Bimbling about

[matty7]

when your moored is it still stable -  id be so scared to drive it id just walk to wherever ,  i can fix million pound machines at work but i dont understand boat engines at all

@matty7 It stays in one place, more or less! I tie it to my mooring with two ropes at each end, using a system known as "spring lines". In theory this stops it moving forwards and backwards in the wind, the current or when another boat passes by, specially if it is going too fast. The rule on most waterways is a maximum speed of 4mph, but even slower (engine on tickover) when passing moored boats. However, it only makes a marginal difference. Partly this is because the water level changes and it can be disastrous to have your mooring ropes too tight. Boats near me have taken on water and sunk because the owner didn't keep an eye on their ropes. That can prove expensive. In practice, though, the boat still moves and there are an amazing number of boaters who don't think to slow down sufficiently when passing moored boats. While typing this response I've had to get out and hold the boat away from the bank as one of the hire boats has gone by too fast. I used to get cross and say something. These days I don't bother, I just try to preserve a little of the paintwork by pushing the boat away from my landing stage.

About a week after I first moved on to a boat (I had a smaller one before this one) there was quite a storm. With all the rocking about I felt so nauseous I had to get off the boat and walk along the bank in the pouring rain. Thankfully, I seem to have got used to it and haven't had to do that again. In the days when people came to visit (remember them?) nearly everyone was surprised at how rocky the boat is. It still takes PA a day or two to get used to walking around inside a boat that rocks about. If I'm at the back on the tiller while we're on the move, I can feel from the way the boat handles when PA is moving around inside. I can usually tell when he's approaching me, but sometimes he's started talking to me and that has given me a shock. My first experience of narrowboats was in the 80s when I used to work on one each summer. I found myself rocking whenever I got out and tried to stand still on dry land.

I am fortunate to be on one of the lesser used waterways. I spent some time, when the engine was in one of its sporadic working moods going out for short trips to practice manoeuvres. The wind makes a big difference to the way the boat handles. Being the shape it is (Slightly steeper sides than usual for this kind of boat and having no keel - i.e. having a flat bottom rather than a pointy one like a sailing dinghy) means it can act just like a big sail in a wind and can easily be blown off course. Even at 3 or 4mph I have to keep a constant eye on where we're heading. A small lapse of concentration can see the boat heading into a bank or another boat. Matty, you're not the only one who would be nervous about "driving". PA has never had a go, though I've asked him several times if he would like to. If you've ever worked on a diesel engine this would make sense to you. It's an old BMC 1.5 which is used in all sorts of other vehicles including, I believe, London cabs at one time.

well after your explanation of how the handling can be effected by so many thing i can now see why my mates hired one on holiday and hit 3 boats trying to moor up - im amazed they just let anyone hire them out for a holiday at all without experience lol.  
cannot believe PA has not had a go at steering your boat yet - hes been on it a ton of times - give him the wheel   one day and go to the back and see how he gets on lol , might be a case of sink or swim literally   

strangely enough ive never been on a river boat - i get that romantic image of them - not the image where your engine goes bang or the weather can bring on vomiting lol