The Canals Are Alive

[Morat]

Agreed, for a group of adults, it's not bad value, but for a family, or couple it is. I once hired one of the cottages at Stoke Bruerne for a couple of weeks, the farthest I got from it was when I walked up and down the canal for a few miles. The point I'm trying to make is, I hire a cottage next to a canal to be near a canal, because hiring a boat is too expensive.

 

Anyway, now I've got my canoe, I get my canal fix far more often.

 

Well if it works out cheaper for you then fair enough but I do find that the price of boat hire only looks scary until you realise that it is all you'll be paying for apart from food and drink. The boat is the holiday, and it takes you further away from normal life than any flight. I think it's magic

[Rebotco]

Well if it works out cheaper for you then fair enough but I do find that the price of boat hire only looks scary until you realise that it is all you'll be paying for apart from food and drink. The boat is the holiday, and it takes you further away from normal life than any flight. I think it's magic

 

Agree with that. Also, in the past, I have found that a week hiring canal boat is more relaxing than 4 weeks in a cottage. Isn't that what holidays are all about?

[floatingtraders]

Today as we have been doing a few jobs on the boat on our mooring we have had boats from 5 different hire fleets come past. Viking Afloat, Anglo Welsh, Countrywide Cruisers, Napton Narrowboats and Canal Cruising Co.

 

The sun is shining and families are relaxing as they move along the canal. Everyone is smiling and happy. It is wonderful to see so many boats moving again after the cold winter months. To see so many hire fleets out makes me smile. Those people who are hiring the boats are the ones who will be buying meals out to keep the pubs we like to drink at open, visiting the little shops along the way and puuting some cash in their tills. It is because they are there that BW have to keep maintaining the infrastructure of the canal.

 

The majority of the boaters I have seen on these hire boats appear to be relaxed and competent on the tiller. If they are repeat hirers then these might be the people who will soon be bringing some much needed business to boat builders or brokerages when they can resist the draw of the canal and the desire to own their own boat no more. If they are hiring for the first time then how likely is it they will get off that boat at the end of their hire period and never set foot on another boat again.

 

Yesterday we took the car down to get some coal from a coal boat which we knew was moored nearby. As we trundled the trolley with coal back up the towpath to the car there was a share boat waiting to enter the lock. A man was standing holding onto the rope while a Viking Afloat boat was in the lock coming down. It was one of the fleet that operates from just above the lock. A family on board with smiles as wide as a widebeam as they set off on their adventure. The man holding the rope on the share boat muttered something about how long he was going to have to wait because "there was a Viking Adrift" on it's way. I know if we were sharing wide locks I would much rather do so with the cheerful family of hirers and their inexperience than the sour faced share boat steerer!

 

We noted that above the lock the coal boat owners joined us in grabbing a bow line to help turn a hire boat round and we all chatted to the happy family on board while they waited to enter the lock chamber - the same lock chamber which now had the share boat in. The one who was not getting any assistance to open or close gates to ease his passage through by the 4 boaters standing talking to the hirers.

 

I know there will always be tales of things that happen to inexperienced steerers. Many of them will be hirers. This season I hope we can all remember we were all novices once upon a time and give a friendly smile to those people spending their hard earned cash on a holiday on the canals. Perhaps we can impart a little of our experience in a friendly way which will assist them in their onward journey? It is great to see them all out and about.

 

Here is a toast to all hirers everywhere

 

A rose without the thorns... nice and positive read thanks

[Dean Court]

Sorry for the current hirers, after last week's mini-summer, the winter has returned as two boats pass by on their way to Edinburgh.

[Blue Star]

Well said!

[Doorman]

Edited April 3, 2012 by Doorman

[rrt2]

Cheshire-rose,

what a nice post to read well done.

 

 

Hire boats.

 

You need to turn the clock back a number of years to when the canal system had ceased to be a means of transport which is the time when BWB commercial carrying ceased, in the main that was 1962 with only the two regular contracts kept, Cement at Stockton and the lime juice at Brentford.

the numbers ones, Willow Wren and others carried on until all that was left was the lime juice.

 

There were very few private boats and the hire fleets started up - without the hire fleets would the canal system have survived for the number of years needed for private boats to grow in number.

 

So I reckon its a very big thank you to the hire fleets that we have a canal system at all.

 

Met quite a few hirers over the years all most without exception all have nice smiles and a cheery manner - Always a thank you if you give them a hand.

 

Remember it takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown which would you rather do.

[KirraMisha]

Cheshire Rose,

have another greenie, and a big hug as well, for your lovely and sensible posting.

:clapping:

 

KirraMisha,

if you were a child I'd say grow up!!

How you can tell someone is inebriated from a distance must be a wonderful talent.

 

Thats a pretty pathetic childish thing to say.

When someone is on the back of a boat thats five foot away from you only an idiot would not be able to see how sober someone is!

[mrsmelly]

Cheshire-rose,

what a nice post to read well done.

 

 

Hire boats.

 

You need to turn the clock back a number of years to when the canal system had ceased to be a means of transport which is the time when BWB commercial carrying ceased, in the main that was 1962 with only the two regular contracts kept, Cement at Stockton and the lime juice at Brentford.

the numbers ones, Willow Wren and others carried on until all that was left was the lime juice.

 

 

 

Just a quick note on this. Dont forget there is much more to canal carrying than the now defunct narrow canal boats. As a for instance although greatly reduced from what it was over 300,000 tons are moved on the Aire and Calder alone in any one year. Going back to when my Dad was a working boatman vastly more cargo was moved around on the Big commercial waterways than was ever moved by the likes of FMC etc.

[KirraMisha]

Quite possibly - so what?

 

- I would say (logically) that would be a massive drop in income - which of course would have to made up somewhere if we were to maintain the system to at least it's current level, guess who would fill the gap....

 

Oh and what about all the owners like us that confirmed they wanted to own their own boat by virtue of the fact they enjoyed boating as hirers - if we take hiring boats out of the equation how would we have done that then???

 

You come across as a boat owning snob of the same vein as the one we once encountered who wouldn't share a lock with a hire boat because he preferred to send them up on their own (and waste water) because he wanted to go up with us because we were owners....

 

Where on earth have you dreamed up the notion I would not share a lock with a hire boat,waste water, because I think the canals will not grind to a halt without drunken idiots hiring boats?

You were not there did not witness anything you are talking completely out of assumption and chuddering on with yourself to put it politely.

I did also say that I dont think all hire boaters are the same as that would be judging people by your kind of standards.

Jeez.

Edited April 3, 2012 by KirraMisha

[mrsmelly]

Where on earth have you dreamed up the notion I would not share a lock with a hire boat,waste water, because I think the canals will not grind to a halt without drunken idiots hiring boats?

You were not there did not witness anything you are talking completely out of assumption and chuddering on with yourself to put it politely.

I did also say that I dont think all hire boaters are the same as that would be judging people by your kind of standards.

Jeez.

 

KirraMisha........No location, No sex, no boat name, no details, No credibility

[KirraMisha]

KirraMisha........No location, No sex, no boat name, no details, No credibility

Knowing my loacation,sex,boat name, details, will not suddenly stop ass holes being ass holes.

[mrsmelly]

Knowing my loacation,sex,boat name, details, will not suddenly stop ass holes being ass holes.

 

Yes I agree, its not stopped me But MJG is not an ahole he is actualy a nice chap. I am not getting at you specificaly but I for one find it hard to respond to posts with no personal details on, the reason being in the real world I dont converse with an 8 year old girl in the same manner as with a for instance 60 year old male etc etc.........

[Graham Davis]

Well from all the responses from KirraMisha we must presume that he/she/it is obviously perfect and has never made a mistake.

 

And that last post confirms Mrsmelly's points, so my earlier comment of "grow up" still applies.

Edited April 3, 2012 by Graham Davis

[Guest]

Where on earth have you dreamed up the notion I would not share a lock with a hire boat,waste water, because I think the canals will not grind to a halt without drunken idiots hiring boats?

You were not there did not witness anything you are talking completely out of assumption and chuddering on with yourself to put it politely.

I did also say that I dont think all hire boaters are the same as that would be judging people by your kind of standards.

Jeez.

 

I didn't actually say (if you care to read my post again and properly) that you wouldn't share a lock with a hirers) because what I actually said was you come across as an 'anti hirers' snob, and gave an example of the same type of 'anti hiring' snobbery we have encountered on the cut in person.

 

I too have witnessed hired narrow-boats (and hired broads boats) being navigated by drunken steerers just like you but in no way would it lead me to make this crass comment-

 

 

I was giving the boat a clean today and a hire boat came past around 12 noon all well and truley on their way to being plastered looking in the wrong direction behind them and missed the bank by an inch! Could have been another boat!

So I dont entirely share the joys of hireboats and cant help thinking if they owned a share in the boat they were steering even the whole boat they would perhaps even pretend to give a damn.

 

I very much doubt the canals would grind to a halt without them.

 

I am not saying all hire boaters are like this obviously.

 

Particularly the bit in red.

 

It was nonsense when you first said it and it remains so.

 

Yes I agree, its not stopped me But MJG is not an ahole he is actualy a nice chap. I am not getting at you specificaly but I for one find it hard to respond to posts with no personal details on, the reason being in the real world I dont converse with an 8 year old girl in the same manner as with a for instance 60 year old male etc etc.........

 

Thank-you.

 

This is part of the problem on here as we often rush to judge people by a members internet persona (Of which I'm guilty too) and then when you actually meet someone in person you discover they are not at all like you expect them to be.

Edited April 3, 2012 by MJG

[cheshire~rose]

It is indeed a shame that anyone has to put up with drunken louts in any part of life but as KirraMisha stated in her post no actual contact was made by the boat in question with anything. It just came close. No one was hurt and nothing was damaged on this occasions. I would expect as KirraMisha witnessed someone drunk in charge of a boat this would have been reported to the hire base in an attempt to ensure that some poor unfortunate person did not meet them on a bend another mile down the canal and have their boat damaged. After all if they were as drunk as suggested a phone call to the police would not have been out of order so maybe KirraMisha should be commended for taking the correct action at the time to save a potential problem for other boaters? That is assuming he/she DID take action after witnessing this incident.

 

 

 

This is part of the problem on here as we often rush to judge people by a members internet persona (Of which I'm guilty too) and then when you actually meet someone in person you discover they are not at all like you expect them to be.

 

Martin - yes you are actually so correct it is very easy to assume that the people behind their internet persona are exactly like you expect them to be - people always expect me to be wearing stilletto heels for example - some people also seem to think I am a reasonable person - some have gone so far as to suggest I can be "nice" it just goes to show how wrong people can be

I don't think there has ever been a banter that coincided with a full moon!!!

[Athy]

There were very few private boats and the hire fleets started up - without the hire fleets would the canal system have survived for the number of years needed for private boats to grow in number.

 

So I reckon its a very big thank you to the hire fleets that we have a canal system at all.

 

We shall never know, but it's quite likely that without those pioneering late '60s hire fleets, most of our canals would have suffered the same fate as most of our railway branch lines. Thank the Lord that no one pointed Dr. Beeching at the waterways system.

[Doorman]

There were very few private boats and the hire fleets started up - without the hire fleets would the canal system have survived for the number of years needed for private boats to grow in number.

 

So I reckon its a very big thank you to the hire fleets that we have a canal system at all.

 

 

That's possibly so. But even if we do acknowledge the debt we all owe to the hire fleet operators for perpetuating our national heritage, it does not mean that we should ignore the fact that some of the present day operators are guilty of gross negligence when it comes to boat handling and safety advice to their clients.

 

With regard to drunks being in charge of hire boats, try taking a day out at Norbury Junction on the Shropshire Union Canal in the summer, when the day boats are let loose! Not only are they overcrowded, but the amount of beer that we've witnessed being loaded aboard doesn't indicate that they're starting a local delivery round for other boaters.

 

Surely, when the boats are presented to the hirers, the operator must be aware of the alcohol being taken along for the journey and therefore become culpable should an accident occur?

Edited April 3, 2012 by Doorman

[KirraMisha]

Well from all the responses from KirraMisha we must presume that he/she/it is obviously perfect and has never made a mistake.

 

And that last post confirms Mrsmelly's points, so my earlier comment of "grow up" still applies.

Where have I said I have never made a mistake?

Go on show me type it in here (.......)

You Graham along with MJG are making assumptions without any facts or witnessing said boats behaviour but you call me childish!!

At the end of the day what kind of perspective is someone being childish anyway?

Wisdom comes from life experience not from years lived in self awarded superior arrogance to think you can turn around at some point and call someone childish because you dont like what they have said or their opinon is not in harmony with yours!

 

I did not say MJG was an asshole I said knowing personal information does not stop assholes being assholes in reference to drunken behaviour!

 

Then to use the word ''it'' in reference to another human being, what on earth is that mindset all about?

What pigeon hole does that fit you into if you feel such a need to conform to such nonsense?

 

Seems a few people round here read what they want to be written and would much prefer it to be that way!

 

If you think that the canal will suddenly die a death without drunken people on hire boats MJG then you are perfectly entitled to your opinion.

I dont agree with you and certainly dont wish to end of.

 

A Child called It...it would seem.

Edited April 4, 2012 by KirraMisha

[KirraMisha]

I didn't actually say (if you care to read my post again and properly) that you wouldn't share a lock with a hirers) because what I actually said was you come across as an 'anti hirers' snob, and gave an example of the same type of 'anti hiring' snobbery we have encountered on the cut in person.

 

I too have witnessed hired narrow-boats (and hired broads boats) being navigated by drunken steerers just like you but in no way would it lead me to make this crass comment-

 

 

 

 

Particularly the bit in red.

 

It was nonsense when you first said it and it remains so.

 

 

 

Thank-you.

 

This is part of the problem on here as we often rush to judge people by a members internet persona (Of which I'm guilty too) and then when you actually meet someone in person you discover they are not at all like you expect them to be.

 

Actually you said I came across as the same so you are just trying to split hairs and backtrack you made the insinuation in the first place.

Im not a snob and disaproving of drunks on boats is hardly the same or even similar to the others you have come across.

 

That's possibly so. But even if we do acknowledge the debt we all owe to the hire fleet operators for perpetuating our national heritage, it does not mean that we should ignore the fact that some of the present day operators are guilty of gross negligence when it comes to boat handling and safety advice to their clients.

 

With regard to drunks being in charge of hire boats, try taking a day out at Norbury Junction on the Shropshire Union Canal in the summer, when the day boats are let loose! Not only are they overcrowded, but the amount of beer that we've witnessed being loaded aboard doesn't indicate that they're starting a local delivery round for other boaters.

 

Surely, when the boats are presented to the hirers, the operator must be aware of the alcohol being taken along for the journey and therefore become culpable should an accident occur?

 

I cant wait to read MJG's reply to this as its my point exactly!

[Graham Davis]

He - male

She - female

It - unspecified boat

 

Where do you fit?

[RLWP]

He - male

She - female

It - unspecified boat

 

Where do you fit?

 

You've omitted 'don't know'

 

Richard

[Naughty Cal]

You've omitted 'don't know'

 

Richard

 

And Both

[nicknorman]

On the subject of the financial contribution to the upkeep of the waterways, we struck up an interesting conversation in Stourport yesterday - although my other experiences in Stourport yesterday may be the subject of another post if i can be bothered (but then it is raining/snowing and inside is the best place to be today!). It was with the guy who I think is the manager for W midlands waterways, who are apparently taking over Stourport from SW region. His line was that his "customers" were essentially 4 groups, walkers, cyclists, fishermen and boaters, with the latter by no means the most important - he considered them to be all equal. My point about the licence fees was dismissed (in the nicest of ways) by him pointing out that it was a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of maintaining the waterways - the vast majority coming from central government and originating from the taxpayers' pocket - in other words the other 3 groups did contribute by means of their taxes. If you multiply the number of boats on the waterways by a typical licence fee you will see what he means - it is not a lot. So whether or not hire boats, syndicate boats or private boats flourish makes very little difference to overall funding.

[Doorman]

My point about the licence fees was dismissed (in the nicest of ways) by him pointing out that it was a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of maintaining the waterways - the vast majority coming from central government and originating from the taxpayers' pocket - in other words the other 3 groups did contribute by means of their taxes. If you multiply the number of boats on the waterways by a typical licence fee you will see what he means - it is not a lot. So whether or not hire boats, syndicate boats or private boats flourish makes very little difference to overall funding.

 

Hi Nick,

 

did you also point out to the guy that as boaters, we also contribute above our licence fee costs when paying our taxes. Therefore, in order of priority, boaters should still be given credit for their contribution to the waterways!

 

Mike

Edited April 4, 2012 by Doorman