Breasting up..???

[Naughty Cal]

Yotties do it as well.

 

It is the accepted norm in the offshore sailing community.

 

 

Omonville La Rogue

 

You often don't have a choice.

 

This year in wells we were instructed to raft alongside a Dutch yacht by the harbour master. It's crew came back and were none too pleased so we told them to see the harbour master. He told them in no uncertain terms that if they didn't want anyone rafted alongside them that they should find another port as here it is the norm.

 

In the end they were great fun and we al had a good time together. Wasn't great getting up at 4am to let them out a few days later mind!

[Wanderer Vagabond]

If I ever meet you I will buy you a bottle of good Scotch for that post.

 

We like to do a full days's boating, so given the choice we get up early and stop quite late (generally about 30 mins before dusk, to allow adequate time for mooring up in good light). Increasingly we find that the majority of visitor moorings near shops, pubs etc. are occupied by people whose sole mission in life is to moor up as quickly as possible after lunch in order to get the prime spot and then moan at anyone else who wants to come near.

 

I wouldn't dispute anyone's right to moor up when they want to, but I do object to this childish one-upmanship whereby if you don't join in the silly game of stopping at 2pm to get a mooring because, for example, you actually like boating, then everything is obviously your fault. You want to moor up early, fine. I don't. Neither approach is better than the other. To me, getting where you want to be in half a day means the other half is wasted, so that's bad planning, not good planning. And what's with all the attitude?

 

One example on the way back from Marple Jn - we stopped at the Toby Carvery in Stoke-on-Trent quite late on. The couple on the first boat we came alongside immediately came out and offered to take our ropes, and they were lovely. However we then found that our hire boat was about 5' longer than their boat, so the front end would be free to drift wide if tied to theirs. I went up to the bows to think about it and the guy on the boat moored in front came out, completely ignored me (not even eye contact), shuffled some stuff around on his roof and then went back in. I wanted to talk to him but his whole demeanour said "huff". Eventually I tied ours up with the ropes in a triangle using both of the other boats, at which point cheery chops came bursting back out saying "Did you ask if you could do that?". And I couldn't be bothered arguing so I just said "Can we tie onto your boat please?" whilst continuing to tie up (and without making eye contact) and he begrudgingly said "Yes". And I just thought to myself, well, you could have bloody offered, couldn't you?

 

I would have to express total agreement with you. Having worked my way through this long standing thread, and coming to the Cut from offshore sailing where rafting/breasting up pretty much the norm I would make one or two observations.

 

There are circumstances whereby I would raft up without asking anyone's permission, circumstances where I would ask permission and circumstances where I wouldn't ask because it would seem to me to be rude to impinge on someone's privacy. The first example where I would not ask for anyone's permission (and would studiously ignore any complaints if they were forthcoming!) is to anyone who had moored on a Water point/elsan point/rubbish disposal/lock waiting bollard. I would assume that they have moored there because they have a problem with their boat (why else should anyone moor there??) so would assume that they consent to being breasted up against. If I go to areas in which there are a lot of continuous moorers (Kennet & Avon anyone?) then I would ask to moor alongside and expect to be allowed to do so. This is in the spirit of 'I won't complain about you if you don't complain about me' known as live and let live. Finally the circumstance where I would not ask is if someone has found the only mooring in an isolated area, under those circumstances they are entitled to their privacy.

 

Those who object to breasting up using the 'argument' that there are 2000 miles of canal so why should I share 'my' piece ignore the the fact that they do not actually own any part of the system, they are only 'borrowing' it from CaRT.Also they ignore the fact that are only going to be asked to breast up in the congested areas, so where is the problem with that? You aren't going to be asked to share a mooring in the middle of nowhere.

 

Having gone through life listening to sad people arguing over their car parking 'rights' (no sir, you don't have any 'right' to park outside of your house but you may if there is no-one else there!) I don't want to get embroiled in similar petty arguments on the Cut, life is too short for that!

Edited December 26, 2012 by Wanderer Vagabond

[JLees]

Yes fine always both ways round, nice to ask or be asked first if anyones home - canals, waterways are (thank god) a communal venture by nature....or if you're feeling like being solitary head for the many stretches where there isn't anyone moored at all. Please god don't let the waterways become prey to the nimbyism that plagues so much of the rest of this green (and apparently not so pleasant) land..... "It's not done" in St. Ives?!! ooh lala

[Tigerr]

I would have to express total agreement with you. Having worked my way through this long standing thread, and coming to the Cut from offshore sailing where rafting/breasting up pretty much the norm I would make one or two observations.

 

 

You actually read 21 pages of internet 'discussion' about rafting up? That's a feat that deserves recognition - a medal, or a cold towel on the head at least. It's the sort of dogged endurance and determination that built the empire sir.