Narrowboat steering - rudder only?

[Daz555]

I recently returned from a 2 week trip on the Avon ring - began as a complete novice but felt by the end I had begun to get the hang of things - did not hit anyone at least during the trip.

 

On thing that soon became obvious to me was the lack of control you have in reverse with the traditional prop & rudder arrangement you have on a narrowboat. Very different to the steerable prop (not sure if that is the right term) I was used to when driving RIBs etc when on SCUBA diving days.

 

Do any narrowboats have a steerable prop rather than a rudder?

 

Just curious that's all. Would be nice to know why narrowboats don't generally have them if people have an opinion on it - I'm guessing it is down to reliability/complexity or likelihood of damage etc. Or is it just tradition?

 

Thoughts?

Edited August 18, 2016 by Daz555

[mickp]

I think ur used to out boards motor more difficult with in board motor

[Paul C]

Small narrowboats (like, under 30') often don't have an inboard engine, instead using an outboard. There are big advantages to having an inboard diesel, which is what most narrowboats have. 1) they're diesel - safer, and lots of canalside filling stations etc. 2) inboard normally means bigger alternator etc. 3) inboard normally means use can be made of the cooling system to heat domestic water.

 

So given an inboard diesel, the simplest arrangement is a fixed prop with rudder.

 

There's plenty of other possibilities you'd see on larger boats, tugs (as in, proper tugs, not a canal boat tug) etc which permit finer control and/or control in reverse, but they'd be prohibitively expensive and needlessly complicated on a narrowboat. Also I doubt there is the available draft for some to be installed without space consumed on board.

[Stilllearning]

Yes there are steerable props, cannot remember ATM the makers names. The drawback comes when something gets stuck round the prop. Access via a weed hatch is tricky, as the systems tend to use a cowled prop in a tube.

[Rick-n-Jo]

Several butty/horse boats have been motorised by having an hydraulic motor built in to the rudder. Behaves like a big outboard and steers beautifully in reverse, as I know having briefly owned Capella.

[Dave Payne]

As you use the boat more you will soon get used to having no steering in reverse, its all about little jabs of forward gear whilst aiming the front end where it needs to be, then going back into reverse, and carrying on in reverse till the front end once again start to wander....

 

Took me a while to get used to it, but as long as the wind is not playing up too much or the water is not very shallow i can aim the back end where i need to be and usually get there with a few adjustments.

[cuthound]

Some narrowboats will steer in reverse, but only at a certain rpm, others just won't.

 

If they won't, I use the following technique:

 

Whilst going very slowly forwards, get the back of the boat pointed in the direction you want to reverse in.

 

Stop the boat.

 

Reverse, but spend 75% of your time looking forwards to ensure the front is also pointing where you want to go.

 

When the boat deviates from where you want to go, engage forward gear and use the tiller to get the boat pointing where you want to go, ideally whilst rearward momentum is maintained.

 

Repeat as necessary, until you get to where you wanted to be.

 

Whoops, cross posted with Dave Payne.

Edited August 18, 2016 by cuthound

[Alan de Enfield]

I would suggest that a large number of boats with 'inboard' engines have what the Op may be referring to as 'steerable props'. I think he is meaning a 'drive leg', such as those used on large RIBs, GRP Cruisers etc etc.

Common suppliers are Volvo & Mercury.

 

The engine is 'inside' the hull, whilst the drive and propeller are 'outside' of the transom.

Very easy to clear the prop, (no weed hatch needed), just tilt the out-drive up (on its own hydraulics) and cut the rubbish away.

 

[Stilllearning]

The drawback of having the prop etc out beyond the transom is that it is very vulnerable to damage. I took the OP to be wondering about ways of having a fairly conventional prop which was steerable in some way. They do exist, and do work, but have drawbacks too.

As Cuthound says, you learn how to control your boat in reverse, you get confident, then you screw it up massively in front of an appreciative audience.

[billS]

....or just use a bowthruster.

[Flyboy]

....or just use a bowthruster.

Wash your mouth out!!!!!

[Alan de Enfield]

....or just use a bowthruster.

 

Best used in conjunction with stern thrusters.

[Daz555]

Ooh thrusters.....I'm going to assume they cause come 'debate' in the narrowboating world!

[ditchcrawler]

 

Best used in conjunction with stern thrusters.

Hit the wrong buttons and you just go sideways

[Tiggs]

If your narrowboat does not steer well in reverse it may be an idea to extend the rudder. We added 2" on the advice of v.experienced boat mechanic and it made a significant difference.

[Dalslandia]

As Dalslandia have a large big air draft, steering in reverse with the bow thruster workes great, the rudder is used at small angles in the direction you want, or to compensate for wind, sometimes it isn't enough, but have to kick a little forward to get the stern where I want it. the bow thruster is just 11 kW, 400 mm tube. The bow thruster is controlled with a Joy stick and not buttons, it is a real joy, so I stick to it.

Edited August 18, 2016 by Dalslandia

[Ray T]

I recently returned from a 2 week trip on the Avon ring - began as a complete novice but felt by the end I had begun to get the hang of things - did not hit anyone at least during the trip.

 

On thing that soon became obvious to me was the lack of control you have in reverse with the traditional prop & rudder arrangement you have on a narrowboat. Very different to the steerable prop (not sure if that is the right term) I was used to when driving RIBs etc when on SCUBA diving days.

 

Do any narrowboats have a steerable prop rather than a rudder?

 

Just curious that's all. Would be nice to know why narrowboats don't generally have them if people have an opinion on it - I'm guessing it is down to reliability/complexity or likelihood of damage etc. Or is it just tradition?

 

Thoughts?

 

Kitchen rudder.

 

[Guest]

If your narrowboat does not steer well in reverse it may be an idea to extend the rudder. We added 2" on the advice of v.experienced boat mechanic and it made a significant difference.

That is interesting, I am thinking of doing similar (but like many things haven't got around to it yet.) Do you know the dimensions of your existing rudder before extending it?

Thanks.

In reply to OP, I have seen two narrowboats with z drives this summer. A bit unusual but I would imagine good for maneuvering.

[ditchcrawler]

I added 2" to mine but I cant say it improved backwards steering. A lot depends what water you are on, how wide, how deep, what the wind is doing and most importantly how many people are watching at the time and if they have video cameras.