WHEN to slow down ? ? ?

[BlueStringPudding]

That was you, was it? I did wonder who had decided my kitchen crockery looked good all over the floor

 

I make a point of steering only if there are no other boats moving in the vicintity... or moored nearby... or any bridges around... or sharp bends... or locks...

 

Actually I mostly serve drinks.

[alan_fincher]

Some (which makes me laugh), slow a little, get passed you, speed up for 10 yards, slow down a little for the next boat, and carry on until they get to an open stretch. That can't be good for the engine surely!

 

 

It almost certainly isn't bad for it, and may perhaps be be beneficial.....

 

Engines don't really benefit from being left on constant revs, and it's often reckoned that they last better if given a mixture of work.

 

Not quite the same thing, I know, but you used to be told to "run in" a vehicle engine by going long journeys at constant revs. They changed their minds about that years ago, and you are now told to do a mix of driving, with the only requirement to limit maximum revs.

 

Don't forget that it's the boat engines left charging batteries at constant low revs that are felt to suffer most from bore glazing....

 

(Sorry, nothing to do with the topic really, other than going slow when you don't need to, probably doesn't preserve your engine at all...).

 

EDIT:

 

I would also add that I reckon when passing most moored boats, I do watch them right from my approach, until well past, to see if I'm disturbing them. Obviously harder to do when a lot is going on, or boats are moored both sides, but I certianly try to.

 

But if someone has moored on the immediate approach to a blind bridge-hole, I probably don't, as I sometimes don't know you are there until I'm through the bridge, and passing you!

Edited July 2, 2008 by alan_fincher

[blackrose]

We've been living aboard and cruising each weekend plus a couple of weeks away on holiday since Nov. Since them we've had our pins pulled at the stern once, the boat went adrift but had been kindly tied up again by persons unknown when we returned. We've not been shouted at to slow down once yet (maybe a record judging by the comments here ?). We've pulled one other boats pins and set it adrift, I went past at tick over but pretty close to it due to the cut being quite narrow atthat point, the boat was in soft ground with singles hort pins (and yes I did stop and tie it back up)'

 

Les

 

We've probably all had pins pulled out at one time or another, and from that experience I learned for the need to moor up more securely, sometimes using longer more substantial pins. It always amazes me when I see boats moored up with ordinary short pins that are only hammered halfway down. Whilst it's important to slow down when going past moored boats, it's also wise to expect some boats to go past too fast and thus imperative to moor up securely.

[StoneHenge]

I agree there will be times that you won't see other boats, or sharp bends followed by moorings, but when I do that (and just because I am like it) I slow right down if I can, as I really don't like the thought of mucking it up, getting the bend wrong etc and being caught by surprise by another boat coming the other way.

 

I tend to slow down to judge the situation, and if it requires a bit more umph to get round the bend and gain better steerage, I do that. Unfortunately, whilst I have had plenty of driving experience, I have none of tidal rivers, so I don't know how that effects your steering, speed or ability to slow down faster, slower etc?

 

Thanks for the explanation. I always thought doing that to an engine wouldn't help, but you learn something new every day

[alan_fincher]

It always amazes me when I see boats moored up with ordinary short pins that are only hammered halfway down.

And then often they tie to the top of those pins, (particularly if they are the type with loops on), and leave several feet of slack in the line.

 

You don't need a degree in mechanics to see that this is probably less than 10% as secure as pins driven well into the ground, with ropes tied off near ground level, with little slack in them.

 

If a boat is moored so it can freely move back and forwards by several feet, why are they surprised when somebody goes past, and they move back and forward by several feet ?

 

I may not be coming across that way, but I really do try and be tolerant of all canal users. But some people really seem to do little to help themselves, and I get frustrated when I see them moaning at other people because of what has fundamentally been caused by their way of doing things.

[Neildudman]

We had a widebeam on the K & A last year and even moving slowly when not in gear caused many boats to shift... I just had to end up repeating myself that it moves a lot of water, ie down as we approach and up when we're past. Nothing we could do. In the end I just started smiling and waving.........

 

Alan

 

I do agree with pins being fully grounded and the ropes at the bottom and really tight. We did this on the Stratford this year but the ground was soooo soft it kept pulling out even with boats going slowly.

 

End result was either tied to a tree (for safety) or move........

[Dominic M]

And then often they tie to the top of those pins, (particularly if they are the type with loops on), and leave several feet of slack in the line.

 

You don't need a degree in mechanics to see that this is probably less than 10% as secure as pins driven well into the ground, with ropes tied off near ground level, with little slack in them.

 

If a boat is moored so it can freely move back and forwards by several feet, why are they surprised when somebody goes past, and they move back and forward by several feet ?

 

I may not be coming across that way, but I really do try and be tolerant of all canal users. But some people really seem to do little to help themselves, and I get frustrated when I see them moaning at other people because of what has fundamentally been caused by their way of doing things.

Exactamento, professor

[Chris Pink]

Engines don't really benefit from being left on constant revs, and it's often reckoned that they last better if given a mixture of work.

 

Don't be daft. I've just got off a cross-channel ferry that spends 6 hours twice a day at a constant load.

 

Most seagoing boats, you just set the throttle and forget.

[gaggle]

lots of boats moored along a stretch would suggest permanent mooring sites , if they are why have these people not put in permanent mooring rings / bollards and tied up to them ? , no pins can then be pulled out by boats going past.

if you dont like your boat moving then take a powder and move to a marina.

its little wonder bw is reducing the amount of online moorings and these moaning twastards will have only themselves to blame.

[BlueStringPudding]

lots of boats moored along a stretch would suggest permanent mooring sites , if they are why have these people not put in permanent mooring rings / bollards and tied up to them ? , no pins can then be pulled out by boats going past.

if you dont like your boat moving then take a powder and move to a marina.

its little wonder bw is reducing the amount of online moorings and these moaning twastards will have only themselves to blame.

 

 

And if you don't like your neighbours all night raves move house... and if you don't like the government leave the country... and if you don't like what's on TV throw the box out the window...

 

...alternatively you can take sensible measures to try and improve a situation and gawd knows, perhaps even ask for the consideration of others?

 

Gawd forbid anyone should show someone else some empathy and be considerate.

[Dominic M]

... and if you don't like what's on TV throw the box out the window...

 

Now that is a good idea. I get through two a week.

[Hairy-Neil]

I suspect that the people who want you to pass extra slowly are probably the same people that cruise about at 1MPH, thinking they are doing the legal max speed, and that a breaking wash means no ripples on the water whatsoever. Remember, when you slow to 2MPH for them, you are still going faster than they cruise on open water....

[gaggle]

if your neighbour is having a rave ,join in with him , ignore him , knock him about his head till he does as you say or yes move house.

if you dont like the goverment vote for another one and if your vote does not do it for you and you really are that pissed off about it then yes leave the country and the rest of us in peace.

no one forces you to have tv , read a book ,listen to the radio or untie your boat and actually use it for boating and not as a platform to moan at passing boaters.

 

if you want to do something sensible about passing boats and show some empathy with THEM then resist the temptation to jump up and start moaning , show some consideration for others and do not set about spoiling the day for others.

boo hiss to slow down merchants.

[Dominic M]

if your neighbour is having a rave ,join in with him , ignore him , knock him about his head till he does as you say or yes move house.

if you dont like the goverment vote for another one and if your vote does not do it for you and you really are that pissed off about it then yes leave the country and the rest of us in peace.

no one forces you to have tv , read a book ,listen to the radio or untie your boat and actually use it for boating and not as a platform to moan at passing boaters.

 

if you want to do something sensible about passing boats and show some empathy with THEM then resist the temptation to jump up and start moaning , show some consideration for others and do not set about spoiling the day for others.

boo hiss to slow down merchants.

Blimey! Slow down, Gaggle

[blackrose]

If a boat is moored so it can freely move back and forwards by several feet, why are they surprised when somebody goes past, and they move back and forward by several feet ?

 

Yes, very true

 

I do agree with pins being fully grounded and the ropes at the bottom and really tight. We did this on the Stratford this year but the ground was soooo soft it kept pulling out even with boats going slowly.

 

End result was either tied to a tree (for safety) or move........

 

You need bigger pins... I have some that are nearly 4ft long. The ground is generally only soft to about a foot deep. Once big pins are banged down not much is going to shift them.

Edited July 2, 2008 by blackrose

[jelunga]

Agree - Let us all vote for another Government, they could not be worse than this one!!!

 

The problem is caused when you have mile after mile of canal with nothing but moored boats. If you are trying to move from A to B, or even C to D, and travel at a reasonable average speed, there is nothing worse than coming round a bend to find moored boats on both sides stretching into infinity. I do tend to think that if you choose to moor on the cut rather than in an old arm or marina, then you must expect other boats to pass from time to time, actually in motion, and therefore displacing a fluid, (similar to water but not as clean) and your moored boat WILL move to some extent.

 

Therefore, please do not moan / shout / swear at the passing boat. He / she is only using the canal for what it is designed for - moving on not mooring on. If the boat is travelling within the speed limit, he is legally doing nothing wrong.

 

Personally, I would always slow down for a boat moored. However, I would slow down more for an isolated boat than I would for the long line of boats on a linear mooring. Why? not sure really.

 

 

 

if your neighbour is having a rave ,join in with him , ignore him , knock him about his head till he does as you say or yes move house.

if you dont like the goverment vote for another one and if your vote does not do it for you and you really are that pissed off about it then yes leave the country and the rest of us in peace.

no one forces you to have tv , read a book ,listen to the radio or untie your boat and actually use it for boating and not as a platform to moan at passing boaters.

 

if you want to do something sensible about passing boats and show some empathy with THEM then resist the temptation to jump up and start moaning , show some consideration for others and do not set about spoiling the day for others.

boo hiss to slow down merchants.

[Mick_B]

I second that man.....

[gaggle]

i would slow right down for a single moored boat out of the way because he is less likely to be secured to rings ect and could possibly be unable to get pins in fully.

these long lines of boats , more than likely to be clubs with enough funds to provide proper mooring rings / bollards ,should not expect all to bow down to their demands for boats to slow down.

most have signs up instructing boats to do as they wish without as much as a please or thank you , go dead slow me bum.

i moor online myself and would not dream of passing comments on another boats speed , only deadbeats moan.

[carlt]

only deadbeats moan.

Is that why you moan about folk who slow down?

[mayalld]

If the boat is travelling within the speed limit, he is legally doing nothing wrong.

 

Wrong, wrong, and thrice wrong!

 

Read the byelaws.

[Dominic M]

Therefore, please do not moan / shout / swear at the passing boat. He / she is only using the canal for what it is designed for - moving on not mooring on.

What, shifting freight? I think not.

[DHutch]

Normally 2-3 boat lengths, gives time for the boat speed to drop to a reasonable pace for passing moored craft...

- As others have said on the other post, alot depends on water depth and general navigation conditions.

Yeah, thats the thing really.

- As mentioned above, its about boat speed at the point of passing. I usally increase the speed as the back of the boat passes the moored boat. We're a good boats lenght on before were getting back up cruising speed.

 

To add the to engine rev comments, at 300 rpm we're creating breaking wash on almost any canal. But as thats under 1000rpm it must be fine?

 

I also am a great believer in springs. We dont always use a pair it doesnt seam nessary, but even then i throw one out in the form of the centerline tied back to one end or the other.

 

 

 

Daniel

[jelunga]

No, not that many times wrong see bylaw 13.

"Every vessel navigating the canal ..bla bla... shall be navigated with care and "REASONABLE" consideration for all persons using the canal or being on the banks thereof and in particular in such a manner as will not obstruct or involve risk of collision or endanger the safety of other vessels or thir moorings or cause damage thereto or to the banks of the canal bla bla bla"

 

 

 

Therefore I contend that it is not reasonable to slow down for every mooring you get to, if you are on a promise or whatever, and it does not say you cannot go so fast that their mooring pins pull out!! Supposing it is nearly closing time? Totally unreasonable to expect a chap to slow down.

 

 

 

 

(Or am I just being provocative a little?)

 

 

 

Wrong, wrong, and thrice wrong!

 

Read the byelaws.

Edited July 2, 2008 by jelunga

[blackrose]

No, not that many times wrong see bylaw 13.

"Every vessel navigating the canal ..bla bla... shall be navigated with care and "REASONABLE" consideration for all persons using the canal or being on the banks thereof and in particular in such a manner as will not obstruct or involve risk of collision or endanger the safety of other vessels or thir moorings or cause damage thereto or to the banks of the canal bla bla bla"

 

I disagree with you too. Fistly, you say that if people choose to moor on the main line then they should expect to move a bit when boats go past and that's true, but many people would prefer not to moor on the main line and since moorings in this country are limited and oversubscribed they have no other choice. Secondly the "reasonableness" you quote in Bylaw 13 refers to how you behave toward moorers and the canal bank - NOT HOW REASONABLE YOU THINK IT IS TO HAVE TO GO PAST MILES OF MOORED BOATS. The amount of linear moorings is a related but different issue! You can say that BW are being unreasonable in allocating too many linear moorings, but that's between you & BW, not you and the individual moorers. Anyway, if you think that moving your boat past moored boats at the legal speed limit is showing reasonable consideration then I think you are wrong - you are not showing any consideration at all.

Edited July 2, 2008 by blackrose

[ditch paddler]

This may sound mad but what we need is a new design of prop one that uses the water its in to propell boat rather than sucking water towards it to propell the boat along