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Correct way to navigate tunnels


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Soon after we picked up the boat dahn sahf we repatriated it to the frozen north. It was very well equipped, with navigation lights including a white one at the back of the cabin (cruiser stern) to assist the helmsman in the dark.

 

The first substantial tunnel we met was Blisworth. The white light three feet in front of me and 18 inches below my sight line was a complete pain -- I couldn't see a thing, even though the tunnel light was working and properly pointed.

 

The first thing I did when emerging from the north portal was to remove the bulb from said navigation light (the Memsahib would have got fed up of standing in front of it). Suffice it to say that was nearly six years ago and I haven't been moved to replace the bulb. The entire fitting will be coming off when we get our repaint done!

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There is one part of Shrewley that is always quite wet - although nowhere near as wet as the vent shafts in Blisworth of course.

Even as a wussy Southerner, I must be made of sterner stuff than I think I am.

 

The only GU tunnel I normally bother with a coat in is Blisworth.

 

People keep commenting on Braunston, but we have been though it a lot in what has been a very wet year, and I can't say I have ever found it that wet.

 

Perhaps I have got so used this year to being constantly wet at the tiller when not in tunnels to stop noticing any "moisture" when I am! :lol:

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Best thing I ever got was a 12v floodlight but a 240v one would work just as well. If it points at 90 degrees to the boat and points directly at the wall it can't dazzle oncoming steerers but illuminates the whole tunnel.

 

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

 

 

No dont glorify speeding.Or those the do it.

 

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

 

 

That is what its for . no not confusing but to illuminate in the darkness.

Edited by Maffi
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I hate tunnels, maybe because I always stayed to the right and because I got blinded by many of the oncoming boats, of course, we had the additional complication of towing the butty, we kept Freyja's interior lights on so that Joe could see us from Christina. Freyja's tunnel light pointed at the roof, partly because the wood on the bow was so rotten that it fell off and ended up propped/wedged/tied on.

We went through Harecastle following 2 other boats, which ricocheted in, the tunnel guy congratulated me on our flawless entry! LOL! (one of the few things I got right!)

Braunston was less stressful than Harecastle but made difficult by approaching headlights, the worst was a CRT workboat.

The other tunnel with the pretty lights inside (whose name escapes me) was shorter and easier.

My stress levels were not helped by the fact that we were liable breakdown at any time. Luckily Freyja did us proud in each tunnel.

  • Greenie 1
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Soon after we picked up the boat dahn sahf we repatriated it to the frozen north. It was very well equipped, with navigation lights including a white one at the back of the cabin (cruiser stern) to assist the helmsman in the dark.

 

The first substantial tunnel we met was Blisworth. The white light three feet in front of me and 18 inches below my sight line was a complete pain -- I couldn't see a thing, even though the tunnel light was working and properly pointed.

 

The first thing I did when emerging from the north portal was to remove the bulb from said navigation light (the Memsahib would have got fed up of standing in front of it). Suffice it to say that was nearly six years ago and I haven't been moved to replace the bulb. The entire fitting will be coming off when we get our repaint done!

 

Can't you remount the light behind the steering position?

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Up near Rugby I believe? Would it be Newbold? I haven't got any books to hand, I've only ever cruised that way once!

Yes it would be Newbold, but it is a a pity that no one ever bothers to maintain them, half the lights don't work, and there must be a decade of cobwebs over them. Rather like so much "art" on the waterways no one, including (presumably) the artist, is interested once the cheque has been cashed!

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You don't even need a headlight in Shrewley, being below the length where you are obliged to use one.

 

What is the length for not using a headlight...? I was called an idiot last year when coming through Newbold tunnel on Swift with no headlight on which I thought was a bit harsh.

 

Edited to correct typo.

Edited by Rob-M
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What is the length for not using a headlight...? I was called an idiot last year when coming through Newbold tunnel on Swift with no headlight on which I thought was a bit harsh.

 

Edited to correct typo.

 

The BW bye-laws quote 440 yards so Newbold tunnel is well within that limit.

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but surely that's 2 or 11! :rolleyes:

 

Sorry just got up after a long drive from Switzerland to north Germany, through 100km+ roadworks following a convoi exceptionalle with a bright flashing orange light, left me a bit zonked, too many ones, it seems!

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When cruising through tunnels my old gal and me play a little game of seeing how far we can get through the Kama Sutra before withdrawing exiting.

 

You should have been in Harecastle the time we spent TWO HOURS following a bunch of boats where the tunnel light failed on the lead boat :P

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I can remember when they had to fit the spotlamps just in front of the steerer on the Brummagem Fly, because of what passengers would get up to on the roof in Netherton Tunnel when there was only the tunnel light on the bow. The record, I believe, was emerging at Windmill End with three couples still rather busy on the roof.

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I was going through some photo's and thought I'd post these here as they relate to some of the comments made earlier

 

 

<snip> One side of the tunnel has wooden rubbing strakes which are useful but only in ONE direction. All the above applies also to Crick and to Blisworth <snip>

 

Rubbing strake in Blisworth tunnel

 

IMG_6110-1.jpg

 

 

The rubbing strake is on the eastern side only, as can be seen below, this is the southern portal

 

IMG_6115.jpg

 

Yes it would be Newbold, but it is a a pity that no one ever bothers to maintain them, half the lights don't work, and there must be a decade of cobwebs over them .<snip>

 

Newbold Tunnel in 2010, there are fewer lights working now.

 

IMG_1325-2.jpg

 

Helen

Edited by hvdb
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  • 10 months later...

Somethng that has not been mentioned in this thread is that if you are entering a tunnel on a bright sunny day and you wear reactive glasses then it might be an idea to either take them off as you enter the tunnel (assuming you can see without them) or at the very least slow right down as you enter as you can travel a long distance in the tunnel in the time it takes your glasses to react.

 

Don't as how we found this out blush.png

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smiley_offtopic.gif

OK. You are at the head of the queue waiting for the 15 minutes left before your time slot to go into a timed one-way long tunnel. A boat comes out of the tunnel at a steady pace with nobody at the tiller. The boat continues steadily under power brushing the opposite bank as it comes past you. The boat appears conventional with no sign of remote steering gear.

What do you do?

Edited by system 4-50
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No idea if it's best practice, but I leave the stern doors open and the lights on inside so that boats following me can see where I am. I find it helpful when others do that for me.

I find that dazzles me and ruins my night vision so i always keep them firmly closed. Good pint though I may well open them if someone were coming a bit close behind.

smiley_offtopic.gif

OK. You are at the head of the queue waiting for the 15 minutes left before your time slot to go into a timed one-way long tunnel. A boat comes out of the tunnel at a steady pace with nobody at the tiller. The boat continues steadily under power brushing the opposite bank as it comes past you. The boat appears conventional with no sign of remote steering gear.

What do you do?

If it was really close I might be tempted to jump on and take control .... I am intrigued .. what did you do?

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