Fly Boat Blade

[mark99]

Did some of the Fly boats carry a sharp edge mounted on the bow to cut through tow lines that got in their way?

[David Schweizer]

I have read that some did, but have never seen any photographic evidence to confirm it.

[pete harrison]

28 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Did some of the Fly boats carry a sharp edge mounted on the bow to cut through tow lines that got in their way?

In the 1989 hardback version of Tom Chaplin's NARROW BOATS there is a photograph on page 18 that shows an 'S' shaped blade, the text reads "The curved sabre style knife fixed to the bows of packet boats to cut any other tow ropes that came in the way"

 

There is a difference between fly boats and packet boats in that the former worked fast to deliver high priority goods and the latter was for passenger transportation.

 

edit = any boat can work fly as this term simply means to travel non stop from being loaded to the point of being unloaded

Edited October 30, 2018 by pete harrison

[noddyboater]

The Duchess Countess certainly had one but I read it was symbolic rather than practical. 

[X Alan W]

I think as Pete says the rope cutting devices were only fitted to packet /passenger boats I'm not sure but think "Fly boats may have had priority at locks but don't think they were allowed tow line cutting

[David Mack]

It would have to be a remarkably sharp knife to cut a towrope in a single pass! More symbolic I think.