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Black Ibis

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People are genuinely interested in old boats and often ask if they could have a look in the cabin. I usually say yes and I've had some really interesting conversations.

 

The engine also is a bit of a magnet and again, I'm usually happy to talk about it. What does annoy me is the bloke who puts his foot on the gunwale in a proprietorial sort of way, ignores me, sticks his head in the engine hole and proceeds to tell hismate all about it – especially when what he is saying is nonsense. I also seethed inwardly once when a rivet counter knelt down by the stern and told his friend that all my rivets were about to pop – presumably because they weren't sticking out like false ones.frusty.gif

 

There is also a well known eccentric who does the rounds. He has a great knowledge of and passion for old boats. I was a bit surprised though when, without so much as a "by your leave" he jumped into the engine room to make a note of my engine number for his records!

 

I love chatting to people about my boat so am looking forwards to talking to interested passers by (as long as they don't just leap on without a by your leave!) if when we get our old boat. When we have spent time on others' historic boats at festivals, one really enjoyable thing is explaining to kids about how families lived in the back cabins. I am also looking forwards to trumping our Hudson 'josher' neighbour in Cambridge who does all that patter about historic boats and working boatmen and their families as if she had a real historic boat, without letting on that hers is a replica. :rolleyes:

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I love chatting to people about my boat so am looking forwards to talking to interested passers by (as long as they don't just leap on without a by your leave!) if when we get our old boat. When we have spent time on others' historic boats at festivals, one really enjoyable thing is explaining to kids about how families lived in the back cabins. I am also looking forwards to trumping our Hudson 'josher' neighbour in Cambridge who does all that patter about historic boats and working boatmen and their families as if she had a real historic boat, without letting on that hers is a replica. :rolleyes:

 

When we were working a pair we had the "cheeky chappie" of a small group of young teenagers step onto the load as I was coming out of the lock. I just kept stomping on, picked up the butty and continued. He was then calling for me to get into the side to let him off, but I told him (quite accurately) that it was absolutely impossible and he'd have to wait for the next lock 5 miles further on. His mates got fed up with running along and jeering at him, and all turned back. He had quite a walk, but I've no idea if we turned him onto boats or not, or instilled any good manners. :boat:

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When we were working a pair we had the "cheeky chappie" of a small group of young teenagers step onto the load as I was coming out of the lock. I just kept stomping on, picked up the butty and continued. He was then calling for me to get into the side to let him off, but I told him (quite accurately) that it was absolutely impossible and he'd have to wait for the next lock 5 miles further on. His mates got fed up with running along and jeering at him, and all turned back. He had quite a walk, but I've no idea if we turned him onto boats or not, or instilled any good manners. :boat:

 

I've heard a similar story from another boater who cheefully told the youth that he could either swim back to his mates or wait for the next lock LOL. Apparently he chose to swim after some negotiations.

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When we were working a pair we had the "cheeky chappie" of a small group of young teenagers step onto the load as I was coming out of the lock. I just kept stomping on, picked up the butty and continued. He was then calling for me to get into the side to let him off, but I told him (quite accurately) that it was absolutely impossible and he'd have to wait for the next lock 5 miles further on. His mates got fed up with running along and jeering at him, and all turned back. He had quite a walk, but I've no idea if we turned him onto boats or not, or instilled any good manners. :boat:

 

 

Haha, that's brilliant! If he did that round our way (in the fenland wastes), there are places where he's have a 20-odd mile walk from the next lock, we don't have bridge holes either!

Edited by Black Ibis
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When we were working a pair we had the "cheeky chappie" of a small group of young teenagers step onto the load as I was coming out of the lock. I just kept stomping on, picked up the butty and continued. He was then calling for me to get into the side to let him off, but I told him (quite accurately) that it was absolutely impossible and he'd have to wait for the next lock 5 miles further on. His mates got fed up with running along and jeering at him, and all turned back. He had quite a walk, but I've no idea if we turned him onto boats or not, or instilled any good manners. :boat:

 

 

How nice that there was some distance between the locks, if the next one would have been nearby, he would do it again and again, just to show of, after his experience with you, I think he was cured for life.

 

Peter.

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moored in Coventry basin last year April time.just got out of bath and drying my person,and noticed a bloke place his video camera onto the bedroom window of the boat opposite me,very quietly i crept to the front of boat and waited, until he did the same to my bathroom porthole....I shot outside and shouted out"you dirty pervert watching me in the bath".

 

he stood there trying to explain he was just doing some video film to see what boats where like inside;it so happen two comunity support officers arrived and heard me carrying on.

 

in my underpants and flipflops I said to the female cso the pervert was filming the other boat and also me in the bath and i felt vunerable and scared(you have to lay it on)..

 

he refused to hand over the video to be checked and then the police arrived and he threw the camcorder into the cut,protesting,apparently none of the camera's in coventry basin work,so they let him go.

 

the female cso came over and said "how can you be scared of him, look at the size of you".I looked down at my willy holder and said size is not everything ha ha and went back into my boat,and left coventry basin shortly after

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in my underpants and flipflops

 

 

the female cso came over and said "how can you be scared of him, look at the size of you".I looked down at my willy holder and said size is not everything ha ha and went back into my boat,and left coventry basin shortly after

 

Ahh but did you have your budgie smugglers on or them loose boxers? They can make a difference you know ! :lol:

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The other day I had got home before FTS at about 5 on a nice sunny evening. I was sitting quietly on the sofa with a cup of tea, when I heard the clonk, clonk of someone getting on to the boat. As I was expecting FTS home at first I though it was him, but when I looked up I saw a woman in a frilly dress sitting on our bow. This quickly assuaged any fears I could have had - I am open minded but you don't see a lot of burglars in pink flowery dresses!

 

So, I got up and went to speak to her. When she saw me emerge, she jumped off in a fright. Her friend had been taking a photo of her from the bank. I was pretty annoyed but didn't shout at her, just said, "Look, I don't mind if you want to take a picture, but please, ask first! This is my home!". She was extremely embarrassed, but had the cheek to say "I didn't think anyone was home", when she had not made any attempt to check this. I really wouldn't have minded had she knocked and asked politely. In fact I am more than happy to answer tourists questions about life on board when I'm in a good mood. It was the sheer lack of respect for the fact that my boat is private property that got me - she didn't knock, just jumped on the bow! I don't expect she knew that people live on the boats, as she was Chinese, but you wouldn't climb onto someone's car and have your picture taken either.

 

Anyone else had this happen? If it had been at night I'd have been much more scared and would have resorted to the 'headtorch, hammer and mooring pin' strategy along with a few choice expletives!

O yes I had the same thing, we have a bench seat on the fore deck. Also in Stratford on Avon it's a problem, especially with the Chinese who think it quite OK to do that. I have known them to even go inside a boat while the owners were sitting eating breakfast

ETA I have also ask what time the next tip will be when passing through London and then having to try to explained we are not a trip boat.

Edited by ditchcrawler
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O yes I had the same thing, we have a bench seat on the fore deck. Also in Stratford on Avon it's a problem, especially with the Chinese who think it quite OK to do that. I have known them to even go inside a boat while the owners were sitting eating breakfast

 

We heard of a couple who saw what they took to be a café in rural France and entered through the open door. Inside was another group at one end of the table in quite a large room, so they sat down at the other. Eventually someone asked what they wanted, so the guy said they'd have the "plat du jour" (meal of the day). It duly appeared, as did a jug of local wine, and ultimately coffees all round for the whole table. Only when they went to pay were they told it was a private house, and there was no charge!

 

There's country manners for you.

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Well, we're cruising around at the moment and I dont feel like a person, but like a landmark, especially going through Manchester cty centre a few days ago.

 

People just whipping phones out and taking pictures when I'm in a lock. Errrr, excuse me, can you not ask or something first? If I got my camera out to take a picture of a person in the middle of the street, and went right up to the persons face and took a picture, I'd expect my camera to be jumped on and to get a good smack in the face. So why is it any different just because I'm on a boat for them to take pictures of me?!

 

Temper really was boilng by the seventh lock and I began shouting "one more picture and that phone gets smashed!"

That sorted it out!

 

 

Oh and then the silly people shouting, "is it cold in winter on a boat". Unlike the OP,I have NO patience and could simply lamp people when they start asking me questions like that!

Ha!

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People just whipping phones out and taking pictures when I'm in a lock. Errrr, excuse me, can you not ask or something first? If I got my camera out to take a picture of a person in the middle of the street, and went right up to the persons face and took a picture, I'd expect my camera to be jumped on and to get a good smack in the face. So why is it any different just because I'm on a boat for them to take pictures of me?!

 

Because your doing something out of the ordinary for most. and yes if a photo on the street is worth taking in no matter what circumstances it is quite within their right to take (if on public ground).

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lewiseric, NEVER, NEVER go through Camden Locks on a midsummer afternoon, you be responsible for the deaths of thousands!!!!

 

I quite enjoy tootling around and chatting to all and sundry about the boats, canals and the lifestyle. I gave a guided tour to a group of Peruvians at Paddington basin (I kid you not, but there were no marmalade sandwiches !!). Little Venice was a brilliant people watching place (you can do it back to them to you know!!) and source of many leisurely chats (and quick tours). There must be loads of photo's of Old Friends on websites that I don't know about.

 

Anyhow, back to Camden Locks......

I try not to use the towpath, nosing into the gates and leaving on tickover forward.

There are generally hundreds of tourist legs dangling in the water anyway so to try to moor before the lock would probably end up with countless amputees to contend with.

I don't tether the boat in the lock, let it float around the middle and keep it there with creative paddle flows which stops the jump on boarders. However, I did allow a very nice group of Swedes to join me from middle to top lock on one journey.

Then you come to that turnover bridge in the middle and feel like you are on the red carpet at the oscars there are so many cameras clicking away at you.

I love it, and think that BW should give me a discount for drumming up so much international coverage. :P

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I find that stripping and cleaning rifles with the curtains open makes people not want to approach the boat. As did the rabbits hanging in the cratch whilst going up BOA lock, that one made kids cry

 

I can see how cleaning your rifle in the bollocky buff would make people look at you a bit sideways

Edited by Bazza2
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I find that stripping and cleaning rifles with the curtains open makes people not want to approach the boat. As did the rabbits hanging in the cratch whilst going up BOA lock, that one made kids cry

 

I don't understand why you had to take their rabbits in the first place :-p

 

I heard a story (possibly apocryphal) involving a chap in Stratford-on-Avon who, upon being woken by a noisy group of Japanese tourists on the front of his boat taking pictures, decided to go out on his front deck, looking particularly dishevelled with nothing but an open dressing gown and a pair of old briefs on. He then insisted they take group shots with him in the middle, posing with his arms around their shoulders.

 

I think they were a bit freaked out but dutifully took a few photos before making their excuses (in japanese) and leaving.

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Well, we're cruising around at the moment and I dont feel like a person, but like a landmark, especially going through Manchester cty centre a few days ago.

 

People just whipping phones out and taking pictures when I'm in a lock. Errrr, excuse me, can you not ask or something first? If I got my camera out to take a picture of a person in the middle of the street, and went right up to the persons face and took a picture, I'd expect my camera to be jumped on and to get a good smack in the face. So why is it any different just because I'm on a boat for them to take pictures of me?!

 

Temper really was boilng by the seventh lock and I began shouting "one more picture and that phone gets smashed!"

That sorted it out!

 

 

Oh and then the silly people shouting, "is it cold in winter on a boat". Unlike the OP,I have NO patience and could simply lamp people when they start asking me questions like that!

Ha!

 

 

COME BACK HOME, WE ALL MISS EDDIE !!!!!!!!

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You should try walking through a crowded city centre with a pair of Basset Hounds!

My favourite comment so far was a string of unintelligible (to me) Japanese finishing in "Hussh Puppay!"

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I had a boy jump ont my stern deck while moored at Reading to go fishing. I stuck my head out of the bow door and told him to get off the boat but he just looked at me across the roof and carried on. I raised my voice and this time he got the message and got off the boat, and with a disgruntled noise joined his parents who were walking along the towpath. As they passed I heard them speak to each other in an Eastern European language and they looked at me without any gesture of apology. Perhaps there's some cultural difference and it's ok to jump onto someone's boat in Poland or Lithuania, but I've been all over Eastern Europe and I don't think so?

Edited by blackrose
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I had a boy jump ont my stern deck while moored at Reading to go fishing. I stuck my head out of the bow door and told him to get off the boat but he just looked at me across the roof and carried on. I raised my voice and this time he got the message and got off the boat, and with a disgruntled noise joined his parents who were walking along the towpath. As they passed I heard them speak to each other in an Eastern European language and they looked at me without any gesture of apology. Perhaps there's some cultural difference and it's ok to jump onto someone's boat in Poland or Lithuania, but I've been all over Eastern Europe and I don't think so?

 

There are lots of folk that think it's alright to jump on/off other folk's property / boats / lorries without permission - - I don't think that it is necessarily a cultural / nationality division - but more about 'personal standards'.

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Once, years ago I was moored in Hebden Bridge with our 'narra. An elderly guy with his grandson stuck his head in through the side door and proclaimed loudly " They must live like pigs in here"...He was looking into the engine room :blink:

 

If people taking photos of you and your boat bother you, you could sail at night :rolleyes:

 

Or try what I used to do, I carried a Red Nose Day nose in the ticket drawer, when they were 'mucking about ready to take he snap I'd put the nose on and then hide it before the camera came down. I'll bet there's been a few scratched heads over the years when they've looked closely at their holiday pics.

Edited by Travis
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