Boat handling experience

D

dmj

Member
Joined
26 Jul 2005
Messages
30
Location
Woodbridge, Suffolk
Visit site
Still new to boating and newer still to our 'Trimilia'. Looking for someone with suitable experience in boats similar in size/handling to ours - 25 tonne 49ft 1925 ex-lifeboat - who could spend 2-3 days with the two of us helping us get used to her. Ideally with knowledge of the Deben & Orwell area. Fair pay along with whisky, beer & food rations on offer.
 
There are quite a number of good people locally, but maybe you don't know many of them yet? After all, this is Suffolk, where you are a "furriner" for the first half century at least!

If I may, I'll drop in over the weekend and say hello and offer some recommendations.

Or you will find me painting Mirelle's topsides and antifouling in Robertsons, over the weekend. Disgracefully late this year - finally going in next Friday!
 
What sort of a lifeboat is she? You may find assistance from well meaning and experienced boat handlers becomes a bit meaningless when they get on a lifeboat! Find a retired coxswain.

For example, is she a twin screw Watson type with props in tunnels. A regular boat owner will show you how to go to starboard you put the port engine ahead and the starboard engine astern, this will not help you!

Because the rudder is centrally hung this has less effect on a lifegboat anyway, and add in the long keel and the props being quite close together and the effect is small. What you do is to get a bit of speed on if possible to allow the rudder to work, put the rudder hard over, keep the STARBOARD engine ahead and put the PORT engine slow astern. Why it works I don't know, but it has been explained to me that the port engine digs a hole for the keel to slip into and it seems logical that the starboard engine is giving the rudder work to do. I can however confirm she'll go round faster that way.

The best thing you can do is invest £3,500 in a bow thruster. Last weekend I was with 8 old lifeboats and 6 had bow thrusters, if ever a boat deserved one ......
 
She was the RNLI Prudential, the Ramsgate Lifeboat and as such is a Dunkirk Little Ship. A 48ft 6ins "one off" design by JS White, and, as the photo shows, she has always been a motor sailer:


prudential.jpg


I recall that she has a three cylinder Russell Newbery in the engine room. But it is along time since I was aboard her.
 
Looks very nice. I was with two old open lifeboats at the weekend and I have to say they look much nicer than the decked in wheelhouse ones, sleek, low and long to the eye.

Purists would kill me, but I think adding a mizzen to Baltic Air would cut down the appalling roll. I'm tempted, perhaps in a tabernacle so I could drop it for festivals.
 
Mirelle is mainly correct ... thought there were two of our design built. We are single prop (up a tunnel) and although we have bowthrusters fitted, due to the boat's construction, they are very high up .... at water level in fact, and are fairly ineffective at present. We've to have 'eyebrows' fitted next year to improve efficiency. Engine is a 4-cylinder Russell Newbery. Need to get as much handling experience before we set off on our European waterways travels in a few years time. Previous owner (of 9 years) usually had a crew of 4+ to handle her ... there'll only be the two of us.
 
My advice, for what it's worth, and I hesitate to give it in illustrious company, is to find a quay and/or pontoon with not much happening and keep coming and going for the weekend, kind of like a pilots circuits and bumps, you'll learn so much and boost your confidence, repetition is the key. Have a few extra hands on board to step into the breach.

See which way she turns the fastest, play about in mid-stream. Usually with a single screw using loads of power and much rudder for a shortish period will get her turning without forward momentum. Going astern using a good deal of power will also help because you can then use a spot of ahead to correct the prop effect without stopping the rearward progress.

The main thing is to always have a plan and stick to it. Look at the situation, consider the problem, (wind, tide, approach), decide what you will do and do it. It's only when one tries to extemporise that things tend to go wrong, and remember mostly you do less damage by stopping than trying to power away from a problem.

Have fun. See you at a lifeboat rally one of these days. Email Quinton@nelsonsboats.co.uk if you'd like to join the Historic Lifeboat Owners Assoc.
 
\"always have a plan and stick to it\"

Ensure your plan includes an escape plan, in case sticking to the plan looks like it is about to get expensive without resorting to aforementioned escape plan!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top