kennet and avon stopage

[Bricksh]

Semington Top Lock (16) has been damaged. Have phoned BW and they are advising it will be at least one and a half weeks to repair. It is not on waterscape web site yet.

 

Stuck in Bradford.

[Big John]

Semington Top Lock (16) has been damaged. Have phoned BW and they are advising it will be at least one and a half weeks to repair. It is not on waterscape web site yet.

Seems like another argument to say that BW should have weekend cover for Waterscape. They might not think it's important but for boaters - both hirers and owners - the need to plan is paramount.

 

Have they put up signs anywhere?

[Bricksh]

Seems like another argument to say that BW should have weekend cover for Waterscape. They might not think it's important but for boaters - both hirers and owners - the need to plan is paramount.

 

Have they put up signs anywhere?

Just cycled up to have a look, the gate anchor plate has been ripped out and the gate is laying at an angle. The only notices we saw were on the Semmington bottom lock. I guess it'll be a busy week around Bradford and Bath.

[ditchcrawler]

Just cycled up to have a look, the gate anchor plate has been ripped out and the gate is laying at an angle. The only notices we saw were on the Semmington bottom lock. I guess it'll be a busy week around Bradford and Bath.

By the anchor plate, do you mean the the steal work that is set into the stone /concrete work on the top of the lock that holds band that goes round the top of the gate.

If so the same thing happened on the Stratford Canal and BW fixed it in 24 hours.

[Bricksh]

By the anchor plate, do you mean the the steal work that is set into the stone /concrete work on the top of the lock that holds band that goes round the top of the gate.

If so the same thing happened on the Stratford Canal and BW fixed it in 24 hours.

Yes thats the plate I was referring to. The gate itself looks OK. I would certainly agree that it should be a relatively straightforward job, the timescales were from the BW engineer this morning. I guess they have no one to plan and resource the work on a bank holiday weekend. Doesn't look easy to get a crane to it mind.

[ditchcrawler]

Yes thats the plate I was referring to. The gate itself looks OK. I would certainly agree that it should be a relatively straightforward job, the timescales were from the BW engineer this morning. I guess they have no one to plan and resource the work on a bank holiday weekend. Doesn't look easy to get a crane to it mind.

They didn't use a crane on the Stratford. They pulled the gate up straight in the closed position and reset the iron work in cement the day after it broke and then reopened the flight at 8 am the next morning when the cement had gone off.

[Andy Todd]

Hire boat from sally boats. Reported to have got the front stuck under the balance beam. The ironwork set into the concrete has been broken.

 

Apparently they will need to get a crane in. Told that these days they have to use steel stop boards, not wood. Going to get divers in to check the cup.

[deletedaccount]

I guess it'll be a busy week around Bradford and Bath.

 

Too bloody right. I've had my mooring pins ripped clean out twice a day over easter.

[Bricksh]

Too bloody right. I've had my mooring pins ripped clean out twice a day over easter.

I've put two boats back on the bank. In places around Bradford it is very soft. My pins were loose in Bradford within a couple of hours! Some boats, both private and hire have no regard whatsoever and were speeding past.

 

The stoppage is now on waterscape, maybe opening Friday.

[J R]

Heard about it on Monday morning. Yet more hire boat damage. Don't the hire companies do proper showouts, or do people just forget as soon as they cruise off. Got the email about the closure yesterday advising on the stoppage, followed later by a second email advising the work was due to be completed on or by Friday 9th as soon as access difficulties have been resolved. Heres hoping as it looks like a good cruiing weekend coming up.

[Chris Pink]

Heard about it on Monday morning. Yet more hire boat damage. Don't the hire companies do proper showouts, or do people just forget as soon as they cruise off. Got the email about the closure yesterday advising on the stoppage, followed later by a second email advising the work was due to be completed on or by Friday 9th as soon as access difficulties have been resolved. Heres hoping as it looks like a good cruiing weekend coming up.

 

My general impression of this new season is more short term lets, less steering ability and a much increased attitude of 'couldn't care less, it's only a boating lake' - whether this emanates from the hire boat companies is difficult to tell.

 

I have yet to see any Sally or Alvechurch boat tutored through Bradford Lock for instance, which they used to be up to a couple of years ago.

 

Sally Boats appears to be Sally Narrowboats now so the 'new' owners attitude to the local boating community is as yet untested.

[Naughty Cal]

If you moor near a hire base you are going to get inexperienced boaters come past your mooring. It goes without saying. You cant expect every hirer to be as experienced or knowledgable as yourself.

[mayalld]

Heard about it on Monday morning. Yet more hire boat damage. Don't the hire companies do proper showouts, or do people just forget as soon as they cruise off. Got the email about the closure yesterday advising on the stoppage, followed later by a second email advising the work was due to be completed on or by Friday 9th as soon as access difficulties have been resolved. Heres hoping as it looks like a good cruiing weekend coming up.

 

Whilst this may have been caused by a hire boat, not all damage is, and IME, private boat owners with either an inflated view of their capabilities, gung-ho attitude, or a shocking lack of attention to the job at hand, cause just as much damage.

[magpie patrick]

Heard about it on Monday morning. Yet more hire boat damage. Don't the hire companies do proper showouts, or do people just forget as soon as they cruise off. Got the email about the closure yesterday advising on the stoppage, followed later by a second email advising the work was due to be completed on or by Friday 9th as soon as access difficulties have been resolved. Heres hoping as it looks like a good cruiing weekend coming up.

 

While I would agree with Chris Pink's assesment that there is more of a "couldn't care less" attitude and that the companies on the K and A, you must remember that the hire boats form a critical part of the justification for keeping canals open. Far more people get afloat on a hire boat than on their own boats (about ten times as many) and while hiring a boat isn't cheap it does give access to the canals for people for whom ownership is not an option. They also tend to spend more than private owners in shops pubs etc, thus further justifying a government subsidy. Hire boats may damage the system (although the only incidents of damage that have affected me personally have been from private boats) but they also go a long way to paying for it.

[nb Innisfree]

I've put two boats back on the bank. In places around Bradford it is very soft. My pins were loose in Bradford within a couple of hours! Some boats, both private and hire have no regard whatsoever and were speeding past.

 

The stoppage is now on waterscape, maybe opening Friday.

 

I think the only realistic solution is a better mooring system such as metal plates with spikes digging into the towpath, and then the mooring pin hammered in through a hole. It would spread the load and, I guess, hold fast. Pins alone are not enough, we had as many as 6 pins coming loose on the K&A in the wet summer of '07. Getting irate with speeding boaters is a waste of time, I was told by one boater to moor up properly despite us having 6 pins in at that point!

 

As for getting caught up on gates they should have a suitable plate fixed on to prevent it happening, no point relying on people being told.

Edited April 8, 2010 by nb Innisfree

[Chris Pink]

If you moor near a hire base you are going to get inexperienced boaters come past your mooring. It goes without saying. You cant expect every hirer to be as experienced or knowledgable as yourself.

 

I am sorry you didn't understand my post.

 

I think the only realistic solution is a better mooring system such as metal plates with spikes digging into the towpath, and then the mooring pin hammered in through a hole. It would spread the load and, I guess, hold fast. Pins alone are not enough, we had as many as 6 pins coming loose on the K&A in the wet summer of '07. Getting irate with speeding boaters is a waste of time, I was told by one boater to moor up properly despite us having 6 pins in at that point!

 

As for getting caught up on gates they should have a suitable plate fixed on to prevent it happening, no point relying on people being told.

 

I've been cruising on the K and A for 21 years now and very very rarely have my spikes pulled out. But then they are a proper size (2'6" x 1.25") , not the mickey mouse things most chandleries sell, beaten as far in as they will go with a proper hammer.

[J R]

Too bloody right. I've had my mooring pins ripped clean out twice a day over easter.

 

Having had pins pulled out and bent at 45 degree angle a number of times, yes, and been embarressed by finding the boat half way across the canal, opted for a more radical way of stopping the pins coming adrift in soft ground. Got three 3' long pieces of 1" re-bar, the stuff they use for reinforcing concrete. Also have a pretty good persuader, (decent sized sledge hammer) to punch them into the ground. Never had a problem since!

 

On the hire boat front, all bases are required by law to do a full 'show out' and I have no doubt that Sally Narrowboats did do this for the boat that damaged the lock at Semington. Unfortunately some so called crews seem to have brain fade as soon as they hit the canal. I fully subscribe to those who have never been through a lock before to be shown 'through' if not for their safetys sake. The canals are for the enjoyment of many people with many different interests and they do keep the whole system alive and going. Unfortunately some hireres are only there for a few days and are not as considerate as the majority of users, be they boaters, fishers, walkers. Its the wretched 'booze' cruise stag weekenders that seem to be the worst. Why do they always dress as pirates? New thread perhaps?

Edited April 8, 2010 by J R

[Guest]

Yet more hire boat damage.

 

Bloody disgraceful ban em all I say...

 

 

I fully subscribe to those who have never been through a lock before to be shown 'through' if not for their safetys sake.

 

Just for the record - how do you think Silsden boats would do that? (or indeed any other hire company many miles from the nearest lock)

Edited April 8, 2010 by MJG

[Andy Todd]

On the hire boat front, all bases are required by law to do a full 'show out' and I have no doubt that Sally Narrowboats did do this for the boat that damaged the lock at Semington. Unfortunately some so called crews seem to have brain fade as soon as they hit the canal. I fully subscribe to those who have never been through a lock before to be shown 'through' if not for their safetys sake. The canals are for the enjoyment of many people with many different interests and they do keep the whole system alive and going. Unfortunately some hireres are only there for a few days and are not as considerate as the majority of users, be they boaters, fishers, walkers.

 

Local BW lock keepers stated that this hire company cause them more problems than other operators.

 

The boat concerned were a 2 person crew (male/female)

 

Just for the record - how do you think Silsden boats would do that? (or indeed any other hire company many miles from the nearest lock)

 

IIRC there are some hire companies who are in that position send one member of staff up to the lock to meet the boats.

[Guest]

Local BW lock keepers stated that this hire company cause them more problems than other operators.

 

As I say they should be banned forthwith.... and all hire companies forced to shut.

 

IIRC there are some hire companies who are in that position send one member of staff up to the lock to meet the boats.

 

Fair comment - might not be practical in all circumstances - first flight going east from Silsden is the Bingley Five rise.

 

 

 

 

 

Just one thing to add though - the only case I have ever witnessed of a boater deliberately (not accidentally) abusing lock gates, in this case by 'ramming' the gates open on a empty lock going uphill was not a hirer. I use the word 'ramming' quite deliberately.

[Big John]

Local BW lock keepers stated that this hire company cause them more problems than other operators.

Sounds like BW needs to use their mystery shoppers to check on the aforesaid.

[simonk]

In case it affects anyone's plans, the lock has now re-opened (Friday 12:30). Moored below there at the moment.

Edited April 9, 2010 by simonk