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Tow needed on the Fossdyke


Boredrider

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Evening all,

 

We are currently stuck on the VMs at Saxilby, on the Fossdyke. We have the remains of a very large angler's brolly wrapped around the prop, and neither I or RCR's engineer can remove it. RCR have provisionally arranged for the boat to be lifted out at Burton Waters marina on Monday, but Burton Waters have no tug and RCR cannot currently come up with any suggestions other than bowhauling the boat, or hailing a passing tug! We are about 2.5 miles from the marina, and facing the wrong way.

 

I should add, perhaps, that Eclipse is a 60' Hudson, rumoured to weigh 23 tons all in, and the butler is nowhere to be seen.........

 

All sensible (or humorous!) ideas welcome.

 

Mike

 

 

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Evening all,

 

We are currently stuck on the VMs at Saxilby, on the Fossdyke. We have the remains of a very large angler's brolly wrapped around the prop, and neither I or RCR's engineer can remove it. RCR have provisionally arranged for the boat to be lifted out at Burton Waters marina on Monday, but Burton Waters have no tug and RCR cannot currently come up with any suggestions other than bowhauling the boat, or hailing a passing tug! We are about 2.5 miles from the marina, and facing the wrong way.

 

I should add, perhaps, that Eclipse is a 60' Hudson, rumoured to weigh 23 tons all in, and the butler is nowhere to be seen.........

 

All sensible (or humorous!) ideas welcome.

 

Mike

 

 

Can't help sorry. Hope you get a tow and sorted very quickly.

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Get someone who's going the right way with a narrowboat to tie you tight alongside, and for the best steering and handling, have their stern at the very least level with and preferably 'overhanging' your fore-end.

 

If they've got a right-hand prop, then tie the boats starboard to starboard, if left-hand tie them port side to port side so they'll swing a bit less when they're in astern gear, and steer better/easier going ahead.

Edited by Tony Dunkley
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Did RCR have a hacksaw? I would have expected that an umbrella might be a horrible tangle, but not prove impossible to remove.

Yes, surprising isn't it. I did see a post on here that said some Hudsons had only small weed hatches though.

I would have thought a small(ish) bolt cutter and a selection of hacksaws would get off an umbrella since they are only hollow aluminium.

 

Sorry I'm not close enough to come and try for you.

Edited by Tiggs
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Did RCR have a hacksaw? I would have expected that an umbrella might be a horrible tangle, but not prove impossible to remove.

 

I've got a hacksaw, and bolt cutters. The "wire" that this brolly is made from is 4mm springy steel and it is tightly wound around the shaft, in front of the prop. You can cut it, ashore and in ideal circumstances, but the RCR man can only just reach the shaft with his fingertips, at full stretch with his head and shoulder stuck down the weed hatch, let alone wield a hacksaw. He even considered going into the water, but there is no way he could reach the wire without breathing apparatus!

 

When it caught, I was in reverse with very few revs on (Gardner 2LW) and it stalled the engine. The prop cannot now be moved at all.

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Jury rig. Plant boat pole in chimney pipe. Fix boat hook across it as a yard, hang blanket or table cloth on yard as a sail, tie a couple of ropes to bottom corners of sail as sheets.

Wait for a favourable following wind to blow you to the marina. It works I've done it.

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Evening all,

 

We are currently stuck on the VMs at Saxilby, on the Fossdyke. We have the remains of a very large angler's brolly wrapped around the prop, and neither I or RCR's engineer can remove it. RCR have provisionally arranged for the boat to be lifted out at Burton Waters marina on Monday, but Burton Waters have no tug and RCR cannot currently come up with any suggestions other than bowhauling the boat, or hailing a passing tug! We are about 2.5 miles from the marina, and facing the wrong way.

 

I should add, perhaps, that Eclipse is a 60' Hudson, rumoured to weigh 23 tons all in, and the butler is nowhere to be seen.........

 

All sensible (or humorous!) ideas welcome.

 

Mike

 

 

Having looked at the RCR website, their Terms and Conditions clearly state,".....If the vessel cannot be repaired at the scene of the Breakdown, we will tow the vessel safely to a marina (within a maximum of 2 hours cruising), or – failing that – tow the vessel to a safe haven (advice and locations will be given)....". What happened to that option? If you are only 2.5 miles from Burton Waters I would have thought they could get out to you in an hour and back to the marina in an hour (this is what I understand the 2 hours cruising to mean).

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Having looked at the RCR website, their Terms and Conditions clearly state,".....If the vessel cannot be repaired at the scene of the Breakdown, we will tow the vessel safely to a marina (within a maximum of 2 hours cruising), or – failing that – tow the vessel to a safe haven (advice and locations will be given)....". What happened to that option? If you are only 2.5 miles from Burton Waters I would have thought they could get out to you in an hour and back to the marina in an hour (this is what I understand the 2 hours cruising to mean).

 

The nice lady at RCR says that Burton Waters do not have a vessel that can tow a 60' narrow boat. So that means getting a tug from somewhere else. They will charge by the hour from leaving base, to returning to base. RCR will pay for two hours, I have to pay the rest of the time. She will be trying to find a tug tomorrow morning...........

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How low is the bank there?

 

Can you get at the wire with a cabin shaft (boathook) from the bank, and have someone turn the propshaft in the opposite direction to how it got on there?

 

The bank is pretty low, and we have used the keb to haul out most of the fabric, and most of the frame of the brolly. But the bit left wound around the prop is very tight indeed, and at 4mm is not going to unwind, even if you could get a serious grip on it. The propshaft will not turn. The "wire" needs cutting off with a hacksaw, or bolt cutters.

 

My latest move is an email to the local sub aqua club.

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The bank is pretty low, and we have used the keb to haul out most of the fabric, and most of the frame of the brolly. But the bit left wound around the prop is very tight indeed, and at 4mm is not going to unwind, even if you could get a serious grip on it. The propshaft will not turn. The "wire" needs cutting off with a hacksaw, or bolt cutters.

 

My latest move is an email to the local sub aqua club.

A good idea I would think.

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Burton waters are mainly plastic based...however you would think something could move a narrowboat.....once again I'm convinced RCR is a rip off....I'm sorry I'm not closer or I would have gladly offered a tow.

 

Just a thought but as RCR keep telling us they can recover any sunken boat don't they have a contact with diving gear?

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

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The nice lady at RCR says that Burton Waters do not have a vessel that can tow a 60' narrow boat. So that means getting a tug from somewhere else. They will charge by the hour from leaving base, to returning to base. RCR will pay for two hours, I have to pay the rest of the time. She will be trying to find a tug tomorrow morning...........

Interestingly that was much the same response that I got when my oil warning light came on. I asked her if the cause turned out to be a failed oil pump would they tow me from Dundas to a marina to fix it, effectively the answer was no. This was partly the reason that I ceased membership. Has anyone on the forums got an example of RCR actually towing a boat anywhere following breakdown (as per T & C's)?

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Just a thought but as RCR keep telling us they can recover any sunken boat don't they have a contact with diving gear?

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

Not sure how they do it but my son whose a diver was employed to raise a sunk boat by RCR through "Reds"..a company based at Rugby who have divers on their books. ...

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No help, but could make it a little more tolerable :

 

The Pizza shop (opposite the moorings) does an EXCEELENT pizza, and if you don't feel like walking the 100 yards, they will "do liver"

 

Have you found the 'co-op' ?

 

Cross the foot bridge, turn left, follow the road around as it bends to the right, café (buns & tea) on the right, a bit further on and you come to the 'open all hours food store'

Handy for milk, bread, frozen chips etc.

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A quick update:

 

Thanks in part to Zenataomm's suggestion we have managed to get enough material off the prop to get it turning. In the absence of RCR's towing facility we are proposing a 2.5 mile reverse at low revs tomorrow, and a lift out at Burton Waters on Monday (the cost of this is not covered by RCR membership).

 

Thanks also to everyone else for their help and suggestions.

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I'm glad the Handle/In Gear trick helped.

 

If you're doing a slow reverse back to Burton Waters, drag a bucket on a long line from your front T stud.

It should help keep you in a straight line, deploy it once you're in the middle of the channel.

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Not to cause 'worry' but just so you are aware :

 

The 'deer ramps' (ramps of stones) protrude several metres into the waterway, they are clearly marked (signs before you get to them) but as you are going in reverse you will not have the hull to 'protect you', the first that you hit will be the rudder and then the prop.

 

Have someone on permanent 'lookout'

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A quick update:

 

Thanks in part to Zenataomm's suggestion we have managed to get enough material off the prop to get it turning. In the absence of RCR's towing facility we are proposing a 2.5 mile reverse at low revs tomorrow, and a lift out at Burton Waters on Monday (the cost of this is not covered by RCR membership).

 

Thanks also to everyone else for their help and suggestions.

Just as a suggestion, see if the cost will be covered by your narrowboat insurance. I caught my rudder on a lock cill a couple of years ago at Watford Locks and, if the cost of repair had included lifting out, they would have paid for it. As it turned out I got the repair (bent tiller swan neck) done for less than £200 so it wasn't worth claiming on the insurance after the excess had been taken in to account. it would have been worth it if it had cost me the extra £300 to lift it out and put it back though.

 

Good luck with getting the boat fixed, pity RCR weren't more help.

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Bow(stern)hauling the boat 2.5 miles wouldn't take that long. You just need long ropes from bow and stern and two people towing from the bank. The person on the leading rope 'steers' by pulling the bow in when the boat is to far out, and reducing the pull to let it out. Once you have the boat moving it is fairly easy to keep going. As you will be going backwards tie the tiller in the straight ahead position.

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If that tow path has been recently manicured "Happy Days" however I've seen it look like Cambodia at the end of the rainy season.

 

I'd suggest pull it back to the winding hole on the straight, it's not that far, spin her around and limp along in forward.

I still suggest the bucket method due to the risk of killing yourself on the verge of a very fast road.

 

Good luck.

 

Let us know, we're all rooting for you.

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