean but like Richard Parry and his life jacket, they can't just not bother. 

We have to use the correct sound signals every time we leave our marina due to the layout of the entrance. 

If we have used them and someone else doesn't know them we have some back up if the need ever arises for an insurance claim. 

Fortunately most people where we are know and use them.

Same seems to go here where we are now . All of the foreign yachts use them. 

[Calranthe]

This is a what if post please take it as such.

If both myself and Paola end up loving this life through many canal excursion and then once experience is learnt River exploration if we found that we loved the traveling more than staying put and once again I am talking IF everything worked out Years in the future then one option is getting a boat that is viable for coastal cruising.

One of the reasons we decided on Kathleen is that she is a basic inexpensive test bed, a place to explore all our options and without too many expenses including an inboard diesel and thus develops core boating skills that can go in the direction of live aboard or travel.

It should go without saying but I will anyway that if we took it in that direction in the coming years I would take all the relevant boating courses including VHF and basic seamanship.

Kathleen is the start of our journey, who knows we may end up falling in love with the canal's and sticking to them or go much further.

And yes waiting for that call tomorrow from the engineer has me a little antsy.