Protecting Props in canals

boatmike

boatmike

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I intend taking my Aqua-star 33 down the French canals next year. It has a 3ft draught and fairly exposed twin props. I intend fitting rope cutters to both props to deal with fouling but am concerned at the possibility of grounding a prop, especially when near to the bank. Am I getting overly paranoid? Has anyone ever fitted any form of prop protector forward of the props that would help? Any shared experience from anyone who has taken a similar boat through the canals would be welcome.... Ta!
 
If you walk around a Thames marina yard during the winter, and inspect the props on the overwintered boats, you see many take a fair bit of minor damage from groundings and collisions. But they mostly seem to keep going, just not quite as efficiently as before!

So maybe the issue isn't getting through the canals, maybe it's powering up to higher speeds at the end?
 
boatmike said:
I intend taking my Aqua-star 33 down the French canals next year. It has a 3ft draught and fairly exposed twin props. I intend fitting rope cutters to both props to deal with fouling but am concerned at the possibility of grounding a prop, especially when near to the bank. Am I getting overly paranoid? Has anyone ever fitted any form of prop protector forward of the props that would help? Any shared experience from anyone who has taken a similar boat through the canals would be welcome.... Ta!
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Not just the canals. Rafiki's props have found several chunks of rubbish floating in the Severn.
 
boatmike said:
I intend taking my Aqua-star 33 down the French canals next year. It has a 3ft draught and fairly exposed twin props. I intend fitting rope cutters to both props to deal with fouling but am concerned at the possibility of grounding a prop, especially when near to the bank. Am I getting overly paranoid? Has anyone ever fitted any form of prop protector forward of the props that would help? Any shared experience from anyone who has taken a similar boat through the canals would be welcome.... Ta!
Click to expand...

We took our atlantic 38 with 4ft draught all the way through without prop damage, although admittedly we do have a keel extending below prop depth. - you should be fine, though. don't trust depth near banks where no proper moorings are laid - nose in first.
Not sure the ropecutters will achieve much, ropes/nets etc not really the issue.
 
should be ok!!!

yes should be ok!

If you nose in first, you may or may not miss the object that means you have to
Haul out
Replace props
Refurbish props
Realign shafts


until it happens again..

I think i am obviously not rich enough to pay this game anymore...
 
martin said:
yes should be ok!

If you nose in first, you may or may not miss the object that means you have to
Haul out
Replace props
Refurbish props
Realign shafts


until it happens again..

I think i am obviously not rich enough to pay this game anymore...
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if you are that much of a worrier you'll never go anywhere - best stay in the marina.
hundreds of boats do that Med canal trip every year - its really not that difficult.
 
blueglass said:
if you are that much of a worrier you'll never go anywhere - best stay in the marina.
hundreds of boats do that Med canal trip every year - its really not that difficult.
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There are old sailors and bold sailors but very few old bold sailors my friend.

Frankly it's not about worrying. If I was worrying all the time I probably wouldn't go. It's about planning forward and preparation rather than blundering onward with eyes shut. I have been sailing and generally messing about in boats for over 50 years man and boy but have always found sharing views on this forum very useful. I know that hundreds of boats have done the trip before. Indeed I have myself in a sailboat but TSDYs are more vulnerable than single engined craft especially close to banks.

Thanks to others who posted constructively though. Yes I guess care in heading close to banks is the only answer and nosing in is obviously good advice especially as the Aqua-Star has a long keel like Bluegrass. The rope cutters, to answer Bluegrass' question, are not to counter canal debris so much as conventional stuff at sea. The idea of being adrift in a TSDY in the shipping lanes with ropes around the props and no sails isn't my idea of fun either......
 
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boatmike said:
There are old sailors and bold sailors but very few old bold sailors my friend.

Frankly it's not about worrying. If I was worrying all the time I probably wouldn't go. It's about planning forward and preparation rather than blundering onward with eyes shut. I have been sailing and generally messing about in boats for over 50 years man and boy but have always found sharing views on this forum very useful. I know that hundreds of boats have done the trip before. Indeed I have myself in a sailboat but TSDYs are more vulnerable than single engined craft especially close to banks.

Thanks to others who posted constructively though. Yes I guess care in heading close to banks is the only answer and nosing in is obviously good advice especially as the Aqua-Star has a long keel like Bluegrass. The rope cutters, to answer Bluegrass' question, are not to counter canal debris so much as conventional stuff at sea. The idea of being adrift in a TSDY in the shipping lanes with ropes around the props and no sails isn't my idea of fun either......
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actually boatmike - my last comments were directed at martin above.
yes of course you must plan etc - all I am saying is that there is nothing to stop you doing it. Exercising due care and attention will see you through safely I am sure.
Incidentally I am old but I don't consider myself that bold. I just thought martin's observation was a bit defeatist.
 
moonraker 36 said:
nose into bankside mooring's when coming alongside....push out stern and reverse into deeper water when leaving...
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Absolutely.... Incidentally the last time I went through I was in the Nivernais in a sailboat and got the rudder stuck on a kiddy pushchair. Managed to extract myself and retrieve it with a little fishing with a boathook and deposited it on the bank. As I was motoring away some delightful kids threw it back in......
 
boatmike said:
Absolutely.... Incidentally the last time I went through I was in the Nivernais in a sailboat and got the rudder stuck on a kiddy pushchair. Managed to extract myself and retrieve it with a little fishing with a boathook and deposited it on the bank. As I was motoring away some delightful kids threw it back in......
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lol..dont you just luv the little buggers......
 
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