River Etiquette?

tinkicker0

tinkicker0

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Hi all.

Another stupid question from a newbiw who can't find a definitive answer.

Yesterday evening I took the boat about 5 miles upriver.

Not wanting to be an irresponsible boater I pretty much kept to the 6mph speed limit, slowing down to around 4 - 5 mph when passing moored boats.

I was passed by 2 canoes and what looked like a 1960s caravan with an outboard bolted to the back.
Hmm so speed limits not strictly adhered to then.

The boat suffers badly from V hull wander at 6 mph, rolling along like a Chav with an imaginary roll of carpet under each arm.
When I tried going at 8 mph the hull was wanting to lift a little and became much more stable and responsive, plus the motor (Mercruiser 4 banger) was at 2000rpm and under substantially more load which is always a good thing.

Questions.

At 8mph the boat has a wake that rolls from the transom for maybe 5 feet before reducing to a non rolling swell. Is this acceptable as it was not rolling at the riverbank, or does no rolling wake mean no white water whatsoever from the rear of the boat?

Will the British Waterways speed cops find 8 mph (gps) reckless and give me a pair of cement galloshes, or will they let it go without comment and look for licence dodgers instead? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Having (accidentally your honour) nudged the throttle a little further forward than it maybe should have been, had the hull lift out the water like an elevator, then pressed back in the seat as the boat took off like a bat out of hell before I could shut her down gently, inducing a huge grin that hadn't seen the light of day since I sold the Honda Blackbird, will 8 mph ever be enough again? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Fastest I've been on a boat was on the Ouse /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Just ask the locals where and when!

Cheers Joe
 
[ QUOTE ]
Having (accidentally your honour) nudged the throttle a little further forward than it maybe should have been, had the hull lift out the water like an elevator, then pressed back in the seat as the boat took off like a bat out of hell before I could shut her down gently, inducing a huge grin that hadn't seen the light of day since I sold the Honda Blackbird, will 8 mph ever be enough again?

[/ QUOTE ]

Can't answer your questions I'm afraid, but.........

Congrats - you've just begun to experience the joy of travelling at 'sea' speeds rather than river speeds.

Next thing you know, you'll begin to feel severely restricted on the river, and start to criticise your marina/cruising area.

Then you'll start looking at coastal marinas and decide that the additional cost in mooring fees may possibly be justified because you can once again travel at the speeds your boat was designed for. You'll convince yourself that you're ruining your engine(s) by never running them under load at their design r.p.m. and 25 gallons per hour consumption's not too bad, really, when you balance it against the additional freedom/enjoyment to be had..........

Well, that's how it worked for me, anyways. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Hi mark
Its a odd river you are on and you will not be able to keep everybody happy.
Out out the marina you will pass all the sailing dingys, and usually quiet a lot of them before the iron bridge, wait till summer when there is about 15 all in a space of 100 yards, its interesting going through them.
After the bridge (in summer watch out for kids jummping off the top) you will come to the smelly mile straight, before you get to the boats you will get shouted at by all the fishermen (even if you are doing 2 knots)
After the palace you will get shouted at by the local rowing clubs who are always out in force and they do own the river you know !!!!
Ops and then there is the river police boat, great old thing that does 10 knots and has american style police lights on the top, a site for sore eyes when they put them on and give chase.
River police well he may be ok with you as he spends most of his time trying to find me doing something wrong, (ever since I came round the palace corner at 30 knots in my old rib and nearly hit him!!
But the a64 straight is were most people go a little faster sometimes like after 4pm if you know what I mean.

Like I say odd river, lots of differant river users.,

ps, seen you boat, looks nice, would like to go for a spin sometime, pref after 4pm

regards

ians
 
One local Ouse boater who shall remain nameless is quite keen to come aboard and find out how just much travel my boat throttle has.

I keep having nightmares about boxes of fishing tackle and a myriad of tweed hats / Barbour jackets drifting downstream.

I see it now.....


Daily Blah newsagency. shock horror expose. Has a tsunami washed ashore on the river Ouse?

"It was orrible" said local fisherman Percy Snotwhistle, "I heard a roar, then the river came over the bank just like on Hawaii five o, only without the fat native bloke obviously. Me tackle's gone, me pork pie hats gone, me cheese n onion crisps never stood a chance".
"I'll carry on fishin tho, it'll not put me off" said brave, have ago hero Percy.

Percy's wife, Hilda Snotwhistle when asked about her feelings over her husband's lucky escape, refused to comment.

Another victim found affected by the phenomenon was a local boater found wandering around the local marina in a deranged state. All he kept saying over and over was "and pontoon fuel is £1.30 a litre yer know, all gone, all gone up in smoke".
 
[ QUOTE ]
Fastest I've been on a boat was on the Ouse /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Just ask the locals where and when!

Cheers Joe

[/ QUOTE ]

38 kts on the humber?
oh ye of small memory /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I remember it well,the zero gravity affect as I looked down at the boat from somewhere above the radar arch,the wind in my face,the sudden stillness only broken by my mate D3B saing"what was that" as he hit the bow wave of the steamer he was overtaking!
I calmly took my balls from around my collar and put them back where they belong
I have never forgotten and may be able to sleep without drugs
sometime soon
Cheers Joe
 
You missed a lovely evening down the marina tonight Ian. Warm, sunny and no wind. Absolutely miraculous.

Didn't get out on the water though. Making new engine intake duct covers, so the neighbours will be pleased to see that the carrier bags covering them have now gone.

In my defence, I will add that the offending items were not netto bags, I do have some sense of style alledgedly.

What sort of idiot American designer angles the vents upwards, just below the canopy, so when it rains the cockpit carpet floods with rainwater?????

Always welcome to come down for a chat, if you see a red Fiesta parked above pontoon E, we are in.
 
Didnt see you there tonight, I came down and went for a blast up to york and back.
Dont tell my missis tho !!!

was nice, sure weather will turn for the weekend as per usual

ians
 
I wouldn't worry about it. 8mph is crawling at only 6.9kt, slower than River Shannon hire boats. Once you slow to 4-5kt when passing moored boats your fine.
 
[ QUOTE ]

What sort of idiot American designer angles the vents upwards, just below the canopy, so when it rains the cockpit carpet floods with rainwater?????

[/ QUOTE ]

Ha ! Been there - in my case the water ran directly into the engine room and the bilges were always wet. I fashioned some aluminium plates to shape and painted them white. Here are some (rubbish quality) before and after shots.....
Vent.jpg


Ventcover.jpg

How have you covered yours ?
 
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