Ellis is really sulking with me at the moment... she's certainly stamping her feet (well if she had them) and letting it be known she wants some TLC.
Today - whilst single-handing up Gargrave locks (I forget which one it was) I took my eye off the ball for too long and the boat was pushed back to the gate and rather than the rudder being perpendicular, it ended up straight on - WHICH Meant because it sticks out farther (further?) than the fender, the rudder/skeg/tube took the full impact of a 16 tonne boat being pushed back by the water coming in at the other end...
This kind of thing is a risk when single handing - it's never been a problem before as one of us has always been on the boat and thus kept it's position stable... .it's just very very hard to do this on your own with wide locks - ergo, I misjudged the force and the damage was done.
It's not the end of the world... I STILL have full steering (so at least I know the rudder is still in the cup) but it's VERY stiff - on the plus side, it acts a bit like cruise control lol.
I'm annoyed with myself - not to worry ... having spoken with Ian of Pennine cruisers he did say he would come out to the boat if I wanted him to and have a go at sorting it IN the water... more easily though would be to put the boat on his lift and do it out of the water when I return in 9 days time... SO - I'm gonna limp my way over to Nelson and back and have him wallop it with his big hammer then.
Meanwhile, the Heath Robinson charging regime is holding up ok - apparently things go wrong in 3s so I should be looking over my should for the grim reaper before I retire tonight.
Until next time.. If I live!
3 comments:
Missed you when you passed. We have just moved from Audlem to between Kildwick and Silsden by swing Bridge 186.
The perils of single handing and short locks.
We realised a while back that the rudder on our boat was longer than the button fender and changed to a tipcat and long button. Not cheap but you have now justified the spend! Hope you can get it sorted cheaply.
Steve and Angela
Tumbleweed
As Steve said, fit a good rear fender, I have 2 tipcats and a button going on next trip, a little over £300 worth. Read this and you are taking passengers https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/103514-the-tragic-loss-of-entering-a-flooding-vessel/
I recently had my rudder bent due to hitting un underwater obstruction whilst being dragged backwards to a rescue point by the RCR for my engine which had dumped it's coolant into the bilges. (I know long sentence) Luckily for me Uxbridge Boat Services do an arse-end lift rather than a full cranage. They took 8 inches of bent tiller away and welded on a straight section. All done in an afternoon. Bit scary with the nose of the boat down in the water but all entry points are fully taped up and there was no water ingress anywhere. Kath nb.bobcat
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