A question of etiquette

[craigx]

Had a very nice week on the boat only marred by having to follow, on two occasions, another boat who was travelling very slowly on tick over for at least 2 miles on open canal. I don't have a problem with people travelling slowly as it can be nice when the sun is out. However, I think it is a bit selfish to inflict this speed on others if they need to get on. I did eventually pass these two boat, at a slow pace after getting their attention with a short blast on the horn, but they appeared a bit put out. What is the etiquette for overtaking on the canal.

[bottle]

Just what you did, get within horn or hailing distance and let them know what you want to do.

[Minos]

Sometimes you get stuck behind someone who hasn't even begun to imagine that their behaviour is affecting anyone else: you get it on the roads as well as the waterways. There is no nice way of waking someone up from their happy daydreaming.

 

At least when you're on the water you have the opportunity to say a few words as you pass, just to reassure them that you're not an aggressive yob carving up the water for your own gratification.

 

For the most part, though, I don't know of many occasions where it is worth overtaking - unless you are going to steal the next lock...

[jenlyn]

Had a very nice week on the boat only marred by having to follow, on two occasions, another boat who was travelling very slowly on tick over for at least 2 miles on open canal. I don't have a problem with people travelling slowly as it can be nice when the sun is out. However, I think it is a bit selfish to inflict this speed on others if they need to get on. I did eventually pass these two boat, at a slow pace after getting their attention with a short blast on the horn, but they appeared a bit put out. What is the etiquette for overtaking on the canal.

was the canal shallow, did the other boat consider it not safe to move over? I often have some wally tooting and shouting because he wants to get past, i will of course allow him to when i consider it safe for myself and the other person to do so

[Guest Quo Vadis]

Had a very nice week on the boat only marred by having to follow, on two occasions, another boat who was travelling very slowly on tick over for at least 2 miles on open canal. I don't have a problem with people travelling slowly as it can be nice when the sun is out. However, I think it is a bit selfish to inflict this speed on others if they need to get on. I did eventually pass these two boat, at a slow pace after getting their attention with a short blast on the horn, but they appeared a bit put out. What is the etiquette for overtaking on the canal.

Nothing personal, but WHAT'S THE RUSH!!! If you've got an appointment ... get a car.

I seriously don't get anyone hurrying on a canal, if you are late getting a hire-boat back, try advance planning.

The modern, run-down, silted, reedy canals are just a leisure facility, to be used for Leisure, which to me means a leisurely pace, or do you need to hurry to the next beauty spot to tick it off a list. Presumably, you would also need to hurry past moored boats that inconveniently lie along your route.

I have no sympathy, having said that, as I tick along with n'er a ripple, engine almost silent, soaking up the beautiful sights and sounds around me, I do spend nearly as much time looking backwards as forwards. If I see a boat catching me (more fool them) I pull over and let them by. I would add, that as they pass, they usually don't slow down, even though it is obvious that I'm only holding the boat on the centre rope.

Is there anywhere I can leave me soapbox?

[adam1uk]

WHAT'S THE RUSH!!!

 

What's your definition of rushing -- going above tickover?

[jelunga]

Look out. The West Sussex mafia - OP from Hassocks, Adam1uk from W. Sussex. As an East sussex type I never rush. I do not know where this incident occurred, but when I was coming up a very shallow Oxford and Coventry a couple of weeks ago, going just above tickover so I made as small a hole in the water as possible and stopped the tiller vibrating like a ladies toy, I had a total pratt come speeding past so much so that he made me touch bottom and almost speared the bank.

 

 

So, speed is relative. On a wide river with loads of water , not a problem. On a shallow canal with bends etc, it is not friendly.

 

 

 

If you want to overtake me going at a speed I consider appropriate for the canal conditions, then you do so at your own risk. And it would be polite to hail ahead to advise this. To steam past at an illegal speed and shout "washing machine" at me does not prevent me thinking rude things about you!

 

 

 

And to agree with previous posters, if you are in a hurry, you have picked the wrong mode of transport and / or made a planning error.

 

 

 

Keith

[FadeToScarlet]

You can legitimately be in a hurry. I choose to do long days and long distances on the one canal holiday I get per year, so I can actually get somewhere.

 

Hence Cambridge to London in 9 days. Over a 1 month holiday, we got to London, had a week in town, and got blacked on the way back. Oh, and only got talked to by two moored boaters..... both saying thanks for going so slowly.

 

You couldn't do that trip at tickover.

[nigel carton]

Nothing personal, but WHAT'S THE RUSH!!! If you've got an appointment ... get a car.

I seriously don't get anyone hurrying on a canal, if you are late getting a hire-boat back, try advance planning.

The modern, run-down, silted, reedy canals are just a leisure facility, to be used for Leisure, which to me means a leisurely pace, or do you need to hurry to the next beauty spot to tick it off a list. Presumably, you would also need to hurry past moored boats that inconveniently lie along your route.

I have no sympathy, having said that, as I tick along with n'er a ripple, engine almost silent, soaking up the beautiful sights and sounds around me, I do spend nearly as much time looking backwards as forwards. If I see a boat catching me (more fool them) I pull over and let them by. I would add, that as they pass, they usually don't slow down, even though it is obvious that I'm only holding the boat on the centre rope.

Is there anywhere I can leave me soapbox?

 

Some of us, not many, work the canals, I deliver boats from A to B.

[tony collins]

Quo Vadis, whilst you may consider that someone who wants to pass you as an inconvenience, you might also be considered an inconvenience to someone who wishes to travel faster than you. It is an incontrovertible truth that on our canals it is impossible for one boat to pass another without the co-operation of the boat being overtaken. It is also true that the overtaking boat should proceed at such a speed that the manoeuvre does not put you both on the mud. All it requires is a bit of thought (and tolerance) on the part of both skippers. Each could legitimately view the other as inconsiderate, but that should be tempered with thoughts to their own behaviour.

[bottle]

I travel at a relatively high speed, must reach 3 mph in some spots but always slow for moored boats and have often been thanked (just like Fade to Scarlet) for my slow speed, when passing.

 

If someone wants to pass, even when I am at mach3 mph, I let them do so as soon as possible.

 

An aside, what is it about the Bridgewater, I have never been rocked by so many boats passing, at speed.

[Midnight Rider]

It is an incontrovertible truth that on our canals it is impossible for one boat to pass another without the co-operation of the boat being overtaken.

Tixall Wide?

[muddywaters]

I tend to go at what ever speed the condition of the canal I am on at the time allows.

Although we tend to cover longer distance by starting / finishing early and late as daylight allows that is.

When we are having a day when we can take it more easier we will go a lot slower but as someone else has said spend just as much time looking back as forward so if a boat behind is catching up at the first chance I will pull over and let it pass.

All it takes is a little consideration from both boats

[DeanS]

Good topic this.

When a boat is in front of me, I will try and keep away from it as long as possible, but if they are going too slowly, and I start catching them, I start hoping they'll ask me to pass......

 

When a boat is behind me, I try and keep away from them as long as possible, but if they keep up, I'll wave them past if there is space....

I did that once, and the guy shouted as he passed that he was stopping anyway in about 5mins....

I guess I just like to have the canal to myself.....cant explain it...

I definately get more flustered by a boat in my rear than a boat up front though

 

Sometimes you're on a slow day with no where to go.

Other days may be that you're trying to reach a lock-keeper by a certain time...or a tunnel.

[alan_fincher]

We caught up a pair of very slow boats in Wast Hills tunnel a couple of days ago.

 

As soon as we got out, the slow moving chap at the front pulled over and waved the boat in front of us, and then us past, (which in my view is a reasonable way to behave).

 

The guy in front of us then clocked up a tidy few miles at a not particularly greater speed than the slowest boat had previously been going, but didn't then seem to think it was necessary to let us past, just constantly turning to look at as, (presumably to make sure I wasn't going to push past ?)

 

He seemed to think it was useful to be able to overtake himself, but see no need to extend the same courtesy to others.

 

It's all very well the "what's the hurry" set keep putting in their say.......

 

So, tell me then - if you are not in a hurry what is the problem with letting someone else who may not have as much time as you have to simply slip past you ?

 

It is an incontrovertible truth that on our canals it is impossible for one boat to pass another without the co-operation of the boat being overtaken.

 

Tixall Wide?

 

The trunk of the North Circular aqueduct not being used by the slow boat ?

[Ex- Member]

Is there some kind of hand signal for an intention to pass BTW

[nicknorman]

First point, nearly everyone who isn't just biding time waiting to die of old age, have other commitments etc that mean they sometimes have to be somewhere at an appointed time. In our case we live in Aberdeen but have the boat at Tamworth, and fly down and back, sometimes just for a weekend. That means we have to arrive at the airport at the appointed time, or miss the flight and have to pay maybe £500 for 2 last minute tickets. Of course we leave some margin, but it's a tradeoff between leaving some margin and significantly cutting down the time we can spend cruising in our fantastic boat. So if we get stuck behind some selfish person who is basking in self-righteous glory about how they are going at tickover and anyone who wants to rush (aka go slightly faster) shouldn't be on the canals, I find frustrating, stressful and enjoyment-reducing and would quite like to hit them if only I could reach!

 

Our boat is deep drafted but has good swims so is quite fast on deeper sections but can be slow when it's shallow. I always keep an eye out behind, and if someone is gaining on me I always encourage them to overtake. It would be nice if that was always reciprocated but alas not.

 

It really is so trivially easy to let someone else overtake that I wonder why some find it such a big deal. Presumably it is people who struggle to control their boats just trundling along and anything over an above that is beyond them. I just wish they would learn to boat! Thinking about it, it's probably BECAUSE they are tickover, with limited rudder authority, that they are so scared!

 

I can't abide selfishness.

[Pretty Funked Up]

People should travel at whatever speed they feel comfortable/happy with but...

LOOK BEHIND YOU NOW AND THEN!

(a little more often than once every hour or two)

[nicknorman]

Is there some kind of hand signal for an intention to pass BTW

There is one for wanting to pass ridiculously slow people but it's not printable!

[Guest]

To expect the boat following you to travel at tick over when that is the speed that you want to do is unreasonable. Travelling above tick-over on the open canal with no moored boats is perfectly reasonable, it's not at all about 'what's the rush' it's just making decent progress particularly when some of us still have the odd deadline to meet - like getting to a new mooring many miles away by a particular date.

 

We followed such a boater up the T&M towards Preston Brook tunnel last week - he had queue of 5 boats behind him by the time he reached the southern tunnel portal.

 

Fortunately he moored too short beyond the stop lock to allow enough space for all the boats behind him to moor.

 

As I was second boat in the funeral procession I asked -

 

'Excuse me we need to make some space for the boats behind us, do you mind if I just move past you so that more boats can get in behind' knowing full well if he said no problem I'd be first in the tunnel and rid of him.

 

'No problem mate...' sorted...

 

Of course I could have asked him to move up but I really couldn't have stood creeping through the tunnel ricocheting off the walls...

[bottle]

Similar last week.

 

We entered the tunnel a few minutes after a boat, one that we had already pulled of a mud bank earlier, we were delayed by a boat coming 'up' the lock, I travelled at my normal speed, half way through I realised I was catching him, so slowed to tick-over. I was still catching him, so slipped into neutral, not the best thing to do in a tunnel.

 

Crew member went forward to have a better look, although he had his tunnel light on his crew member was at the front with a torch, giving instructions, left a bit, right a bit, left a bit.

 

It takes all sorts.

[tony collins]

Posted Today, 06:14 PM

 

View Posttony collins, on 27 August 2011 - 04:56 PM, said:

It is an incontrovertible truth that on our canals it is impossible for one boat to pass another without the co-operation of the boat being overtaken.

 

Tixall Wide?

 

No-one likes a smart @rse!

[craigx]

I think it's a question of good manners really. If it is obvious that some one wants to overtake and it is safe to d so and the canal is wide enough and deep enough why not let them - and everyone is happy. Unfortunately,there are some small minded, petty minded people about, even on the canals, who take delight in selfish behaviour. Where's that soap box gone?

[carlt]

It is an incontrovertible truth that on our (teeny tiny Southern) canals it is impossible for one boat to pass another without the co-operation of the boat being overtaken

[Chris Pink]

Is there some kind of hand signal for an intention to pass BTW

http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/visual_sound.htm