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Smoke Filled Boat

BlueStringPudding

By BlueStringPudding
in General Boating

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BlueStringPudding Veteran II

BlueStringPudding

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We moved the boat a week ago to Leamington Spa. We'd moored next to another boat (safety in numbers we were thinking) and spent a pleasant if noisy few days there. Our neighbouring boat moved on Friday so we planned to move our boat to Radford on Saturday afternoon. Then, early Saturday morning, we were woken by a slight noise outside. Kev got up a walked outside and checked a few things but couldn't see anything amiss so came back in. :D

 

We went back to sleep, then the next thing I know I wake up sometime later, coughing, and the boat is full of smoke. I went rushing into the back cabin to find smoke coming through the vent in the stove. Loads of it. I opened the door and realised that the smoke was swirling inside the stove instead of heading up the flue. So Kev went back outside and dismantled the chimney, to find a now half-melted and burnt, very hot plastic drinks bottle wedged in there. It was large enough to block most of the internal diameter of the pipe. :rolleyes:

 

That noise we heard was obviously some pr*ck who saw the smoke from our chimney and thought it would be funny to block it.

I wonder whether they actually stopped to think that they could kill people by doing that? :rolleyes: If they'd done it when we weren't aboard, who knows whether it could have caught fire?! I'd like to take that half-melted bottle and shove it up their more anatomical but equally vital exhaust pipe and see how they like it.

 

Something about the way the smoke was circulating in the boat meant it didn't trigger the smoke alarm situated a little further down, or the CO alarm (CO alarm has proved fairly sensitive in the past too). I'm putting up an additional smoke alarm right in the bedroom tonight. And we won't be staying in Leamington again.

Edited by BlueStringPudding
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StoneHenge Rising Star

StoneHenge

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Blimey, that must have been scary. Glad you and Kev are OK though.

 

The little ar*e wipes who do these things have the brains of gnats, and that is insulting to gnats.

 

I hope you are none the worse for your experience and your next mooring is heaps better.

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Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

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That is truly awful!

 

Thank God it ended safely, it could have been so much worse. Makes you wonder, though, about the placing of the CO and smoke alarms.

 

There's not much llikelihood of catching the little sods, but do report it to the police anyway (tell them it was attempted murder"). If nothing else it may help prevent them saying "there's no crime so we don't need to patrol".

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carlt Veteran II

carlt

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The stretch through Leamington is a very busy thoroughfare so it gets more thanit's share of passers-by, not all of them nice people. It is well lit though.

 

Funnily enough, when moving Taplow from being sunk in Erdington, to a place of safety, I had to leave her in Leamington for a couple of weeks. She was untouched for the wole time.

 

I then moved her to Radford Smelly, where her batteries and tiller were stolen and she was set adrift, within a day of being left.

 

It can happen anywhere. The only safe places are further away from civilisation than the scrotes are willing to walk.

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nigel carton Rising Star

nigel carton

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I moored in Leamington on Friday night! no problems though. Will be bringing next boat through on about Thursday this week. Keep an eye out for us, can't miss me, high viz jacket and the only boat moving! :D

 

Edit to say, Glad your ok!

Edited by nigel carton
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BlueStringPudding Veteran II

BlueStringPudding

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Sorry to hear about that, glad you are OK though and woke up in time! Where in Leamington were you moored? I'm currently in Long Itchington and was thinking of maybe going to Leamington / Warwick next. May re-think now...
We were at the visitor mooring rings, behind Somerfield in Old Town, Leamington. Long Itchington's nice though! We went there last summer and loved it. Had an amusing time at the pub on the canal there, having accidentally caused a massive row in the pub kitchen because for some reason they thought I wanted fish and chips without chips! :rolleyes: When I politely asked for my chips as well, I suspect the barman was less than tactful in the kitchen because this almighty row blew up. The barman, who'd normally wait the tables, sent the cook out to serve them to me. She handed me a plate of chips and sulkily announced that it wasn't her fault she'd only been doing what she was told. :D:rolleyes: Highly entertaining.I think it's better mooring in Leamington in the summer, when admittedly you might have to compete for mooring rings, but there's always other boaters around.
I moored in Leamington on Friday night! no problems though.
There's only so many places to moor in Leamington... were you the boat with the birdhouses on the roof... or the one which was having it's roof painted in the summer and is now lurking in Warwick...? Or something entirely different?!
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NB Alnwick Veteran II

NB Alnwick

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We were at the visitor mooring rings, behind Somerfield in Old Town, Leamington.

 

Sorry to learn of your experience in Leamington - it is well worth reporting it to the police.

 

We have also moored at that spot several times - the tow path is quite busy and some of the users are a bit scary but it is still the best place to moor for Leamington shopping. letting the police know now may help to make it safer for others who moor there.

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BlueStringPudding Veteran II

BlueStringPudding

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Something entirely different, I was moored opposite the Fusilier, which is all boarded up. The boat is a 41' H & L pretty crap paint job. This boat I'm bringing up this week is a 35' cruiser stern, green in colour with no name.

 

Well, we're near Kate Boats now, so giz a wave if you pass by. We're easily recognised by our roof full of cr*p and the faded Black Prince hire fleet paintwork! (And the smoke billowing from the windows... I shouldn't jest) :D

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NB Alnwick Veteran II

NB Alnwick

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Ideally they should be located on ceilings at least 18" from walls. Corners can be 'dead' areas where smoke & gasses may not reach.

 

There is an argument that they should not be placed on the ceiling of boat cabins and caravans.

 

This is because the radiated heat on hot days can create a barrier area just below the ceiling where the gases do not accumulate.

 

Edited for clarity and I suppose I should have said 'deck head' instead of ceiling :D

Edited by NB Alnwick
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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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There is an argument that they should not be placed on the ceiling of boat cabins and caravans.

 

This is because the radiated heat on hot days can create a barrier area just below the ceiling where the gases do not accumulate.

 

I didn't know that - wouldn't the barrier area also form near the warm sides of the boat because of radiated heat?

Edited by blackrose
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NB Alnwick Veteran II

NB Alnwick

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I didn't know that - wouldn't the barrier area also form near the warm sides of the boat because of radiated heat?

 

As far as we know, the theory is that the pocket of hot air rises to the highest point so the sides would be less of a problem - perhaps one of the experts (which we do not pretend to be) could comment.

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1066 Community Regular

1066

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There is an argument that they should not be placed on the ceiling of boat cabins and caravans.

 

This is because the radiated heat on hot days can create a barrier area just below the ceiling where the gases do not accumulate.

 

Edited for clarity and I suppose I should have said 'deck head' instead of ceiling :)

 

That is a very good point. I expect the majority of us would choose the ceiling/deckhead to mount the detectors.

 

It would be interesting to know if this really would prevent the alarm from activating ... it certainly sounds feasible.

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JohnO Community Regular

JohnO

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Sorry to hear of this happening. Unfortunately this sort of thing can happen anywhere, not only at Leamington Spa. :)

 

Thank heavens you are all OK. Hope your next mooring is nice and quiet and pleasant!

 

Stewey

 

 

The stretch through Leamington is a very busy thoroughfare so it gets more thanit's share of passers-by, not all of them nice people. It is well lit though.

 

Funnily enough, when moving Taplow from being sunk in Erdington, to a place of safety, I had to leave her in Leamington for a couple of weeks. She was untouched for the wole time.

 

I then moved her to Radford Smelly, where her batteries and tiller were stolen and she was set adrift, within a day of being left.

 

It can happen anywhere. The only safe places are further away from civilisation than the scrotes are willing to walk.

 

 

I moored in Leamington on Friday night! no problems though. Will be bringing next boat through on about Thursday this week. Keep an eye out for us, can't miss me, high viz jacket and the only boat moving! :lol:

 

Edit to say, Glad your ok!

 

BSP glad you and Kev survived the ordeal you must phone Warwickshire Police and BW for what it's worth.

Stewy is right this could happen anywhere but you stand a very good chance in Leam. Mooring near civilisation especially in town especially near a supermarket is not a great idea, "safety in numbers" only lull's you into a false sense of security. You would think Wolfhampcote would be out in the sticks but as we know...

Nigel, The High Viz is the new Donkey Jacket!

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onthecut Proficient

onthecut

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I wonder whether they actually stopped to think that they could kill people by doing that?

 

Thinking implies the presence of a functioning brain ---- so in the case of s***s like these, I think it's safe to assume no thought involved. Totally agree with the other comments regarding reporting the incident.

 

Mike.

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