Sydney Gardens

[Doug Scullery]

Does anybody know about the mooring in Sydney Gardens in Bath, the one with the two white bollards next to the iron gate leading into the park itself. There's no signs and nobody I've spoken to seems sure on if you're allowed to moor there, and if you are how long you are allowed to moor there for. Anybody able to clarify?

[canaldrifter]

You're probably better off mooring by the Rugby Grounds below the weir on the Avon.

 

Tone

[Chris Pink]

Does anybody know about the mooring in Sydney Gardens in Bath, the one with the two white bollards next to the iron gate leading into the park itself. There's no signs and nobody I've spoken to seems sure on if you're allowed to moor there, and if you are how long you are allowed to moor there for. Anybody able to clarify?

 

Idiots do moor there.

 

Idiots(BW) have even put bollards there to make it seem as if you can moor there.

 

The first mentioned idiots are right in the turning path of any widebeam that comes through - the John Rennie for instance - and will get hit if two narrow boats meet on that bend which is completely blind.

 

 

If a wide beam (the John Rennie for instance) comes through and meets a narrow boat that space is the only place one of them can go to make passing possible - it's what the layby was designed for.

 

Don't do it.

Edited March 16, 2011 by Chris Pink

[magpie patrick]

Does anybody know about the mooring in Sydney Gardens in Bath, the one with the two white bollards next to the iron gate leading into the park itself. There's no signs and nobody I've spoken to seems sure on if you're allowed to moor there, and if you are how long you are allowed to moor there for. Anybody able to clarify?

 

Assuming you aren't going to cause an obstruction then as isn't banned it is permitted. I have occasionally seen boats there.

 

edited to add, I agree with Chris that isn't a very clever place to moor though

Edited March 16, 2011 by magpie patrick

[Chris Pink]

Assuming you aren't going to cause an obstruction then as isn't banned it is permitted. I have occasionally seen boats there.

 

edited to add, I agree with Chris that isn't a very clever place to moor though

 

The last time I took one of my boats down there I got broadsided by a hire boat coming the other way and was inches from putting my bow through the window of a boat moored there.

 

The hire boat I could forgive...

Edited March 16, 2011 by Chris Pink

[deletedaccount]

Idiots do moor there.

 

Idiots(BW) have even put bollards there to make it seem as if you can moor there.

 

The first mentioned idiots are right in the turning path of any widebeam that comes through - the John Rennie for instance - and will get hit if two narrow boats meet on that bend which is completely blind.

 

 

If a wide beam (the John Rennie for instance) comes through and meets a narrow boat that space is the only place one of them can go to make passing possible - it's what the layby was designed for.

 

Don't do it.

 

There's more than one layby, so it's not a problem. The John Rennie had no problems passing me when I was moored there.

 

The last time I took one of my boats down there I got broadsided by a hire boat coming the other way and was inches from putting my bow through the window of a boat moored there.

 

The hire boat I could forgive...

 

Was it my boat by any chance?

 

I was frozen in there for a few weeks this year.

 

eta: ah, I can see how it might be a problem if a widebeam and another boat meet in the middle - but still, there's two other laybys so I didn't think it would be a issue.

Edited March 16, 2011 by deletedaccount

[Doug Scullery]

Thanks for the prompt replies. I think I'm gonna give it a miss, not sure I wanna get too up close and personal with the John Rennie!

[deletedaccount]

Tbh, I think I did get pranged by a hire boat at one point!

 

I considered it a 14 day mooring btw.

[pearley]

When we were last there we moored downstream from the canal entrance on the RH side where the railings are. Not in anybodys way.

[Chris Pink]

I didn't think it would be a issue.

 

It's a problem because a 70 foot boat going east needs that water to swing the stern to get under the footbridge otherwise it hits the towpath side as it goes under the bridge.

 

Whereas a boat can get past with a narrow boat moored there I consider it to be an obstruction to navigation.

 

I don't know whether it was your boat, it wasn't during the ice. I was tempted to leave an acerbic message but life's too short.

 

When we were last there we moored downstream from the canal entrance on the RH side where the railings are. Not in anybodys way.

 

Indeed there's plenty of space in Bath without needing to use that spot. And considering the people that hang out in Sydney Gardens in the summer evenings I'd be a bit wary about mooring there. I reckon people use it simply because BW haven't signed it, because there's always plenty of space at Darlington Wharf or, as you say, on the river.

[deletedaccount]

Funny you should mention the people that hang out. One of them gave me a polite "warning".

 

Didn't realise it was a problem for others. I guess I'll not be mooring there again, although I have considered putting some holes down in one of the other two laybys for mooring spikes. Do you think that would also be in the way?

 

I used it because west of there before bath narrowboats was a right pain with the bank being so crumbly I was constantly being ripped out by hire boats and JR.

[Chris Pink]

I have considered putting some holes down in one of the other two laybys for mooring spikes. Do you think that would also be in the way?

 

 

No not so much, as the bit mentioned is on the blind bend and obviously designed for the bend and not for mooring.

 

It's BW's fault really for putting bollards there but then they can't really be expected to know how a canal works (as you can see from the rope catching finials on the railings through the tunnels)

 

Can you not get a spike down the other side of the hazel bank edging (I don't know, it's a bit gloomy for me to moor there anyway to be honest) on the stretch up to the winding hole?

 

Much better mooring out by Folly Foot bridge in my opinion.

[deletedaccount]

Yeah, you can just get a spike down but it's not very strong ground. There's a couple of streams which make it even softer.

 

I'm in avoncliff and right now, which is much nicer.

[Doug Scullery]

Funny you should mention the people that hang out. One of them gave me a polite "warning".

 

I'm curious to know what form this polite "warning" took. What were they warning you about?