Cruising Wobbly and lessons in seamanship - crossing the Wash.

jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,076
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
What is Wobbly? It is a British descriptive name given to a canal boat. Boats are narrow and used in protected waters.

I found the video entertaining. It shared some of that dry British humor.. Seamanship.. interesting skills to address tidal change.. all presented in a fun way.

Enjoy...
 
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DougM

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Those are also called ”narrow boats” used on the canal system in England. They are flat bottomed and appear not to have much of a keel. They were the freighters of the day pulled along by horses on the canal paths. Now they are mostly pleasure boats, propelled by small diesel kickers. They don’t appear to be very stable in open water.
 
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jssailem

jssailem

.
Oct 22, 2014
21,076
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Very true. Perhaps that is one of the reasons the owner elected to take along a "Pilot".

Did look like they had fun. A good day outing on the Wash. Thought the idea to run up on the sand bank to await the tide change old school. Like careening your sailboat to clean the bottom.

Nice small yawl or maybe it was a schooner show up when they get out in The Wash.
 
Michael Davis

Michael Davis

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Jan 5, 2017
2,265
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
Did notice that navigation markers are opposite to ours in NorthAmerica. Some pretty strong current changes with the tide, something we’re used to here in the PNW. Great fun.
 
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kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
9,892
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Good stuff! My wife and I watch and enjoy his videos. Foxes Afloat is another uTube narrow boat video that we watch. It is a guy couple who do a great video of their cruising.
The boats carry a lot of ballast below the cabin floor to increase their stability.
 
jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,076
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I find seamanship shows up in many locations and ways. Always find it fun to see the concepts applied. The video demonstrates that planning to cross open water when favorable makes the event no big deal. Even if you use a narrow beam wobbly canal boat.
 
nightowle

nightowle

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Aug 28, 2006
564
Bavaria 35E seattle
"Wobbly." That's a new one on me. And, I've spent considerable time in ol' blighty. Lots of sailing around the Solent. (S. Coast).

This was jolly good fun. Tickety-boo!
 
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W

wobbly

.
Jan 21, 2022
2
narrowboat evans and sons nuneaton
jssailem said:
Very true. Perhaps that is one of the reasons the owner elected to take along a "Pilot".

Did look like they had fun. A good day outing on the Wash. Thought the idea to run up on the sand bank to await the tide change old school. Like careening your sailboat to clean the bottom.

Nice small yawl or maybe it was a schooner show up when they get out in The Wash.
Click to expand
jssailem said:
What is Wobbly? It is a British descriptive name given to a canal boat. Boats are narrow and used in protected waters.

I found the video entertaining. It shared some of that dry British humor.. Seamanship.. interesting skills to address tidal change.. all presented in a fun way.

Enjoy...
Click to expand
The name Wobbly has nothing to with a boat. It is the name of the boat. the boat was named after my pet kangaroo who was wobbly on his feet
 
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DArcy

DArcy

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Feb 11, 2017
1,701
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
That's a fun video, I like the narrator's hat. He must be a sailor :)
A bit of a different view of narrow boating, it looked like a fun day on the water.
 
PaulK

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,238
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
Nice outing. Looks like the right weather would be important. Where do they go next???!!
 
ifmdalvey

ifmdalvey

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Feb 2, 2010
373
Island Packet 37 Hull #2 Harpswell Me
Having had a weeks holiday on a narrow boat, i feel equipped to tell the origin of the name Wobbly. At every stop there is always a pub, serving great beer, well, after several too many, wobbly is what you is as you try to get back on board your steed at the end of the night.
 
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PaulK

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,238
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
wobbly said:
Cross the Irish channel
Click to expand
If crossing the Wash was a 12-hour somewhat bouncy trip in relatively calm conditions, how do you expect to have 48 hours of flat calm for a dash across the Irish Channel? Dangerous if any weather crops up midstream. And where will you go once you get across? Cruising down the Irish coast waiting in each port for the right conditions? It could take three weeks to get to Dublin. If you think the eddies were difficult on the Great Ouse, Strangford Lough will give you a new perspective on that.
 
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jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,076
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Irish Channel also known as the North Channel. Connecting the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
  1. Site of a naval duel between John Paul Jones aboard USS Ranger and Captain Burdon aboard HMS Drake.
  2. The Channel is only 21 km at it's narrowest part. You can see Ireland from Scotland. An on a calm day I suspect Wobbly can make a good go of it to reach Ireland and that Irish Whiskey.
 
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