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jez1954

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But these[/url] are better looking!

enchantress2.jpg

 

David

yes ,those umpire launches are beautiful,i have driven one or two.

 

at legal upper thames speeds they move gracefully,but when they run at full speed the wash is horrific!

 

when they follow the rowers at henley regatta,they carry the umpires,(and anyone else who can hold their drink),the wash breaks over the riverbank.

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I fully agree that a RIB is less than ideal, because it will make annoying amounts of wash; and the rowing club themselves might not like it, either! It could be that this is the only thing they can afford, and that fulfilling the cheapness, keeping-up and safety passenger requirements were seen as more important than the low wash requirements.

 

Sorry but that argument is weak.

 

Support boats get an exemption from speed limits on the basis that they are designed to minimize the extra wash caused.

 

If the club can't afford a suitable boat they should stick to the speed limit.

 

Anything else is just an arrogant assumption that their activity is more important than anybody else's.

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I fully agree that a RIB is less than ideal, because it will make annoying amounts of wash; and the rowing club themselves might not like it, either! It could be that this is the only thing they can afford, and that fulfilling the cheapness, keeping-up and safety passenger requirements were seen as more important than the low wash requirements.

 

Sorry but that argument is weak.

 

Support boats get an exemption from speed limits on the basis that they are designed to minimize the extra wash caused.

 

If the club can't afford a suitable boat they should stick to the speed limit.

 

Anything else is just an arrogant assumption that their activity is more important than anybody else's.

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Stick to steam,its superbly quiet,and make tea from water strait out of the boiler, and if danger from anti-rowers threatens,sling everyone's socks on the fire and so make smoke for you all to hide in. bizzard.

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There have been health and safety worries about our pound at Broxbourne for many years, rowing club boats, hire boats and normal river traffic all intermingle, the only rowing club boat incident I can recall was when one of them hit another (not looking where they were going) sliced the end right off.

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Sorry but that argument is weak.

 

Support boats get an exemption from speed limits on the basis that they are designed to minimize the extra wash caused.

 

No, not necessarily.

 

Looking at the EA byelaws for the Anglian region, the text is:

 

" It shall not be an offence under

paragraph (i) of this byelaw

for a powered boat to exceed

such speed limits if, for the

purpose of any regatta, training,

demonstration, test or other

similar event there is in force

in respect of that powered boat

or in respect of powered boats

generally taking part in the

event a special permit in writing

from the Authority authorising a

higher speed, nor shall it be an

offence for a powered boat in use

for byelaw or law enforcement

purposes to exceed such limits."

(EA Anglian Region byelaws)

 

The EA Anglian region don't inspect rowing or sailing launches and they don't have to be of an approved design; for example, RIB-type boats are used by a school boatclub where a friend of mine used to work, as they can take the entire crew safely in the event of the rowing boat sinking. I believe that the club he is currently with also use them, as they train in the same location.

 

Note, however, that there are only 2 mooring sites past when coaching, and they don't pass them at full speed.

 

Any craft granted an exemption have to show a pennant-shaped mark, and apply every year. I believe they have to pay also.

 

Compare this to the Thames region:

 

"The maximum speed prescribed in Byelaw 27 shall not apply to:

(a) power-driven vessels directly engaged in the training coaching or umpiring of

vessels powered by oar or by sail where such sustainable power-driven vessels

have been approved by the Authority and are displaying a pennant or mark of

a type issued by the Authority , the issue of which may be subject to such

conditions as the Authority may from time to time prescribe; "

 

(EA Thames Region Byelaws)

 

Note the difference, on the non-Tidal Thames the type of craft has to be approved- no RIBs here!

 

On the tidal thames, there are AFAIK no restrictions, hence RIBs, Tin Fish, and all kinds of other craft.

 

 

 

 

If the club can't afford a suitable boat they should stick to the speed limit.

 

Anything else is just an arrogant assumption that their activity is more important than anybody else's.

 

But by exactly the same logic, you are stating that your right to moor up undisturbed from others' wash is more important than their right to row, which is arguably an equally arrogant assumption!

 

As I mentioned above, the RIB IS a suitable boat for the all the requirements bar one, which some other river users might rate the most important, but to the rowing club, it's the least. It could well be that they're already travelling slowly past the moored boats, rather than flat out, out of consideration. Seeing as, legally, they have a speed exemption and could do 20+ kph past moored boats, they're already being pretty considerate and considering the needs of others. I'm fairly sure that no sane rowing coach would schedule an outing that involved passing moored boats flat out, particularly with a RIB-type boat in support.

 

Incidentally, launch driving now requires formal training and certification. It's pretty rigorous, as set out in this document: http://www.britishrowing.org/upload/files/Association/WaterSafety/LaunchDrivingLeaflet.doc from rowing's national governing body, British Rowing.

 

 

Oh, and finally, this is my coaching launch:

 

http://www.legaljuice.com/Bicycle%20bike%20cycle%20cycling.png

Edited by FadeToScarlet
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There are four rowing clubs between Lendal Bridge and Clifton Bridge in the centre of York: The City of York Club, York St John's club, the Canoe Club which is also used by Leeds University Rowing Club and finally St Peter's School. It's almost exactly a kilometre between the first and last of the clubs.

 

Then there are the big 'York Boats,' a swarm of little hire boats, three local marinas, the York Motor Yacht Club - and the tourists and passing boat traffic. (In my experience it's the little hire boats that create the largest wash. Far far more than the rowing club ribs create.)

 

Every single one of these individuals, boats and clubs is entitled to use and enjoy the river.

 

I've never seen anyone visibly slow down to pass a moored boat on the Ouse (well, apart from the twin-engined cruiser that slowed down from about 30mph as it approached the Motor Yacht Club one Saturday last August) and, just as significantly, I've never heard of anyone complaining about wash from other boats on the Ouse before I read this thread. That's not to say it doesn't happen - just that I've never heard of it.

 

But then I am new to narrowboating. I'm still a little bit surprised that people object when their boats wobble a bit.

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

But then I am new to narrowboating. I'm still a little bit surprised that people object when their boats wobble a bit.

 

Most narrowboats are so homely and comfortable these days that perhaps some people don't realise that they're still on the water when they're moored up?

 

Personally the wash of rowers doesn't bother me at all, but I don't like all that shouting. The dragon boats on the Thames are the worst. It just seems odd to come onto the tranquility of the water and want to make a lot of noise. Still, I suppose they don't have noisy engines. The real idiots are people on boats who want everyone else to hear their music as they go past.

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It's where crews row a set distance (often 2km) and set a time rather than racing each other directly - I was doing it this morning in Abingdon, aching now! Not sure why it's called a 'head' race (I'm just a beginner! :))

Perhaps Fade to scarlets got it wrong and it means Head case. :glare::mellow:<_<:mellow:

No offense intended just my joke. bizzard.

Edited by bizzard
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So what is a "head race". Gloucester Rowing Club have them on the G&S, they are usually shown on Waterscape stoppages but I've never understood what a "head race" is. Ball race - yes, bike race - yes, head race???????????

 

Steve

 

You're racing to be the fastest, or "head", of all the entrants. It's timed, rather than a side-by-side regatta style race.

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I always noticed the canoes from Cropredy moved the boat more than a narrowboat passing and they can only be moving a fraction of the water of something 60 X 7 ft weighing in at about 18 tons

 

They most certainly do!

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  • 3 years later...

the OP said the training/safety boat that was accompanying the rowers was a RIB,not a suitable craft for the purpose.

 

most of the upper thames rowing clubs use purpose built launches which are shallow draft and light.

 

they make very little wash mainly as a result of the outboard motor being mounted in a well which is a metre or so forward of the launch's transom,the surface disturbance is significantly suppressed.

 

a rib of modest length will cause a good deal of wash and draw when changing from dispacement to planing speeds,especially if more than one person is aboard.

I am moored on the Ouse at Ely. The rowing coaches have purpose built catamarans. Ift they go past at anything other than a crawl they have a terrible wake and plenty of rocking ensues. the problem is they let the rowers have a 5 minute start and then rush to catch them. As for proper mooring technique, This river rises and falls by over a foot in no time. tight ropes are not an option.

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