How fast is your tickover speed?

[1agos]

I was moored at Lower Heyford on one occasion and  watched in amazement as a 'lady' stuck her head out of her side hatch and shouted abuse at every hire boat that passed  no matter what speed they were doing. Private boats doing the same speeds were left alone!

[cuthound]

3 hours ago, 1agos said:

I was moored at Lower Heyford on one occasion and  watched in amazement as a 'lady' stuck her head out of her side hatch and shouted abuse at every hire boat that passed  no matter what speed they were doing. Private boats doing the same speeds were left alone!

I hate people with that attitude. I am much more forgiving of hirers, (as it may be their first boating experience),  than private owners, who have the opportunity to learn but often choose not to. 

[furnessvale]

Actual speed is totally irrelevant.

I move at a speed such that a reasonably tied boat is not unduly moved about.

Note the two factors

1. "reasonably tied".  If someone on a permanent mooring uses a pair of slack lines touching the water fitted at right angles to the boat he is going to have problems with my speed.  I have different criteria for boats forced to use pins overnight on a soft towpath.

2. "unduly moved about".  Boats float on water and move about, especially when the water they float on is being drawn by a passing boat.  Anyone expecting zero movement is again going to be disappointed with my speed and should perhaps invest in a house.

George ex nb Alton retired

 

 

[frahkn]

2 hours ago, furnessvale said:

Actual speed is totally irrelevant.

I move at a speed such that a reasonably tied boat is not unduly moved about.

Note the two factors

1. "reasonably tied".  If someone on a permanent mooring uses a pair of slack lines touching the water fitted at right angles to the boat he is going to have problems with my speed.  I have different criteria for boats forced to use pins overnight on a soft towpath.

2. "unduly moved about".  Boats float on water and move about, especially when the water they float on is being drawn by a passing boat.  Anyone expecting zero movement is again going to be disappointed with my speed and should perhaps invest in a house.

George ex nb Alton retired

 

 

As far as the complainers are concerned, they notice sound more than speed.

My engine is very quiet and I am rarely moaned at even when I have a lapse am probably am going too fast.

Frank.

[koukouvagia]

7 hours ago, X Alan W said:

Is that the "Kelvin" or the "Seffle" Mr Owl

The Kelvin.  I can't remember ever counting the Seffle's tickover.  I used to see how many smoke rings I could count emanating from the exhaust at the same time. I think seven was the record. Sorry, a bit off topic.

[X Alan W]

1 hour ago, koukouvagia said:

The Kelvin.  I can't remember ever counting the Seffle's tickover.  I used to see how many smoke rings I could count emanating from the exhaust at the same time. I think seven was the record. Sorry, a bit off topic.

Our "Seffles" tick over must have been similar IIRC 8 smoke rings was the max The stated max RPM was 650 Don't know if I ever reached those dizzy heights.

[dunfixing]

My kubota 43hp tickover is 550 rpm, cruse at 3mph = 850rpm,

not sure of tickover speed, probably about 1.8 - 2 mph not checked,

water ski speed at1000rpm.

[Dave_P]

I'm a bit confused by the whole premise of this thread.  My experience is that my tickover speed is variable according to water depth.  I certainly travel quicker at tickover in deep water than when scraping the bottom.  This is why I find those 'slow - tickover' stickers on boats so odd.  The engine speed is largely irrelevant when determining whether you're affecting moored boats too much.  The engine volume is even more irrelevant though. 

[roland elsdon]

Just put a quieter long pipe on. Been out 3 weeks no one complained we were going past too fast. Previously would get daily complaints with old stack. For reference our speed wheel position for passing boats is unchanged as is speed 1.8 Kms an hour on a garmin. of course depth makes a huge difference.

[roland elsdon]

Once got yelled at by a bloke early in day. We set off 3 lengths  away from him and the alternator light hadn't even gone out, ( revs too low)  he leapt about like a frog on acid about the speed he claimed we were doing.

[ditchcrawler]

I remember when I hired I got shouted at for speeding past moored boats. I had throttled back, but knowing what I know now that was not enough and I should have dropped the engine to tickover. So for people with no experience suggesting they drop their engine speed to tickover  is not a bad idea

[Neil2]

6 hours ago, Dave_P said:

I'm a bit confused by the whole premise of this thread.  My experience is that my tickover speed is variable according to water depth.  I certainly travel quicker at tickover in deep water than when scraping the bottom.  This is why I find those 'slow - tickover' stickers on boats so odd.  The engine speed is largely irrelevant when determining whether you're affecting moored boats too much.  The engine volume is even more irrelevant though. 

There's no real premise Dave, I was simply curious as I have witnessed other boats going a lot slower than us when I'm already at 750rpm (at the engine).  I am envious of those who say they can do as little as 1 mph with the engine in gear.

For the record, Dragonfly is virtually silent at 750 rpm, you certainly can't hear the engine.  It doesn't stop folk yelling at us.  In my experience the shouters make their minds up to remonstrate by the speed at which they see the boat moving, rather than waiting to see what effect the passing boat has.  We used to get this all the time when we had the little Springer which displaced under three tons.  Most of the time you could safely pass moored boats at 3-4 mph without disturbance but any attempt to do so would usually result in a stream of abuse.    

 

[Dave_P]

I've been guilty of deciding to shout at a boater before they pass, but only when rocked by the bow wave about a minute before the boat comes into view!!

[furnessvale]

33 minutes ago, Dave_P said:

I've been guilty of deciding to shout at a boater before they pass, but only when rocked by the bow wave about a minute before the boat comes into view!!

That is a soliton wave and any deep draughted boat will cause one to travel well in front of the boat.

Very handy for knowing that a big lad is coming the other way when you yourself have need to follow the channel round sharpish bends.

George ex nb Alton retired

[Dave_P]

1 hour ago, furnessvale said:

That is a soliton wave and any deep draughted boat will cause one to travel well in front of the boat.

Very handy for knowing that a big lad is coming the other way when you yourself have need to follow the channel round sharpish bends.

George ex nb Alton retired

Yes. But a bit surprising when a hired narrowboat comes round the corner.