Hire Boats!

[Nightwatch]

I do get a nudge from second in command occasionally with 'boats, are you slowing down?'. I also find occasionally that I'm halfway past a moored boat and wake from my daydream and slow down. I occasionally get 'a look' or even worse a comment that perhaps I'm passing too quickly, I'm never sure what to do. Shrug shoulders in normal.

 

Hire boat users.  Like them. Always chat to them. Offer help. Hope I come across as a nice bloke. 

[stort_mark]

On 28/05/2019 at 02:00, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I get this too, even in my own boats. Once in a while never mind the "half past two" response, I bang the boat into full astern and reverse back up to them intending say "Sorry. what was that you were calling? Couldn't hear you over my engine noise". But oddly, they tend to have disappeared back inside before I get there. 

 

 

I also like the Alan Fincher response "Fast? You think this is fast? This is tickover! I'll show you what fast is" whilst winding on some revs... 

There's a stretch we have always called Windy Corner....actually the quarter-mile (seems longer) past Colehurst Farm on the North Oxford, between Brinklow and Ansty...that terrifies us. It's high up on a ridge and there is usually a strong south-westerly pushing you onto the seemingly never-ending line of moored boats. And there is always a boat coming the other way.  Worse heading north, obviously. Acutely conscious of needing to not disturb the wind-chimes on someone's £160,000 boat or send destructive ripples across cups of Lopsang Souchong. Nightmare. It's always a relief to pass the last boat and get round the curve towards the M6.

 

Personally, I quite like the quiet creak of the mooring lines and the movement of the boat as someone passes by.

[Hudds Lad]

don't mind majority of hirers (pissed day boats are another matter), its how we got interested in boating after all, usually find them cheerful and receptive to advice. Blame the company that gives them inadequate training i'd say. Always find it's a private owner who'll on occasion will grunt or completely blank you when you say hello, or ping off the side directly in front of you when they've seen you coming for half a mile.

 

on a related note, coming back from Llangollen last week we spotted one of Anglo Welsh's new Heritage Class boats, no doubt these are to address the instant hatred some feel when they spot the familiar livery of a hire boat. looked very smart.