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Towing on cross straps single-handed


sparrowcycles

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Hello folks, in a few days I will collect Prince and after a few more days cruising him back to where Yeo will be I'll be towing up to Preston Brook and then back to Birmingham. 

 

I've towed on cross straps before with varying degrees of success so thought I'd ask here for any tips on good time before the day arrives. 

 

I'm particularly interested in pulling up to locks on the narrow canals.. those places where there always seems to be a small plastic boat moored super close to the lock landing!

 

But any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks! 

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I find it depends on whether you can get off the motor pulled up to the gates, if you can then I take the pair up to the gate. When the lock is ready take the motor in dropping the cross straps to leave the butty in the lock mouth. Take the motor through and leave it attached to what ever is available, bollard or lock gate, and lock the butty through. Real pain I would think if you are single handing is closing the gate as you bring the butty out.

 

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24 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

I find it depends on whether you can get off the motor pulled up to the gates, if you can then I take the pair up to the gate. When the lock is ready take the motor in dropping the cross straps to leave the butty in the lock mouth. Take the motor through and leave it attached to what ever is available, bollard or lock gate, and lock the butty through. Real pain I would think if you are single handing is closing the gate as you bring the butty out.

 

Thanks, that makes good sense to keep the motor right there if possible. Yeah I remembered that closing the gates was a real mission! 

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3 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

I'm sure if the OP asked nicely he'd find a willing crew on this forum.

Thanks, if I find it difficult I will certainly ask. At the moment I'm happy to learn a new skill. Quite likely by the time I'm ready to go down to Birmingham I'd be up for any help at all! 

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My advice would be to use canal furniture such as lock mouths and bridge holes as much as you can to hold the boats where you want them. Always run the fore end right up to lock gates which should keep the stern in deep water, and do not let the fore end of PRINCE go too near to the cabins of pleasure boats as at best you will scratch their paint and at worst go through their windows. Put the stem fender of both boats on the foredeck as this will prevent the high fore ends catching on lock gates and handrails.

 

Once you have a butty on try not to stop when other boaters do unpredictable things ahead of you - go steady but keep going and just thread your way through. If the stern of the un-steered butty keeps going under the trees or toward the towpath then ease off the power a little as the water behind is going faster than you are where the canal is shallow (your speed will also increase). Always tie up with the butty on the inside, this will keep the motor in the deep water and make picking up the cross straps easier when you pull away as the motor pushes the butty into the bank as it moves forward.

 

Do not run around as self preservation is essential, and running around looks so unprofessional. If it is frosty turn the planks over before walking down them, although you have half cabins if I remember correctly. Watch the chimneys on that great big motor as I am sure they will be higher than you are used to, and make sure the cross straps are tight - i.e. the fore end of YEO should be touching the stern fenders of PRINCE.

 

and I could go on and on and on :captain:

 

edit = I would strongly advise you have somebody teach you a bit about boating with pairs.

 

Edited by pete harrison
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All as Pete has said, a first go with cross straps have an eye splice on one end & pull up tight & tie a bowline in the other end so you can get them fitting right & snug you should be OK as the boats you have won't change if your motor has no ballast you need the counter flat on as if it has air space the "FanHold"in reverse will be "iffy" don't forget to ease off & possibly knock it out of gear when enigne hole doors get into bridge holes may be even requiring & "chuck back"

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I don't tow butty's, I only eat them, but I've towed lots of boats single handed and I always lashed the towed boats tiller straight ahead to help stop its stern end swinging about especially in a cross wind.  Easy for it to swing and clout moored boats.

Edited by bizzard
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Having seen you today it appears yeo still has an infernal combustion device. So the problem round  flights or dense packed locks is largly solved . Take prince down / up moor up walk back repeat with yeo.

when on cross straps put rudder strings  on to keep straight one to each anser pin.

remove oll chimneys cans and stuff. The butty will end up in the trees at some point..

we found a foot on the relevant cross strap helps tighten the turn on a tight bend.

we also spent time making cross straps that fit early on helps rather than trying to put ropes on dolly each time. If the cross straps are the same length every time the handling will be predictable.

keep a shaft on the fore end of each boat. Since selling the butty we have hardly used what was in the past a vital tool, getting the motor in the centre of the channel before engaging forward when coming off the bank is vital, with the butty dragging getting the bow off can be hard

enjoy.

 

 

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16 minutes ago, roland elsdon said:

Having seen you today it appears yeo still has an infernal combustion device. So the problem round  flights or dense packed locks is largly solved . Take prince down / up moor up walk back repeat with yeo.

when on cross straps put rudder strings  on to keep straight one to each anser pin.

remove oll chimneys cans and stuff. The butty will end up in the trees at some point..

we found a foot on the relevant cross strap helps tighten the turn on a tight bend.

we also spent time making cross straps that fit early on helps rather than trying to put ropes on dolly each time. If the cross straps are the same length every time the handling will be predictable.

keep a shaft on the fore end of each boat. Since selling the butty we have hardly used what was in the past a vital tool, getting the motor in the centre of the channel before engaging forward when coming off the bank is vital, with the butty dragging getting the bow off can be hard

enjoy.

 

 

Ah now I have a face to the name! Yes, until I take the engine out I definitely have the option of just moving one boat at a time, certainly flights and the like I reckon I'll be doing that. Thankfully the Trent and Mersey above great Heywood has a few single locks spaced out pretty well for some practice! 

That's a good tip about the shafts, I will make sure to keep them in place! 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
On 26/10/2018 at 08:12, TimYoung said:

You may find that the old trick of towing a bucket on a line behind the butty will help stabilize things.

works well tied to the back of the rudder,

 

we use to travel alot with single handed a pair, a very small load on the butty helps to. wind is your enemy! you can semi help control the butty by standing on the x strap to help bring the butty back into line 9 out 10 the butty will follow if x straps are fairly tight with the butty bow on the motor fender.

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