The Strudwick Family <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Can any one tell me where I can buy a Barge Pole. I am based in the >South-east and all I can find is pine "stair hand rails". These are not >really suitable as I understand pine can snap under load and any way >have a flat on one side. > >Paul >NB Upacreakwithoutabargepole
Of course, what you need is a boat pole, which I could not comment about. However ... The best (wooden) poles are hardwood, with AIUI ash being the most preferred. However, long ash poles are pricey. The barge poles (I have three: long hook, short hook, keb) I use are indeed of the "stair hand rail" type. In the UK wood trade, for a reason I don't understand, they are called "mop sticks". Yes, they are softwood, but they work fine. Not too heavy, and plenty strong enough under compression or tension. But never use them in an application that involves lateral force, as they will definitely split and break. The flat on one side not only stops them rolling (not a great benefit, as the hook or keb I put on the end does that anyway), but more important it provides a clear indication to the holder as to the alignment of the hook or keb when it is under water. "Nigel Parkinson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Uxbridge Boat Centre. 3.8m ash pole about £35. Mop sticks are relatively inexpensive. My long hook and keb are both about 6 m, and the shafts cost me about £15 each. You can't always find sticks that long, though, and you do need to check carefully that the ones you buy have no serious knots or warps (which checking can sometimes cause disgruntlement among the lumbermen, so best to go to a self-service place). "Julian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Call me modern but for the last 10 years I have used 2" thin wall ali tube >bung up the ends with wood so it floats and there it is. >Never breaks, bends or warps, provided you don't use it as a lever which is >what the gangplank is for. >Much lighter then wood and easier to handle the only problem is you do have >to force it down into the water as it is so buoyant. Yes. This is the preferred approach for many working craft (not meaning narrow boats), including the river tug I worked on in Canada. Excellent under tension. However, my impression is that it can be rather easy to bend them (permanently) a little under compression, which then leads to their being bent more in a subsequent use, which then leads to them suddenly folding up subsequently under compression. Have you found that, Julian? The lack of having to paint them is a definite advantage though. I get around this with my mop sticks by, er, not painting them (except where I hold them, to avoid splinters) and throwing them away after five or six years when they start to rot. If you paint towards the business end, the paint just gets scraped anyway in use, which looks dreadful. "sean neill" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> My objection isn't with the other nationalities. It is with not having >> an English parliament run by english people. >> Sue nb Nackered Navvy >> >But then Gordon Brown and John Reid would be up a creek without a >bargepole. Many creeks are quite small, so a barge pole might rather get the way. Especially on a canoe, which is the usual form of transport assumed in that saying. A paddle, however ... Adrian PS A friend of mine has recently bought a luxemotor. His name ends in "ski", and contains a "y" and a "z". He comes from the large country just west of Russia. Paul - be careful with your capitalisations! Adrian Stott 07956-299966
