INCONSIDERATE BOATERS

[Janet S]

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, we took Aquagem Porta-Potti Carrie~Lou for a very nice five day trip, courtesy of Postcode and Cheshire~Rose who had decided to forsake the canals and head to France for some sunshine.

 

A full trip report and photo's will follow shortly...

 

The reason for this thread is to have a rant about some of the most ignorant behaviour I've witnessed on the canals - it annoyed me immensely at the time, and I'm still fuming a week later!

 

The first occasion was on Friday, just three locks into our trip from Hatherton Marina, heading towards Tixall. The weather was lovely, and as we approached the lock, it was rather an idyllic scene, with a nicely decorated motor and butty ascending (rather slowly....) Whilst we waited, I could see another boat waiting below the lock, so I wandered down to say hello, only to find a rather upset couple and their children on board a hire boat. The reason for their distress soon became clear - it was already approaching 10am, and they were expected back at the hire base.

 

They informed me that they had been stuck behind the motor and butty for some considerable time - the preceding boats were taking almost an hour per lock and had point blank refused to let them pass, despite knowing their predicament and being asked politely if they wouldn't mind letting them go in front. With three locks ahead of them, this family weren't going to make it back to base until after lunch, and faced the possibility of high penalty charges for being ovedue. The wife was understandably concerned, the husband was worried and the children were in tears.

 

Honestly, what difference would ten minutes have made to the crew of the motor and butty? They were obviously in no sort of hurry as they took their time locking through.

 

I wish I'd had the presence of mind to take a photo of the offending boats, as I think a bit of naming and shaming is in order. I didn't even get the name, as by the time I got back to the lock, they were (at last) on their way. I know they were under no obligation to let the hire boat pass, but surely they could have used a bit of common courtesy?

 

I do hope the family on the hire boat don't think that all boaters are as inconsiderate, and that it didn't spoil the holiday for them.

 

OK. Rant mode over for now...but there's more to come later!

 

Janet

[casper ghost]

Can I rant too?

Coming to Wrenbury electric lift bridge I was behind 2 private boats, they had raised the bridge and once both their boats were through they lowered the bridge right in front of me, I had to hit reverse to avoid hitting the bridge. They didn't even look at me. I then had to do the bridge single handed, which is not easy. To add to my misery I left my BW key there when I cruised off. Had to go back for it

[PaddingtonBear]

During our grand tour we met a great family from Cumbria, lurking about on the Sour in a Canaltime boat. I was astonished to learn from them that overdue boats were charged £100 per hour, if all hire companies are similar is it any wonder that they were upset.

[alan_fincher]

Janet,

 

Based on previous input on here, a large contingent will doubtless claim that the hire boat was in error, and should not have planned their final day on any other basis than they might catch up a pair of boats that needed an hour to get through each lock!

 

Actually, to try to be fair and balanced, given the type of time hire boats are normally expected back, it does sound like this particular one may not have built in that much contingency, (possibly ? - not enough stated to say definitely!).

 

It wasn't a pair of hotel boats, perchance, was it ?

[gaggle]

If i was faced with such high penalty charges i would make damn sure i was pretty close to base the night before , if the hire boat crew failed to plan better it is hardly the fault of anyone else who happens to be in front of them.

The other boat may well have had a timetable they wished to keep to.

why would they be shamed.

[Guest]

If i was faced with such high penalty charges i would make damn sure i was pretty close to base the night before , if the hire boat crew failed to plan better it is hardly the fault of anyone else who happens to be in front of them.

The other boat may well have had a timetable they wished to keep to.

why would they be shamed.

 

We were 10 minutes late taking Katies Drum back to Silsden this time last week.

 

I'd made sure that we were within easy striking distance of the yard on our last morning and certainly no locks between our last nights mooring and the yard (hard to do an that stretch to be honest)

 

The reason we were 10 mins late was that I hadn't factored in the fact that we would would get our first fouled propeller of the whole trip on that last leg, which of course we did just after we set off.

 

Anyway Silsden where fine about it and didn't even comment - guess it wouldn't have been the same if we'd been hours late back though, they make their boats available for pick up from 1pm so they would have had a real problem turning the boat around.

[alan_fincher]

The other boat may well have had a timetable they wished to keep to.

Surely it is not reasonable for anybody to construct a canalling timetable that requires that they take one hour at every lock, and still not to expect to let faster crews past.

 

If everybody took 1 hour at every (narrow) lock, then it doesn't need very advanced maths to work out that no lock would ever be able to pass more than about 15 boats per (daylight) day.

 

Clearly the busier canals have traffic densities massively higher than that in summer, and it is only because the majority of efficient crews can pass a lock in well under 10 minutes or less that things don't completely grind to a halt at peak times.

 

Even allowing for it being a pair of boats, at (presumably), single locks, it is still taking over three times (per boat) what most would consider reasonable.

 

Whether the hire boat had built in enough time for return to baseis a side matter to me. The pair was still being unreasonable if they wanted to take that long, but insisted on staying ahead.

 

I'm sure Dave Mayall will remind us that be doing so they were breaking BW bye-laws, (so presumably could end up with a "criminal record", if BW decided to prosecute :tonge_in_cheek_smiley!

[carlt]

Having worked a pair and spent all day, on one flight, letting people past, time and time again, some jumping ahead without even bothering to ask, it is understandable that the line has to be drawn somewhere.

 

What's worse is letting a well crewed boat ahead, when single handing, and ending up waiting for them to muddle through the flight slower than me.

 

Oh and having to close all the end gates because the crewed boat you've just let past can't be bothered to close them, let alone set the paddles for you.

[nb Innisfree]

All this talk of timetables is depressing

[Phil Ambrose]

I'd like a rant too, yesterday a cruiser moored in our marina dinghy park (a short cut off the river) and refused to move to let me in to pick up my wife. I eventually got in but a couple in their 70's with a bulldog were unable to do so and despite repeatedly asking the illegaly moored boat to move to allow them ashore he just started threatening all and sundry. The old couple were getting drenched as it was pouring at the time. The cut is belongs to the marina (on otherside of river) he was moored right my a sign saying "private marina use only" but still insisted on staying put till his party got back from a wander round the village.

His excuse was all the public moorings were full.

The outcome of this was that having made threats the matter was put in Police hands and I am at this moment waiting for an officer to come and take a statement.

If only he had the good grace to admit he was in the wrong and moved along a bit to allow us in we would have let it go but instead he is now going to have to deal with a visit from the Police. Rant over

[alan_fincher]

All this talk of timetables is depressing

Yes, but in my view, on the canals, talk of problems caused by people who insist on holding others to their very relaxed timetable is just as depressing as talk of people who attempt to push people along to suit their over-ambitious timetable.

[nb Innisfree]

Yes, but in my view, on the canals, talk of problems caused by people who insist on holding others to their very relaxed timetable is just as depressing as talk of people who attempt to push people along to suit their over-ambitious timetable.

 

I'm really depressed now

 

I don't have a timetable, just drift along trying to fit in with everyone

[Guest]

I'm really depressed now

 

I don't have a timetable, just drift along trying to fit in with everyone

 

Of course when you are CC'er you can probably afford to but when you are lowly hirers like us do have to have a bit of a plan (wouldn't necessarily call it a timetable) given you only have a set time on the boat, it all surrounds getting the maximum value out of the boat and ensuring you get the boat back on time.

 

We are pretty flexible too but we did set out to be in a particular area/place by the end of the day - sometimes we did it sometimes we were a bit short or got a bit further than planned

[Janet S]

I agree that the hire boat could possibly have allowed more time, but to be fair, they had set off very early and appeared to have allowed plenty of time to get back for the handover until they came across this problem. They seemed to have had a very good and well planned trip thus far.

 

However, the pair in front appeared to be taking rather more time than necessary when locking...yes dear, you look very fetching in your cowboy hat and full length Drizabone coat as you stroll leisurely along the bank, but a little consideration for other boaters wouldn't have gone amiss...

 

Call me cynical, but I got the distinct impression that this pair thought they, as boat owners, were superior to the hirers and seemed to do their utmost to delay proceedings.

 

Janet

[fuzzyduck]

B

Iwhy would they be shamed.

 

Because they're a bunch of cnuts.......?

[saltysplash]

B

 

Because they're a bunch of cnuts.......?

 

 

[Catrin]

Because they're a bunch of cnuts.......?

 

Sorry, but this reminds me...

 

One of the history teachers in my school, sitting marking a big pile of books in the Staffroom. Bemoaning the fact that year 7 couldn't spell 'Cnut', and how he had to correct every one - then the expletives when he realised that he'd just got in the habit of correcting whatever was written there, and had started to 'correct' the correctly spelled ones!

Cath

 

Edited: just in case.... when I was at school Cnut was spelled Canute, as in King of the Danes.

Edited September 5, 2009 by Catrin

[Smelly]

Now it's a while since I've been on that bit of the S&W but how on earth does it take an hour to get a pair through those locks? Was someone wading behind pushing the butty??? Perhaps picking it up and carrying/rollering it down the towpath then slipping it into the lock?

[Bob the welder]

I'm really depressed now

 

I don't have a timetable, just drift along trying to fit in with everyone

arrrrrrrrrr bles .

[Naughty Cal]

On our whole week long trip we only came across one inconsiderate boater. And it wasnt his boating but his mooring that let him down.

 

 

The finger pontoons here clearly state a max boat length of 31ft (dont know why 31 but 31ft it is) Now unless my maths is a little off that boat is considerably longer than 31ft. To top the situation off better there is a whole stretch of side on visitor moorings he could easily have got into just to the right of the picture around the corner. Plenty of spare room and better suited to narrowboats. The off shot of this was that any cruiser that wanted to moor up had to go past all of the visitor moorings to find some pollock moored on the cruiser moorings, they then had to continue down to the lock to turn as there are private moorings either side of the river, turn, come back and then moor on the other moorings. Of course there where plenty of cruisers around that day so there was plenty of shuffling going on to accomodate them all. Instead of being able to use the 5 moorings this muppet took over IDIOT.

 

Rant Over.

[Roger t' Bodger]

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, we took Aquagem Porta-Potti Carrie~Lou for a very nice five day trip, courtesy of Postcode and Cheshire~Rose who had decided to forsake the canals and head to France for some sunshine.

 

A full trip report and photo's will follow shortly...

 

The reason for this thread is to have a rant about some of the most ignorant behaviour I've witnessed on the canals - it annoyed me immensely at the time, and I'm still fuming a week later!

 

The first occasion was on Friday, just three locks into our trip from Hatherton Marina, heading towards Tixall. The weather was lovely, and as we approached the lock, it was rather an idyllic scene, with a nicely decorated motor and butty ascending (rather slowly....) Whilst we waited, I could see another boat waiting below the lock, so I wandered down to say hello, only to find a rather upset couple and their children on board a hire boat. The reason for their distress soon became clear - it was already approaching 10am, and they were expected back at the hire base.

 

They informed me that they had been stuck behind the motor and butty for some considerable time - the preceding boats were taking almost an hour per lock and had point blank refused to let them pass, despite knowing their predicament and being asked politely if they wouldn't mind letting them go in front. With three locks ahead of them, this family weren't going to make it back to base until after lunch, and faced the possibility of high penalty charges for being ovedue. The wife was understandably concerned, the husband was worried and the children were in tears.

 

Honestly, what difference would ten minutes have made to the crew of the motor and butty? They were obviously in no sort of hurry as they took their time locking through.

 

I wish I'd had the presence of mind to take a photo of the offending boats, as I think a bit of naming and shaming is in order. I didn't even get the name, as by the time I got back to the lock, they were (at last) on their way. I know they were under no obligation to let the hire boat pass, but surely they could have used a bit of common courtesy?

 

I do hope the family on the hire boat don't think that all boaters are as inconsiderate, and that it didn't spoil the holiday for them.

 

OK. Rant mode over for now...but there's more to come later!

 

Janet

 

Name and shame! Who were these pillocks? If they want to play with vintage modes of transport - do it on a preserved railway with similar folk! Canals are for everyone, not just for those who think there it a some form of class structure where 'their' boat has right of way! Grrrrrrrrr

[Orca]

yes dear, you look very fetching in your cowboy hat and full length Drizabone coat as you stroll leisurely along the bank, but a little consideration for other boaters wouldn't have gone amiss...

 

Call me cynical, but I got the distinct impression that this pair thought they, as boat owners, were superior to the hirers and seemed to do their utmost to delay proceedings.

 

Janet

 

Stereotypes to say the least!! Always good to laugh at from a distance, if nothing else

 

I have an ex-hire cruiser - always have the deepest respect for hirers and try to be courteous and helpful where possible! The attitude of some private (hierachical) boat owners to them is obscene. Certainly sounds to me as if these two were playing the 'superiority' card and even deliberately going slow - wakners!!

[Tiny]

Can I rant too?

Coming to Wrenbury electric lift bridge I was behind 2 private boats, they had raised the bridge and once both their boats were through they lowered the bridge right in front of me, I had to hit reverse to avoid hitting the bridge. They didn't even look at me. I then had to do the bridge single handed, which is not easy. To add to my misery I left my BW key there when I cruised off. Had to go back for it

 

Passing through this Bridge regularly we often have trouble. From the land point of view the locals hate the bridge which is slow and often is barely down before it is up then boats take an age to get through. From the boat point of view in theory the unwritten rule is three boats through then bridge down to clear traffic. In fact some woman let their boat through then drop the bridge as the next boat approaches. Other boats wait seemingly moored near the bridge, let someone start working it , then move off expecting to be let through and then past the boat who's crew is working the bridge - when this happens with one one way and one waiting on the bridge mooring the other and blocking it from the boat coming through the bridge it can be chaotic.

 

One reason the bridge is such a pain is that the moorings for working the bridge are totally inadequate. On one side boats using the BW short term moorings often leave only one boats bridge mooring. On the other Alvechurch boats are often moored and even double moored right up to the bridge.

 

Alvechurch also leave free swinging boats sticking out into their basin on the offside - just where boats need space to make their turn into and out of the bridge. Actually while annoying this obstruction is not all Alvechurchs fault but is mostly guess whos! Some years back the old bridge was replaced by the county council roads people. And, with BWs blessing - or their total indifference, the bridge narrows were realingned to force boats into the Alvechurch basin area rather than along the towpath side as of old. (I have a nice painting of the original to show the difference.) The new bridge also took twice as long to operate and boats had to turn out from the bridge in the basin making what had been a difficult bridge much more difficult.

 

All in all the result is that many find what was a real beauty spot on the canal a right pain to pass through.

[NB Willawaw]

I'm afraid the behaviour that you all describe is pretty typical.

The canals have changed in recent years and I suspect its caused by an increase in the number of boats and the speed at which people live, ashore.

 

Its got to the point now, where we don't bother cruising until the summer holidays are over and the number of moving boats decreases.

[Tiny]

Surely it is not reasonable for anybody to construct a canalling timetable that requires that they take one hour at every lock, and still not to expect to let faster crews past.

 

If everybody took 1 hour at every (narrow) lock, then it doesn't need very advanced maths to work out that no lock would ever be able to pass more than about 15 boats per (daylight) day.

 

Clearly the busier canals have traffic densities massively higher than that in summer, and it is only because the majority of efficient crews can pass a lock in well under 10 minutes or less that things don't completely grind to a halt at peak times.

 

Even allowing for it being a pair of boats, at (presumably), single locks, it is still taking over three times (per boat) what most would consider reasonable.

 

On that particular canal we always reckon that there will be boats stopping and boats starting as we get to Penkridge. It's that sort of place - and one where 5 narrow and 21/2 miles abn hour is often a good bet. Of course sometimes you are lucky. Incidentally there is a little new shop a few yards away behind the sanitary station there. They sell milk, bread etc. Normally, in a queue for the lock you can whip across to get the odd pint or loaf.