Sunken boat in Cambridge

[FadeToScarlet]

 

nb Helena Knowsley in Cambridge. The owner has been away for a very long time, engine bay in the cruiser stern filled with water, and this morning a higher river level made it into the cabin and down she went.

 

Now the navigation authority and the council, who administer the moorings, are arguing as to who ought to pay for salvage.

 

And someone loses their home

Edited December 31, 2009 by FadeToScarlet

[Guest]

nb Helena Knowsley in Cambridge. The owner has been away for a very long time, engine bay in the cruiser stern filled with water, and this morning a higher river level made it into the cabin and down she went.

 

Now the navigation authority and the council, who administer the moorings, are arguing as to who ought to pay for salvage.

 

And someone loses their home

 

Bit of a trend developing on here

Edited December 31, 2009 by MJG

[Biggles]

So the question has to be if it was seen listing to the stern why did no one (kind neighbour maybe) take spme remidial action knowing the owner was away.

 

So much for that boating community!

 

Biggles

[FadeToScarlet]

So the question has to be if it was seen listing to the stern why did no one (kind neighbour maybe) take spme remidial action knowing the owner was away.

 

So much for that boating community!

 

Biggles

 

I thought about doing it, but the water, from being in the engine bay, looked full of oil, antifreeze, and other pollutants which I didn't want to pump into the river. The owner is apparently away indefinitely, so if, for example, it was a leaking stern tube then there's no way of keeping the boat from sitting down at the stern.

 

The Cam Conservators, the navigation authority and perhaps the people who ought to have the money and the mandate to deal with contaminated water, merely stuck a piece of paper onto the boat saying "We think you're in danger of sinking" or words to that effect.

[nb Innisfree]

Can't be much of a home if no one has lived on it for a very long time.

[Biggles]

I thought about doing it, but the water, from being in the engine bay, looked full of oil, antifreeze, and other pollutants which I didn't want to pump into the river.

 

So where is it all now then??? in the river! and the boat is also sunk with diesel probably leaking everywhere. Good plan doing nothing then?

 

Biggles

Edited December 31, 2009 by Biggles

[romarni123]

It always amazes me that people will go away and leave boats for months on there own.A guy in tamworth just left his cruiser and went abroad for six months they must have money to waste.

[DHutch]

Still a bugger tho.

 

I have to admit i can understand why its got to that point. Id like to say that i would have prevented it sinking if it where moored near us, although that said if you dont have the owners permission who knows what might ensue in these times, and if its full of oil (almost certain) then you get the eco warrors on your back. Although ofcause, guess where all that oil is now!

 

 

Daniel

[Biggles]

Not that any pollution is good, but a few litres of oil and antifreeze is better than gallons of red diesel. Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war!

 

Biggles

[boatbot]

Not that any pollution is good, but a few litres of oil and antifreeze is better than gallons of red diesel. Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war!

 

Biggles

Well there u are-I know how he would feel!!

[Teakbank12]

How sad is it to see people ignoring things these days, its too easy to walk on by.

Ive come across many boats where the moorings become loose & will always attempt to retie.

If a boat was looking a little low in the water i would hope there would be a way of contacting the owner.

 

Would it not be sensible if people left mobile numbers next to the lic display in order theat they can be contacted in an emergency??

Its a bit like having I.C.E. on your mobile...

[Dawnie]

Bit dense today, I.C.E?

[Guest]

Bit dense today, I.C.E?

 

In case of emergency

 

- some people put a contact under ICE in their mobile phone so emergency contact can be made if your found somewhere by emergency services or admitted unconscious to hospital

[Keeping Up]

Here's a small tip when you do. When I put ICE in my phone I put my wife's number - but when the phone received a call from SWBO it didn't know whether it was from her or from ICE so it gave me the wrong ring-tone (and I got into trouble for not answering the phone).

 

One way around this is simply to insert an extra digit such as a zero on the END of the ICE number. The extra will be ignored by the network if it is ever used (although I'd recommend that you to test it, just in case your network behaves differently to mine).

[LEO]

I thought about doing it, but the water, from being in the engine bay, looked full of oil, antifreeze, and other pollutants which I didn't want to pump into the river. The owner is apparently away indefinitely, so if, for example, it was a leaking stern tube then there's no way of keeping the boat from sitting down at the stern.

 

Stern tube greaser? - a bit disappointed with your lack of action, especially after all the help you received from other boaters when your had problems.

 

I would hope that someone would do something (other than stand back and take pictures) if my boat was suffering due to water ingress.

 

Leo

[Athy]

A little harsh perhaps, Leo? Never mind, only 51 weeks until the next Season of Goodwill.

[LEO]

A little harsh perhaps, Leo? Never mind, only 51 weeks until the next Season of Goodwill.

 

True, but being neighbourly lasts all 52 weeks of the year.

 

All the best for 2010.

 

Leo.

[Athy]

True, but being neighbourly lasts all 52 weeks of the year.

 

All the best for 2010.

 

Leo.

Neatly put. Same to you.

[NB Willawaw]

Its interesting how people can leave their boats unattended for large amounts of time, with no thoughts about bilge pumps or batteries.

 

We don't live on our boat all the time, but don't have a regular mooring. We tend to leave the boat in the care of boatyards and marinas (not on the towpath) and ask that they keep an eye on the boat, calling us if anything untoward should happen.

 

If you were moored on an official online mooring, I don't think it unreasonable that neighbours would look out for your boat. At least making a phone call if there was a problem and asking if there is anything they can do to help.

 

I'm not casting aspersions on this or other similar situations, but boat owners do seem to leave their boats on towpaths for long periods of time and hope for the best.

 

Even when Willawaw is in a boatyard, we still ensure that the batteries are kept charged and the bilge pumps are on auto.

[soldthehouse]

Its interesting how people can leave their boats unattended for large amounts of time, with no thoughts about bilge pumps or batteries.

 

We don't live on our boat all the time, but don't have a regular mooring. We tend to leave the boat in the care of boatyards and marinas (not on the towpath) and ask that they keep an eye on the boat, calling us if anything untoward should happen.

 

If you were moored on an official online mooring, I don't think it unreasonable that neighbours would look out for your boat. At least making a phone call if there was a problem and asking if there is anything they can do to help.

 

I'm not casting aspersions on this or other similar situations, but boat owners do seem to leave their boats on towpaths for long periods of time and hope for the best.

 

Even when Willawaw is in a boatyard, we still ensure that the batteries are kept charged and the bilge pumps are on auto.

I agree with all of that it would seem fundamental would it not to have bilge pumps as your caretaker while you are away. I can only imagine that people either have too much money of they have come by their boats easily.

[Chris Pink]

I thought about doing it, but the water, from being in the engine bay, looked full of oil, antifreeze, and other pollutants which I didn't want to pump into the river. The owner is apparently away indefinitely, so if, for example, it was a leaking stern tube then there's no way of keeping the boat from sitting down at the stern.

 

The Cam Conservators, the navigation authority and perhaps the people who ought to have the money and the mandate to deal with contaminated water, merely stuck a piece of paper onto the boat saying "We think you're in danger of sinking" or words to that effect.

 

Well I do think you should have taken some kind of action. Anything would have been better than the current state of affairs.

 

Even if it put you out a little or caused you some hassle there would have been something you could have done.

 

I don't want to give you too much of a hard time but imagine if it was your boat - boats can sink in a remarkably short time - while you're down the shops even - what if someone saw your boat about to sink and walked on by?

[sueb]

The culture of helping has largely disapeared, people mind their own business more now. We gave our phone no to our next door neighbour, we then got the lodger from hell. When we went back and found out we asked our neighbour why he hadn't phoned us. "i didn't like to worry you" he said.

He had put up with weeks of slamming car doors at all hours and loud music. The lodger left the day after we got home.

Sue

[Hairy-Neil]

I agree with all of that it would seem fundamental would it not to have bilge pumps as your caretaker while you are away.

 

Alternatively, fit a Harbourcall.... http://www.harbourcall.co.uk/

[Robbo]

Alternatively, fit a Harbourcall.... http://www.harbourcall.co.uk/

 

Remember whatever you install it will still require a power source, batteries discharge themselves so some other power source will be required as well.

[DHutch]

One way around this is simply to insert an extra digit such as a zero on the END of the ICE number. The extra will be ignored by the network if it is ever used (although I'd recommend that you to test it, just in case your network behaves differently to mine).

You can also put a hash or start on the end...