Never buy an underpowered boat!

[Moose]

We tried to move Toscana to Port Solent today because they are damming the lock at Chichester for 2 weeks. I knew it was a bit windy (F6 on chichester bar) but nothing to worry about on a short dash to Portsmouth.
No1 cast me off and we began to trundle down the marina fairway (downwind), about half way down No1 announced that all the fenders were done so I began to turn around and make a run for the lock. As I began to turn I was hit by a massive squall. We are now going sideways at about 3kts down the fairway with 2000rpm assymetric power on the engines (max is 2800!). I couldn't get the bow upwind at all so I reversed the power and turned the other way hoping that I would have a bit more momentum to swing the bow round, luckily the bow did have a bit more speed and I was now trundling back up to the lock and dead into wind. About 100yds from the lock gate another squall hit us, I glanced down at the wind gauge and was a bit shocked to see F11 and 52kts!!! We were now heading dead into wind with 1000rpm on both engines and we weren't moving one bit!!! The wind died down eventually and I managed to put us alongside the fuel pontoon. We are still in Chichester but will hopefully manage to get to Port Solent early tomorrow, if not my one holiday since last summer will be a bit of a wash out stuck in a big lake in Chichester /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Anyway, the moral of the story is not to buy a boat that doesn't have the biggest engines. It was hard enough trying to keep control with 740hp but if I had the KAD42's and a total of 460hp I am sure I would be outside patching up large holes in the side of the boat. Because 2000rpm is about 350hp a side with our engines.

 

[duncan]

nothing to do with engines - clearly you had the wrong hull for the conditions and should have bought a SD one if you wanted to go out in more than an F3............ /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

With this No1 Moose could have been cooking up the Eggs Benedict as you eased your way to the lock.

 

[studgies]

nasty! It sounds like it is just as well you knew what you were doing. Hmm, I now feel rested in the thought that I will be in safe hands with No1 Moose on Diana II.

 

[trev]

Hard to keep control with 740 hp? C'mon Moose thats more than a lot of coasters of several hundred tonnes !!
You obviously wern't giving it the right welly !

 

[gcwhite]

What type of boat is she?

 

[david_bagshaw]

Just a question

was that one ahead one astern at 2000 rpm ?


perhaps full helm and outer engine well ahead only would have got you round quicker in those condiitions.

@ 2000 ahead & astern power is not transmitted to the props due to cavatation, so the props dont grip, so actual power to push the boat round would be minimal.

 

[longjohnsilver]

But those coasters have a long keel and mucg greater weight all sitting in the water with windage proportionately much less.

 

[[2068]]

Umm, how did it go ?

CHIMET shows winds gusting to 45kts again today... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

dv.

 

[Moose]

Phantom 37

 

[Moose]

Intitially tried it with just the Port ahead but I was gaining a fair bit of speed and I wasn't turning one bit. I then put one ahead and one astern which did work, I couldn't detect any significant cavitation. Also, we are talking serious wind that broke 3 zips on my canopy and forced to sit down and cling on to the wheel.

 

[Moose]

Now sitting in Port Solent, woohoo! The ride between the Bar and Portsmouth wasn't too bad at all (6 to 8ft and not much slamming). The worst bit was getting out of Chichester again, for one reason or another No1 Moose ended up taking the boat out of the lock single handed in a F7, though he did do a pretty good, not as good as I could have done though! Will be driving to Chichester tomorrow and I will be making a complaint about the running of the lock!

 

[powerskipper]

I find that sometime the wind age caused by the bow can make them a bitch to turn into the wind, OK if you have a large turning circle clear, but in a confined space a power revers turn is sometimes the only way to go. this gets the wind to your advantage , it pushes the bow in-line with the stern. if she is a bit under powered, it having the guts to apply the power until she does as she is told [ only works on boats guys] and only that much power, but if you get this wrong, well holes in boats can be the consequences unless you are very very Lucky.

 

[hlb]

I many of times Put stern to the offending wind, if in close quarters, it's much easier in a planing boat, depends how far your going. But it's much easier to get the arse end to a buoy than the front for instance! Cos you can wiggle yer arse about a bit!! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[powerskipper]

er yes....... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I ....can


on a boat tooooooo.......

 

[Moose]

Stern first into the lock would be interesting!

 

[powerskipper]

its works......... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Now try it with a lightweight catamaran. 18 hp, 9 per hull.

Half way around the wind not only catches the outer hull but also the inner. Only benefit I have is the props are 12ft apart. Not to be attempted outside sheltered waters /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[trev]

You've obviously never tried berthing a 200ft 600hp coaster in ballast condition with a thirty knot crosswind !!

 

[tico]

Went to Chi on Sunday....... See what you mean... wind was howling around. Toscana was still there tho