Captain Beeky wrote:
>Interesting then, not your run of the mill tidal excursion. Let's have >some more info about the more dramatic bits, ie how you coped when >things went wrong. When I first spotted smoke from Hannah, and then shortly after seeing her slowing down and getting ready to deploy her anchor I radioed Thistle to let her know I was going to slow down to give initial assistance. We slipped alongside and I shouted to Sue to put our bow rope onto Hannahs front T stud and I grabbed Hannahs stern rope and tied it to my rear dolly. At the same time I told Geoff owner of Hannah to get his anchor up immediately. As soon as he did that I radioed London VTS on Channel 14 and told them the situation i.e. that Hannah had engine problems and that I had took her in tow whilst the owner was looking at the engine. In the meantime Thistle had turned to give assistance if needed and had radioed me (we changed channel to Channel 6 for our own chit chat), Thistle then stayed in front about 5 boat lengths away to give assistance if I called for it. I put the revs up to about 2000 and was running well, after about 1/2 hour my water temp had only risen by abot 5 to 10 degrees so I was happy. (Thistle was at just over tickover so we were trunning a bit slower than with boats separate). Geoff on Hannah went below and made me a cup of tea and stood back on his counter asking me questions of what I thought the problem could be. So I gave him numerous clues to what 'could' have happened with his engine and every time I gave him a clue I got him to go and look, or try to feel appropriate parts of the engine. Little could be done until the engine had cooled down. My first real thought was that his water pump had packed up or a hose had split. My assumption was almost true as in fact it was his calorifer connection fro the engine that had lost its jubilee clip. >Why did Hannah drop anchor under Chelsea bridge ? I cant answer that one, I think if it had been me I would have waited until I got clear of the bridge. I hate to think what would have happened if he stayed anchored there with all the traffic that can be on the Thames, luckily it was too early for the trip boats to be about. I did not ask what his actions would have been but he had no VHF so I can only assume he would have called London VTS by mobile. >Is that what other >folk would have done ? How well did it hold, It held him extremely well. In view of it being pretty shallow he did not have very much rope out on his anchor (he did not have any chain on it either). It certainly held him stationary under the bridge with the river running at a couple of knots. >and how did the retrieval operation go ? Pulled it up very easy when I told him too, I think he was a bit shocked. Everything went so quick, I probably did not give him time to think because my reactions were instant and I went into 'Give Orders' mode and expected ALL others to do what they were told. > Presumably the anchor went in off the counter. Yes >Also if you went aground on the incoming tide surely you would soon >have floated free. The EA workboat said I would have floated in about 20 minutes. Considering we left Limehouse 20 minutes earlier than the lockies were going to put us out we were on a fair bit lower water than we could have been. > On the other hand the prospect of skewing on the >river with a non powered boat tied alongside isn't attractive. I was very woried as soon as the boats did slew round but then we stopped and were solid aground and moved no further. Sue felt that we were aground close to the front and Geoff put a pole down and at the back there was very little water under me. I had considered splitting the two boats and getting Hannah to put down anchor again. But Thistle had seen our plight and tried to radio me first to see if I was OK and then he radioed London VTS, this call was acknowledged by the workboat and his tender was alongside us in a couple of minutes. He told us we would float free in 20 mins but he would try to tow us with tender if we wanted, and if this did not work the workboat would put a tow on us. As it happened the tender pulled us off very quickly. >Did the work boat's presence or wash drive you onto the sand perchance ? Not at all. I had been radioed by Thistle earlier who told me they were scratching bottom and to get into the middle of the river, I thought I had got far enough across but obviously had not. Alls well that ends well. This is however the third time I have gone to assistance of a stricken boat on a river, the first was on the Trent when my mates gearbox failed, on this occasion I had no problems, I even went into West Stockwith Lock after turning and stemming the tide with the two boats breasted up. The second was when I was crewing for Roger Millin on the Trent and I expect Roger has allready told the tale of that day. Terry & Sue nb Hakuna Matata ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> See what's inside the new Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/2pRQfA/bOaOAA/yQLSAA/ygtolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
