What is tickover?

Having read Ian Reid's article, 'Only on tickover'. I must admit the article is a prime example of somebody justifying speeding on the canal network, writes Peter Ponting.

So what is tickover?

On approaching a line of moored boats, disengage the drive to neutral, after a few seconds engage the forward gear so that it just rotates the propeller. That is tickover. No matter what engine you have.

Measured

We have an Isuzi 35 engine fitted with a PRM 100 gearbox, our tickover revs are 800 rpm. Measured with a Garmin sat nav our tickover speed is 2mph.

If anybody wishes to complain to us whilst passing, I have printed a data sheet proving our speed, which we quite happily hand out, much to the disgruntled complainers.

Speeding themselves

However, the complainers, must be wary, that when they use the system, they are not actually speeding themselves.

Or is it just one rule for one but not the other