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Author Topic: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES  (Read 3249 times)

chrise

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Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« on: September 01, 2009, 03:20:20 pm »

The mid August "Tug In" at Balne Moor was a 170 mile drive each way from Norfolk but worth every mile. The promotion said come & have a go plus a tug would be provided if you didn't have one. With 3 weeks away in the caravan I didn't have a tug with me - but I thought never mind they will have some battered old relic that I can use for a ferw minutes over the weekend. Not a bit of it. I got to try & use some really beautiful models that were much nicer than anything that I own, & much better for tug towing, together with as much sailing time as I wanted. Sailing (+ towing) at nearly midnight under floodlights was certainly a first for me. The guys from the resident club and the Ellesmere Port dynamic duo totally generous in models , help & encouragement. (PS A web site address for the scooter motors?)

I am aiming this report at getting some others to have a go so if I state the obvious to the experts I am sorry but as a beginner it was not all obvious to me nor I guess to some others.

The aim is to move a large tow (a hulk) - which hardly ever does what you want it to do unless an expert is in control - around a very tight course going all the places that you are told to go without touching pretty well anything, buoys walls etc etc etc. 

Let me start this report with the three tug event. Only the unconnected third man is allowed to manhandle the tow. The other two can only pull via the rope. The tows are very heavy (several hundred pounds) & even a powerful tug (14lb bollard pull) dances on the end of the line with a beginner in - sort of - control. One of the many other problems is that when you stop pulling the tow does not stop but tries to overrun the towing tug unless weight is applied from behind. The tow also tries to cut corners, gets blown around & generally is like Thomas's "troublesome trucks". Oh yes this is most certainly a team event. The tragedy of being lent such great models was that when the owner used them & they behave perfectly I couldn't really blame anybody but myself for my performance  ok2
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chrise

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Re: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2009, 03:23:04 pm »

The second event is two tug towing. Much the same as 3 tug except that now both tugs are allowed to push the tow as well as pull it.

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chrise

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Re: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2009, 03:35:39 pm »

The third discipline is single tug towing. This was very difficult as it was rather windy & even the best experts found it very difficult. Witness the er um nice clean entry in to the channel in photo one  :-)

The last photo is a pusher tug which was not really part of the weekend event but was there for those who wanted a go.
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chrise

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Re: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2009, 03:42:08 pm »

Finally a collection of photos of some of the tugs at the event. The enormous variety of models means a lot of modellers could have a go. When Balne Moor, or anybody else, advertises such an event if the future do have a go. The ProAm format helps enormously.

 
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chrise

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Re: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2009, 03:46:23 pm »

More piccies

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chrise

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Re: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2009, 04:07:44 pm »

What did I learn? That would take pages to detail but here are some thoughts.

1. Tug towing is much more a skill than I might have guessed
2. Anybody can have a go but there are certain characteristics of the towing tug that help - a really powerful bow thruster being the most obvious.
3. Modern drive systems such as Schottel drives & Voith Schneider propulsion are alive, well & taking part very successfully in tug towing. See the on land pictures. The most popular configuration appeared to be two steerable kort nozzles with independent motor control, a bow thruster, & with plenty of power from all 3 drives.
4. Balne Moor is a great facility. The opportunity to leave the course constructed at all times allows complexity that daily removal would prevent. Visit Balne Moor if such an invitation arises again!
5. There are lots & lots of tugs that I like!
6. The hospitality received was great & really made the weekend. Thanks to you all.
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wilsonmu

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Re: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2009, 09:39:16 am »

Hi Chris

Could not agree more with your comments a great weekend.
Your pics are very good despite the weather. Hope to meet
up with you again next year at Balne Moor.

Regards

Murray Wilson
Glasgow Richmond.
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« Reply #7 on: September 02, 2009, 10:10:28 am »


GREAT Picture Chris, thanks for sharing those with us.  :-))

( BTW: What camera and resizing software do you use, they are veryclear and crisp!)
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chrise

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Re: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2009, 10:18:57 am »

Glad you like them.

My camera is a 4 year old Panasonic FZ3 which is only 3.2MP but has a 12x Leica lense which means that I can fill the viewfinder at any distance.

The software is Irfanview (which is free) that I use for all my photo editing. I simply trimmed the photo, resized to 640 width (height works itself out) and saved at 75% with automatic sharpening after resizing. I find Irfanview better than anything else that I have tried at my basic level of editing.

Chris
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poll

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Re: Balne Moor Tug in Report & PICTURES
« Reply #9 on: September 04, 2009, 03:53:12 pm »

Hi Chis, On behalf of Balne Moor m.b.c. Would like to thank you for the super report & photo's to match. From ear say I think all parties enjoyed them selves with or without a tug, Hope to see you next time at a pro-am tow my be with your own tug. Also go's to all the other guy's that took part.
Once again thank you.
Regards

John
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