Any recommendations for sealing up holes before going out on the Thames?

[lucyboatgirl]

Hi you beautiful boat heads,

 

I am going to take my tiny little river cruiser out onto the Thames at Limehouse next week and take her down to Teddington. I am super excited about it but I am obviously a bit scared too. At the stern of my boat there is some bad carpentry that has large gaps in the wood where the hatch out to the engine is. I have a fear that some large waves might come in here and push water straight through these gaps. I would like to seal it up a little bit. Do any of yous have any recommendations of how I could do this or what I could use? 

Obviously it is not to be permanently sealed as it has to open to allow access to the engine.

Thanks for any help you can think of to offer me.

 

Happy boating out there everyone

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[Alan de Enfield]

23 minutes ago, lucyboatgirl said:

Thanks for any help you can think of to offer me.

Just be careful how much you seal her up.

It could be that the engine is getting its air via those cracks - seal up the cracks - engine runs for (say) one hour, runs out of oxygen and stops - you are now drifting powerless on a big, busy River.

That is a more likely scenario than big waves flooding the boat.

 

What sort of boat is it ?

Does it have ventilation / vents going into the engine room ?

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, lucyboatgirl said:

 

I am going to take my tiny little river cruiser out onto the Thames at Limehouse next week and take her down to Teddington. 

 

 

You go UP from Limehouse to Teddington. If you go DOWN you will end up in the North Sea.

[Scholar Gypsy]

 

2 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

You go UP from Limehouse to Teddington. If you go DOWN you will end up in the North Sea.

You get to bridge 1 first  ....

[David Mack]

5 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

 

You get to bridge 1 first  ....

 

You missed the Woolwich Flood Lock ...

 

[Mike Adams]

If you are scared and unsure about your boat don't do it. Take it around the Regents/GU and out at Brentford. Even then make sure you have an anchor/lifejackets etc. The tide runs very fast through bridges and you could easily be swept onto something and capsize if you don't know what you are doing. If you must do it go out in the early morning when there are fewer boats about and get the free download guide from the PLA and learn the rules.

[zenataomm]

I'm never quite sure about people who ask questions I'd classify as both "Life Threatening" and "Bleedin' Obvious" especially in the same sentence.

 

I'd not want to be a party to any outcome should it go wrong, other than to say ......

I personally wouldn't do it if: -

 

* I thought the River Thames went down to Teddington from Limehouse.

* I only considered bad carpentry as an issue if I were to consider going out on a tide-way.

* It didn't occur to me that any gaps in the decking might actually be required air inlet/exit for the engine.

 

Also I personally wouldn't do it unless: -

 

* I knew the engine was recently serviced.

* I had an efficient, permanently fitted bilge pump with automatic float switch and 'gert' great batteries.

* I knew how my tiny little river cruiser behaved in a cross swell.

 

Good luck, I don't want to be reading about you in The Waterways Press.

[Scholar Gypsy]

51 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

You missed the Woolwich Flood Lock ...

 

Good point. I also missed the moveable bridge 1A

[Tony Brooks]

Nothing to identify the cruiser or its material, just its a little river cruiser.

 

If it is a GRP job then unless it is sub 20ft then I doubt cracks in the deck or engine casing will let much water in because even waves get parted by the boat. I think it will only be a bit of spray and you should have a good working bilge pump that will easily deal with that.

 

If its a wooden boat then unless you really know it or have had a recent survey I would say don't try it because subjecting it to waves and wash could make it spring a plank.

 

I also go with the cautions others have posted.

 

Photo? Description? Maker & model? Size?

 

If it is GRP then I would be more concerned about flooding a NBs well deck than a GRP cruisers cockpit

Edited May 14, 2018 by Tony Brooks

[matty40s]

3 hours ago, lucyboatgirl said:

Hi you beautiful boat heads,

 

I am going to take my tiny little river cruiser out onto the Thames at Limehouse next week and take her down to Teddington. I am super excited about it but I am obviously a bit scared too. At the stern of my boat there is some bad carpentry that has large gaps in the wood where the hatch out to the engine is. I have a fear that some large waves might come in here and push water straight through these gaps. I would like to seal it up a little bit. Do any of yous have any recommendations of how I could do this or what I could use? 

Obviously it is not to be permanently sealed as it has to open to allow access to the engine.

Thanks for any help you can think of to offer me.

 

Happy boating out there everyone

x

x

x

 

GAFFER TAPE

[Mac of Cygnet]

33 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Nothing to identify the cruiser or its material, just its a little river cruiser.

 

 

 

She does identify it by name, but it doesn't sound good.

[Alan de Enfield]

23 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

 

She does identify it by name, but it doesn't sound good.

There is no PUKE listed on the "Boat Index" so maybe it isn't even C&RT or EA registered.

Going back some months, wasn't a member on her selling a 'little boat' called Puke ?

 

The fact it has a 'hatch going down to the engine' would indicate to me that it is likely to be 20+ feet length.

 

The OP's occupation is shown as 'stripper' so maybe she is planning to repaint the Puke.

 

Edit to add :

 

Been doing some research and we had the same person, same boat similar trip asking questions she said :

 

I have a few years boating experience but only on the canal and a little experience of the thames (mostly downstream).

But you reckon that the mooring spots in bristol are hard to find? I am aware the canal doesnt go into bristol and am happy to moor up out of town and cycle in. Some folk told me it was possible but do you think i will struggle to find a few spots to hop around over the winter?

 

It appears to be a 20 foot GRP with a 25Hp engine (most likely with an OB, but unconfirmed in the previous thread as the OP did not answer the question)

 

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[Victor Vectis]

4 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

You missed the Woolwich Flood Lock ...

 

Woolwich Flood Lock.

I like it!

?

[lucyboatgirl]

Hi thanks for taking the time to answer this question you lot. I do appreciate it. Special mention to Matty40s who was the only one that actually answered the question I asked. Thanks for that advice man! And of course thanks to Tony Brooks for your mega helpful answer and for actually sticking to the question!

 

And thank you everyone for your concern but I was specifically asking abut sealing up the edges of the hatch which is why I didn't mention anything else about the boat. And I am very sorry to say I find it really creepy that some people here felt the need to do some 'research' on me. Please don't do this to other users Alan de Enfiel as it's not helpful and it is really uncomfortable and sad and feels very stalkerish. We got a really beautiful community on the water together please don't ruin it for some people. 

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to answer.

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

21 minutes ago, lucyboatgirl said:

it is really uncomfortable and sad and feels very stalkerish.

When you registered on the site what possessed you to put your occupation down as 'stripper' unless you expected people to read and comment on it.

 

Weird or what ?

[zenataomm]

Your question was quite ambiguous, you may as well have asked what shop in East London is it best to buy stuff from? 

However the topic was dangerous and I stand by my comments, especially about not wanting to read about you in the press.

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, lucyboatgirl said:

Hi thanks for taking the time to answer this question you lot. I do appreciate it. Special mention to Matty40s who was the only one that actually answered the question I asked. Thanks for that advice man! And of course thanks to Tony Brooks for your mega helpful answer and for actually sticking to the question!

 

And thank you everyone for your concern but I was specifically asking abut sealing up the edges of the hatch which is why I didn't mention anything else about the boat. And I am very sorry to say I find it really creepy that some people here felt the need to do some 'research' on me. Please don't do this to other users Alan de Enfiel as it's not helpful and it is really uncomfortable and sad and feels very stalkerish. We got a really beautiful community on the water together please don't ruin it for some people. 

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to answer.

 

 

Now I find that comment bordering on the unacceptable.

 

You asked a question that was impossible to answer because you gave virtually no details. You also declined to give answers to the questions I posted so to be better informed in the absence of further clarification from you Alan felt it might be a good idea to see if you had given more info in the past. That is far from stalking, its trying to be helpful and maybe protect you from yourself.

 

For myself, when you declined to clarify I just gave up and noted you as a - well you decide how your conduct looks. Especially as it seems this is the second time you have failed to answer valid questions and provide more information.

 

We still have no idea exactly what this "hatch to the engine" is or how its fitted.  For you to get the best advice we need the best information. What is obvious to you on your boat and looking at it is far from obvious to us on the end of the internet.

 

If you think that you may need more help from the forum in the future It might be a good idea to make an apology to Alan.

 

 

[WotEver]

So the boat is called Puke. OP is a stripper. From her previous posts she has a Yamaha outboard. What a ‘hatch to the engine’ is on an outboard powered boat I have no idea, just like everyone else. 

 

A photo would help. And before OP gets all upset, a photo of the hatch, not of her. 

[David Mack]

1 minute ago, WotEver said:

So the boat is called Puke. OP is a stripper. From her previous posts she has a Yamaha outboard. What a ‘hatch to the engine’ is on an outboard powered boat I have no idea, just like everyone else. 

 

A photo would help. And before OP gets all upset, a photo of the hatch, not of her. 

 

I'm not sure I really want to see a photo of puke!

[Tony Brooks]

4 minutes ago, WotEver said:

So the boat is called Puke. OP is a stripper. From her previous posts she has a Yamaha outboard. What a ‘hatch to the engine’ is on an outboard powered boat I have no idea, just like everyone else. 

 

A photo would help. And before OP gets all upset, a photo of the hatch, not of her. 

It might have a cutaway in the transom to form a recessed motor "well" and someone may have put a wooden cover over it. Typically such wells are open at the stern. If that is the case for normal use I don't think there would be a problem as long as the front of the well has not been reduced in height to accommodate a short leg motor.  If it has the all bets are off.

 

What does give me some concerns if my supposition is correct is what happens if she collects a large moving wake into the stern.  I fear it might lift the whole cover off and possibly flood the engine or cascade into the cockpit.

 

However its all conjecture because the OP seems to refuse to answer valid question.

[zenataomm]

I can't be doing with people who are just so crazy! ….. and act weird in order to be whacky and different, then choose to be offended when it doesn't suit them to be like that today. 

Grow up and take a hard look at yourself

[Tony Brooks]

Maybe the OP has given up with the all over bitumen boat with sealed mushrooms and has moved from Skipton area down south

[lucyboatgirl]

Hey you lot, sorry I don't always check this forum but usually remember to post a thank you to all you incredible folks out there helping people with boating advice. Sorry I seem to have started some sort of shit storm without realizing it. Didn't mean to cause any offence or attack anyone. Alan De Enfield I certainly didn't mean to call your character into question because I am genuinely thankful and appreciate that you would take the time to answer someones question and try to help them out. I wrote that message quickly and reading it back it does look more aggressive than it was intended to be. I hope I didn't offend you. I was not trying to single you out more just trying to say that the collective feeling of logging back on to find a big conversation about me was a bit weird and unpleasant. I was defo not trying to lay the blame at your door or anyone elses. Was more just giving a heads up of how another forum user feels.

And thanks also to Tony Brooks I appreciate your advice and appreciate you calling out the tone of my message which you were totally right to do.

I always appreciate this forum and use it very often and if honest I come here to get answers more than I have ever been able to supply them, so I really value you guys and your help. Was not trying to be aggressive. Hope all is well out there on the water in the sunshine.

Also if any of you are interested I made it down the Thames and it was amazing. Boat well brothers and sisters.

Thanks again for all your amazing help.

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