Narrowboats at sea

[ProDave]

The narrowboat that "sank" in the earierl post on the Ribble, made a navigation error and ran aground. Due to settling stern down, it filled with water before the stern floated. It did not "sink" in a catastrophic accident, or by rolling over.

Here's how the ribble link is done regularly by narrowboats: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iOZxAbHZBE&feature=related

 

[oceanfroggie]

First time on MOBO forum, so don't know if there are any inland waters / narrowboaters out there.

Has anyone had experience of taking a narrowboat to sea?

I have heard of strapping 2 together to make a sort of cat to get across the channel, but apart from that has anyone any other technique to keep the right way up?

This one crossed the Atlantic to Irelands Shannon navigation.

I Francis narrow boat

They welded steel plates over the windows and hatches for the crossing and stuck a small mast and rag on her to reduce roll. They say she was capable of self righting in the event of a capsize.

More here: http://www.grannybuttons.com/granny_buttons/2004/06/canal_news_i_fr.html

 

[ProDave]

This one crossed the Atlantic to Irelands Shannon navigation.

I Francis narrow boat

They welded steel plates over the windows and hatches for the crossing and stuck a small mast and rag on her to reduce roll. They say she was capable of self righting in the event of a capsize.

More here: http://www.grannybuttons.com/granny_buttons/2004/06/canal_news_i_fr.html

Again, not your average narrowboat.

That one was designed for the task. In particular, the ballasted keel is not typical of narrowboats. They usually have a flat bottom and the ballast spread evenly over the flat bottom.

I expect I Frances is better at self righting than the average flat bottomed narrowboat. Even so, it looks like the passage was uncomfortable at best.

 

[Fenlander]

I've taken one across the Wash and back with no problem

 

[ianc1200]

With regard to Old Git's mention of the TNC, I've steered the said narrowboat for much of it's tidal meanderings. Head seas are never a problem, the 60' boat being much more comfortable than my cruiser, but it's the inevitable cross seas which is always the most worrying. In our Medway/Blackwater trip cross waves going across the mouth of the Colne were bad, and coming back we had a situation across the entrance to the Crouch which had it's own wind over tide seas at an angle to the rest of the waves which gave the boat a corkscrew motion which had us worried to say the least. A couple of the TNC members (not me) were on the two Ocean Princess cruises, which included a complete circumnavigation of Anglesey, but some felt "never again" after the rough trip from N Ireland up to Scotland.

Where narrowboats do score is their ability in tidal waters to get up some places I wouldn't want to take my cruiser, foul bottoms etc, and the ability, like we've done, of going to sea, cruising the length of the Chelmer & Blackwater canal, or all the rivers off the Wash including the top end of the Welland, the Glen, and completing circuits involving the Wash, The Ouse, The Middle Level, and the Nene, they can be very versatile craft.

 

[maxcampbell]

With regard to Old Git's mention of the TNC, I've steered the said narrowboat for much of it's tidal meanderings. Head seas are never a problem, the 60' boat being much more comfortable than my cruiser, but it's the inevitable cross seas which is always the most worrying. In our Medway/Blackwater trip cross waves going across the mouth of the Colne were bad, and coming back we had a situation across the entrance to the Crouch which had it's own wind over tide seas at an angle to the rest of the waves which gave the boat a corkscrew motion which had us worried to say the least.

Ian

What preparations were made to TNC? (covering cratch / windows, etc; snorkelling air intake; WHY). What power engine, and was the ballast as per canal trim? Is it broaching in a quartering sea that raises the heartbeat, or the feel that there's a risk of just rolling over in beam-on weather?

 

[oceanfroggie]

Again, not your average narrowboat.

That one was designed for the task. In particular, the ballasted keel is not typical of narrowboats. They usually have a flat bottom and the ballast spread evenly over the flat bottom.

I expect I Frances is better at self righting than the average flat bottomed narrowboat. Even so, it looks like the passage was uncomfortable at best.

Agree. Taking a normal narrow boat to sea seems like a death wish.

 

[ianc1200]

Max

Ernest is a 60' R & D NB, with a 4 cylinder 43hp Beta. apart from being able to seal all openings, having a substantial anchor and chain, and a method of fixing an extended vertically upwards dry exhaust, there were no other special preparations. We found we had to duck tape close sliding drawers, and the side hatch. In can't remember if Neil (the owner) took special preparations regarding the trim (particularly whether the large bow water tank was full I expect so) and the aft fuel tank would have been as full as possible.
We had some of the worst seas in the Humber going back up towards Trent Falls from Hull, and in later years the large Irish lakes/Dergs on the Shannon navigation could have been as much of a problem as any inshore waters.

Another narrowboat, Frogmore, often accompanied us on trips across the Wash, up the Humber etc, and that nb virtually didn't have any modifications, yet could also get up some really obscure bits of the Middle Levels which Ernest couldn't.

In general the engine had to be much better prepared than you would for the canals, ensuring the belts/filters were all new etc, much as you would any sea going cruiser.

 

[lenseman]

If you want to read Tim Spall's blog, it can be found here:

http://www.spallsatsea.com/

 

[ErikBenson]

There's one down here in Jarnac, France , on the River Charente. .-" Alligator" - - lord knows how it got here, but it was about 20 years ago . It is very happy on the calm waters of this virtually unused river

 

[hlb]

Tim Spalls boat is hardly a narrow boat, but still, we could find far better sea boats.

Infact he followed us from Plymouth to Conwy. We crossed the Bristol Chanel in a F6, ok a bit hairy, but all at 20 odd knots, it would have been orible going any slower.

Tims boat is wide beam and ment for the sea. Well esturies anyway..