narrowboating backwards
AHarv...@aol.com
<<
Would people like to share their tips 'n' tricks with
others? It is in your own self interest, as the greater the
number of people who know how to do it, the less the chance
of YOUR boat getting bumped by an off course, reversing
battering ram.
>>
Yes please folks.
We have about 50 - 100 yards to negotiate up the arm to our mooring with boats
moored either side. We have a couple of 'dog-legs' to negotiate plus a
weighted lift bridge. Boats for sale are moored 2 or 3 deep and there is not
enough room to turn once in the arm.
I am quite fair about this. Those I miss on the way out I manage to swipe on
the way back ;-( Clearly any tips will be well received.
We are getting better though, clipping 15 minutes off the time each trip. (We
have done it 3 times now and are down to 45 minutes each way. This is the one
time I silently wish for my little cruiser back - I could almost do wheelies
with that.
Regards
Ann
Mike & Su
perfectly straight line in reverse (it's been commented on by people
we don't even know that know the previous boat-owners... honest) it
has a lot to do with the shape of the hull. CC has a very long and
narrow swim which seems to make it extremely simple to reverse.
However, the 'All Right Now', even though she's a lovely boat, backs
up like a HGV with two flat tyres. The best way, we've found, to back
a boat that is being reluctant, is to point the elbow bend of the
tiller in the direction you want to go, in other words reverse
steering to when you're in forward gear. A slow and steady reverse
works better than bursts of speed, and makes it easy to correct any
movement off the line with a bit of forward gear and tiller _almost_
hard over to correct the drift.
That of course, is in perfect weather, with no wind and nothing
wrapped 'round your prop.
-Mike and Su and CC
Trevor Pavitt
Mike & Su wrote in message
<908888236.439.1....@news.demon.co.uk>...
>
>That of course, is in perfect weather, with no wind and nothing
>wrapped 'round your prop.
>
>-Mike and Su and CC
>
had a pair of trousers round the blades! Is there a message here?
Trevor on Nb Lady Elgar - Grand Union
Richard Lucas
from "Trevor Pavitt" <tp...@globalnet.co.uk> contains these words:
> I once did a *perfect* reversing manoeuvre and found out afterwards that I
> had a pair of trousers round the blades! Is there a message here?
That depends!
1. Were you on a boat at the time? This isn't clear from your post.
2. Whose were the trousers?
3. The blades of what?
--
Cheers
Richard
"I don't expect to be right all the time, but I didn't expect the
Spanish Inquisition"
Molly
<richar...@zetnet.co.uk> writes
>The message <70iiva$2qp$1...@newnews.global.net.uk>
> from "Trevor Pavitt" <tp...@globalnet.co.uk> contains these words:
>
>> I once did a *perfect* reversing manoeuvre and found out afterwards that I
>> had a pair of trousers round the blades! Is there a message here?
>
>That depends!
>
>1. Were you on a boat at the time? This isn't clear from your post.
>
>2. Whose were the trousers?
>
>3. The blades of what?
But if they were his own trousers, it's fairly clear why he was
going backwards. :-)
--
Molly
Spanielle Boat
No problem, all you need is an outboard!
It's one of the two things 'Spanielle' the Springer does well. The other is
producing less wash than a 'proper' narrowboat travelling at the same speed.
Regards,
John the floating architect
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike & Su <cultural...@cutworks.demon.co.uk>
To: can...@blacksheep.org <can...@blacksheep.org>
Date: 20 October 1998 14:06
Subject: Re: narrowboating backwards
>Although we feel a bit smug that our boat is well-known for going in a
>perfectly straight line in reverse (it's been commented on by people
>we don't even know that know the previous boat-owners... honest) it
>has a lot to do with the shape of the hull. CC has a very long and
>narrow swim which seems to make it extremely simple to reverse.
>
>However, the 'All Right Now', even though she's a lovely boat, backs
>up like a HGV with two flat tyres. The best way, we've found, to back
>a boat that is being reluctant, is to point the elbow bend of the
>tiller in the direction you want to go, in other words reverse
>steering to when you're in forward gear. A slow and steady reverse
>works better than bursts of speed, and makes it easy to correct any
>movement off the line with a bit of forward gear and tiller _almost_
>hard over to correct the drift.
>
Niall
<spaniel...@virgin.net> wrote:
>Reversing narrowboats?
>No problem, all you need is an outboard!
>It's one of the two things 'Spanielle' the Springer does well. The other is
>producing less wash than a 'proper' narrowboat travelling at the same speed.
>
Do you ever find yourself unable to turn bows-to-wind in reverse
because the bows are being blown downwind faster than the OB can pull
the stern round? (e.g. when manouvering to enter an upwind berth)
There was some discussion about this at a recent Drascombe cruise;
suggestion was that it was due to lack of astern thrust, possibly as a
result of behind-prop exhaust outlets causing cavitation.
--
Niall
Drascombe Coaster - Tangram
http://www.btinternet.com/~niallcw/sailing
"Take oot the chart and score oot Port Ellen," said the Captain a little later; "that's another place we daurna enter in the Western Isles!"
(Neil Munro, "Para Handy Tales")
Andrew Cormack - COMPG
: Reversing narrowboats?
: No problem, all you need is an outboard!
: It's one of the two things 'Spanielle' the Springer does well. The other is
: producing less wash than a 'proper' narrowboat travelling at the same speed.
I now have a wonderful vision of you carrying the outboard from end to end
of the boat depending which way you want to go. Surely not ?
... but then it's exactly how we used to turn punts around (thread now in an
infinite loop) ...
Andrew
Spanielle Boat
-----Original Message-----
From: Niall <nia...@btinternet.com>
To: can...@blacksheep.org <can...@blacksheep.org>
Subject: Re: narrowboating backwards
>>Reversing narrowboats?
>>No problem, all you need is an outboard!
>>It's one of the two things 'Spanielle' the Springer does well. The other
is
>>producing less wash than a 'proper' narrowboat travelling at the same
speed.
>>
>
>Do you ever find yourself unable to turn bows-to-wind in reverse
>because the bows are being blown downwind faster than the OB can pull
>the stern round? (e.g. when manouvering to enter an upwind berth)
>There was some discussion about this at a recent Drascombe cruise;
>suggestion was that it was due to lack of astern thrust, possibly as a
>result of behind-prop exhaust outlets causing cavitation.
>--
I think the problem is lack of trust as trying to get the bow into the wind
whilst travelling forward is much easier. The other trick is, of course, to
stuff the bow into the offside bank and use it as a pivot.
Spanielle Boat
Might be a good idea for 70' boats at the ends of obscure branch canals
though! Oh yes, didn't some the birmingham dayboats have a bow at each end
in order to save turning them round?
No doubt the more knowledgable types will pick me up on that one.
Regards,
John the floating, OB at one end only, architect
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Cormack - COMPG <cor...@cf.ac.uk>
To: can...@blacksheep.org <can...@blacksheep.org>
Date: 21 October 1998 17:38
Subject: Re: narrowboating backwards
>Spanielle Boat (spaniel...@virgin.net) wrote:
>: Reversing narrowboats?
>: No problem, all you need is an outboard!
>: It's one of the two things 'Spanielle' the Springer does well. The other
is
>: producing less wash than a 'proper' narrowboat travelling at the same
speed.
>
Mike & Su
>I once did a *perfect* reversing manoeuvre and found out afterwards
that I
>had a pair of trousers round the blades! Is there a message here?
Good question. Perhaps the next time you plan to reverse you should
get out an old pair of moleskins, or is that voleskins... and wrap
them around the prop.
Brian L Dominic
<spaniel...@virgin.net> wrote:
>Very Silly :-)
>
>Might be a good idea for 70' boats at the ends of obscure branch canals
>though! Oh yes, didn't some the birmingham dayboats have a bow at each end
>in order to save turning them round?
>
>No doubt the more knowledgable types will pick me up on that one.
>
Some of the horse-drawn boats had facilities to ship the rudder at
either end...........
Brian
Web Sites:
Golden Valley Light Railway: http://www.proweb.co.uk/~dominicfam/
Canals:http://www.proweb.co.uk/~dominicfam/canal.htm
John Lee
>I think the problem is lack of trust as trying to get the bow into the wind
>whilst travelling forward is much easier.
I'm sure you are right; outboards are notoriously untrustworthy. :-)
John
Remove x from e-mail address to reply
Michael J Wooding
<john...@globalnet.co.uk> writes
>I'm sure you are right; outboards are notoriously untrustworthy. :-)
They are probably in the same league as the 'Reformed Scampi' on the
menu at the Two Boats last night :->
Mike
--
Michael J Wooding - nb DRACO http://www.g6iqm.demon.co.uk/draco.htm
NABO Webmaster http://www.clearlight.com/~nabo
email: na...@clearlight.com
The Cutpics site: http://www.vhfcomm.co.uk/cutpics.htm
The Springer Owners Club site: http://www.vhfcomm.co.uk/springer.htm
Martin Ludgate
Group's magazine "Navvies" which those of you who subscribe
should have just received. But I've posted it here in case some of
you who aren't subscribers might also be interested in acquiring
some rather good canal books at a decent price and also
furthering the cause of canal restoration. The 'description'
comments are by Neil Edwards, and I accept no responsibility for
them - or for Neil for that matter!
The 6th WRG Auction of Old Canal Books
Over the past few months we have collected more waterway
books for fund-raising, including the second part of a large
collection given to WRG by the late Vic Barnes. As before, we
have decided that the best way to sell them off is to auction them
through the pages of 'Navvies' - with all the proceeds going to help
fund WRG's Canal Camps. All the books (except where stated)
are in good condition. The reserves are the minimum that we
would accept and are approximately half the price you might see
from a specialised book dealer. You are invited to make your bids
(in multiples of 50p please). Simply write the Lot number (the
number on the left hand side) and the price you are prepared to
pay for each book or other item . The bidder offering the highest
price for each lot gets the goods at the price bid. In the event of
two equal bids, the first one received wins. All proceeds go to
WRG, so you can afford to be generous. All bids should be sent
to Neil Edwards (WRG Auction), 24A Avenue Road, Witham,
Essex, CM8 2DT, (or via IWA Head Office) to be received no later
than November 30, 1998. Successful bidders will be notified
shortly afterwards. Delivery / Postage and packing is extra, at
cost.
Lot Title / Author Pages Date Reserve Description
1. Braunston to Brentford (Grand Union) / Geoff Elwin &
Cathleen King 56 1980 UKP3.00 A4 size soft-back
detailed illustrated (line drawings) survey (and text)
2. The Kennet & Avon Canal / Kenneth R Clew (David &
Charles series) 206 1973 UKP12.00 Comprehensive
history of the Kennet & Avon Canal. 2nd edition.
3. The Kennet & Avon Canal / Kenneth R Clew (David &
Charles series) 206 1968 UKP15.00 Comprehensive
history of the Kennet & Avon Canal. 1st edition.
4. Canals of the East Midlands / Charles Hadfield 294
1981 UKP14.00 (Canals of the British Isles Series). 2nd
edition / 3rd impression. As new - perfect copy.
5. Canals of the East Midlands / Charles Hadfield 294
1966 UKP14.00 (Canals of the British Isles Series) 1st
edition. Sound copy but no dust jacket.
6. Canals of South West England / Charles Hadfield 206
1967 UKP14.00 (Canals of the British Isles Series). Good
copy with only minor scuffs on dust jacket.
7. Canals of the West Midlands / Charles Hadfield (Canals of
the British 352 1969 UKP11.00 (Canals of the British
Isles Series). 2nd edition. Good copy but defective dust jacket.
8. The Historic Thames / Hilaire Belloc. 128 1988
UKP8.00 Republication of well known 1907 work. Large format
guide with beautiful paintings of the Thames.
9. Exploring Britain's Canals / Paul Atterbury. 192 1994
UKP10.00 Large format photo book beautifully presented in
'coffee table' style. Good condition.
10. A Canal People / Sonia Rolt (Hardback edition). 154
1997 UKP6.00 Evocative Photos of the late 1940s / 50s. Dust
jacket damaged.
11. Canals in Camera / John Gagg. 127 1970
UKP5.00 Photo packed tour of the country. Good condition but
dust jacket rather grubby.
12. Inland Waterways of Great Britain & Northern Ireland / L A
Edwards 439 1950 UKP12.00 Rather tatty 'working
copy' of 1st edition of Edwards' standard work.
13. Victorian & Edwardian Boating from old photographs / Neil
Wigglesworth 100 1987 UKP9.00 Picture book packed with
interesting scenes and captions.
14. Britain's Lost Waterways (1 - Inland Navigations) / Michael
E Ware 100 1979 UKP9.00 Fascinating collection of
old photos and detail captions.
15. The River Conway / Wilson MacArthur (with 51 illustrations
by the author) 141 1952 UKP4.00 Detailed account walking
down the River. No dust jacket.
16. The Thames & Severn Canal / Humphrey Household
(David & Charles Series) 237 1969 UKP10.00 Book in
good condition, but no dust jacket.
17. English Canals Part III - Boats & Boatmen / D D Gladwin &
J M White 88 1969 UKP4.00 Softback detail packed
history. Few pictures.
18. The Wilts & Berks Canal / L J Dalby (Oakwood Press).
Softback. 120 1986 UKP4.00 Detail packed history of
the derelict canal, now under restoration.
19. The Hampshire Avon / Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald. (with 27
illustrations) 205 1950 UKP5.00 Detailed exploration of the
river. Dust jacket a little worn.
20. The River Trent / J H Ingram. (with 49 photographs). No
dust jacket. 186 1955 UKP4.00 Careful history of the
river, including part of the Trent & Mersey Canal.
21. The River Fowey / Wilson MacArthur. (with 54 illustrations
by the author) 180 1948 UKP5.00 Detailed account of the
Cornish River and local people.
22. The Thames / A P Herbert. (with 50 illustrations). No dust
jacket 254 1966 UKP7.00 Personal account of the river
from IWA's first President.
23. Sweet Thames, Run Softly / Robert Giddings. (with
engravings by the author) 230 1941 UKP4.00 Personal,
and popular at the time, account of the Thames. A bit tatty.
24. Lost Canals and Waterways of Britain / Ronald Russell
(Hardback) 272 1982 UKP12.00 Comprehensive study of
derelict waterways. Lots of interesting detail.
25. Navvyman / Dick Sullivan (Softback). 262 1983
UKP8.00 Full history of navvies on canals, railways and other
public works
with no punches pulled.
26. Journey Without End / David Bolton. (Softback). Few
illustrations. 191 1990 UKP3.00 Story of the author's
travels around the waterways.
27. The Warwick Canals / Alan Faulkner. (Softback). 80
1985 UKP4.00 Definitive history of the three canals from
Salford Junction to Napton Junction.
28. Women & Children of the Cut / Wendy Freer. (Softback).
80 1995 UKP7.00 Everyday life on working boats before
the War, well illustrated.
29. Water Highways / David E Owen. (Hardback). 140
1967 UKP5.00 Account of 1960s travels around the North
Western waterways by well known campaigner.
30. Pilotage on Inland Waterways / Chris Cove-Smith & R E
Chase 183 1970 UKP4.00 Practical advice for
boaters, explained in detail.
31. Inland Waterways of Great Britain and Ireland / L A
Edwards 482 1961 UKP18.00 2nd edition of Teddy
Edwards' much acclaimed 'bible'. No dust jacket.
32. Know Your Waterways / Robert Aickman. 6th edition 128
1960s UKP4.00 Softback edition by Geoffrey Dibb Ltd of
Aickman's standard work.
33. A Tour of the Grand Junction Canal in 1819 / John Hassell
84 1968 UKP2.50 Reprint with introduction by John
Cranfield with 25 photos.
34. A House-Boat on the Styx / John Kendrick Bangs. 4th
edition 171 1898 UKP5.00 Victorian riverside fiction.
Good condition, given age of book.
35. Portrait of London River / Basil E Cracknell. (No Dust
Jacket) 208 1968 UKP5.00 Personal account of the
Tidal Thames from Teddington to the Sea.
36. Lovely is the Lee / Robert Giddings. (No dust Jacket) 199
1947 UKP4.00 Popular account of travels along the River Lee
in Southern Ireland.
37. The River Dart / Ruth Manning-Sanders. (No Dust Jacket)
150 1951 UKP4.00 Personal account of the River Dart from
moorland origins to the sea
38. Portrait of the Yorkshire Ouse / Ivan E Broadhead. 39
photos. 188 1982 UKP5.00 Personal account of the
river and local people from source to sea.
39. Portrait of the River Medway / Roger Penn. 37 photos. As
new. 192 1981 UKP6.00 Personal account of the river and
local people from source to sea.
40. Holiday Cruising on the Broads and Fens / L A Edwards.
(ex library) 141 1972 UKP5.00 Lots of useful facts and
detailed Stanford's Broads & Rivers map.
41. Holiday Cruising in Ireland / P J G Ransom 152 1971
UKP8.00 Guide to Irish waterways includes River Bann and
Lough Neagh chart
42. Down the Thames / Martin Briggs (No Dust Jacket). A bit
tatty 251 1949 UKP5.00 Detailed account of the Thames
with numerous rather nice drawings.
43. Cheshire Waterways / David E Owen. 'Dalesman' paper-
back 72 1979 UKP3.00 Potted histories and accounts of
waterways running through the county.
44. Canals in Colour / Anthony Burton 176 1974
UKP7.00 With 83 colour and 27 black & white photos by Derek
Pratt. Potted history and nice photos.
45. Canals Revived / Roger Squires. Copy as new. 185
1979 UKP8.00 Well researched history of waterway restoration
up to the late 1970s.
46. A Short History of the Narrowboat / Tom Chaplin
(Paperback) 48 1967 UKP2.50 1st edition of this ever
popular potted history recently re-published.
47. A Short History of the Narrowboat / Tom Chaplin
(Paperback) 49 1968 UKP2.50 2nd edition of this ever
popular potted history recently re-published.
48. Nick of the River / Anthony Richardson. 280 1957
UKP4.00 Fictional account based on factual experience of
working with the River Police on the River Thames.
49. Death in the Thames / J R L Anderson. Ex Library and tatty
to prove it. 206 1974 UKP2.00 "A topical mix of
industrial espionage and boating on the Thames"
50. Offshore / Penelope Fitzgerald. 141 1979
UKP4.00 Fictional novel set among the houseboat community of
the Tidal Thames in the 1960s
51. Victoria's Inferno / Edited by Jon Raven. Paperback in
plastic wallet 192 1978 UKP3.00 Old Songs of old mills,
mines, manufacturers, canals and railways.
--
Martin Ludgate
Tony Mac
Spanielle Boat wrote in message <70lgot$70j$1...@post.thorcom.com>...
>Very Silly :-)
>
>Might be a good idea for 70' boats at the ends of obscure branch canals
>though! Oh yes, didn't some the birmingham dayboats have a bow at each end
>in order to save turning them round?
>
At The Ashton rally I remember seeing a boat for the disabled that
had a full set of controls at both ends so you never new which was
the front or back, Whether it was a converted Birmingham dayboat.
>No doubt the more knowledgable types will pick me up on that one.
Tony with no boat ( yet )
Martin Ludgate
Tony Mac <dodgytr...@hempseed.com> writes
>
>Spanielle Boat wrote in message <70lgot$70j$1...@post.thorcom.com>...
>>Very Silly :-)
>>
>>Might be a good idea for 70' boats at the ends of obscure branch canals
>>though! Oh yes, didn't some the birmingham dayboats have a bow at
>each end
>>in order to save turning them round?
>>
rudder at either end.
>
>At The Ashton rally I remember seeing a boat for the disabled that
>had a full set of controls at both ends so you never new which was
>the front or back, Whether it was a converted Birmingham dayboat.
>
'pushme-pullyu' trip boat on the isolated restored length at
Uppermill, thereby avoiding the need to build winding-holes at the
ends of the navigable section.
--
Martin Ludgate
Mike Stevens
>
> The Huddersfield Canal Society used to operate a similar
> 'pushme-pullyu' trip boat on the isolated restored length at
> Uppermill, thereby avoiding the need to build winding-holes at the
> ends of the navigable section.
So, at one time, did the Kennet & Avon Trust on the then-isolated
stretch from the summit down to the long pound through Pewsey.
--
Mike Stevens, nb Felis Catus II
The vloi be on the turmut, an it all be oi for we ter troi to
keet'n off the turmut.
Any off-list replies, please, to michael...@which.net