Jump to content

Correct way to navigate tunnels


boatsandsteam

Featured Posts

I always find it essential to sing "Delilah" at the top of my voice when in tunnels.

Or put music on the stereo at full volume (the steerer can't hear what's going on the the cabin anyway!) - I recommend "Tunnel of Love", or "Great Gig in the Sky" - but rapidly moving up the chart is "Death Baot".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or put music on the stereo at full volume (the steerer can't hear what's going on the the cabin anyway!) - I recommend "Tunnel of Love", or "Great Gig in the Sky" - but rapidly moving up the chart is "Death Baot".

Has "Going Underground" slipped down the chart then ?

 

Is this the place to mention the CWDF Blisworth speed record attempts of Alan Fincher and Koukouvagia? ;)

NO!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought this was frowned upon because it will confuse any boats behind you?

 

I once sat for an age at Barnton tunnel waiting for an oncoming boat to emerge only to eventually work out it was going in front of me with an overbright stern light.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always find it essential to sing "Delilah" at the top of my voice when in tunnels.

 

When we did the Dudley Tunnel (in a "disguised" hire boat) in 1974, we had Tubular Bells "blasting" out of the Philips El3302 cassette player, as we went though Cathedral Arch. On our 2001 traverse in N Bear Nest we repeated the performance....but much louder!

The Dudley Canal Trust tug skipper approved of this and thanked us for NOT playing the Dudley Tunnel song, the whole way though. :P

 

I have heard that James Griffin of Wyvern Shipping Co often likes to steer his NB Ocean Princess though Blisworth, using the interior front helm, with all the interior lights off...which rather puts off passing boats as they see an apparent "ghost boat" steering through the tunnel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel a challenge coming on!

I don't!

 

I very much doubt I'm anywhere in the top league on that challenge.

 

..... FAR too well behaved, me!

 

Sculptor managed 16 minutes with BC at the helm, mind you that was a while ago.

Average 6.5 mph ?.......

 

Nope! Couldn't do that!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always leave the interior lights on, to help illuminate the walls, but with the door to the cabin closed so that I am not blinded by my own light (and also to ensure that the dogs can't come up and join me). I do however have a small, dim, shaded bulkhead light which illuminates the floor and also shows me how far my stern is from the wall.

 

I was particularly annoyed a few weeks ago, on my way home from being freshly repainted, when a boat entered Blisworth tunnel and cannoned off both walls several times before smashing into me really hard and absolutely mashing me into the side wall at some speed. He claimed to have been blinded by my light (which I know has a very good flat cut-off beam and is also very carefully aimed so it doesn't cause dazzle)

 

When you are heading south in Blisworth Tunnel you can often play the game of "soak the boater" if you know just where the particularly torrential air shaft is, by adjusting your speed to ensure that you meet the boat which is coming the other way at precisely the point where they have to go under it. You score double points if they have passengers in the bow who get soaked as well. Once as I was heading northwards, I kept adjusting my speed so as to avoid it and the boat coming south towards me kept matching the change, until I very nearly lost the game by having to go under the shaft. That boat turned out to be the trip boat, Indian Chief.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sculptor managed 16 minutes with BC at the helm, mind you that was a while ago.

 

...now what was that book that had a picture of NB Idleness pottering out of the portal of Blisworth? ;)

 

I would hope your new fine swimmed craft is up to a sub 20min passage? :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would have the answer to that if we had been up that way in September.

Maybe next year, need some deep water first as the only deep water we have been on was moving at 3mph in the same direction as we were and was almost over the banks , in July!

 

I met that in there once, I could hardly see after we had passed

Blinded by the light or smoke

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would have the answer to that if we had been up that way in September.

Maybe next year, need some deep water first as the only deep water we have been on was moving at 3mph in the same direction as we were and was almost over the banks , in July!

 

 

Blinded by the light or smoke

Smoke. He was rattling on a bit

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like to play a few bugle calls going through tunnels. Coming S through Blisworth once there were a group of resting ramblers by the entrance who gave me a round of applause as I exited.

I would love to try with bagpipes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like to play a few bugle calls going through tunnels. Coming S through Blisworth once there were a group of resting ramblers by the entrance who gave me a round of applause as I exited.

I would love to try with bagpipes.

 

Me and the missus have a tradition of badly singing Gershwin's 'Summertime' at the top of our voices (complete with terrible harmonies) whilst in the middle of long tunnels. Usually ends with one or both of us collapsing into laughter at some point and struggling to keep a straight line. :cheers:

Edited by Dave_P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Always get the verbal abuse in first - in fact, it pays to have a practice when in the tunnel alone. You can really have a go at the air shafts and they never answer back, although they may spit. Sometimes there is so much spit it is like being urinated on - by a large horse.

I can tell you I've seen some small horses doing Big urinations ! biggrin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

full steam ahead is my prefered way, straight down the middle, moving over only to pass. Blisworth was usually 21-23 minutes (been through over a hundred times) and to put another myth to bed, 2 70ft boats can pass in the kink in braunston, I've done it with Baldock, Communicator and Snipe & Taurus.

 

single headlight and a light in the engine room is all i've ever used.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

full steam ahead is my prefered way, straight down the middle, moving over only to pass. Blisworth was usually 21-23 minutes (been through over a hundred times) and to put another myth to bed, 2 70ft boats can pass in the kink in braunston, I've done it with Baldock, Communicator and Snipe & Taurus.

 

single headlight and a light in the engine room is all i've ever used.

 

I don't think Alan said you can't do it, he merely said that it has to be done in a particular way if you are to avoid collision:-

 

If you have a long boat, and manage to meet someone at the most severe part of Braunston's main S-bend, then your front end will hit them, if you insist on keeping your back end tight against the wall - far more important to make sure front end is against the wall, because it is a significant enough misalignment that it catches many people out.

Edited by David Schweizer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.