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Splash!

Jon

By Jon
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  • 2 months later...
Paul Evans Rising Star

Paul Evans

Posted
Posted

Sam - wasn't it past your bedtime when you decided to ask us to rake up our embarrassing moments? Bet you're not up now!

 

It is many years since I learned, practically, the wisdom of "one hand for the boat, one hand for yourself". I have applied it consistently ever since.

 

It was after a late and hurried lunch in an old and long disappeared (Sigh!) Marston's pub in Stoke-on-Trent. We had moored at the bottom of the flight (there was no NO MOORING notice then - happy days) where the canal runs in a concrete trough. I untied the boat and pushed the back end out. The next thing I knew, I was in the water and didn't touch the bottom. Fortunately, the kagoul I was wearing - it was raining - acted as a self inflating life jacket and up I bobbed.

 

Now all I had to do was haul myself out - but I couldn't. Luckily another boat appeared and the owner helped me out by tying a loop in a line to act as a step. Another lesson - learn practical knots! After big Thank Yous, a good towelling and a quick change of clothes off we went. The OCM still swears that my falling-in caused the stinking cold she caught two days later!

 

Final lesson - take your time over 4 pints of Marston's Pedigree - still one of my favourite beers!

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DHutch Veteran II

DHutchDonate to Canal World

Posted
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while we where in dry dock at Worsley someone didnt go splash, if you get my drift!

 

- they have a chain around the edge of the dock, and which steping onto his pank to get aboard he triped and missed the pank!!

 

- he was very lucky to survive , apprently all he remebers, as was in free fall, "this is going to hurt" and then waking up in E&A!!

 

just goes to show, you can never be to carefull around 8foot drops.

 

daniel

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Martin Contributor

Martin

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A friend and I, en route to Gloucester, called at Upton on Severn overnight.

The moorings were full so we had to double up against a working boat carrying loose coal under sheets.

The pub in Upton which used to brew its own beer and cider has now changed hands and no longer brews - but on this particular night, the cider was on top form.

We staggered out at closing time and headed back to the boat.

I had the sense to walk to the stern of the working boat to get to our boat, but Geoffrey decided to clamber over the top and fell through the sheets into the coal - emerging a few moments later as black as though he had been mining the stuff and chuckling quietly to himself!

 

I was a little the worse for wear at 6:00 the next morning (we had to be in Gloucester by 1:30 to sing at the Cathedral) but Geoffrey decided that a cooked breakfast would be the best thing and that one would drive while the other cooked and then we would swap over.

I was first at the tiller and as the bow parted the early morning mist on the river, the smell of grilling bacon drifted up from the cabin.

10 minutes later, a hand with a large full glass appeared at the hatch....

"Gin?" asked Geoffrey!

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John K Gongoozler

John K

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Was "baptised" late last year in the Llangollen. Was being clever exiting a lock, couple of people taking, pics lost my footing and in I went. Think I now qualify as a confirmed boater.

Overheard someone mutter " pillock", I thought ..... yep thats me!!!

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colinjw Collaborator

colinjw

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Hi folks,

I must admit to falling in but only up to my knees.

We were on the birthday (mine) booze cruise to Worcester and met up with friends at the Lock at Wolverley. We proceeded onto the Severn to have a rather late carvery lunch at the Lenchford. We tied up 3 abreast at the Lenchford and while still in the process of tying up, I walked between my boat and the middle one.

As I got to the bow I slipped on the gunwhale and managed to grab the hand rail on my roof. My partner was supposed to be tying up the front but when one of our friends said 'For God's sake throw the rope' she couldn't for laughing.

Tears streaming down her face she eventually grabbed my jeans and helped me back on board.

After getting changed, we all had a lovely meal and an even more memorable night.

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ChrisK Engager

ChrisK

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I nearly went in at Dale St Manchester earlier this year - both feet slipped of the wet side deck. Fortunately (unusually?) both hands were on the hand rails, so I didnt need decontaminating after all.

 

Last time I really went in was sailing with my daughter and a friend of her's on Pugny's Lake near Wakefield. A thoroughly incompetent gybe in a gusty wind and the dinghy flipped over pitching us all in. To add insult to injury, the wind blowing on the overturned hull pushed the mast down and it stuck in the mud on the bottom of the lake. The girls swam ashore (about 15 feet away) and left me with the indignity of having to be towed out by the rescue boat in front of half of the population of Wakefield.

 

It's true - you only make a spectacular show of it in front of a good audience.

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nbtafelberg Rising Star

nbtafelberg

Posted
Posted

Yup thats me.

 

I was out on the Thames and I put the boat into a lock that was full (70fter) the lock keeper said "What a skipper" in front of all the other boaters...so I had a big head for the rest of the day

 

Unfortunately it rained, so we arrived back at the marina and I went in, right under....

 

Pride comes before a fall eh.

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DHutch Veteran II

DHutchDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Was speaking to a lady last weekend who is recovering from having fallen into an empty lock - breaking her back in four places!

Let's be careful out there - particularly on icy locksides!

 

yeah, locks are where the bad accidents happen, last year my grandads, best friend wife fell backwards ontop of there steam launch, she had the dog on a retractable lead, and was lening back (to top the dog) when the leads mechanism failed, she was badly shaken, and broke her arm,

 

 

danel

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dor Veteran II

dor

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OK, OK, so I've been baptised.

 

Brought the boat across the canal at lunchtime, to be ready for our Christmas cruise tomorrow. In the winter we use a cover over the cruiser stern, which is held in place with lift-the-dot tabs. In awkward places.

 

So just clipping it back and, what with the duck-doo on the stern, and my trendy - i.e. slippery-soled - trainers and.........

 

SPLASH.

 

I can assure you, the canals are cold this time of year. It is also surprising just how heavy a fleece is when it is soaked with the shroppie's finest.

 

Just for once I was glad of the notorious Shroppie concrete "shelf" that sticks out about a foot below water level.

 

So a possible cracked rib and a bruised knee. But I was on my own, and it did occur to me that I could have been knocked out. Would just about be floating past Hurleston by now - not the intended Christmas cruise. :o

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Bernie Proficient

Bernie

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OK, OK, so I've been baptised.

 

So a possible cracked rib and a bruised knee. But I was on my own, and it did occur to me that I could have been knocked out. Would just about be floating past Hurleston by now - not the intended Christmas cruise.  :o

 

OUCH! I know the feeling. Until something like this happens I don't think any of us actually realise how dangerous the simple pastime of boating actually is.

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Oliver Collaborator

Oliver

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Posted (edited)

Didn't go splash but ....

 

...about 12 years ago was out at Easter and the dogs needed to wee in the early morning. We were sleeping in the salon so went out the bow door, stupidly still wearing my slippers, dogs and me onto the dewy towpath, dogs wee'd, put them back on board, stepped onto boat, wet slippers, dewy bow, foot slips off, I fall into bow well and smash head on locker, having grazed back on way down. Copious quantities of blood pouring from ear, hysterical dogs and kids. Tell husband to get me a towel and just leave me alone to recover - don't you know head woulds always bleed a lot! Bleeding stops, ear very sore but I'm not letting anyone touch it and they are certainly not getting rid of the blood crust now the d**n things finally stopped bleeding

 

Anyway all these years later I think I've been proved right because I have a very neat scar which has healed beautifully without the stitches there should really have been given I had virtually severed the top of my ear.

Edited by Oliver
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  • 2 years later...
DHutch Veteran II

DHutchDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Nope, not a toe!

 

Last year my mum went in upto her knees getting slightly caught turning the boat at braunston for painting, about the 5th time the weekend we had turned the boat there!

- But even that i think is the most that anyone of us (my family/grandad) has very been in non-intentionally.

 

 

Daniel

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