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I was delighted to just get in front of a broad-beam boat as we approached the Bruce Tunnel. I didn't fancy crawling through the darkness at 3 miles per hour breathing diesel fumes!

 

 

 

So that motor-boaters are clear; there are two format races run over the Easter weekend.

 

1) The non-stop race always starts on Saturday with the paddlers leaving Devizes anytime from the morning to the afternoon so that they can catch the top of the tide at Teddington on Sunday morning.

 

2) The stage race - Friday; Devizes-Newbury, Saturday Newbury-Marlow, Sunday Marlow-Teddington, Monday Teddington-Westminster

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OK so is it just me or do the canoe folk own any & all rights to what ever water they are on?????

I had the misfortune to be heading from Burghfield island to Goring O T this Saturday & found myself & my friends boat surrounded by tw*ts trying to pass both sides on bends going down stream & at locks it was mayhem with boats coming from all sides & pushing in front & getting in any gap despite the fact that we were trying not to squash them......

 

Well I lost it a did have a few words with one guy after being called names for trying to get my boat under control & not squash yet another fool that just pulled in front of me......

 

I know it's a race but does that give you right to dis regard other river users & any safety rules & just do what you want? I bet if I had sunk a boat or worse killed a kid I would have been in real trouble.....

 

The people that run this kind of event seem not give a dam about anyone on the river & all this when about 30 canoes were trying to get out & back in the water on the other side of the lock so what was the rush?

The only bit that made me feel better was to see an older boater that should know better turn over his boat on re-entry after the lock.....

 

I was glad to get to the Thames & turn left away from them all & into a better mood.....

 

So I thought that next year we could have a race down the K&A at the same time what fun that would be as the rules won't apply & I can see how fast my boat can go right? smashing through locks, ramming boats out the way what fun it will be..........

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Gosh Nige - you seem like a happy chap!

 

Being from both sides of this experience I will repeat what I have said before many times on this forum: In your narrowboat, with very few exceptions, you can ignore canoes. They are agile, nimble and alert craft - very different from a narrowboat or a barge, and you may struggle to believe this, but the participants in this particular event are very skilled and experienced and have a strong sense of self preservation.

 

One of the saddest thing that I see from my canoe is a narrowboat steerer who is utterly determined to slavishly adhere to the 'keep right' rule even if it means ploughing his boat into the shallow side in a desperate attempt the squeeze his 7' beam into the 3' gap the canoe has on it's left. If the canoe is navigating left, stay where you are out in the centre where it is deep, stop making life difficult for yourself, stop inventing problems for yourself. I comment from direct experience of both sides!

 

Boaters; please! The 'keep right' rule is an advisory ONLY. When there are compelling reasons to go left it is perfectly ok!

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I think that most canoeists know as little about narrowboats as most narrowboaters know about canoeists, in that sort of situation its best to keep to the generally agreed rules. I think the DW is a great event, a real challenge but i do think the canoeists and their followers could try and fit in with the rest of the users a little better even if its just for a few days a year.

 

Paul

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Gosh Nige - you seem like a happy chap!

 

Being from both sides of this experience I will repeat what I have said before many times on this forum: In your narrowboat, with very few exceptions, you can ignore canoes. They are agile, nimble and alert craft - very different from a narrowboat or a barge, and you may struggle to believe this, but the participants in this particular event are very skilled and experienced and have a strong sense of self preservation.

 

One of the saddest thing that I see from my canoe is a narrowboat steerer who is utterly determined to slavishly adhere to the 'keep right' rule even if it means ploughing his boat into the shallow side in a desperate attempt the squeeze his 7' beam into the 3' gap the canoe has on it's left. If the canoe is navigating left, stay where you are out in the centre where it is deep, stop making life difficult for yourself, stop inventing problems for yourself. I comment from direct experience of both sides!

 

Boaters; please! The 'keep right' rule is an advisory ONLY. When there are compelling reasons to go left it is perfectly ok!

 

Ok if your a Narrow boater you will know that going down stream on a River on tick over can be a bit tricky if you have any flow as corners may need power to get you round or you can be pushed by the flow (I lost a window last year due to this on the same stretch of water as did many others by hitting a fallen tree in the water)

I spent most of the time pointing out what side to pass on as I had canoes in front by the sides & behind me & lets not forget that I am almost 57ft away from the front of my boat & I had canoes out of sight in front most of the time as they zig zaged back & forth.....

 

& when I got the the lock & had to hold back against the flow of water it did not help that canoes would try to get into the gap I was closing so I could tie off & open the lock..... why did the guys in high vis not just open the locks for the bigger boats so we did not need to tie up????

 

I have had the same kind of trouble on the River Wey & 1 canoe cut in front & I was going very slow but despite this I just rolled him over again canoes on both sides going past Guildford boat house & even the guys working on the hire fleet said "they think they own the Wey"

 

I have a row boat & if I see a narrow coming I pull over & let the bigger boat go past I do this as I don't want to make the people on the boat worry about me... a bit like slowing up when you pass boats on a mooring right it's thinking about others.....

Now I was told 600 Canoes were coming down the K&A & did they think that all other craft on the water were going to stop until they had "Raced down the river"

 

This seems to sum up the attitude of the event f*** everyone else were having a race! when we got to the Orical Shopping centre set of lights a guy in high vis vest was standing pushing the button non stop so if anyone was coming up the K&A they would have had to wait all day for a green light as "THIS WAS A RACE DON'T YOU KNOW"

 

So you can call me grumpy but what would you have been if you were in the middle of this RACE????

Edited by Nige123
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They will face a mobile chicane some where between aldermaston and reading, i'm setting off first thing and it will be my first proper trip with the butty, should be interesting.

 

Paul

 

I saw you go past me in the am you seem to have missed them! you were lucky I did give you a wave (Bubbles)

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Gosh Nige - you seem like a happy chap!

 

Being from both sides of this experience I will repeat what I have said before many times on this forum: In your narrowboat, with very few exceptions, you can ignore canoes. They are agile, nimble and alert craft - very different from a narrowboat or a barge, and you may struggle to believe this, but the participants in this particular event are very skilled and experienced and have a strong sense of self preservation.

 

One of the saddest thing that I see from my canoe is a narrowboat steerer who is utterly determined to slavishly adhere to the 'keep right' rule even if it means ploughing his boat into the shallow side in a desperate attempt the squeeze his 7' beam into the 3' gap the canoe has on it's left. If the canoe is navigating left, stay where you are out in the centre where it is deep, stop making life difficult for yourself, stop inventing problems for yourself. I comment from direct experience of both sides!

 

Boaters; please! The 'keep right' rule is an advisory ONLY. When there are compelling reasons to go left it is perfectly ok!

 

 

Sorry WJM but I have to disagree with you there, the keep right rule may be advisory but, if everyone is made aware that they are expected to pass on the left unless advised otherwise by the boater they are about to overtake dangerous situations are likely to arise. The narrow boat or barge owner, upon seeing a number of canoes catching up fast, will try to give as much room as possible to allow them to pass safely. The correct place to overtake is on the left and that applies to ALL craft whether inland or at sea unless a signal is given from the vessel about to be overtaken that it is about to change course.

 

The only ''compelling reason to go left'' is if the vessel about to be overtaken has a need to do so e.g. intending to moor up on that side.

 

As you say, canoes are agile and nimble whereas motor vessels are slow to respond, therefore the canoeist should have no problem with moving over to the left when passing.

 

A few years back, I was travelling along Sulhamstead Cut during this event and I could see a number of canoes catching up from behind, Sulhamstead Cut is not very wide but by keeping as near to the right as I dare and keeping steerage speed there was ample space for them all to pass safely and without losing speed or position.

One of your ''skilled and experienced participants'' thought he knew better and attempted to pass on the right and was shouting orders at me to cut my engine. By taking the route he had chosen he had lost speed by trying to beat the wake from my propeller, there was no advantage to be gained by passing that side and if I'd followed his advice, he and perhaps others would have been dead meat. As it turned out, he got through but only through bloody mindedness.

 

It is not enough to be skilled at a particular sport, when you're sharing the ground with other users, you also need to be aware of what the other users are likely to do in a given situation. Sailing on rivers is another that springs to mind and I like to think I know enough about sailing to be able to anticipate the tack of a dinghy to avoid a collision.

 

The Devizes to Westminster is a great event and long may it continue and if we all sing from the same hymn sheet it will.

 

Keith

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@ Nige 123

 

Perhaps you should look at the impact of the DW race in the early years in keeping and funding the KA before it was adopted.

 

& maybe you should look at the £1100.00 a year I give out for my river licence to keep the river going for your once a year event.....???

I will be asking why???? it is ok to "RACE" on an inland water way next & what type of craft can be "RACED" as maybe some other bloody minded people can "RACE" other craft up the K&A the same day.....

 

I for one will be holding the green light for them at the Thames side of the Orical all day.....

 

I will also be asking BW if this is a good idea as health & safety rules seem to be cast aside on this day & some old git or young kid is going to be killed due to this built in danger of do or die attitude.....

Edited by Nige123
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OK so is it just me or do the canoe folk own any & all rights to what ever water they are on?????

I had the misfortune to be heading from Burghfield island to Goring O T this Saturday & found myself & my friends boat surrounded by tw*ts trying to pass both sides on bends going down stream & at locks it was mayhem with boats coming from all sides & pushing in front & getting in any gap despite the fact that we were trying not to squash them......

 

Well I lost it a did have a few words with one guy after being called names for trying to get my boat under control & not squash yet another fool that just pulled in front of me......

 

I know it's a race but does that give you right to dis regard other river users & any safety rules & just do what you want? I bet if I had sunk a boat or worse killed a kid I would have been in real trouble.....

 

The people that run this kind of event seem not give a dam about anyone on the river & all this when about 30 canoes were trying to get out & back in the water on the other side of the lock so what was the rush?

The only bit that made me feel better was to see an older boater that should know better turn over his boat on re-entry after the lock.....

 

I was glad to get to the Thames & turn left away from them all & into a better mood.....

 

So I thought that next year we could have a race down the K&A at the same time what fun that would be as the rules won't apply & I can see how fast my boat can go right? smashing through locks, ramming boats out the way what fun it will be..........

 

Without the Devizes Westminster canoe race you might not be able to cruise the k and a at all. They've been there a lot longer than you.

 

If you keep your course and speed then that's the best thing you can do and allow these lighter and more manouverable craft to do their thing.

 

Or perhaps you would rather they followed you all the way breathing your diesel?

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& maybe you should look at the £1100.00 a year I give out for my river licence to keep the river going for your once a year event.....???

 

 

I will also be asking BW if this is a good idea as health & safety rules seem to be cast aside on this day & some old git or young kid is going to be killed due to this built in danger of do or die attitude.....

 

Given that the race has been going on for over 30 years maybe you could give some figures for fatalities and accidents?

 

Perhaps you should have stayed at home if it annoyed you so much after all you only paid £3.00 for that day.

 

What did you do to contribute to the restoration?

  • Greenie 1
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Given that the race has been going on for over 30 years ...

 

 

 

64 years actually, from when the canal was abandoned and impassable to even the canoes. There was a lot more portaging in the old days.

 

Every competitor is a fully paid up BW license holder. Canoeists are the biggest number of PAYING users of BW waters.

 

Safety, no accidents ever involving other boaters in 64 years - I dont think we have a problem situation here.

 

Inconvenience, have you ever been in London on marathon day? Thankfully Londoners generally delight in having a wonderful sporting event in their midst. Perhaps the grumpy gits posting their miserable down at heel opinions here should lighten up a little. The DW race would have a very strong argument for total closure of the navigation to other boats for the duration of the race - but such an act would be totally foolish and unnecessary. Just lighten up and enjoy the spectacle!

Edited by WJM
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