Mr Bean MK11

[hlb]

Decided to go out of the Marina and park on one of the HM's pontoons in Conwy. Anyway, all the pontoons were full. So ambled up to the bridge, then thought I'd back up and turn around. I'd not bothered weighing up whether we could get under the bridge, as no intention of doing.

So I casually put the engines in reverse, but we're still going forwards, added more revs, which caused the bows to weave round, so had to juggle throttles to try backing straight. I could just about stop the boat from going forwards, but no way could I back away from the bridge. Typically there were loads of folk watching from the bridge. I was working so hard on the engines, I had not much time to weigh the bridge up. 400hp could not handle the tide, first time thats ever happened.

In the end I decided I was on a loosing battle and could hopefully make it under the bridge. No other option really. I'd have felt the biggest pillock in the world if I had not have made it.

I've many times backed against the tide in Conwy, but I could not beat this one. Anyway at least no banging and scrunshing sounds.

 

[spongie]

I don't remember all the details but one of my friends had a problem like this, twin engine cruiser with a folding wooden canopy superstructure.

motoring towards st olaves bridge on the broads but was unable to get through due to the tide so put the engines in astern, no go only one engaged reverse tried again no go.

Started going beam on to the bridge, and ended up taking the wheelhouse superstructure off and found himself and his wife underneath a very heavy cabin top with only about 14 inches of room to crawl out of.

Somehow!? he got out and managed to get a rope out to someone on the bank and get alongside to safety, but could have been a big mess, the boat was fixed ok and now has a canopy and no one was hurt.

 

[Philiz]

Well old bean, I'm quite comforted by this tale as I had a similar experience last time we went to Conwy. We did overcome the flood going astern, but it took a while. Couldn't get it on the pontoon bow facing the bridge, so stuck it on the other way around.

 

[tinkicker0]

You wanna watch those tides, they sound dangerous. I hope you had your hi vis vest on

Perhaps the local council could send a workman round to fix it.

 

[hlb]

Well old bean, I'm quite comforted by this tale as I had a similar experience last time we went to Conwy. We did overcome the flood going astern, but it took a while. Couldn't get it on the pontoon bow facing the bridge, so stuck it on the other way around.

Yep the HM insists that you park facing up stream. Cos the down stream tide is more fearsome.

MF's 400 hp could not beat the tide going under the bridge. It's hard to believe.

Mind, tuther way round, we just ambled through it.

 

[Bajansailor]

Do any of the situations in the 3 videos below look familiar?

I hope that the crew in the wheelhouse of this ship managed to bail out ok.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdok8Aa-eH8

I love how this wee tug does a limbo dance under the bridge - and then pops back up again on the other side....... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwtEw0wcQ84

But this one with a cruise ship has a happy ending :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO1_IkUHmmY&feature=related

 

[moonraker 36]

must put the the stern gear under alot of strain reversing against a strong tide..
is it not poss to stem the flow and back under the bridge..so you can use forward gear if bridge is too low?
dont no the area your in too well as i'm in s.yorks..

 

[Philiz]

Yep the HM insists that you park facing up stream. Cos the down stream tide is more fearsome.

MF's 400 hp could not beat the tide going under the bridge. It's hard to believe.

Mind, tuther way round, we just ambled through it.

I know, but he said we'd be okay for one night as there hadn't been any rain. I'd probably have got on the right way around if there hadn't been a yacht for me to try and get round

 

[Searush]

Always been very wary of that current. I used to moor in the little gully by the Cobb there so had to cross the current in my dink to get on & off the boat. Even done it rowing a couple of times - but that's damned hard work & you need to use the eddies to get well upstream under the bridge before trying a desperate ferry glide across to the eddy on the other side.

I once saw a Hurley 22 single hander try crossing in front of the bridge on the flood. He didn't understand about ferry gliding & turned broadside on. In seconds he was swept under the road bridge at an angle of about 30deg wiping out his lights, aerial & windvane. It popped up beautifully after the road bridge & then hit the foot bridge. He was probably expecting to rattle under that & then the same under the railway bridge. Unfortunately he caught a strut ot the bridge between his mast & the back stay.

The outcome was spectacular. The whole weight of the current created a huge bow wave over the side of his boat which was at about 50 deg, the backstay stretched in a huge loop, the mast bent & then there was an almighty BANG as the stay broke & the mast came down. The hull popped back upright & trailing the wreckage of his mast he swirled out from under the bridges in the eddies where a rescued rib picked him up & towed him back.

It makes about 5-6kts on the spring flood and can be more on the ebb if there has been a lot of rain. How fast can MF go in reverse (and under control) then Haydn? There's pretty good air draft tho' lots of MoBos are encouraged to moor the far side of the bridges (lovely & quiet & sheltered there) to leave more space for raggies who have little chance of surviving an encounter with the current there.

 

[deborahann]

to Searush, think that's exactly where Haydn thought we were going, I was down stairs looking at the flybridge, considered going upstairs, then thought that's then 2 of us knocked off when we hit the bridge. After Haydn trying for ages, with quite an audience, we were forced to go under the bridge. After that we quickly returned to the quiet of the marina.

Daft thing was Haydn had spent ages cleaning the dinghy, now again blasted with black smoke, and the fuel used, well !

 

[deborahann]

Oh & guess what the bollards are called here, where we are now, at the Prince Madoc moorings urrm "bean"

 

[hlb]

Yep and beat this yer solent bashers. £15.50 for nicking the Pricess Madogs moorings. And free termorrow if it dont come back. Then free if it doe's come back. Beat that for the economy.