River/Canal Launching Tips

[MikeP]

Hi guys,

New 3.1m SIB owner here, based in good old Bristol, UK.

This is our first boating purchase and we're planning to tread carefully by doing a bit on inland waterways this year before attempting the sea next year (and post RWA Powerboat Level 1 as well).

Anyway, we had our inaugural launch at the weekend into the Avon around Saltford, and a trip down the Dundas canal on Sunday. At both locations, we found ourselves considering long and hard how best to get our lovely new SIB in the water off the bank without any nasty scraping or risk to the outboard - the four stroke we've got is a nasty lump to try and lift in or out of a floating vessel.

So, anyone got any golden tips to share on launching off a riverbank or suitable lock moorings ? I know it's not as exciting as getting onto the big blue, but we've all got to start somewhere!

Cheers,

Mike.

[codprawn]

If you live in Bristol why not get down to Cardiff and launch into Cardiff bay? You get the feel of being at sea without being at sea - there is an awesome big slip to launch from and no speed limit in the bay so you can open her up a bit!!!

[m chappelow]

take an old tarp or heavy sheet so you can use it on the bank for pulling the boat out on also ok for inlfating deflating the boat on ,,stops grit or stones making holes ,then make sure there no grit /stones on crews feet when re boarding ,take a couple of tent pegs so you can moor up on grass banks ,if going to a pub for lunch /[dinner up norf ]a padlock and chain makes the boat /engine secure ,depends on what type of canal river but just a an old brush handle makes a push /fend off pole .rubber glove if you iffy about pulling weed/plaggy bags /dead cats off the prop , oh and i would still wear lifejackets ,regards mart.

[MikeP]

@Codders: Hmmm, Cardiff Bay you say.... not one that has leapt out and hit me from browsing through the forums, and we've often been out that way despite the immigration tax on the bridge :-)

I like the idea about no speed limit though, as the running in advice for the outboard specifies some periods spent at up to half and three-quarters throttle - which you certainly can't get to in the rivers or canals.

Is this the Channel View slipway you're talking about ?

@Cap'n Chappelow: it's a funny old thing hindsight; we got as far as figuring out the tarp trick for keeping dirt and grit off the boat on our day two inflation experience (when our £100 12v pump blew up and we had to revert to the dodgy looking Zoom foot pump - Aldi/Lidl here we come)... but never made the leap into using the tarp as a buffer when launching.

Genius, I say!

We have got a proper outboard transom cover and lock, though, and having grappled with a slimey canal lock interior, I think the old brush handle is a good call.

Talking of which, (locks, not brush handles) here's something which makes you wonder about the power of the female of the species....

So we kick off from Saltford and motor up the river in a bit of a newbie daze, only to find ourselves quite rapidly at the next lock. Not unexpected as I had done some research beforehand, and we've got the relevant explorer passes from BWA and the increasingly useful charts from their website.

At this point I vaguely mutter something about SIBs being easily portable, so like jungle explorers or Bear Grylls and his film crew plus sherpas, we should just pick the boat out of the water, carry it past the lock, and launch back in on the other side.

Ever supportive, the missus goes with this plan, at which point I discover that it is one thing to lift a 4 stroke outboard on and off the transom on dry land, but quite something else to try and do it on the water; however, after some consideration of Sir Isaac Newton's Laws, the outboard is duly removed, the SIB similarly de-launched and we end up re-assembled on the other side of the lock on our transom wheels figuring out how to get back in.

At this point we pause to let a nice young family launch their kayak, in the vague hope that some launching clues would be forthcoming from their traverse of the metre or so's drop from the lock moorings down onto the river.

Sadly not; they had an empty kayak made of fibreglass that they could chuck over the side with abandon; we had a brand new SIB with a dead weight on the stern and no experience to draw on.

Anyway, after much faffing about, we gingerly dropped the boat in stern first on the slippery grass and managed to steam off without further incident.

So here's the spooky bit...

Coming back down the river, after having done our bit and retrieved an empty vodka bottle and a couple of plastic bags, we arrive at the same lock and the subject of traverse comes up once more. As much as I would like to think I have the makings of a rugged mariner, at this point, given the tribulations of our passage upstream, I was hoping that we could piggyback on some holidaymakers going downstream through the lock. Such a dream was not to be.

About 15 minutes later, when I'd tidied up as much as it is possible to tidy up in a 3.1m SIB, I declared that we could not really hang about any longer, and would have to confront the hard work of getting it all out of the water again to nip around the lock and relaunch on the other side.

At this point, the missus looked me square in the eye, and said "But there's another boat on the other side".

I look around, over the top of the lock, and see no sign of another vessel. "I'm sorry Mrs MikeP, but that's just wishful thinking".

The missus fixes me with that "if you just believe in the universe all will be well" look that every male must roll their eyes over by genetic programming - and b&gger me if a brummie doesn't appear on foot to close the upstream gates prior to draining the lock - at which point we sneak in, let those kind folks do the hard work, and sneak out again downstream with a cheery wave.

And the moral of the story ? Well, if you're playing around in your SIB near locks, probably best to spend a few quid and get a BW Windlass so that you can go through them like the narrowboats and cruisers; it may feel a bit silly in a SIB, but I'd favour that against the overland traverse any day, unless you're Bear Grylls and have a film crew to help you.

Similarly, don't diss the missus when she has good news; whether it happens via coincidence or witchcraft, the outcome is what matters,

Cheers,

Mike.

[codprawn]

Yup Channel View is the one!!!

And if you really want an awesome day out from Bristol head down to Pembroke - the river is fantastic and perfect for all boats. The slip at East Llanion is great and free.

[prairie tuber]

Do you do have pneumatic launching wheels? If not this needs to be priority #1 for launching and recovery.

[lightning]

Sounds like you had a good time on your first outing. What engine do you have?

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by lightning

What engine do you have?

Profile says 4Stroke Mariner 4hp

[PeteH]

Originally Posted by MikeP

@Codders: Hmmm, Cardiff Bay you say.... not one that has leapt out and hit me from browsing through the forums, and we've often been out that way despite the immigration tax on the bridge :-)

I like the idea about no speed limit though, as the running in advice for the outboard specifies some periods spent at up to half and three-quarters throttle - which you certainly can't get to in the rivers or canals.

Is this the Channel View slipway you're talking about ?

@Cap'n Chappelow: it's a funny old thing hindsight; we got as far as figuring out the tarp trick for keeping dirt and grit off the boat on our day two inflation experience (when our £100 12v pump blew up and we had to revert to the dodgy looking Zoom foot pump - Aldi/Lidl here we come)... but never made the leap into using the tarp as a buffer when launching.

Genius, I say!

We have got a proper outboard transom cover and lock, though, and having grappled with a slimey canal lock interior, I think the old brush handle is a good call.

Talking of which, (locks, not brush handles) here's something which makes you wonder about the power of the female of the species....

So we kick off from Saltford and motor up the river in a bit of a newbie daze, only to find ourselves quite rapidly at the next lock. Not unexpected as I had done some research beforehand, and we've got the relevant explorer passes from BWA and the increasingly useful charts from their website.

At this point I vaguely mutter something about SIBs being easily portable, so like jungle explorers or Bear Grylls and his film crew plus sherpas, we should just pick the boat out of the water, carry it past the lock, and launch back in on the other side.

Ever supportive, the missus goes with this plan, at which point I discover that it is one thing to lift a 4 stroke outboard on and off the transom on dry land, but quite something else to try and do it on the water; however, after some consideration of Sir Isaac Newton's Laws, the outboard is duly removed, the SIB similarly de-launched and we end up re-assembled on the other side of the lock on our transom wheels figuring out how to get back in.

At this point we pause to let a nice young family launch their kayak, in the vague hope that some launching clues would be forthcoming from their traverse of the metre or so's drop from the lock moorings down onto the river.

Sadly not; they had an empty kayak made of fibreglass that they could chuck over the side with abandon; we had a brand new SIB with a dead weight on the stern and no experience to draw on.

Anyway, after much faffing about, we gingerly dropped the boat in stern first on the slippery grass and managed to steam off without further incident.

So here's the spooky bit...

Coming back down the river, after having done our bit and retrieved an empty vodka bottle and a couple of plastic bags, we arrive at the same lock and the subject of traverse comes up once more. As much as I would like to think I have the makings of a rugged mariner, at this point, given the tribulations of our passage upstream, I was hoping that we could piggyback on some holidaymakers going downstream through the lock. Such a dream was not to be.

About 15 minutes later, when I'd tidied up as much as it is possible to tidy up in a 3.1m SIB, I declared that we could not really hang about any longer, and would have to confront the hard work of getting it all out of the water again to nip around the lock and relaunch on the other side.

At this point, the missus looked me square in the eye, and said "But there's another boat on the other side".

I look around, over the top of the lock, and see no sign of another vessel. "I'm sorry Mrs MikeP, but that's just wishful thinking".

The missus fixes me with that "if you just believe in the universe all will be well" look that every male must roll their eyes over by genetic programming - and b&gger me if a brummie doesn't appear on foot to close the upstream gates prior to draining the lock - at which point we sneak in, let those kind folks do the hard work, and sneak out again downstream with a cheery wave.

And the moral of the story ? Well, if you're playing around in your SIB near locks, probably best to spend a few quid and get a BW Windlass so that you can go through them like the narrowboats and cruisers; it may feel a bit silly in a SIB, but I'd favour that against the overland traverse any day, unless you're Bear Grylls and have a film crew to help you.

Similarly, don't diss the missus when she has good news; whether it happens via coincidence or witchcraft, the outcome is what matters,

Cheers,

Mike.

I really enjoyed this read,i might have a go in inland waters myself.
Good write up .
Thanks Mike

Pete

[lightning]

Oh yeah of course it's right there in your profile. Never thought to look at that. You have pretty much the same rig as me. My first outing was yesterday (Wednesday) on the canal and although we didn't encounter any locks we did have a similar struggle to get the boat in/out of the water. I think the plastic sheet is a great idea.

[MikeP]

Thanks for the comments, guys. @codders, thanks for the Pembroke tip - you're selling Wales as a good venue away from the Devon crowds, that's for sure....

As you've noticed from my profile, we've got a baby 4HP Mariner, and we did get some transom launching wheels, which - whilst inflatable - are only about 8" across. Whether this will cause us problems in the future I'm unsure.

We also have to remove the wheels once launched, as if they are flipped up, they interfere with the left/right movement of the outboard. This isn't a big deal at the moment, and was mainly because they were mounted making use of the two holes where the official (and much more expensive) Zodiac wheels were supposed to go - the Zodiacs being removable by design, but apparently a real PITA to do so in practice.

Looking at it, if we find that we need massive jumbo wheels to deal with - er- the sorts of situations that you need massive jumbo wheels for - well, a little DIY project and a trip to the local hardware shop.

I've attached a picture of our SIB tied up prior to getting hauled out at Dundas - aww, ain't it cute ;-) The only thing we're really missing is a couple of rings at the back for tie-ing up. I'm loathe to tie anything to the handles, but I guess that is what we are going to have to do long term.

On a side note, I've just got a BW windlass at a 'make me an offer' price of £7.99, just in case anyone else needs one...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=110405613982

[m chappelow]

dont you still need a square drive key to unlock it in the first place ,the handcuff type lock and chain .most bridges and locks do up our way ,regards tying up and not using handles you could tie off to the engine or put some stainless u bolts or eyes in the transom

[MikeP]

Well, it's a bit more dodgy up north, innit, so they'd need the handcuffs :-)

Funnily enough, the British Waterways website says in their shop, and I quote :-

"Handcuff keys are essential for operating locks in many urban areas, especially Birmingham and the North. They are sometimes known as 'water conservation keys' or 'anti-vandal keys'."

So I guess anarchy rules from Brum upwards - either that, or it rains less ;-)

Aside from a few hours experience, our info comes from the frankly hilarious "Boaters Handbook DVD", which is advertised as follows :-

"The Boaters' Handbook Video is a 40-minute film, available on DVD. It follows the progress of two real-life families on their first trips on the inland waterways and provides useful advice on handling both narrowboats and cruisers on canals and rivers."

It's only £2.50, and possibly a major cash-cow for British Waterways if they could market it to the 'ironic post-war public information film' crowd.

Having said all that, I'm sure that we'll turn up on our next adventure, properly be-windlassed, and bereft of a handcuff or general BW key.

PS: They also sell playing cards with individual safety messages on them. I think we're in the wrong demographic.

PPS: Cap'n Chappelow: thanks for the tips, although I'm currently viewing the transom as the only thing between us and the deep, dark blue. I'm sure with some more experience, I'll be bolting rocket launchers and all sorts to it...

[codprawn]

Those tyres look huge - really huge!!!

[m chappelow]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Those tyres look huge - really huge!!!

i bet they take loads of room up in a small boat,lol,,,,most canals up norf are broad canals designed for wide humber sailing barges and not narrow boats , so most locks are wider hence more water wastage eg leeds / liverpool if kids start to mess about with them ,but with most swing bridges you can get under with a small boat /outboard without opening them .

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by MikeP

.. The only thing we're really missing is a couple of rings at the back for tie-ing up.

And a couple of fenders to keep the black marks from those tyres off your nice clean white toobs.

[MikeP]

We decided to weight the transom wheels down with gravel before we left to disguise them as a permanent feature of the boatyard. Worked pretty well, they were still there when we got back :-) Obviously too heavy to put in the baby SIB.

For future searchers through these threads, the downside of going down a canal is the dramatic speed limit (4mph - ie, a fast walking pace). However, this is also a plus point if you're just after a relaxing cruise.... and certainly if you're navigating a busy canal waterway, I think it probably helps hone your low speed skills. I found it pretty tricky and a bit nerve wracking when you've got a trip boat full of tourists coming your way down a channel only wide enough for one boat at a time.

Where's this Cardiff Bay I hear so much about ;-)

[MikeP]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

And a couple of fenders to keep the black marks from those tyres off your nice clean white toobs.

One person's black marks are another person's badges of honour...

[lightning]

On the canal do you pass on the right/ keep right, the same as on the Norfolk Broads? This may sound like a daft question but I really don't know. On my first trip I did not encounter any boats.

[m chappelow]

supposed to pass on right head to head as you said ,,might be 4 mph speed limit but even canals can get rough, i have known 3 foot waves on certain parts of canal where there is a long stretch with a strong wind coming down a valley ,,,,,and even narrow boats can have there fatal accidents near where i used to live ,4 persons drowned in a lock when a narrow boat got its bow fender caught in a lock gate and a few falling into props with fatal results,,,,and theres nothing wrong with practising a few low speed manouvers ,even practice man overboard with a fender and coming along side though i think your tyres with the gravel in may take some recovering single handed ,lol, mart