whats this all about? odd steel plate welded to front of boat

[magnetman]

I have seen a lot of narrow boats but never seen this before.

 

Is it a hydrofoil for high speed operarions

 

Ice plates

 

It looked like 12mm plate so quite a serious thing.

 

A modern narrow boat non commercial about 28ft long.

[Bettie Boo]

If you put some carpet on it, it would make a Great platform for cats to use to get out of the cut when they've fallen in

[pete.i]

If you put some carpet on it, it would make a Great platform for cats to use to get out of the cut when they've fallen in

And people it's a step as an aid to get out if you fall in made "aesthetically pleasing.

"

[magnetman]

I suppose it could be a step for getting out with that is a possibility.

It seemed to be very heavy duty and deliberately put on for a particular reason which to my mind has some sort of mechanical purpose.

[Tiggs]

It's to cause maximum damage to other boats and thinks that it crashes into while still having a fender on the front. If I was the insurance co. for this boat I'd want it removed or I'd charge extra.

[magnetman]

 

One of the first things I thought was swim platform but I ruled it out immediately due to it being such thick metal.

[David Mack]

Quite. Who would be so daft as to put a great lump of steel on the bows of a boat?

Edited June 8, 2016 by David Mack

[magnetman]

This was meant to be in general boating not sure why it went in this section

[J R ALSOP]

out of the water, i was told is was to lift the front and push the back end down.

[W+T]

And people it's a step as an aid to get out if you fall in made "aesthetically pleasing.

"

 

I suppose it could be a step for getting out with that is a possibility.

It seemed to be very heavy duty and deliberately put on for a particular reason which to my mind has some sort of mechanical purpose.

 

 

nah, i wouldnt fancy getting my leg up there to try and get out, now if it was for that then i am sure it would be lower down for the less able folk to be able to there foot on it.

 

 

It's to cause maximum damage to other boats and thinks that it crashes into while still having a fender on the front. If I was the insurance co. for this boat I'd want it removed or I'd charge extra.

 

 

cant see that either as it is set back from the bow point.

.

[David Mack]

IMG_1095.JPGout of the water, i was told is was to lift the front and push the back end down.

Wouldn't ballast at the stern be more effective?

[Keeping Up]

i was told is was to lift the front and push the back end down.

 

Why would they want to do that?

[MtB]

i was told is was to lift the front and push the back end down.

 

 

I can't imagine it making a blind bit of difference...

[magnetman]

Thanks Roger

 

It does seem to have a hydrodynamic purpose of some sort. I would have thought ballasting would be suitable but if the boat was heavily built and required no ballast with tanks full but was still a bir heavy at the front then it could be a solution I suppose.

 

It didn't seem to have unusually low gunnels so I don't see extra ballast causing a problem.

[MtB]

Given the weight of all that extra steel plate I'd say it has the reverse effect to that intended.

[ChimneyChain]

Was the boat designed for the river or estuary?? And not the still waters of the canal

 

Darren

[Murflynn]

seems more likely that it was once a pusher tug, now chopped down to a more aesthetically pleasing profile.

[Martin Megson]

Possibly to help get it to plane at speeds over 4 mph

[magnetman]

It doesn't look like it was a pusher tug. I think if it had been then they would have cut it all off with a plasma cutter or torch.

 

Stability in rough water is a good possibility

[Murflynn]

suppression of breaking waves coming over the bow in a choppy tideway?

[the barnacle]

suppression of breaking waves coming over the bow in a choppy tideway?

 

sounds good.

[alan_fincher]

I have seen a lot of narrow boats but never seen this before.

 

Is it a hydrofoil for high speed operarions

 

Ice plates

 

It looked like 12mm plate so quite a serious thing.

 

A modern narrow boat non commercial about 28ft long.

 

I'm fairly sure this boat actually used to more on the pontoon alongside us for a while when we had the previous boat.

 

If I have the right baot, then what Magnetman doesn't mention is that it has quite a few unusual features for what is a basic leisure narrow boat of (probably) under 30 feet long, such as an electric winch for an anchor.

 

I can't remember the exact story, but it was built as some kind of personally owned boat by one of the builders, to use as some kind of demonstrator I think. I think the bloke who had bought it wasn't sure why those plates were there.

seems more likely that it was once a pusher tug, now chopped down to a more aesthetically pleasing profile.

 

No definitely not. I can't recall which builder it was attributed to, but it is a purpose built narrow boat by a known name. I though it used to be called something like "Thorn", but can find no obvious match in the boat listing. Perhaps I'm wrong on that?

 

Was the boat designed for the river or estuary?? And not the still waters of the canal

 

Darren

 

No, I don't believe so. It is very short, and not particularly stable. I wouldn't even want to go Limehouse to Brentford in it!

Edited June 8, 2016 by alan_fincher

[RLWP]

It would make a good icebreaker

 

Richard

[magictime]

I'm wondering about the grab handles on the deck - grab the handle and use the 'step' to get on or off?

[RLWP]

I'm wondering about the grab handles on the deck - grab the handle and use the 'step' to get on or off?

 

I think those are fairleads for the mooring lines

 

Richard