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Mad Harold
United Kingdom
228 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Mar 2017 : 09:49:16
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There are several sections and a couple of locks on my local canal[the Huddersfield extremely narrow] where it is necessary to pull up the fenders to get through.Another trip up this canal and I will have no gel coat left!
Does anyone know of stick on rubbing strips,rubber,leather,steel that are sacrificial and easy to replace?
Whatever is used,it's not going to last very long,so something cheap would be nice. |
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Knighty
United Kingdom
654 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2017 : 16:37:37
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| A good well secured strake should last for years. A cheap stick on one, if they make one, prob wouldn't last one lock. They are not cheap whatever you choose. Maybe just a good sized hardwood strake and treat it with Danish oil and if it gets marked a quick wipe with new oil is all that's required. On my 20 I had a thickish rubber/plastic strake but the insert piece was breaking up but found a blue rope think about 14mm or so fitted inside a treat. |
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Mad Harold
United Kingdom
228 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2017 : 10:14:11
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Thanks for the reply Knighty.My problem is not the rise and fall of the locks,but some have very tight entrances once inside it is ok.Also there are several "pinch points" in some tunnels and along the canal making it necessary to pull the fenders up and cringe at the scraping noise.Yes,properly fitted hardwood strakes would be the answer,but I can't get the boat out of the water just yet,so I am looking for a temporary fix for the summer.
Your fitting a rope into your rubbing strip has given me an idea.Perhaps a thickish rope [15-20mm] slotted through the bow eyelet running around the hull,might provide some protection. I am going up today to fit a cupboard door,so I will see if this is feasible
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2017 : 15:40:24
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How about a few of the skinny narrowboat fenders, you could run a rope from the bow down each side through a hosepipe at the appropriate level and tie off at the stern to get a full temporary rubbing strake along each side.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
 Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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Mad Harold
United Kingdom
228 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2017 : 18:33:54
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Fitted a 20mm rope through the bow eyelet and around the hull,and installed two cleats in the outboard well to tie off to.Bought six 2 inch diameter rope fenders and hung them between the inflatable ones and went off to try them out.
First lock,[the tight one] inflatable fenders up and into the lock with only a little rubbing.Out of the lock to tie up thinking what a clever fellow I am,and was a little puzzled by having to step up to the canal side when normaly I have to step down.A few yards along the canal,there was a loud bang,the boat jumped sideways a couple of feet,and the engine stopped.It was then that I noticed a couple of feet of mud at the canal sides that was not there the last time I was on it.It dawned on me that the water level had dropped significantly,and also noticed that my outboard was now about 30 degrees out of plumb.Not enough water to turn around,so after straightening the outboard I made my way slowly in reverse back to the lock.I was going to pull the boat back,but couldn't get closer than about four feet from the side without bottoming.Into the lock and reversing out got jammed,realised that I hadn't pulled the fenders up,so it was in again fenders up then out.Back at the mooring removed the bent and gnarled prop and straightened and cleaned up the ragged edges with a file [it's very soft aluminium] and everything seems ok.
Telling the old salts at the marina about my adventure,I was told "its always like that in dry weather"
I changed the name of my boat when I bought it,and didn't perform the re-naming ceremony,thinking what a load of rubbish the unlucky superstition is.Now I am not so sure. |
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Rubbing Strakes.
