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Inconsiderate boating on the Trent - Grr....


Jan13

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Dunno if I'm being a bit picky over this but I experienced what I consider to be really inconsiderate behaviour from a boat on the Trent yesterday.

 

Just downstream from Farndon Marina (by the power station for those who know it...), my small yoghurt pot was overtaken by two large sports cruisers. I'd purposely moved towards the bank to let them pass as it was pretty obvious they wanted to go faster then me (I wasn't exactly dawdling though.)

The first passed doing maybe 15-20kts which wasn't a big deal. However, the second appeared to decide to open his throttles completely and hammered past going faster than I have ever seen a boat move on an inland waterway. The resultant wake spouted about 8-10 feet in the air at his stern and created a swell of around 6ft across the whole river. (That's the equivalent of Force 5 at sea.) I realised that this was going to broadside my boat so immediately applied power and turned into the waves to broach them - which I did with a series of pretty loud slaps. The offending boat sped around the bend leaving the entire river in a maelstrom and waves washing up on to the shore. I didn't get the boat name as I was too busy dealing with things!.

 

Now... l'm not too fussed about the actual speeding (we probably all do it from time to time) but it just struck me that this was completely inconsiderate behaviour when other river users are in close proximity. If I had less experience or a less capable boat, this could have been, at the very least a very disturbing and possibly even disastrous event. The other guy didn't know what my boat was or what my skills were - and it looked like he didn't care. "More brass than brains," probably...?

 

Am I overreacting? Or have others experienced similar?

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Yeah - it varies in different places  - and there are some water ski zones. But I dont think any of them are around 30mph! But like I say, it was more to do with the proximity to me than anything else!

2 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

There are dick heads everywhere these days. Shame you didnt have any torpedo tubes.

???

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The speed limit on the Trent above Gainsborough and to Nottingham is 6mph upstream and 8mph downstream . Except the cut through Newark is 4mph.

 

Speeding is not permitted in water ski zones except by water ski boats that have a special license.

 

Considering your boat was present on that stretch of water and would have been clearly visible the boats in question should have waited for you to move on before testing their engines .  As a Farndon based boater I am as disappointed that your safety has been threatened in this way. Going a bit too fast is one thing but making an 8 to 10 ft high wake in no more than 15 feet of water is quite another. I am surprised you lived to tell the story.

 

Do you have  a time for the incident? I would suggest you contact Farndon Marina who may have CCTV footage  looking towards  the marina entrance and may be able to identify boats arriving or passing by . It must have been a very large and powerful boat to make the wake you describe. Bear in mind the boat in question may not be based at Farndon.

 

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1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

There are dick heads everywhere these days. Shame you didnt have any torpedo tubes.

The Sea Cadets at Nottingham used to have a destroyer (HMS Cleopatra?) moored at their base on the river,but  she's moved on  now.?

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6 hours ago, billh said:

The Sea Cadets at Nottingham used to have a destroyer (HMS Cleopatra?) moored at their base on the river,but  she's moved on  now.?

Interesting Bill - I wonder which ship it was? The last HMS CLEOPATRA (floating HM Ships names always in capitals, shore bases lower case) was a Leader Class frigate ('60s to "90s), and before that were WW1 and WW2 cruisers. I can't imagine any of those fitting in Nottingham, but I'd be happy to learn otherwise! :)

 

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9 hours ago, MartynG said:

The speed limit on the Trent above Gainsborough and to Nottingham is 6mph upstream and 8mph downstream . Except the cut through Newark is 4mph.

 

Speeding is not permitted in water ski zones except by water ski boats that have a special license.

 

Considering your boat was present on that stretch of water and would have been clearly visible the boats in question should have waited for you to move on before testing their engines .  As a Farndon based boater I am as disappointed that your safety has been threatened in this way. Going a bit too fast is one thing but making an 8 to 10 ft high wake in no more than 15 feet of water is quite another. I am surprised you lived to tell the story.

 

Do you have  a time for the incident? I would suggest you contact Farndon Marina who may have CCTV footage  looking towards  the marina entrance and may be able to identify boats arriving or passing by . It must have been a very large and powerful boat to make the wake you describe. Bear in mind the boat in question may not be based at Farndon.

 

I don’t know where they were based but the offender had a small dark pennant on the prow with a white and red badge on it. Time was about 12:00-12:15pm.

Both boats were in the 35-40ft range - possibly Maxums.

I suspect the height of the spray astern was probably to do with the depth of the river. It’s probably lucky  that I’m aware of how boats behave on rough water - although I’m more used to encountering those kind of waves in the kayak rather than the cruiser!

Not going to start a hunt for this guy - life’s too short. I didn’t know if I was overreacting or not. Best thing would be if word somehow got back to him along with an idea of people’s disapproval. Hopefully he will be embarrassed enough not to do it again.

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11 minutes ago, Jan13 said:

I don’t know where they were based but the offender had a small dark pennant on the prow with a white and red badge on it. Time was about 12:00-12:15pm.

Both boats were in the 35-40ft range - possibly Maxums.

I suspect the height of the spray astern was probably to do with the depth of the river. It’s probably lucky  that I’m aware of how boats behave on rough water - although I’m more used to encountering those kind of waves in the kayak rather than the cruiser!

Not going to start a hunt for this guy - life’s too short. I didn’t know if I was overreacting or not. Best thing would be if word somehow got back to him along with an idea of people’s disapproval. Hopefully he will be embarrassed enough not to do it again.

Unlikely to be Maxum's at that size. Maxum's tend to be sub 30ft boats.

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2 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Interesting Bill - I wonder which ship it was? The last HMS CLEOPATRA (floating HM Ships names always in capitals, shore bases lower case) was a Leader Class frigate ('60s to "90s), and before that were WW1 and WW2 cruisers. I can't imagine any of those fitting in Nottingham, but I'd be happy to learn otherwise! :)

 

Leander lad, Leander!!

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It’s a shame to tar everyone with the same brush but unfortunately that’s what happens. Much as when I see a car speeding through our village it’s always some twonk in a big noisy white Audi/BMW/Merc.

I’ve always found people on sports cruisers to be friendly once you engage with them, some are less arrogant than fellow n.boat owners!

 I must admit I’ve never understood why there are so many that are kept so far inland though, it must get frustrating dawdling around with 400hp on tap on the upper Trent.

How many actually get used at sea?

It’s a bit like the owners of huge 4x4’s that never see a dirty puddle.

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2 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Interesting Bill - I wonder which ship it was? The last HMS CLEOPATRA (floating HM Ships names always in capitals, shore bases lower case) was a Leader Class frigate ('60s to "90s), and before that were WW1 and WW2 cruisers. I can't imagine any of those fitting in Nottingham, but I'd be happy to learn otherwise! :)

 

My mistake , it was a Frigate! One of  the four RN canal fleet built by J.L.Pinder in 1972/4 - frigate, two destroyers and a submarine for recruiting purposes. I  now look after what was HMS LONDON, the name was changed depending on which city the campaign was  targeted on. So, could be HMS MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM etc. The idea was to bring the Navy into places away from the coast and attract a new source of young people.

She now has different name, after a locomotive but that is also an old RN name. She looks nothing like a destroyer now, bog standard narrowboat superstructure but unusual hull shape.

I expect someone on here will soon  post  a picture of the RN  fleet gathered at Little Venice in the 70's .?

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2 minutes ago, billh said:

My mistake , it was a Frigate! One of  the four RN canal fleet built by J.L.Pinder in 1972/4 - frigate, two destroyers and a submarine for recruiting purposes. I  now look after what was HMS LONDON, the name was changed depending on which city the campaign was  targeted on. So, could be HMS MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM etc. The idea was to bring the Navy into places away from the coast and attract a new source of young people.

She now has different name, after a locomotive but that is also an old RN name. She looks nothing like a destroyer now, bog standard narrowboat superstructure but unusual hull shape.

I expect someone on here will soon  post  a picture of the RN  fleet gathered at Little Venice in the 70's .?

Some of us can post you pictures of us on real Royal Navy warships in the 70S?

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32 minutes ago, noddyboater said:

It’s a shame to tar everyone with the same brush but unfortunately that’s what happens. Much as when I see a car speeding through our village it’s always some twonk in a big noisy white Audi/BMW/Merc.

I’ve always found people on sports cruisers to be friendly once you engage with them, some are less arrogant than fellow n.boat owners!

 I must admit I’ve never understood why there are so many that are kept so far inland though, it must get frustrating dawdling around with 400hp on tap on the upper Trent.

How many actually get used at sea?

It’s a bit like the owners of huge 4x4’s that never see a dirty puddle.

Well - actually, I’ve never encountered any other boater who wasn’t friendly. Which is why this event was so disappointing. The Audi/BMW analogy did occur to me as well! Which is also a shame because I thought we all went boating to leave that kind of thing behind.

And like you I think having a couple of V8s doing 8mph tops must be pretty frustrating - not good for them either. But it’s undeniable that they do look sexy?

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My very limited experience of the Trent (albeit with a particular incident in mind) does suggest that some such behaviour is by boaters that have strayed upstream from the sea (potentially with no licence to do so) and who have not bothered to read up on local conditions and fail to realise that what is permissible out at sea is very different inland.

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To the OP... was this on Sunday? We walked along the Trent near Fiskerton early afternoon and there were two very large Sealines (one bigger than the other) moored outside the Bromley pub. The smaller of the two had a small black dog on board which was barking constantly and annoying the folk trying to have a quiet beer in the garden. I guess the owners were inside. I can't remember the names of the boats but the larger one may have been something like Kaya.

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35 minutes ago, Jan13 said:

Well - actually, I’ve never encountered any other boater who wasn’t friendly. Which is why this event was so disappointing. The Audi/BMW analogy did occur to me as well! Which is also a shame because I thought we all went boating to leave that kind of thing behind.

And like you I think having a couple of V8s doing 8mph tops must be pretty frustrating - not good for them either. But it’s undeniable that they do look sexy?

I think they’d look much sexier cruising into the sunset across the open sea than tied up to the wall at Hazleford lock.

And don’t worry, if you keep boating on the Trent it won’t be long before you meet an unfriendly boater!

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3 hours ago, noddyboater said:

It’s a shame to tar everyone with the same brush but unfortunately that’s what happens. Much as when I see a car speeding through our village it’s always some twonk in a big noisy white Audi/BMW/Merc.

I’ve always found people on sports cruisers to be friendly once you engage with them, some are less arrogant than fellow n.boat owners!

 I must admit I’ve never understood why there are so many that are kept so far inland though, it must get frustrating dawdling around with 400hp on tap on the upper Trent.

How many actually get used at sea?

It’s a bit like the owners of huge 4x4’s that never see a dirty puddle.

Not enough of them.

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2 hours ago, noddyboater said:

I think they’d look much sexier cruising into the sunset across the open sea than tied up to the wall at Hazleford lock.

And don’t worry, if you keep boating on the Trent it won’t be long before you meet an unfriendly boater!

Sadly very true. 

 

Even more sadly it is bound to be an owner of a big white boat.

 

They don't do themselves any favours up there.

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5 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Leander lad, Leander!!

I know that, you know that, and you know that I know that! Autocorrect, however.... 

 

(Incidentally, I had SCYLLA running from Chatham. She's now in Whitland Bay as a diving destination. (No, autocorrect, it 'kin is Whitsand!).  I sat on the headland with an ice cream and watched her go down - sad, but there are worse ways to experience one of your ships sinking!)

Edited by Sea Dog
Whitsand
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