Just off on Stourport Ring

[Webchem]

Just off to collect the kids and drive up to Alvechurch to take 23 of us round the Stourport Ring.

 

If you see Bewick Swan or Palladium, give us a wave. We will wave at anyone.

 

Hurray!

 

 

Jools

 

 

Sorry, gratuitous use of smilies.

[Sam]

Have fun!

One of the occasions I tried to do the whole stourport ring in October we couldnt get onto the River Severn as it was in serious flood... I imagine if you are hiring a boat that must be a big nuciance,

 

Have a nice time..

Sam

[Webchem]

Back in school, and by definition noone died so it must have been a successful trip. It was great, the kids rose to the challenge, and although we had a couple of issues (a bent tiller, a damaged side door - yep you really should leave them alone in locks guys, a knackered alternator belt, and an engine bay full of water - don't forget to check the weedhatch is closed properly chaps, 2 burnt fingers and an infected insect bite), we all enjoyed ourselves.

 

The staff need about 3 days solid kip, but it was worth it.

 

One thing I really noticed this year was the fear on peoples faces when they saw 2 boats full of kids, one chap in particular claimed that one of the boats had seriously damaged his and that it had seriously sprung a leak. He claimed that we came round the corner too fast (untrue), were out of control (untrue), noone was at the tiller (untrue), we didn't stop (untrue) they had to as there was a lock ahead with a queue, the kids were rude and abusive (untrue, he was the rude and abusive one). To the credit of the kids they did not rise to the rudeness, and apologised for glancing the side of his boat as they went round a blind bend (which he was moored on). He also got a mate to phone within 5 minutes (who was apparently on the boat moored nearby), strange as the boats nearby were empty.

 

The hire company then phoned the member of staff in charge of the boat, who essentially denied the claims (as they were essentially lies), I phoned the chap to confirm that I was on the boat in front, saw the whole incident and that basically the chap had made it all up. It took quite a while to make him realise that people do make things up, and that the chap concerned had made some very unfounded allegations especially as we took pictures for evidence of a clean, tidy boat that had clearly not been hit with the force that the chap had suggested.

 

I find it a real shame that this was not the only incident of this type, another gentleman was very rude and abusive to the kids over a water point. The boat wasn't able to move as the tiller had been damaged, he called them all the names under the sun. If he had been prepared to wait 5 minutes more, the tiller was repaired and we moved off.

 

There is a real issue I feel between 'hire boaters' and 'boat owners' who think they know everything, and as a result have a right to tell us incompetant 'hire boaters' exactly what they think. I have seen some exceptionally bad manners from owner boaters over the years, but because they apparently own the waterway(!!), they feel they can tell the rest of us exactly what to do and how to do it without any kind of language moderation.

 

Maybe its time that 'hire boat' operators started to 'hide' the fact that their boats are driven by amateurs (as we are clearly thought of).

 

Its a real shame that the actions of a few arrogant, rude and aggressive pillocs have left me with a really sour taste in my mouth. Maybe the boat owners should find out how much experience a hire boater has before dishing out advice in a patronising or aggressive manner. I am very worried that this is happening more and more. I thought the biggest problem would be yobs not on boats (other teenagers), in fact we had no issues here, in fact they were generally far more polite that boat owners.

 

However, the vast majority of the people we met were kind, courteous and pleased to see young people on the canals. I will almost certainly be repeating the process next year.

 

Shame there are no 12 berth boats on the South Pennine ring, that would really be a challenge!

 

To all the boaters who were kind and pleasant I salute you, to the rude ones - well I don't want to write what I really want to say.

 

There was not a great deal of water about, especially on the Tardebigge flight and bits of the BCN. Very little evidence of BW either.

 

Sorry - rant over.

 

Jools

[colinjw]

hi Jools,

 

I'm glad the majority of your trip was enjoyable.

 

"There is a real issue I feel between 'hire boaters' and 'boat owners' who think they know everything, and as a result have a right to tell us incompetant 'hire boaters' exactly what they think. I have seen some exceptionally bad manners from owner boaters over the years, but because they apparently own the waterway(!!), they feel they can tell the rest of us exactly what to do and how to do it without any kind of language moderation."

 

As regards the above, I entirely agree with you. We like to get on with anyone, hirer or owner but as you say the few arrogant ones are a pain in the butt.

 

We have often given newbies (owners and hirers) a little bit of friendly instruction to help them on their way and in general it is appreciated.

 

Colin

[stuart]

Glad you had a nice time. Dont forget to post some photos!

 

Enjoyed last years trip log - any chance of another one?

[NB Willawaw]

We cruise all the time, both in summer and large amounts of the winter and we see a varied selection of canal life.

 

The thing with boating is that you are really seeing the general public at first hand.

By definition, they are a varied bunch. You tend to get all kinds of people on boats, for a variety of reasons.

 

We try to keep a sense of humour, which helps but sometimes, things happen that penetrate the humour and just get to you, spoiling your whole day.

 

To be honest, we try to avoid travelling on weekends in the peak summer and we like travelling early in the morning and late at night.

Most people are fine, but if the canal is busy, by the law of averages, if you see 100 people in a day, 2 or 3 will be a*holes.

 

At the moment, our pet hate is plastic boats. We seem to have a lot of brushes with 30ft ish GRP boats who come steaming around blind bends without using their horns, usually in boat club convoys and far too fast.

They of course, can stop on a sixpence, but never do and when you struggle to avoid them with a 16-ton 62ft steel narrowboat, they look at you as if you have just seen the canal for the first time.

Edited July 18, 2005 by NB Willawaw

[Webchem]

I think that just an acceptance that some hire boaters are actually quite good and do know what they are doing.

 

Maybe we need a system like they have in motor racing where for the first 10 races you have a large orange and black cross on your car to show you are inexperienced.

 

Its the 'I know best 'cos I own my boat' attitude that really gets my goat.

 

There is no doubt that it is happening more and more.

 

Happy Days.

 

Jools

[Sam]

It is deffinately a shamehow some of the older generation take 'kids' to be young ruffians, --- maybe this is why kids ARE sometimes so rude to them BECAUSE the older guys NEVER give them a chance....

 

I suppose it is like people going round calling all ethnic people in Britain terrorists because they are trhe same race (well not even that sometimes) as the london bombers....

Some kids are bad so ALL kids are seen to be no good.... it is very sad for us younger people who actually have a keen interest in the canals ...

 

Anyway, I am glad you enjoyed the hol... photos?

[Golden Duck]

We think the key is "Don't Stereotype" and "Speak as you find".

 

We had a group on board yesterday. We were cruising upriver and there were loads of people on the water. Children in canoes while the parents watched from the bank, lots of boats and lots of walkers. At a locally well known river swimming spot, a group of 6 boys aged about 11-15 were jumping off the bridge ahead of us. One of the adults in the group (a teacher) said to me "this looks like trouble". As we got closer we could see them throwing stones down into the river.

I got all the children in the group inside just in case and went up on to the bow with a radio, telling the helmsman to slow down. As soon as I got close enough for eye contact, I started up a conversation with them. I asked if the water was cold, told them they were braver than I and said mind out for the broken bottles that people might have thrown off the bridge. They asked for the inevitable ride on the boat and I told them that I would love to give them a lift, but if I got caught I'd get the sack. They were fine about that and apart from a bit of macho talk about jumping on the roof, which the younger ones brought up to impress the older boys, they were no trouble.

 

At the end of the day, they were just bored kids, probably with parents who never take them anywhere and no money of their own.

If I didn't have the children on board and the "Duck"was my own boat, I probably would had given them short lifts, two at a time (so I could keep an eye on them).

 

Theres no magic formula and that approach wouldn't work with all threatening teenagers, but I would give two pieces of advice 1) Never lose eye contact with them until you are out of stone throwing range and 2) Don't let them intimidate you. Always appear relaxed and calm, even if you're not.

[Webchem]

Its not the intimidating teenagers that worry me on the cut. I have enough training (in my job) to know that if you treat them with respect, and appear interested in what they are doing they are generally okay.

 

Treating them with aggression and rudeness is exactly the way to incite them into doing something nasty.

 

We need to educate those on the cut that not all teenagers are yobs, some are quite nice and the 'older generation' might just learn something from them.

 

It really does worry me that there are those amongst us that feel that the best way to deal with fire is to add some petrol and wonder why it blows up in their faces.

 

Fortunately for the 'older slightly portly gentleman' who insulted my students in an exceptionally rude and aggressive manner, they were politer than he and retained control of the situation. Something he did not. It took a lot of my powers of persuasion to prevent them going back to his boat and 'stepping up' as they put it.

 

I think a lot of re-educating is needed on both sides.

 

[Sam]

When I am lifeguarding on Weymouth beach, if i take a foot patrol into the harbour itself...(a bit off the beach but still...) we often find jumpoers jumping from the town lift bridge into fairly shallow water... so we often just go straight in and get them to move or call the police as it is a criminal offence now..

 

ANYWAY... i just hope that some of the more agresive older generation start learning the young people who are interested in canals are the canals future!

 

Sam

[Guest]

The "old geezer moored on the bend" was just that - someone who goes out of his way to be awkward, full of his own importance, hated by his kids and spent his whole working life being the uncooperative, unhelpfull, complaining git who made life miserable for everyone else.

Just happens that he now owns a boat on the Cut. Nothing to do with being a boater - everything to do with being an *hole.

The world's full of them, the trick is not to let them spoil your day.

 

Peter

Edited July 26, 2005 by Guest

[Sam]

How do you know that? I'm confused - - - Are you the old geezer webchem was on about?

Edited July 26, 2005 by Sam

[Webchem]

How do you know that? I'm confused   - - - Are you the old geezer webchem was on about? 

26227[/snapback]

 

The thought had occured to me also, although I am not sure the 'old geezer' was actually bright enough to use a computer!

 

[Guest]

How do you know that?

26227[/snapback]

 

because in 45 years of working for my living, I've had to work with my fair share of them, as has everyone who's been round the block a couple of times.

[Sam]

because in 45 years of working for my living, I've had to work with my fair share of them, as has everyone who's been round the block a couple of times. 

26471[/snapback]

 

So that was a specualtion -> Not a true statement?

Maybe the guy was just having a bad day of it so took it out on other people

[Webchem]

Naa, this guy was having more than a bad day - more like a bad life.

 

Poor old geezer...