larryjc

In my yottie days we always used a round turn and two half hitches to secure to a shore cleat/pin because that can always be undone with tension on the line. This is what I use nowadays as well. That Lightermans hitch looks overcomplicated to me.

This 65 year old 'angry' man was merely making the point about ludicrously different standards between sea going craft and ditch crawlers. Fitting out boats/building new ones - I suspect the RCD for yachts is very much the same and builders will have to comply to get an RCD certificate. However those deep and exacting standards are not retrospectively applied every four years to yachts. It seems to me that the BBS standards are really those that apply to new build. Maybe a slightly simpler and more pragmatic set of checks would be more relevant. As for the trans atlantic rally - as there are no rules at all for these we decided to use those for Internation Offshore Racing and modify them to remove the ones only relevant to actual racing. This is what other rallies have done and shows that we as organsiers exercised a duty of care. That said there was no legal reason to do so. There is no subectivity in counting lifejackets and liferafts and ensuring they have been serviced and are in date. Nor is there in looking up the mast to see a radar reflector. I certainly didn't check the fuel pipes to the engine to see what condition they were in, nor did I measure the diameter of the vent pipe from the gas locker and ensure it was correct in accordance with the amount of gas bottles that were there - that would just have been silly..................................................................................

Agreed but having looked at the BSS requirements they seem to be pedantic to a high degree while at the same time allowing the examiner to make his own subjective assessments which is not how to lay down a set of standards.

Peeps seem to havemissed my point - I am not complaining about the issues raised over my gas system - they were all valid. My point is that the BSS is pedantic to a high degree. Whether this is over kill is another issue. BUT sailing vessels are not required to do anything at all and they live in a similar environment, arguably far more dangerous. It just seems crazy.

Thats what I looked at prior but there is so much subjectivity and minute detail - for example define 'good condition' - you are totally at the mercy of the examiner's opinion. Which is why I decided to just let the examiner do his thing and find out rather than try and second guess him. When I did trans atlantic rally safety inspections we produced a list of defined criteria that was easily understood - for example - a liferaft to a list of approved specs and serviced within a set timescale - no requirement to 'assess'anything.

Ah but of what size and breed and what training regime have they been qualified to, and what size perch should they have, what about the specs for thier cage, the list would be endless.

If that were the case it would be just as easy for the owner to preckeck his boat from the BBS list - I tried it and got lost after the first page.

Actually other countries do apply rules to yachts - the French in particular so it can be done -its just that we don't, only to inland water craft.

Yes I get that. But have you seen how many yachts there are in marinas these days ? And that logic should apply to them too and it doesn't.

So just half way through my first BSS. Half way because I'm in the middle of a load of rectification. Don't get me wrong some of the points raised are pretty valid. However, I've been mucking about in boats for almost fifty years, I've sailed the world and lived on my own sailing boat for years. I was also the safety inspector for a trans altlantinc rally so have a vague idea of what might be important. Comparing the safety rquirements for boats on canals to those on the argualbly more dangerous windy/deep/rough/tidal stuff is like chalk and cheese. In fact anyone can build a yacht in their garden and go off to sea with absolutely no safety standards applied or checked by anyone. Buy a narrow boat and the drain from the gas locker must be at least 16 mm in diameter amongst a list of other items that took two and half hours to check . I'm not arguing that the BSS is a bad idea - I actually think its a good thing but to me its seems to concentrate on some pretty odd and pedantic issues. For example gas safety - loads of requirements for gas lockers and piping all quite rightly to stop the boat blowing up. But no mention of gas alarms. I've never sailed a yacht without one fitted and to me they are the ultimate check because it will tell you when the danger is actually present. My BSS examiner had only vaguely heard of them and the BSS makes no mention. (you might gather that most of my rectification is to my gas system!!). Yes I know that commerically built yachts have to be built to the RCD and offshore category rules but unless they are used for commercial gain they need never be inspected again. I just wonder how we have these amazingly specific sets of rules for boats that do three miles an hour on water filled ditches yet you can (attempt to) sail around the world in a bathtub and no one gives a monkey's. Right rant over and I feel better now.

Er - can I ask all the experts here to explain why there is so much damage to the non towpath side??? I assume the breach is on the left looking at this piccie. I can understnad that once one side collapses the whole structure is compromised but this literally looks like a bomb's gone orf.

Funny old thing - that was just about my list as well but still worth saying.

Anyone else had an email asking for a 'Snap survey' of opinions of CRT?? Got mine this morning and spent some time over it - got to be helpful. My final comment to the last question was: 'Strongly believe that if canal managers actually and regularly travel their own sections of waterway rather than sitting behind a desk trying to make sense of this sort of survey - many of the questions you have asked would become irrelevant.'

We call them lock spanners. Oh and be careful on the L&L with the anti vandal keys. Some of the spigots they fit over are so worn the key won't grip, some have burrs on them and the key won't fit over them. I ended up buying several and filing one out to fit over the burred spigots and taking a small socket set to others to try and get something to actually grip.

Good that'll give us something to aim for.

Hang on - surely there is a wooden spoon?

Reason I looked at Fazely is that I'm coming down from oop north and either fazely or Autherly seemed the two best options. I've got this years route and Fazely inwards in one of the listed routes.

But I thought Fazely junction was one starting point - and thats in book 3. Anyway I've also bought the map above so between the two shoul managae to find something.

Second year with Craftinsure and they knocked £15 off the price.

As a BCN virgin - I've just got the route through but wondered if anyone knows/can recommend a detailed map of the BCN. I normally use Nicholsons but in the ones I have the BCN seems to be split across two volumes and also I don't seem to be able to find the exact limits of the BCN ie where to find somwehere to start, which I guess is probably important. I suppose by asking this I've failed at the first hurdle but dare I say it we don't intend to take it that seriously!!

No ones mentioned the dreaded Wigan flight where a paid lockie can help on certain days. Although if you ask him he'll probably help on any day he's there.

As I's is planning to be around Brum at exactly that time and having seen the notices to this in the past - any chance of a newbie being let in on the secret? Just looked at the web and no rules/entry forms available although one of the posts here says you can ask for them on this forum. I know its a while away but it would be nice to understand what its all about and see if it fits our itinerary. Ta

Just to put a metaphorical oar in. If I was buying one I would definitely go for the Fortress. They are made of aluminium so far lighter than a steel alternative. They can be taken apart to be stowed in a small place and have a lifetime guarantee. I've used them in the sallty stuff and their holding power is quite amazing for their size. I had a tiny FX7 on my 42 footer as a stern anchor and kedge but also used on some occasions as a main (weedy bottom where it tends to grip where others don't). Bearing in mind they are for an emergency stop not holding in a sustained force 8 with the tide changing every 6 hours I would happily use something like an FX23 (£400 on eEbay) for my 57 foot boat.

Just one point that will probably raise some hackles. As softy southener I like my beer warm and flat which is fine until you got to the top of the Oxford where you will find the first pub (can't remember the name) where they fit one of those Devil's devices known as a 'sparkler'. I hate the horrible things but most pubs will take it off if you ask although there is one in Kidsgrove where the git who owns the pub refused saying 'I don't want people to think I serve flat beer' fine then, I didn't buy any of his and went up the cut and found a pub who would. It amazing here in Somerset and its surrounds, if you mention sparklers all you get is bemused looks of incomprehension but if you're 'oop north' then if you ask for it to be taken off you get the same confused look.

Sorry can't agree - the last boat had a 3Kw generator and that was more than adequate. My current boat has a 3 Kw Victron inverter and that works fine, although as I said in a previous post we put hot water in the soap tray to stop the heater dragging amps out of the battery as the engine alternator is not up to the full requirement. Its a one year old top of the range Indesit and is 100% reliable as was the Candy in the last boat.