Why do GRP cruisers.......

[Kessy]

Why do 90% of people in Cruisers go so bloody quick past moored boats ! ?

 

Any others find this in your location?

 

I am moored on the Lee and the wash most of them create is starting to drive me nuts !

 

 

Rant over......

[bottle]

Because they do not steer at low speeds.

[magpie patrick]

Why do 90% of people in Cruisers go so bloody quick past moored boats ! ?

 

Any others find this in your location?

 

I am moored on the Lee and the wash most of them create is starting to drive me nuts !

 

 

Rant over......

 

As the owner of such a boat I'd say it because they don't steer well at low speeds, we could fit a rudder to the outboard but clearing the propellor of the usual coal bags (and guess which type of boats use those, it isn't GRP cruisers) is difficult enough anyway. I must admit some surprise at your observation as going along the K and A Juno doesn't cause other vessels to move with her wash at cruising speed. Juno weighs around 1 tonne whereas our old narrowboat, Ripple, weighed nearer 20 tonnes. This means Juno is moving a tonne of water around when Ripple would have been moving 20 times that amount in the same channel profile

 

The boats you talk of may be heavier and moving faster of course

[Nickhlx]

As the owner of such a boat I'd say it because they don't steer well at low speeds, we could fit a rudder to the outboard but clearing the propellor of the usual coal bags (and guess which type of boats use those, it isn't GRP cruisers) is difficult enough anyway. I must admit some surprise at your observation as going along the K and A Juno doesn't cause other vessels to move with her wash at cruising speed. Juno weighs around 1 tonne whereas our old narrowboat, Ripple, weighed nearer 20 tonnes. This means Juno is moving a tonne of water around when Ripple would have been moving 20 times that amount in the same channel profile

 

The boats you talk of may be heavier and moving faster of course

 

The heavier boat though is presumably much longer so the disturbance is more streamlined and spread over a much longer distance..... some of the boats on the Thames seem to "speed" but produce almost no wash ..

 

Nick

[Speedwheel]

I am moored on the Lee and the wash most of them create is starting to drive me nuts !

 

Maybe, like everybody else, they are so sick of passing mile upon mile of continuous moorers that they just think F*#$ it.

[Kessy]

In response to a couple of answers:-

 

Some Cruisers pass me at sensible speeds and they appear top be steering perfectly well, while others just appear to be oblivious to moored boats.

 

I am moored at Lea Valley marina, on the Lee so assume i am seeing more traffic due to my location.

 

It appears that quite a few of the Boat owners here have voiced the same opinion.

 

I didn't mean to start an argument with any Cruiser owners on here, i was just curious as to wether this happens elsewhere?

[ymu]

Maybe, like everybody else, they are so sick of passing mile upon mile of continuous moorers that they just think F*#$ it.

Those aren't continuous moorers, they are stationary boats on the system. Speeding past them causes damage to the canal infrastructure, often leaves boats drifting loose on the cut for others to deal with, and is why large parts of the South Oxford have no bank between cut and towpath to tie up to any more, because the bank gives way if the pin does not..

 

It'd be a lot slower for you if every boat was on the move from dawn until dusk; a lot harder to make the same distances in a day if you were only allowed to tie up in a marina; and too expensive a system to exist solely for a handful of speed freaks who made the wrong choice of hobby to have to themselves.

 

Plan your journeys better. It's by far the most palatable alternative.

[Kessy]

I have also noticed that a Cruiser travelling at say 7mph will create a more 'violent' wash than a 57ft narrowboat at 4-5mph

[magpie patrick]

I have also noticed that a Cruiser travelling at say 7mph will create a more 'violent' wash than a 57ft narrowboat at 4-5mph

 

Ah, well there's the first thing, my "cruising speed" down the K and A is around 3mph. My problem comes when I try to crawl past moored narrow boats at say 1mph. 7mph will make a wash, even in Juno, and I would never got past a moored boat at that sort of speed.

[RLWP]

I have also noticed that a Cruiser travelling at say 7mph will create a more 'violent' wash than a 57ft narrowboat at 4-5mph

 

What's the 'speed limit' on the Lee?

 

Richard

[carlt]

I have also noticed that a Cruiser travelling at say 7mph will create a more 'violent' wash than a 57ft narrowboat at 4-5mph

I imagine a 57' narrowboat travelling at, say, 7mph will create a more 'violent' wash than a 57' narrowboat at 4-5mph, too.

[Kessy]

What's the 'speed limit' on the Lee?

 

Richard

 

According to the Marina office it is the usual 4mph

 

The biggest wash i have seen thus far was created by a 10ft dory would you believe, mind you he was travelling at least 20 mph.

[Speedwheel]

Those aren't continuous moorers, they are stationary boats on the system. Speeding past them causes damage to the canal infrastructure, often leaves boats drifting loose on the cut for others to deal with, and is why large parts of the South Oxford have no bank between cut and towpath to tie up to any more, because the bank gives way if the pin does not..

 

It'd be a lot slower for you if every boat was on the move from dawn until dusk; a lot harder to make the same distances in a day if you were only allowed to tie up in a marina; and too expensive a system to exist solely for a handful of speed freaks who made the wrong choice of hobby to have to themselves.

 

Plan your journeys better. It's by far the most palatable alternative.

 

It's just to easy on here - dangle the worm and within seconds you've got a bite.

[1066]

Maybe, like everybody else, they are so sick of passing mile upon mile of continuous moorers that they just think F*#$ it.

 

 

Got it in one! Perhaps I'm a bit biased, though, 'cos my cruiser won't go above 3mph before it starts to self-destruct.

Edited June 5, 2011 by 1066

[Roger Gunkel]

The Norfolk Broads has always had a problem with speeding boats, but in the last couple of years there has been a heavy crackdown. I went down to the Broads last week to check on my motorsailer, and found that about 1 in 3 boats were coming past our mooring considerably above the 5mph limit. Many were hire boats going flat out, but an equal number were large private luxury 35-50 cruisers who seem to feel they are above the normal rules. about an hour after I arrived, a Broads warden patrol boat moored up about 100 yards away just round a slight bend. Within 5 minutes they had pulled over a hire boat creating a large breaking wash, which they later told me they had radar checked at 8.7mph. That was a written warning for a first offence and a written warning to the hire company aswell. the next 3 boats to come past were also exceeding the limit with breaking washes, and all 3 were cautioned. 10 minutes later, a private Broom 42 with the crew up on the flying bridge came past and slammed my boat hard against the jetty, he was waved over by the patrol but carried on. He was summoned on the loud hailer to turn round and come back, which he sheepishly did. That was apparently a recommendation for a fine, the maximum is £1000. While they were being issued paperwork, another boat sped past and was shouted at to slow dowm. As the crew couldn't see the patrol boat, the response was 'F**k Off! That was an immediate loud hailer, a return to the patrol boat and the likelihood of a larger fine.

 

After about 90 minutes, they had issued paperwork to over 20 boats and had a queue of 4 boats at one point. The last I saw of them, was when another Broom came by at about 8mph, were shouted at to slow down, shouted back some obsceneties and sped up after waving beer cans at the patrol. The patrol immediately roared off after them with blue light flashing after radioing their colleagues ahead.

 

I loved it particularly after I found a couple of weeks ago that my boat had been slammed so hard against the jetty, that the nuts holding the 8mm bolts through the deck plate on one of my mooring cleats had split from the force.

 

Roger

[ditchcrawler]

As the owner of such a boat I'd say it because they don't steer well at low speeds, we could fit a rudder to the outboard but clearing the propellor of the usual coal bags (and guess which type of boats use those, it isn't GRP cruisers) is difficult enough anyway. I must admit some surprise at your observation as going along the K and A Juno doesn't cause other vessels to move with her wash at cruising speed. Juno weighs around 1 tonne whereas our old narrowboat, Ripple, weighed nearer 20 tonnes. This means Juno is moving a tonne of water around when Ripple would have been moving 20 times that amount in the same channel profile

 

The boats you talk of may be heavier and moving faster of course

I am always surprised by how much a moored narrowboat moves when the canoes at Cropredy go by.

[Guest]

Can't say I have had any more probs. with "cruisers" than other N.B's in my time on the cut. I have found the vast majority to be considerate and friendly.

 

I am always surprised by how much a moored narrowboat moves when the canoes at Cropredy go by.

I once got told off for making too much wash with an Avon Dinghy with a Seagull outboard hung on the back. I had to agree that it was making more wash than I realised and apologised unreservedly.

[ymu]

Ooh, Norfolk 5-0!

 

Could do with some of that on the South Oxford...

[RLWP]

I got told off for going too fast today. Sue said I was going too quick

 

Richard

[ymu]

I am always surprised by how much a moored narrowboat moves when the canoes at Cropredy go by.

If the levels have changed much, we get shoved around by passing trains in some spots.

[Guest]

I got told off for going too fast today. Sue said I was going too quick

 

Richard

I usually get the opposite comment these days

[Barry]

In response to a couple of answers:-

 

Some Cruisers pass me at sensible speeds and they appear top be steering perfectly well, while others just appear to be oblivious to moored boats.

 

I am moored at Lea Valley marina, on the Lee so assume i am seeing more traffic due to my location.

 

It appears that quite a few of the Boat owners here have voiced the same opinion.

 

I didn't mean to start an argument with any Cruiser owners on here, i was just curious as to wether this happens elsewhere?

 

Have a look and see if you can see how many engines they have. A lot of cruisers have outdrives so you can see just by looking at the transom. Cruisers with two engines can find it difficult to go slow. I have friends with a 24 footer but it has twin outdrives. their slowest speed, without dropping into neutral, is 4mph. The trouble with outdrives, having no rudder, is that as soon as the prop stops spinning they lose all steerage. Cruisers with one outdrive do better of course. My Princess 32 weighs three tons, has one outdrive and my slowest speed at tickover, before it was taken out of the water for maintenance, was 2.6mph. It'll be interesting to see how slow I can go when I get back in the water.

 

What type of cruisers do you see most? Are they narrow cruisers? Small cruisers with outboards? Large gin palaces with flying bridges etc?

 

 

 

I was once fishing in a match in the River Ancholme. As a convoy of boats passed there were cries of protest from downstream. The convoy of boats were all travelling at the same speed, obviously a group travelling together. Each one was creating a big wash and each angler was having their gear washed into the river. As they passed me, and I was hanging onto my keep net for dear life I shouted 'You might have the decency to slow down - you can see what you're doing to us'. His reply was to shout '4 miles per hour' and to continue blasting on regardless. I presume that was the maximum speed limit and they were sticking to it no matter what. Different situation but perhaps a similar mentality from the boaters.

[ChrisPy]

a typical cruiser has a wide square transom about 1ft deep. as the boat moves ahead the transom leaves a hole in the water, which then rushes in to fill the hole. such boats have a larger stern wash than bow wash.

a narrowboat doesn't create that type of wash.

[john b.]

Hi, Same problem on The Lanky, there were so many complaints a year or so ago that B.W. wrote to all boat owners licensed on the canal requesting boats to slow down cruisers and narrowboats alike. We do point out to some cruisers that their water skier has fallen off but to be fair a few narrowboats are just as bad.

John b

[Roger Gunkel]

I'd have to say that all of the boats that I saw stopped on the Broads by the patrol boat had absolutely no problem travelling slowly afterwards.

 

I think that much of the problem is due to the fact that a very large number of boaters have absolutely no idea at all how to judge their speed and don't actually know how fast they are going. That seems to be especially the case with owners of cruisers that are capable of comparatively high speeds who think that if they throttle right back form their previous high speed, they must be going slowly They also seem to be able to manoeuvre slowly into moorings with no problems.

 

Roger