Shameful behaviour!

[BigRoj]

We had a long weekend out on the boat, went to Newark with a stopover along the way.

 

However, it all very nearly ended in Holme lock at the very start. I have never seen such appalling behaviour from boaters before. We were first into the lock at the front, and as such, I assumed, would be first out. After all, we were waiting the best part of 50 minutes!

All in all, there were 7 boats in the lock, 2 nbs and 5 cruisers. When the gates opened, I gathered the ropes in, put it in gear and set off, only to be beaten by the 2 nbs and a cruiser! One of the nbs, WEE BLUIT, opened his throttle fully, and never let off until the next lock, the bow was almost out the water. Everything else shot off too, overtaking each other, forcing others, me included, to take avoiding action. Very unsafe, very bad behaviour. And for what? to wait at the next lock for the last boat of that penning to catch up. So I made the buggers wait!

 

It was the attitude that got me though, the " I must get there before you so I get a mooring and sod you" attitude.

 

Those of you who were around Gunthorpe this weekend will know what it was like, three deep saturday night I'm told, must have been dreadful! It was very quiet at Newark, there was even room on the floating visitors pontoon, but why o why are there no facilities at Newark anymore, not even a toilet.

 

The journey back was delightful if a little windy.

 

All in all, it's been a very good weekend for cruising.

[Supermalc]

Pleased to hear there was no serious incident Roger. Most i.e. the vast majority of boaters, whatever boat they are on are decent people, as we all know, and one of the reasons we all have boats......of course it's the few that spoil it, just like everything.

 

Not got up the Trent this year, which is a trip I really enjoy. However I would like a companion if I do go up.

[pagan witch]

We get a lot of Canaltime go past us at far too high a rate. As a marina we often ask them to slow down as they pass - like it says on the sticker on the back of the boat - most say 'What sticker - oh that sticker'. The simpy haven't a clue and the boatyard doesn't give them much help.

 

Seen far too many come to us absolutley scared witless, in awe of the double locks and quite frankly shell shocked. They then moor up and we can hear the dolcet tones of the 'how to do boating video' - too late. It is seriously time the company did a proper hand over and included some tuition before another of their hirers ends up hurt or dead.

 

If anyone from Canaltime here says they do I'll find you loads of your customers that say you don't. Stopped from sinking last week because he'd taken it to the front of the chamber and the crew opened the gate paddles, pinning the boat to the front.

 

Now I've slated Canaltime I might as well have a go at the private boaters. They should know better and are an utter embarrassment as hirers copy the 'more experienced' boaters.

[DHutch]

Now I've slated Canaltime...

 

...the private boaters. They should know better and are an utter embarrassment.

I agree.

 - Infact, i actually have far more time for any hirer than 90% of the private boat owners i have the unfortune to met.

 - Im sure mainly thats because its only the idoits that stand out, most people are actaully perfectly good at boating!

 

However it really does shock me sometimes.

 - Apprently our marina (travelriegn, anderton) is quite popular becuase people can 'do a weekend without locks'.

 - According to noal half the boats only go out for two weekends a year, just up the BW and back. No locks at all.

 

They might as well bloody hire, for 2*2days, it really worth it. Fools.

 

 

 

Daniel

[fuzzyduck]

They might as well bloody hire, for 2*2days, it really worth it. Fools.

 

Sounds like me this year.

 

but then having a mother who broke her hip, and a wife with cancer, will do that to your boating schedule.

 

Regards

 

Foolish of Leicestershire.

[DHutch]

Yeah well thats fair enough, and at the same time most people on her also spend much time working/living/spendingtime on there boat while not moving also.

- In no way fuzzy am i saying your not a boater.

 

But its the people the get all of there blacking, serviceing, etc done for them. Then get a mooring in the most expenisive and stupidest places, and then sit on the fordeck manicuring there nails over champaine and cigars. Only opening ground paddles on narrow locks half at a time, fenders down, aluminum windlass at the ready, the works!!

 

 

Daniel

[MartinC]

Seen far too many come to us absolutley scared witless, in awe of the double locks and quite frankly shell shocked. They then moor up and we can hear the dolcet tones of the 'how to do boating video' - too late. It is seriously time the company did a proper hand over and included some tuition before another of their hirers ends up hurt or dead.

 

Possibly a bit off the original topic but

please see my post under Incident Reporting thread:

 

"BW advise me that they will consider withdrawing boat licenses from any hire company

which does not give "adequate" lock tuition."

[Albatross]

, aluminum windlass at the ready, the works!!

Daniel

What's wrong with a aluminium windlass?

[Jim Riley]

What's wrong with a aluminium windlass?

 

you can't fish them out with an magnet

Edited August 28, 2007 by Jim Riley

[StephenA]

Possibly a bit off the original topic but

please see my post under Incident Reporting thread:

 

"BW advise me that they will consider withdrawing boat licenses from any hire company

which does not give "adequate" lock tuition."

 

Good God - there wont be many left then!

[DHutch]

You can't fish them out with an magnet

And there very slippy when wet, espcially with a dab of steam oil. As one of our members here unfortunatly found out to there cost when joining us for a few locks and a beer.

 - There also unnaterally light and have no soul or feel to them which i dont like, as well as wearing less well on the winding gear, being expesive and thought after, and as mentioned, are non magnetic. (so we cant get hold of any...)

 

 

 

Daniel

[Ray]

As someone who has, over the years, done a fair bit of steering and lock tuition and showing people over hire boats when they first arrive at the start of their holiday, I can understand much of this thread.

 

Alas, no matter how hard and often you explain things to some people, they simply either won't or don't listen, often thinking that they know it all already - possibly from the books and the guides referred to above.

 

I'm not saying that I was the best tutor (probably far from it) but there is only so much that the individual can take in and I always ended my tuition by suggesting that the hirers pulled into the bank, made a cup of tea and read through the guidance notes that were supplied with the boats as part of the hire package.

 

I doubt it ever happened, but it would be a brave hire company that refused to allow a hirer to take over a boat because that hirer couldn't grasp the basics. Equally, there is little enough money to be made from operating hire fleets - especially the smaller fleets. It isn't realistic to ruin one hirer's holiday plans because the tutor has had to spend far longer than necessary with a previous hirer. You have to draw the line somewhere and, provided that you consider the hirers to be safe you have to let them get on with it.

 

You can't always blame hire companies for the actions of their hirers, some of whom, as previously indicated, will simply ignore what you tell them. All you can do is to report miscreants to the hire company and leave it to them to take the necessary action.

 

I've told hirers some things, had witnesses to that effect, and then been accused, later in the day of not giving the hirer the said information

Edited August 28, 2007 by Ray

[StephenA]

What's wrong with a aluminium windlass?

 

We've got two - a newish long throw and one of the early prototypes that we bought outside the Dog and Doublet, Curdworth many many moons ago

[John Orentas]

I moored in the basin at Worsley for several years mixed in with the Edgerton Hire boats, they would do all their tuition procedures on Saturday mornings, very often they would send one of their 'how to work a lock' videos in advance. The nearest lock to Worsley is about two and a half hours cruising time, how would we or those very clever people at BW deal with that.

 

In practise only a bit of safety tuition is required, the average hirer is perhaps not quite as stupid as many of us like to think. A pretty basic lump of mechanics is a lock, people will sort it out for themselves fairly quickly anyway and it is all part of the fun.

[KenK]

I moored in the basin at Worsley for several years mixed in with the Edgerton Hire boats, they would do all their tuition procedures on Saturday mornings, very often they would send one of their 'how to work a lock' videos in advance. The nearest lock to Worsley is about two and a half hours cruising time, how would we or those very clever people at BW deal with that.

 

In practise only a bit of safety tuition is required, the average hirer is perhaps not quite as stupid as many of us like to think. A pretty basic lump of mechanics is a lock, people will sort it out for themselves fairly quickly anyway and it is all part of the fun.

 

The young couple with three young children whose hire boat got caught on the cill in Bath a couple of weeks ago wouldn't agree with you John. They were shown a twenty minute video and that was on a take it or leave it basis. I know that's true because we had the same a few years ago when we hired from Hilperton. I was talking to the chap who runs Foxhangers hire boats about that and he mentioned it all changing next year, unfortunately three boats returned in quick succession so I couldn't get any details. Anyone know what he meant.

 

Ken

[John Orentas]

The young couple with three young children whose hire boat got caught on the cill in Bath a couple of weeks ago wouldn't agree with you John. They were shown a twenty minute video and that was on a take it or leave it basis. I know that's true because we had the same a few years ago when we hired from Hilperton. I was talking to the chap who runs Foxhangers hire boats about that and he mentioned it all changing next year, unfortunately three boats returned in quick succession so I couldn't get any details. Anyone know what he meant.

 

Ken

 

 

Hi Ken.

 

Well that is the modern culture isn't it. I hired a car a few years ago, pranged it into a lamp post within fifty yards of setting off and banged my nose on the steering wheel. Do you know the bloke started getting funny with me when I mentioned compensation. When I picked that car up he never even mentioned lamp posts.

 

You can tell that stupid young couple of yours that they alone are responsible for their own and and their families' safety.

[honey ryder]

the first time i did a lock was thorne lock in my parents 23 footer grp. we had no tuition at all. we just figured it out and looked up the basics in a book.

 

then we went on the caledonian canal in a hire boat and i dont remember having any tuition, although I think those locks are manned.

 

i think the main thing the hire companies should do is tell people to take it slowly, by that I mean, locking, maneuvering, winding etc. explain the boat doesnt work like a car at all but more like pushing a pencil around a bowl of water.

 

they should also maybe explain the reasons for going slowly past other boats either moored or in close confines due to the lack of water underneath rather than as most people assume the wash at the back of the boat.

 

I think when people hire a boat for their holidays they should at least do a bit of reading about it.

you wouldnt go on a hiking trip in the Andes or a fly drive of america without reading up on it first so why not have a read about how canals work. its not so hard to find on the internet.

[JohnOnTheWey]

[snip]

 

i think the main thing the hire companies should do is tell people to take it slowly, by that I mean, locking, maneuvering, winding etc. explain the boat doesnt work like a car at all but more like pushing a pencil around a bowl of water.

 

[snip more good stuff]

 

What a fantastic simile! Wish I'd said that.

 

JOTW

 

ps I will say that one day, I assure you.

[Albatross]

you can't fish them out with an magnet

I thought only hire-boaters dropped 'em in

[BigRoj]

you can't fish them out with an magnet

 

I have an aluminium windlass that I've used extensively for 4 years now, and it shows no sign of wear or corrosion even though it's fallen in a few times, once in 8ft of water. But with a 10ft pole with a home made stainless boathook it has been retreived.

Of course, the thing to do with these ally winders is put a jubilee clip or a couple of self tappers in it so you can fish it out with a magnet-simple!!

[DHutch]

I thought only hire-boaters dropped 'em in

Yeah but its not about recovering it after you've droped it in is it, its about the origanal source!!

 

 

 

Daniel

[KenK]

Hi Ken.

 

Well that is the modern culture isn't it. I hired a car a few years ago, pranged it into a lamp post within fifty yards of setting off and banged my nose on the steering wheel. Do you know the bloke started getting funny with me when I mentioned compensation. When I picked that car up he never even mentioned lamp posts.

 

You can tell that stupid young couple of yours that they alone are responsible for their own and and their families' safety.

 

Hey John if you need a job try Alvechurch, that's pretty much the attitude of their management team. You may not notice the difference but to hire a car you have to have passed a test and hold a licence with a boat pay your money and off you go.

 

Ken

[BigRoj]

Yeah but its not about recovering it after you've droped it in is it, its about the origanal source!!

 

 

 

Daniel

 

You'll have to elaborate on that one Daniel. The two steel windlass' I have are welded up commercial things, ie bit of bent rod welded to a bit of box section, whereas the ally windlass is a casting, epoxy coated and nice to use as its smooth, light and warms up quicker in the hands when its cold.

 

Most sober people with proper tuition and instruction from the boat skipper shouldn't have any trouble with lock paddle winding.