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And the correct verb is?


The Dreamer

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So I was asked by a colleague today, whilst discussing my life choice, “so Is the correct verb, for what you  narrowboaters do, cruise or sail?”.  He went on to ask whether one captains or navigates a narrowboat.  On both counts I instinct gave an answer, but it got me thinking if I was right.

 

And the forum’s view is? 

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Looking at history, many of the hatchum, matchum and dispatchum certificates refer to the boat people as: canal worker, canal boatman / boatwoman, "Of Motor Boat Usworth Grand Union Carrying Co. Ltd. wife of *******, a Boatman." Canal Boat Worker, a Canal Boat Hand and so on.

 

The man in charge was known as Steerer or less often, Captain. "Would all steerers report to the office for orders please."

 

I've not come across a canal boater ever referred to as skipper or helmsman. Ironically the rudder unit was known as an "Ellum."

 

In my experience the boat people tend to refer to themselves as "a Boater," unless it is someone new to the cut and they were / are often called "Trainees."

 

I would suggest modern day boaters would "Cruise." I think it was Barbara Castle that referred to the canals that were to be preserved as "Cruiseways."

 

To me "sail" tends to refer to sailing boats and ocean going boats.

Edited by Ray T
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I think there are: -

  • Boaters (Own one, boat with it, paint it and scrape bottoms)
  • House Boaters (Who have an engine, do the above but it's also their home) 
  • House Boat People ( Live on a boat that doesn't move, unless it's to the bottom of the cut. Sometimes it doesn't even look like a boat) 
  •  Boat Owners ( Bought one once, when they last visited it was a white GRP cruiser.  It's now green and has about 35 gallons or rain water lying in its collapsed tonneau)
  • Bridge Hoppers ( Know every inch of The Regents Canal, but nowhere else on the system.  They think it's a river and have parked their car near to every access point on it)
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17 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

A lot of posters here use the term 'drive' the boat, which grates horribly. 

 

One 'steers' one's narrow boat. Deliberately using the wrong terminology is graceless and disrespectful to canal tradition and history.

 

:icecream:

 

Well, that's all right then, as I'm sure nobody does it deliberately.  They may start now, though!

 

I deliberately refer to parking the boat, but the other day found myself telling Mrs Mac where I'd moored the car.....

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28 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

 

Well, that's all right then, as I'm sure nobody does it deliberately.  They may start now, though!

 

I deliberately refer to parking the boat, but the other day found myself telling Mrs Mac where I'd moored the car.....

 

A few years ago I was told by a dyed-in-the-wool boater as I got back into my van, there was a space 100 yards up the road where I could wind the van. 

 

 

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7 hours ago, The Dreamer said:

So I was asked by a colleague today, whilst discussing my life choice, “so Is the correct verb, for what you  narrowboaters do, cruise or sail?”.  He went on to ask whether one captains or navigates a narrowboat.  On both counts I instinct gave an answer, but it got me thinking if I was right.

 

And the forum’s view is? 

My personal view is not to start sentences with “So..”

 

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2 hours ago, noddyboater said:

My personal view is not to start sentences with “So..”

 

Well you're wrong. In the old days a sentence began with an awfully old fashioned capital letter. Then the correct form became starting every sentence with "basically". Now "so" has become correct being marginally but significantly more patronising than "basically".

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1 minute ago, Sir Nibble said:

Well you're wrong. In the old days a sentence began with an awfully old fashioned capital letter. Then the correct form became starting every sentence with "basically". Now "so" has become correct being marginally but significantly more patronising than "basically".

Well, perhaps so.

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9 minutes ago, Sir Nibble said:

Well you're wrong. In the old days a sentence began with an awfully old fashioned capital letter. Then the correct form became starting every sentence with "basically". Now "so" has become correct being marginally but significantly more patronising than "basically".

and this is what happens if you start with both of those words

 

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29 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

According to the Inland Waterways Bye Laws the correct term is "Master"

 

 

“master” means the person having for the time being the
command, charge or management of a vessel

 

“owner” includes (a) in relation to any vessel the master or
hirer,

 

 

The OP's original question was what verb should be used? 

On second thoughts, I suppose I do have to master my boat, especially when I go aground or get caught by the wind. :) 

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32 minutes ago, koukouvagia said:

The OP's original question was what verb should be used? 

On second thoughts, I suppose I do have to master my boat, especially when I go aground or get caught by the wind. :) 

It's obviously a great idea to Master your boat in the context of being familiar with the operation of its systems, but Master is not used as a verb in the context of mastering - i.e. steering or controlling. What about Playing with, or Conning?:captain:

 

Howard

Edited by howardang
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23 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

According to the Inland Waterways Bye Laws the correct term is "Master"

 

 

“master” means the person having for the time being the
command, charge or management of a vessel

 

“owner” includes (a) in relation to any vessel the master or
hirer,

 

 

Point of order Mi'lud!  There are lady boatists, so it should be Master or Mistress at the very least. I run out of gender-based titles at that point though, and combining the two to produce Mister doesn't seem to work. ;)

 

 

How's about "Helm"?  Gender free and could be a verb too.

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5 hours ago, noddyboater said:

My personal view is not to start sentences with “So..”

 

You make a very interesting point here. I have noticed that many presenters are doing this nowadays, and it has certainly become an often over-used practice; sometimes an interviewee will begin almost every reply with "so".

Edited by rgreg
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2 minutes ago, rgreg said:

You make a very interesting point here. I have noticed that many presenters are doing this nowadays, and it has certainly becoming an often over-used practice; sometimes an interviewee will begin almost every reply with "so".

Its replaced "Er..." as it buys the same amount of thinking time but sounds like it's part of what you want to say.  

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47 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Its replaced "Er..." as it buys the same amount of thinking time but sounds like it's part of what you want to say.  

 

It's a meaningless filler. Other examples are "obviously", "you know", "know what I mean", "sort of", "like", etc

They are all very well in speech (albeit best avoided) but utterly superfluous in the written word.

55 minutes ago, rgreg said:

>> it has certainly become an often over-used practice; sometimes an interviewee will begin almost every reply with "so".

 

In many instances it means "I am about to explain something about which I am far more knowledgeable than either you or your listeners, or at least, that is the impression I want to convey".

 

That's an awfully big responsibility for just two letters.

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