Did the butty steerer know what he was doing?

What's that big tiller arm on butties called? 

You know, the removable one that's attached to the elum, and is turned upside down like a wooden priapus when the butty's tied up at the end of the day?  Or is it called the ellum itself? 

Whatever, I'll call it the butty tiller handle. 

I was exploring the British Pathe newsreel archive (I wrote about it before Christmas) and came across this particular newsreel clip of canal cruising, where guests were taken 20 miles a day through the Midland canals and stayed in hotels at night:

Canal Cruise (aka River Boat)

What caught my eye is a short 20sec snippet where a working motor and butty pass by (from 1:50 to 2:10) ... and the butty is clearly shown being steered with the butty tiller handle pointing upwards.

Is this a mistake on the part of the steerer, or was it often done like that?

By the way, doesn't the Water Rambler look smart in its Kennedy-era livery, like the early days of airlines when travel was glamorous, and slim ladies in pencil-thin skirts would make you feel pampered at your seats.

Where is Water Rambler now?  It's still around, sure, but have I seen it on the Regent's Canal, between Little Venice and Camden?  Or is it at Sherborne Wharf in Birmingham?  I forget.  One of those two places, certainly.

I seem to recall it's less bright and sleek now, darker and more faded, and the scruffy tourists travelling on it are less pampered.  Or perhaps the ladies serving them are less alluringly dressed.

But I digress.  I simply want to know if that butty steerer knew what he was doing.

Comments

[Jan Deuchar]

PS: Having seen the film, I think Max is right when he says the steerer was making it easier for the kids to go in & out of the cabin. I reckon he was on a stretch he knew well and was taking the opportunity to relax a bit ( well- as much as you can relax at the end of a long line with a heavily laden boat travelling at that sort of pace AND with the family batting about!)
Jan

[Jan Deuchar]

Hi,
Butty Elums: Only just read this post. I own butty Hereford on the Erewash, which was commented on by Peter Allen.
The "steery stick" on the butty is known as the tiller / tiller extension / tiller arm extension and fits into a socket carved through the stock of the elum, the blade of which is the big chunk at water level.
The tiller arm is generally only in the raised, curved upwards position when the boat is moored up and unlikely to be moving. As such it it a visible signal to other vessels that it is ok to pass/ proceed into a lock/ nip out in front of, etc.
It is very hard to steer a butty,especially when negotiating a sharp bend, with the tiller in the raised position. It is also potentially risky. Often, the butty steerer will be seated on the edge of the butty stern holding on to the tiller and leaning backwards on a sharp turn, so the tiller needs to be curved downwards AND a snug fit in the stock socket to prevent the steerer going overboard .
There's a cracking pic of the late Rose Bray "leaning out" in the Robert J Wilson booklet "Epilogue".Also of Rose Whitlock about to step off butty Lucy as it enters a lock,with the tiller extension removed and resting between slide and stern T stud.
Additionally:
The tiller extension may be seen removed totally and laid on the cabin top or stood just inside the cabin when using a lock on the waterway. The tiller itself may also be strapped to one side to prevent it being damaged during locking.
It may also be strapped to one side when the tiller is in the raised position and the boat moored up, to make access in and out of the cabin easier & movement from butty to bank and or motor boat.
Hope this is of help.Happy Boating to all as always.
Jan Deuchar

[Hotel Offers Dublin]

Thanks for sharing the great info. Thanks you very much for the wonderful Picturess for sharing the great info. Thanks you very much for the wonderful Pictures.

[anne 'n olly]

Butty 'Betty' at Floods Ferry, nr. March, Cambs goes out with its elum up. Think it's personal preference rather than cast in stone.

[Sarah]

No!!!!! Sun, not Moon. Bugger.

[Sarah]

Not seen Water Rambler on the Regents Canal (the remaining Waterbuses are Water Ouzel (ex Moon), Gardenia, Perseus and Milton (ex Milton Princess), so I'd guess it was in Brum you saw it.

[Peter Allen]

Thanks Max, I'd never realised that! In my pics, Kildare is being pulled by President (tiller down) and Hereford is moored (tiller up)!

[Max Sinclair]

Looking at it again he's got the tiller up so his children can run in and out of the back cabin, very considerate.

[Max Sinclair]

Tiller up when at rest so it clears the entrance to the cabin. Down so steerer can stand on the step safely. It is possible to boat many miles with the tiller pressed in the small of the back.Such comfortable boating.

[Peter Allen]

If you study these tillers, you'll notice that the removable bit can be inserted such that it points up (as in the photo) or level/slight curve down dependent on the preference of the steerer. On my last holiday I took a picture of President and Kildare with the butty tiller horizontal, but on the Erewash (just above the first lock, a couple of days later) a butty Hereford with the tiller aligned as in the film! I can send you the pictures if you'd like!

Cheers,
Pete

[Brian]

Do you think he is standing up high to be able to see something ahead.