Stuck on silt.

[Mirror Painter]

I've swapped a few text messages with my near neighbours on the mooring this evening. Their boat is stuck on the bottom. Here is the level info for today:

View attachment 30983


I expect they are stuck on silt washed down in the past few mad months. I am currently safe at home but going to the boat tomorrow and would like to help them. But do not want to damage Moxon. Their boat is a GRP job and about 30' long. Should I raft along side, turn my prop to the bank and apply some revs? Will that help? Suggestions welcome please.

 

[byron]

Put yourself in deep water position your boat so you prop wash under their boat. Drop your boat in gear and take up the strain of the line. Once the line is taut apply a weeny bit more power. Sit back and wait and after a short while he will gently slide off.

 

[Mirror Painter]

Thanks Byron.

If we do as you suggest I'll have one of them on Moxon holding the line. I'd hate to rip a cleat out of my lady friend.

 

[sarabande]

there's an old lighterman's trick of banging a heavy weight on the keel while pulling off. Apparently it helps to release the suction, much the same as getting the crew to rock the boat from side to side to help liquify the heavy mud beneath.


P I C S please !

 

[byron]

Thanks Byron.

If we do as you suggest I'll have one of them on Moxon holding the line. I'd hate to rip a cleat out of my lady friend.

You will not rip a cleat out if you just gently take the strain up and allow your prop wash to slowly liquefy the silt. The pull is minimal in fact it is important not to be too harsh. I've done this a zillion times from the Brambles bank in the Solent to the Goodwin Sands off Ramsgate. I was an Auxiliary Coastguard Afloat for nigh on 30 years, people on sand and mud banks were a regular occurrence.

 

[boatone]

If we do as you suggest I'll have one of them on Moxon holding the line. I'd hate to rip a cleat out of my lady friend.

Don't even think of doing this without making the line fast on both boats. It is just plain dangerous to expect someone to hold the line effectively. They will either let it go or, in the worst case scenarios burn their hands on the rope or even get pulled overboard.

 

[Mirror Painter]

Don't even think of doing this without making the line fast on both boats. It is just plain dangerous to expect someone to hold the line effectively. They will either let it go or, in the word case scenarios burn their hands on the rope or even get pulled overboard.

Noted - thanks. But that doesn't seem to tally with Byron's talk about pull being minimal.

N.B. I'm tired and off to bed and may not be using the best words. Nothing here is intended to challenge advice from you lot.

Thanks.

 

[teddington_lock]

If you try to pull the boat off with someone holding the line instead of attaching it to a cleat , someone will be going for a swim.

Have you ever watched someone jump off a boat as it's coming into a lock , and leaving it in gear , then trying to stop it ? principle is the same.

 

[Mirror Painter]

Thanks all. The other boat is free! It took a fed goes from different positions. At one point my friend on the other boat said it would be fine if she just held the rope. NO said I!

shaving said that, was just like B Myron said, I.e. a gentle prop wash to blow away great clouds of silt.

I'm on my boat for the night. It is raining.

 

[Mirror Painter]

Scuse typos _ using tablet

 

[boatone]

Well done, both for listening and for achieving a result !

 

[Mirror Painter]

Moxon - the little boat that could

Cheers B1.

I wonder how many boaters use Polaroid glasses? Mine showed just how much silt there is . Great bars of the stuff. Plus, some of it had big branches in - as my 'adder rudder ' found out today.