Boat towing

Frontier

Frontier

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Does anyone know of companies who are able to move broken down boats. Mine is broken down at Southsea with the home berth at Chichester.

Well the Port engine works, but with my (zero) experience I found her hard to manage without the power steering.

She is a twin diesel 32ft motor cruiser.

I dont know what to do now, I cant leave her at Southsea, and taking her on the one engine seems a bit risky.

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Any advice appreciared.
 
you are probably better doing it in company on the one engine than towing. if you are making the trip over a weekend then someone here, based there, will probably be around..........you are a little far away for me I am afraid.
 
Ive done this a few times. My boat has a distinct tendancy to go round in circles on one engine. I got the marina tug thingy to point me in the right direction out of Falmouth, then drop the trim tab on the side thats working, gave me enough stearage to get back to Plymouth, it's the close quarter work thats the trouble, cos with one tab down, you take the power off and sort of slure round a bit uncontrolably. Can deal with it at sea though, mind thats unless some raggy thinks yer gointo give way!!!
 
I'm based in Chichester and will be out on the water on Saturday. I'm only 24ft, but PM me before Friday 1pm and we can discuss further. If anybody thinks I'm stupid even thinking about possibly towing a 32ft boat with a 24fter then please let me know.

Phil.
 
What's your air draught? Could you go "round the back" under Langstone Bridge if the tide was right?

Pick a time when the dinghy hordes are at a minimum perhaps? Failing that I suspect that a lot of the various boatyards in Chi Harbour will do you a tow, for a suitable fee.
 
Hi Phil,

Well the port engine works, no power steering though so its had work and a bit irratic a slow speed. but company from the mouth of Langstone to the turn towards Chichester Marina in the Chichester estury would be very much appreciated, Shouldnt need a tow unless the port engine fails.

Is this the sort of area you were going boating in, I dont want to put you to a lot of effort.

Also there is a cill at Southsea, so would have to think about tides.

Regards

Derwent

Mobile 07831 419444
 
The draught is 3ft and she has a Radar on the arch with a short light mast on top.

Is the bridge high enough. Apart from the depth alarms going off once or twice I felt a bit safer in the river,


Thanks for advising

Derwent
 
Thanks for all the replies

The people at Sea Start recommended someone who is going to tow her alongside to Chichester. (Not sure if tow is still the appropriate word for a side by side passage)

So at least this part of my problem has a solution.

Many thanks for all the advice and especially the PM's

Derwent
 
That seems a particularly bad idea!
An alongside tow is not recommended for an open sea passage. A stern tow would be best with the alongside tow for close quarters at each end.
 
sounds like you're sorted, but really a passage on one engine should not be such a problem. After all one of the main reasons we have twin engined boats is so we can still get home if one fails. You could have arranged with your marina to have a dory or similar to help you moor back at your berth.

Anyway, hope it goes OK.
 
Try contacting Frank Dunster of Hayling Rescue, he is the ex coxswain of the Haying Lifeboat (now over age) and he makes a bit of money towing boats off the mud etc.

He has a huge Atlantic Rib which used to be used by the Rigs out in the North sea as a rescue boat so he could tow you without any problems.

Dont have a number for him but I think he is based at Northney Marina and he is a Life Member of HISC so they would probably be able to give you his contact details as well.
 
Seems he always tows alongside, and does it a lot, operates out of one of the major yards, does work for Sea Start and has their recommendation, so hopefully things will go OK.

Andrew's post was asking about the draught to go around the top way from Langstone into Chichester, maybe he will go that way.

I suppose I am gambling that if Sea Start recommended him he has a good record.

If she breaks up a sinks it might do me a favour, wasn’t expecting to have trouble so soon, depressed now, /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif and only bought her on Sunday.

If as many of you guys say it’s not too bad on one engine, I feel the delivery Skipper should have carried on and not dumped her at Gosport, with no word from him since.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If she breaks up a sinks it might do me a favour, wasn’t expecting to have trouble so soon, depressed now, /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif and only bought her on Sunday.

[/ QUOTE ]

What is the problem with the engine/drive?
 
[ QUOTE ]
What is the problem with the engine/drive?


[/ QUOTE ]

Probably was something simple like the impeller,

Stbd engine overheated, melted a small pipe that runs across the top of the engine to the back, looks like turbo/exhaust type area.

Also two wider (2” ish ) but very short pipes seem to have melted at the front of the engine. They are beside the coolant tank and under a pipe that comes from a sort of box that has water in. It’s on the end of the engine and on this engine also heats the calorifier.

The whole block heated up because the paint has gone from it. (Not the engine block itself that is still nice and green) I guess its a water jacket or heat exchanger or something. I think it got hot and melted the small pipe that runs across the top, because that pipe only melted where it was clamped to hot metal parts.

She also made quite a bit of smoke for the delivery Skipper and for me, that has covered the transom, dinghy and seating. I am guessing the water should be coming out with the exhaust and would wash the smoke down into the sea, also the turbo would get hot air not cooled and hence low revs I experienced.

But it’s all guess work on my part as the knowledgeable among you will not doubt be smiling at.

My son-in-law is a mechanic so hopefully he will be able to sort it, but he is on holiday at the moment.
 
Ouch - you have my sympathies, probably good to get sorted at leisure on a home berth.

You probably know but avoid timing the trip so that you hit an outgoing tide if you have a strong southerly wind - in those conditions both Langstone (lesser) and Chichester (more serious) entrances become "exciting" at the best of times - certainly more trying if on one engine and/or towing.

Langstone entrance was quite lumpy on Thursday but it was quite a springy tide.
 
Yes it was lumpy on the way in, power steering out because the Stbd engine was shutdown, got into the marina about 1/2 hour before the cill went up, and it was Thursday.

It was tricky down that little channel into the marina, still made it without hitting anything. Never been there before and not done any boating for at least 10 - 20 years. Thought I had better do the right thing and get her tied up while conditions still allowed it. (the boat that is /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )
 
If you only bought her on Sunday, do you not have some sort of come back, under the sale of goods act??
Like when you buy a house, you have 7 days to report any faults with heating, etc...
 
[ QUOTE ]
If you only bought her on Sunday, do you not have some sort of come back, under the sale of goods act??
Like when you buy a house, you have 7 days to report any faults with heating, etc...

[/ QUOTE ]Jeez, how many boats have you bought or sold?
Make offer, sign and arrange for survey, haggle after getting survey report, agree on price, sign papers and pay-up (or don't agree on price and walk away), end of story.
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
 
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