Wind!?

[rusty69]

15 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

 

 

 

And that is why one of the things they check is your ability to spring off using lines before issuing you a Boatmaster's licence.  Use the force!

 

True. A useful technique, but not Always successful in a bigger boat and strong wind. (unless i am doing it wrong) 

 

Eta. It also requires a fixed point ashore in the right place, not always available. 

Edited September 27, 2018 by rusty69

[MtB]

5 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

And that is why one of the things they check is your ability to spring off using lines before issuing you a Boatmaster's licence.  Use the force!

 

I've not heard of this. Can you outline the technique please?

 

Many thanks.

 

 

[cuthound]

Only twice in 45 years has wind stopped play for me.

 

The first time was when I put the nose in to let Mrs Hound off to set the  lock ahead, so I wouldn't have to hover in the wind. Problem was the wind then picked up and pinned me to the side and Mrs Hound couldn't hear me shouting or the horn over the wind. Fortunately after about 10 minutes the wind dropped enough for me to pull away.

 

The second time was immediately after All Oaks Wood on the North Oxford, heading towards Hawkesbury Junction.

 

As I came out of the shelter of the woods the cross wind blew me across to the offside. Couldn't move, and eventually some people off the moored boats took my ropes and hauled me across to the other side. Took about 10 people to overcome the force of the wind.

[TheBiscuits]

2 hours ago, KevMc said:

BUT what if as required by the T&Cs you are bona fide navigating from A to Z (not merely shuttling between F & H) and having reached L you are presented with a closure at M ... your navigation has been interrupted by circumstances beyond your control - I can't see why you should be forced to shuttle back and forwards to G just to keep moving when you are genuinely heading on from M as soon as it is open - that would surely be allowable?

That depends on how long the unplanned stoppage is going to be for, I think.  If it's going to be 3 weeks to fix the stoppage you would have a good case.  If it's something like the Middlewich Arm failure, it was immediately apparent that it was not going to be fixed for a very long time. 

 

If I had been somewhere near @Boater Sam's home mooring, I would have reversed the 3 1/2 miles to the nearest winding hole and gone elsewhere.  

 

For the lock closures on the L&L this year, CRT have clearly stated that they won't hold CC'ers to the 20+ mile minimum range guidance at relicencing time, but we can't just stay put in one place for the duration.  Because the L&L is long pounds & lock flights, there are very few places you can not just keep moving over a reasonable distance.  

3 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

A phone call to CRT would most likely win a bona fide navigator CRT support in such a situation

That certainly has been our experience, and that of many of our friends but as above I think "reasonable in the circumstances" depends on expected timings for a stoppage being fixed.

5 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I've not heard of this. Can you outline the technique please?

https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sailing-skills/springing-on-and-off-29899

 

I think there's a document about singlehanding lift bridges somewhere, but I can't find that one ... 

[cuthound]

17 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

 

 

 

And that is why one of the things they check is your ability to spring off using lines before issuing you a Boatmaster's licence.  Use the force!

 

 

True, but it requires having a handy bollard by you, or having to leave a mooring pin behind though. 

[Robbo]

16 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I've not heard of this. Can you outline the technique please?

 

Many thanks.

 

 

Reverse on a long stern line will cause bow to come out.

 

some more tips on this page 

https://www.westhighlandsailing.com/boat-handling-hints/

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by Robbo

[cuthound]

8 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

I think there's a document about singlehanding lift bridges somewhere, but I can't find that one ... 

 

Your not the only CWDF member who can't find it ?

[TheBiscuits]

Here's another howto, but possibly more relevant for canals:

 

http://www.canalboat.co.uk/a-guide-to-how-to-use-mooring-lines-for-springing-1-4761685

[MtB]

7 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sailing-skills/springing-on-and-off-29899

 

 

Ah thanks. Good article. I've instinctively used several of those techniques just didn't know them as 'springing off'. "Parbuckling' is a new idea I've never tried though.

 

Springing was not a great deal of help however when I was single handing a 23 ton 68ft boat in the circumstances I described!

 

 

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

Here's another howto, but possibly more relevant for canals:

 

http://www.canalboat.co.uk/a-guide-to-how-to-use-mooring-lines-for-springing-1-4761685

 

My concern was how to get enough way on to get steering after letting the lines go win a strong 'offshore' gale, in a heavy boat with a low powered engine. 

[rusty69]

11 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

I think there's a document about singlehanding lift bridges somewhere, but I can't find that one ... 

Its in Lincoln sorting office! 

[TheBiscuits]

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Springing was not a great deal of help however when I was single handing a 23 ton 68ft boat in the circumstances I described!

Maybe not completely untying from the lock landing would have helped - a long line to a bollard and you could have powered forwards with the line helping you arc into the lock rather than be blown across the canal.

 

 

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

Maybe not completely untying from the lock landing would have helped - a long line to a bollard and you could have powered forwards with the line helping you arc into the lock rather than be blown across the canal.

 

 

 

Yes that probably would have worked. I may even have done that.

 

I can't actually remember how I did it now, but obviously I did as I'm not still there....

[TheBiscuits]

12 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

"Parbuckling' is a new idea I've never tried though.

I suspect you have half done it though - pulling on the line between the boat and a ring/bollard by hand and then taking the slack in when the boat moves. 

 

Using the second line just means you don't have to lean out as far over the water  

[Mike on the Wey]

In London, wind is often cited as a reason not to move on the FB group. Granted, windshear off random buildings is more of an issue in a city. But a major issue is probably the fact that many London boats are smallish GRP craft with huge DIY sheds on the back, often powered by a small/cheap outboard which is actually underpowered.

[bizzard]

3 hours ago, reg said:

Its about time you published a book on boating tips, might need a slight disclaimer in the foreword though. 

There must be thousands of em still in the forums archives.

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

 

 

 

And that is why one of the things they check is your ability to spring off using lines before issuing you a Boatmaster's licence.  Use the force!

 

That's great if there is something you can spring off

 

[mrsmelly]

3 hours ago, rusty69 said:

Our 70 ft narrow boat is a pig in the wind (or i don't have enough skill). Its fine to control when underway, but in gusty open conditions, pulling away can be a bit of a challenge. 

please dont tell me that you push the bow off first?

[Richard10002]

2 hours ago, Robbo said:

Reverse on a long stern line will cause bow to come out.

 

some more tips on this page 

https://www.westhighlandsailing.com/boat-handling-hints/

 

Doesn’t have to be particularly long, just needs to be long enough  

 

If not single handed, no reason why a crew member couldn’t be standing by the pin to pull it out and hop onto the stern, just before the helmsman puts the power on to push the stern out.

[rusty69]

24 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

please dont tell me that you push the bow off first?

Course not.................  i get mrs rusty to do it

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Course not.................  i get mrs rusty to do it

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeejut...........

[ditchcrawler]

29 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

please dont tell me that you push the bow off first?

Don't you push off from the middle so both ends go out together

[rusty69]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

Don't you push off from the middle so both ends go out together

I expect Mrsmelly is so good, he reverses out!

[Jess--]

push the stern off, then use engine power to push the boat forwards and bring the stern in, doing this should kick the bow out and you can motor away before the stern reaches the side

[MtB]

42 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

push the stern off, then use engine power to push the boat forwards and bring the stern in, doing this should kick the bow out and you can motor away before the stern reaches the side

 

Not in a howling onshore gale it Won’t!!

 

[Neil2]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

That's great if there is something you can spring off

 

That's exactly what I was thinking.  It's all very well to learn this technique but there's never any handy bollards/rings around when you need them.   

 

Of course it's no problem with a centre cockpit boat just shove off with a cabin shaft and you're away.  Those storm force winds we had last week I never saw another moving boat all day, I reckon cos no-one could get away from the side.