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Shall we all stop slowing for moored boats?


doratheexplorer

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14 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Heh.  The only thing that could make that worse would be if it was the centreline.

 

The artistic macramé is a nice touch though.

 

Needs an orange carrier bag tied round the top, in case someone doesn't see it.

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

I think you will get more support for the not slowing down proposal!

ok, how's this?

 

You either have no beer or you have at least 8 pints.

 

That way you either:

 

a.  Step carefully over.

b. Trip, fall on your face, but don't care.

 

It's the 2-3 pint brigade who are causing all the issues.

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29 minutes ago, MartynG said:

A couple of cruisers  passed us while we were moored earlier this week  making a big wake , despite having reduced engine speed a little , but not sufficiently. I am not sure why they were in such a rush.

But we survived and no damage was done.  

It's difficult to imagine a wake from a narrowboat causing any issue. On the river  they can pass me at full speed if they wish.   

On canals, it's not the wake that causes the major issue. It's the water being displaced from the bow to stern. On rivers, there is a lot of space for that water to get past, so it's not a problem, and the bow and stern waves become more important. If they are large enough to cause a problem, it's usually when the speeding boat is well past. It can be instructive to look at what happens when the power is taken off : often, the wake increases for a few seconds before the speed drops off, so those who cut the power as the bow reaches the moored boat make things worse, despite passing "on tickover". Tickover is not a speed.

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1 hour ago, Ex Brummie said:

I see 2 or 3 boats based in a local marina pass through our moorings pretty well every week and always with different people on them. No one has a family that big.

This will be the other category of boaters who are often not mentioned in these discussions, the share owner who is also subject to a return date so may feel the need to press on.   Most of these look like private boats but can usually be spotted, being semi trrad with simple signwriting.

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28 minutes ago, furnessvale said:

My speed varies according to how they are moored.  Boats on rings or chains allow me to pass faster than ones on pins.

 

If I see someone in the process of tieing up I am nearly stationary.  On the other hand, I expect 3/4 mile of offside linear moorings to have had plenty of notice to tie up like a supertanker.

Exactly like us. It does surprise me though when passing long lines of permanent moorings how many boats are moored with very slack lines and consequently surge and bang into each other no matter how slowly you pass. 

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6 minutes ago, Tom and Bex said:

Exactly like us. It does surprise me though when passing long lines of permanent moorings how many boats are moored with very slack lines and consequently surge and bang into each other no matter how slowly you pass. 

Maybe with all the leaking gates they are worried about changing water levels.

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19 minutes ago, Loddon said:

I have added an extra cleat on Loddon as in the picture, I find myself using it more than the T-stud and its excellent for adding springs.

IMG_20200903_114237.jpg

Kelpie has an extra T stud on both sides too but ours are in front of the cratch. I find they are SO useful and I can't understand why more boats don't have them. It is a Reeves shell and I don't know if  they were fitted by Reeves or if a subsequent owner had had them fitted.  When mooring, I use the "extra" T stud for typing off the rope and it is so much easier to reach than the  front T stud. There are extra T studs at the stern too but that is himselfs department ? 

 

haggis

Edited by haggis
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1 hour ago, dmr said:

All this spring stuff will help but is not a complete solution, that's probably why its the norm on sea boats but uncommon on the cut.

The picture I posted is from the C&RT website on the section "how to properly moor your boat".

I would assume from the illustration that they have considered NB's and canal usage.

 

I would hazard a guess that it is uncommon on the cut because people are not aware of "how to properly moor your boat", or, "I've always done it this way".

 

All sections of the boating community can learn something from the other, it's not 'them and us'.

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4 minutes ago, JamesFrance said:

Maybe with all the leaking gates they are worried about changing water levels.

That might be an excuse in a shortish pound, but think if the level dropped significantly on the N Stratford I'd not be worried about leaking gates!

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Having had to take a baby to hospital who got scalded by a kettle coming off of the hob because of a speeding boater going pass a moored boat. I always slow down. But no doubt most of the numpties who speed past boats would probably blame the hob design.

Edited by Tonka
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Last year we had the occasional annoyance, but nothing too staggering (our worst experience was someone driving head on into us in the dead of night!) However this year, as we've crawled up the Leeds & Liverpool we've encountered a whole range of hire boaters out in force.  Unfortunately I'd say that the experience has been more negative than positive. I take more issue to the hire boat companies not training people, rather than placing the blame on the holiday goers, however they don't make it easy for themselves! 

  • We've watched two of them on full plough drive straight into a canal side because they've turned badly at a corner (or rather, not turned at all...)
  • Watched another drive head first, at 'high' speed, into the front of a moored boat
  • Seen a boat wedge themselves horizontal in a lock to 'help their ascent'
  • Watched 2 hire boaters ram lock gates open 
  • Have had to assist multiple hire boaters up locks because they haven't been instructed on how to do it
  • Encountered someone reversing a wide beam down a tight stretch because they didn't know how to use a winding hole
  • Another lovingly scrape a good 40ft of our 50ft boat as they approached a winding hole, because they swung out far too early
  • Been pulled free of our pins twice (2 different locations)

We don't currently have the set up to spring and the ground was exceptionally soft, but the speed they were going was the major factor

 

This isn't to say that it's all hire boaters who have caused issues - there's been the odd boat which we've thought was a share boat (but that's us speculating!) however it's been an interesting trip along the canal for us. Part of me thought it would be more enjoyable to traverse L&L because it would be busier... now I can't wait to get back to the C&H for some peace and quiet! I know that sounds terrible of me, but some days its nerve wracking watching the hire boat onslaught approach...

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19 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

I would hazard a guess that it is uncommon on the cut because people are not aware of "how to properly moor your boat", or, "I've always done it this way".

 

 

It's uncommon on the cut because it's rarely needed.  Two good lines at 45 degrees to the bank are all that's needed 99% of the time.

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Sadly we're in the age of entitlement where "me me me" is all that matters to many and the consequences of peoples' actions do not even come into it. Back in April there was renewed optimism that coming through the pandemic would make us more aware of our infallibilities and care for our fellow beings.  Add this to the ever increasing list of U turns.

 

But long before any of this, the waterways have slowly declined in etiquette over the years, though there are some of us who strive to uphold the old ways. Long may that continue.

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7 minutes ago, rustynewbery said:

the waterways have slowly declined in etiquette over the years, though there are some of us who strive to uphold the old ways.

 

Like beating the snot out of any boatman who stole your lock?  I've heard some tales about the "Wooden Boats and Iron Men" ...

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9 minutes ago, rustynewbery said:

Sadly we're in the age of entitlement where "me me me" is all that matters to many and the consequences of peoples' actions do not even come into it. Back in April there was renewed optimism that coming through the pandemic would make us more aware of our infallibilities and care for our fellow beings.  Add this to the ever increasing list of U turns.

 

But long before any of this, the waterways have slowly declined in etiquette over the years, though there are some of us who strive to uphold the old ways. Long may that continue.

Where do you moor your horse at night?

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1 hour ago, David Mack said:

 

You could have attachment points for springs fitted just forward of the back of the cabin and behind the cabin front, so you can use springs like this.

V5HDY2neOGiEhfmO0yB4OVmc9mYl2eEa2Lragofv

 

Then you can trip over them as you walk along the gunwale past the cabin!

Ive seen something a bit like that at the back of some old boats (and modern replica tugs)    ?

 

The trip hazard could be eliminated by setting rings into the hull side, a bit like the low down fender eyes that are popular, in fact it would make more sense to use those eyes for mooring than for fenders ?.

 

..................Dave

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I have a 23-foot cruiser.  It weighs next to nothing compared to narrowboats, but it has a v-shaped hull and anywhere near 3 or 4 mph it starts to make a wash.  So I slow right down to my 9.9 hp's tickover when passing moored boats, well in advance and giving plenty of further room after passing.   This really is dead slow!  I've noticed that many narrowboaters will thank me if they're outside or, if inside, will tap on their window and give me a wave.  Not all, of course, but it's nice to see this two-way kind of etiquette being observed.  I'm sure others will have experienced this, too.

Edited by Tom Morgan
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8 minutes ago, dmr said:

The trip hazard could be eliminated by setting rings into the hull side, a bit like the low down fender eyes that are popular, in fact it would make more sense to use those eyes for mooring than for fenders ?.

 

..................Dave

I do.

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2 hours ago, dmr said:

and another thing.....

narrowboats are just not designed for springs, its ok for dumpers or leisure boats left unattended on moorings but for liveaboards they are a danger, they run right past where you step on and off the boat, you're likely to trip and break yer neck getting back onto the boat after a few beers. I suppose we could have the argument that liveaboards should not be allowed on the cut (have not had that one for a few years ?) but I suspect leisure boaters and hire boaters need to step on and off their boats too (and have a few beers).

Sometimes ring spacing and other constraints dictate that I moor with the ropes running "inward" rather than "outward" and I do this as a last resort because it is such a trip hazard.

 

..................Dave

nothing wrong with using a sprint at the end you don't get on/off at what matters is thast you have lines at an angle to the bank/boat and not at right angles and one line at one end as a spring creating a triangle mooring at that end, that stops the boat moving back and fore.  If you learned mooring on tidal waters you learn to use springs and long lines (sometimes bollard over 30 foot from the boat )  If you don't, that ladder you climbed up to go ashore is nowhere near the boat 3 hours later, the boat has moved back or forward, not just up and down.

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In the wet spell of 2007 the towpath was so soft (K&A) we had a devil's own job keeping pins from pulling out, 6 or more pins wouldn't do it. I came to the conclusion that the only possible solution was to have a couple of  2 - 3' square chequer plates with a hole in the centre for a mooring pin and the plate underside having dozens of 3 - 4 " pins to spread the load. Spiked running shoe principle. 

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5 minutes ago, nb Innisfree said:

In the wet spell of 2007 the towpath was so soft (K&A) we had a devil's own job keeping pins from pulling out, 6 or more pins wouldn't do it. 

 

What size of pins?  6 or 8 "normal" 18-inch pins won't hold as well as a couple of 3 feet long ones, especially if you cross them.

 

Having said that, there are places when the ground is sometimes soft enough that you stab the pins in and they just sink in a couple of feet on their own without the hammer - that's rarely a good place to moor!

 

 

 

Edited by TheBiscuits
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