Steering a narrowboat in reverse

[thussain]

Does anyone know how to do it?

[sddsddean]

It takes lots of experience and practise, but basically heres what you do. Forget about steering in reverse, but think about how the boat is moving and where it has got to go. So, start off forwards and use the tiller to start the boat swinging in the opposite direction to where you want to go (low speed for this). Put it in reverse and you will go backwards with the boat still swinging from the initial forward movement. As the swing stops, use bursts of forward to put the swing back on. Of course, this fine on a calm day, but with a side wind it can be a nightmare. So just like the working boaters, use the wind to your advantage if you can to 'blow' the boat in the right direction. If you can't, I'm afraid its a line to the bank and muscle power. In my experience, if you have not conned a boat before and haven't been brought up with it (like I have) you will find the best steersmen are children about 12 years old. It never ceases to amaze me how Dads on hire boats take no notice of their kids who have not been brainwashed by driving a car. I saw a bloke once try to get his boat off a lee bank. His son kept telling what to do, but he wouldn't listen. After half an hour he let his son have a go...and he did it first time!.

[Hamish]

I found, if you have enough space, first get the boat moving in a straight line in reverse. (it doesnt have to be fast) then move the tiller in the opposite direction to the one you would when moving forwards (ie left to pull the nose left, or right to pull the nose right). If you try to move the tiller before the boat is moving in reverse you will not have enough momentum to turnand therefore will just drift.

Better still, get someone to jump off an hold a rope and use that as a pivot! (not very elegant though!)

[sixpence]

My husband could do it beautifully, but I never did get the knack when we had our boat. As hamish says, ropes and poles can get you out of anything!