Jump to content

Missed Opportunity or is something not right?


matty40s

Featured Posts

We finally had the chance to spend the second half of Easter out on the boat after hardly moving at all for 12 months.

A sunny and hot Easter Sunday saw many boats moving and even more towpath walkers out. 

We hit Stoke Bruerne locks (one of CRT's crown jewels) at early afternoon (unusual for us but beggars cant be choosers). It was packed full of day visitors and boats too. 

However, not a volocky or chugger to be seen, even though we have seen the latter there in late October and mid January before now.

We had a lovely cruise below and found a wonderful peaceful mooring in the middle of nowhere to spend the sunset hours in.

 

Monday was again a late start, cruised a few miles to turn and then back up the 7 Stoke Bruerne locks again. Very busy with walkers and plenty of boat movements. Reached the top and it was like Blackpool prom!!

...but not a single volocky or chugger.

 

I know that CRT threw a lot at the Easter Ellesmere Port bash, featured on NW and national news channels (well, I did see a weather forecast from there), however, missing all that footfall from potential Friends, and having 90,000 volunteer hours a year but not managing to have one on duty at the first big boating weekend of the "new boating season" is a massive missed opportunity in my eyes. 

 

Perhaps there was a stall in the museum, perhaps in the car park???There was nothing seen from the canal side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was at least one volockie on the Napton flight today. And yesterday I think (hearsay).

 

We didn't make it to the flight on Sunday (probably just as well as Napton to the Folly seemed very busy) as we were having engine overheating problems, and no not water, following a recent change of coolant (c.80 litres!). All sorted now. Today seemed a lot less busy so hopefully tomorrow onwards will be quieter still.

 

Edited by Lily Rose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, nikvah said:

Well, I suppose volunteers like sunny bank holidays too and you can't offer them double time and a day in lou.

 

Back in the day when I had a job, I never understood this "day off in Looe" thing. 

 

If I get  day off I should be able to go wherever I like. Why should I have to spend it at a holiday resort in Cornwall?

 

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Back in the day when I had a job, I never understood this "day off in Looe" thing. 

 

If I get  day off I should be able to go wherever I like. Why should I have to spend it at a holiday resort in Cornwall?

 

Well at least you got to go to Cornwall. My misunderstanding was greater than yours... I gave up having days off as I got so fed up spending them in the bog.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Back in the day when I had a job, I never understood this "day off in Looe" thing. 

 

If I get  day off I should be able to go wherever I like. Why should I have to spend it at a holiday resort in Cornwall?

 

Theres nowt wrong with Looe!! We owned our holiday cottage in the harbour there for many years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's the trouble with volunteers - it's perceived as bad form to flog 'em!  A few pressed men on the locks and the odd head on a spike to encourage them to turn out instead of enjoying themselves elsewhere on a Bank Holiday, that'd sort it. :D

In reality though, what are CRT to do if none of their local volockies wants to work that weekend?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Sea Dog said:

That's the trouble with volunteers - it's perceived as bad form to flog 'em!  A few pressed men on the locks and the odd head on a spike to encourage them to turn out instead of enjoying themselves elsewhere on a Bank Holiday, that'd sort it. :D

 

In reality though, what are CRT to do if none of their local volockies wants to work that weekend?

If this forum is representative of boaters then I reckon most vlockies will have jacked. We get regular posts on here from peeps moaning about vlockies, who after all are giving up their leisure time. I reckon boaters in general dont appreciate vlockies.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

If this forum is representative of boaters then I reckon most vlockies will have jacked. We get regular posts on here from peeps moaning about vlockies, who after all are giving up their leisure time. I reckon boaters in general dont appreciate vlockies.

Well said Mr S , as a single boater I am always most appreciative of their time and efforts.

 

Rick

  • Greenie 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Same at Fradley Junction, no volunteers around over the weekend. There was one at Shade House lock at 8:30 this morning.

Perhaps they got fed up with boaters moaning about how they should operate the locks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

That's the trouble with volunteers - it's perceived as bad form to flog 'em!  A few pressed men on the locks and the odd head on a spike to encourage them to turn out instead of enjoying themselves elsewhere on a Bank Holiday, that'd sort it. :D

 

In reality though, what are CRT to do if none of their local volockies wants to work that weekend?

10 years ago Volockies didn't exist and we all managed OK, now if they dont turn up for a day there is uproar

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

If this forum is representative of boaters then I reckon most vlockies will have jacked. We get regular posts on here from peeps moaning about vlockies, who after all are giving up their leisure time. I reckon boaters in general dont appreciate vlockies.

The 'paid' charity collectors who try to sign you up as a friend of the Trust missing is the big missed opportunity that I could see at Stoke Bruerne.

Along with the paid data analysts who could have added another couple of million visits to Crt's total by counting yesterday.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been boating for years but there's no way I'd have anything to do with being a vlockie. (Some) boaters tend to see them as wannabee boaters therefore amateurs who don't know what they are doing. I would not want to spend all day being patronised or worse for no money. So there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

If this forum is representative of boaters then I reckon most vlockies will have jacked. We get regular posts on here from peeps moaning about vlockies, who after all are giving up their leisure time. I reckon boaters in general dont appreciate vlockies.

 

Well you obviously don't actually like boating, given that working the locks is a major part of what boating is all about, and you seem to want someone else to do them for you.

 

In fact why don't you just give your boat to a volly so they can do all of your boating for you? Steer the boat, work the locks, send you postcards from where your boat has been? This would save you ALL the trouble involved in going boating... instead of just the locks.

 

:P

 

 

 

 

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Same at Fradley Junction, no volunteers around over the weekend. There was one at Shade House lock at 8:30 this morning.

 

I went through Fradley at about 10am on Saturday. Vlockies were present on each lock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, matty40s said:

The 'paid' charity collectors who try to sign you up as a friend of the Trust missing is the big missed opportunity that I could see at Stoke Bruerne.

Along with the paid data analysts who could have added another couple of million visits to Crt's total by counting yesterday.

My better half worked at Stoke Bruerne as a “Towpath Fundraiser” for a few weeks recently. They fired her in February as she wasn’t getting any sign ups. There’s hardly any visitors there midwinter, so not surprising really! 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, roland elsdon said:

Its a deep lock... needs more boater control. Dealing with 3 volokies very difficult .

5 different opinions at least. 

Cat herding at its worst. 

Just crossed Soar off navigable um navigations.

 

 

One just waves a flag around, and then tells you off because you didnt know what the flag meant.

I have asked them to go for a tea break before now when they tried to take over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.