Exactly how slow are you supposed to pass moored boats ?

[Justin Smith]

OK, nobody likes it when you`re moored up and your boat is moved around as another passes it, particularly on a shallow narrow canal, but exactly how slow is one supposed to go past moored boats ? ! ?

The reason I ask we`ve just come back from a trip on the Kennet & Avon (well part of it, the navigation was blocked at Hilperton and there was no access to the Avon at Bath ! ) and we`ve never had so many people* giving us the evil eye, or even asking us to slow down, despite the fact that on my GPS we were doing around 2 mph ! In fact the boat wouldn`t physically go much slower even on tickover, possibly 1.6 mph ? If people are really saying you should be going much slower than 2 mph that isn`t actually possible with most of the boats we`ve hired ! The other point is that there seemed to be more moored up boats on the K&A than any other waterway we`ve been on, if you`re supposed to pass moored boats at 1 mph (which, as I`ve said, isn`t actually possible anyway) we literally wouldn`t have averaged more than 2 mph on whole section of canal we were on. Now I like narrow boating because it`s relaxing, but 2 mph is possibly taking things a bit far, or in this case, ironically not far......

 

* We don`t know why it was, but some of the boaters on the K&A didn`t seem as friendly as on most other waterways, though most were fine. Not sure why, maybe they were annoyed at being stuck on the temporarily truncated west end of the K&A ? In fact we actually came across that rarity of rarities, an unpleasant boater on this trip, a Scottish guy (permanently ? ) moored up just east of Dundas aqueduct. On the other hand, is someone living on a permanently tied up boat actually a boater ?

Edited May 7, 2012 by Justin Smith

[jenlyn]

OK, nobody likes it when you`re moored up and your boat is moved around as another passes it, particularly on a shallow narrow canal, but exactly how slow is one supposed to go past moored boats ? ! ?

The reason I ask we`ve just come back from a trip on the Kennet & Avon (well part of it, the navigation was blocked at Hilperton and there was no access to the Avon at Bath ! ) and we`ve never had so many people* giving us the evil eye, or even asking us to slow down, despite the fact that on my GPS we were doing around 2 mph ! In fact the boat wouldn`t physically go much slower even on tickover, possibly 1.6 mph ? If people are really saying you should be going much slower than 2 mph that isn`t actually possible with most of the boats we`ve hired ! The other point is that there seemed to be more moored up boats on the K&A than any other waterway we`ve been on, if you`re supposed to pass moored boats at 1 mph (which, as I`ve said, isn`t actually possible anyway) we literally wouldn`t have averaged more than 2 mph on whole section of canal we were on. Now I like narrow boating because it`s relaxing, but 2 mph is possibly taking things a bit far, or in this case, ironically not far......

 

* We don`t know why it was, but some of the boaters on the K&A didn`t seem as friendly as on most other waterways, though most were fine. Not sure why, maybe they were annoyed at being stuck on the temporarily truncated west end of the K&A ? In fact we actually came across that rarity of rarities, an unpleasant boater on this trip, a Scottish guy (permanently ? ) moored up just east of Dundas aqueduct. On the other hand, is someone living on a permanently tied up boat actually a boater ?

Some peeps sit there all day (weeks sometimes) waiting for someone to move so they can shout. If you know your not going fast, just look at your watch and give them the time.

[Chertsey]

OK, nobody likes it when you`re moored up and your boat is moved around as another passes it,

 

I quite like it!

 

Even when it's really quite violent, I just put it down to part of life's rich pattern. Cupboard doors are latched, ornaments blu-tacked. Only things you would need to do anyway while moving your own boat, so why stop once you're tied up.

 

The only problem passing boats cause me is loosening the stakes we're tied to, particularly after the recent wet weather. But even that is cumulative - you're not going to come adrift if you check them every day.

[Guest]

Unfortunately some people spend their time boating shouting at passing boats...it brings a little bit of brightness to their sad little lives..

 

If you are not speeding ignore 'em....I do.

 

Just to add - no one up here seems to worry too much about how fast they pass moored boats not only are the canals so wide it matters little but we generally moor safe and secure with bollards and rings because no matter how slow the big commercial stuff passes they do move you about a bit..

 

The onus is on moorers to make sure their boats can resist being pulled about too much when these big boats pass....

Edited May 7, 2012 by MJG

[Hairy-Neil]

4MPH is legal, 2 MPH is manners

Edited May 7, 2012 by Hairy-Neil

[Domino_2]

We recently spent time on the Bridgwater canal. When moored we found that those boats that went passed us that had only a Bridgewater licence tended to go fast, those with a BW licence went slower. Then one day we were cruising, going a little over tickover and not making a wash we were yelled at twice for going to fast.

 

Rant over.

 

Simple answer is don't make a wash when going past, then you shouldn't make moored boats rock too much

[Tim]

OK, nobody likes it when you`re moored up and your boat is moved around as another passes it, particularly on a shallow narrow canal, but exactly how slow is one supposed to go past moored boats ? ! ?

The reason I ask we`ve just come back from a trip on the Kennet & Avon (well part of it, the navigation was blocked at Hilperton and there was no access to the Avon at Bath ! ) and we`ve never had so many people* giving us the evil eye, or even asking us to slow down, despite the fact that on my GPS we were doing around 2 mph ! In fact the boat wouldn`t physically go much slower even on tickover, possibly 1.6 mph ? If people are really saying you should be going much slower than 2 mph that isn`t actually possible with most of the boats we`ve hired ! The other point is that there seemed to be more moored up boats on the K&A than any other waterway we`ve been on, if you`re supposed to pass moored boats at 1 mph (which, as I`ve said, isn`t actually possible anyway) we literally wouldn`t have averaged more than 2 mph on whole section of canal we were on. Now I like narrow boating because it`s relaxing, but 2 mph is possibly taking things a bit far, or in this case, ironically not far......

 

* We don`t know why it was, but some of the boaters on the K&A didn`t seem as friendly as on most other waterways, though most were fine. Not sure why, maybe they were annoyed at being stuck on the temporarily truncated west end of the K&A ? In fact we actually came across that rarity of rarities, an unpleasant boater on this trip, a Scottish guy (permanently ? ) moored up just east of Dundas aqueduct. On the other hand, is someone living on a permanently tied up boat actually a boater ?

 

I went by a boat in the Bradford area a few years back on tickover, I was informed that I needed to slow down, I pointed out I was on tickover, I was then informed that it needed adjusting! A******e.

[steelaway]

4MPH is legal, 2 MPH is manners

 

 

 

It also relative to the depth and width of the cut some times even tick over is too fast!

I always give the cheery reply - 'I could go a site faster'

 

Alex

[Domino_2]

It also relative to the depth and width of the cut some times even tick over is too fast!

 

So what speed should you go?

[carlt]

So what speed should you go?

The wash reduces, once you're up on the plane.

[sueb]

Maybe the boats on the K&A would benefit by moving!

[Justin Smith]

Unfortunately some people spend their time boating shouting at passing boats...it brings a little bit of brightness to their sad little lives..

 

If you are not speeding ignore 'em....I do.

 

There`s a worrying sub text to this. Chatting with one or two other boaters, they were saying that we probably wouldn`t have had such grief had we not been in a hire boat....... Which, of course, raises a number of huge questions about some boaters attitudes to hire boats.......

[Guest]

So what speed should you go?

 

On narrow canals I pass with the engine just above tick-over, I'm not sure what this equates to in MPH, I know though from passing possibly hundreds of boats on our boat that this is the optimum setting for passing with no disruption to moored boats while allowing us to make reasonable progress...

[Chertsey]

Of course, coming back to the OP's question, there is no exact answer. It depends on so many variables. One guide is to observe boats as you pass, and if they move more than slightly, slow down. Even this isn't foolproof as I have passed rows of boats of which one out of maybe six has moved, which I could only put down to the shape of the moored boats.

[Timleech]

We recently spent time on the Bridgwater canal. When moored we found that those boats that went passed us that had only a Bridgewater licence tended to go fast, those with a BW licence went slower. Then one day we were cruising, going a little over tickover and not making a wash we were yelled at twice for going to fast.

 

Rant over.

 

Simple answer is don't make a wash when going past, then you shouldn't make moored boats rock too much

 

It's not the wash which really matters on small canals, it's the water being pulled forwards & backwards by the 'plug' of a boat moving in a restricted channel.

The Bridgewater is deeper & wider than most other canals in the area, so it's quite reasonable not to slow down as much as when on those other canals. The locals on the Bridgewater often don't seem to bother much with slowing at all, though.

We suffer somewhat, being just off the Bridgewater on the Trent & Mersey, because a fair number of people will try to go at the same speed as they have been travelling on the Bridgewater. It's generally only after they have passed our moorings that they realise the canal is too shallow for that, & they slow down a bit!

 

For those who keep one eye on the GPS, 4mph is often too fast even for a modern shallow draughted narrow boat in a shallow canal, even without moored boats to consider. Trying to be fully considerate when passing seemingly mile after mile of moored boats can get tedious, though.

 

Tim

[Guest]

which I could only put down to the shape of the moored boats.

 

Or to them not being moored correctly....

[Steilsteven]

There`s a worrying sub text to this. Chatting with one or two other boaters, they were saying that we probably wouldn`t have had such grief had we not been in a hire boat....... Which, of course, raises a number of huge questions about some boaters attitudes to hire boats.......

 

It's not just hire boaters that get shouted at in the location you're talking about, I've been shouted at there too and I was going as slowly as it was possible to do including selecting reverse occasionally. The shouters are, in the main, people who have chosen to own a boat but have no interest in actually learning anything about the art. They're not interested in, the fact that where they have chosen to moor was never designed for the purpose, learning how to tie their boats properly to reduce the effect that passing boats have on them or excepting the fact that their boat will indeed be affected by passing craft regardless of what they do and regardless of however much they shout. They are also not interested in the fact that what they are doing can only result in killing off boating businesses on the western K&A.

 

Keith

[Tuscan]

Of course if the canals were dredged to anything like there designed depth there would be few problems. It's also to do with the swim of the boat my full length. Woolwich disturbs less than some more modern boats despite being of deep draft. However this ongoing draught is helping the water levels n the Foxton area.

[Paul C]

Below a certain speed, it doesn't matter how slow you go past - the effect will be the same. Let me explain. If you go too fast, the wash is large and will affect the moored boat adversely.

 

If you go slower than this, there won't be a wash, rather a bunch of smaller waves. The wave size is proportional to the speed. However, the time you are in the 'zone of influence' is inversely proportional to the speed, so the net effect is the same (time affecting x size of disturbance).

 

So going slower will achieve nothing, except slowing down your journey. It will, however, increase the chances of losing steering control, and slamming into the side of them (or just touching) will no doubt be met by a more vocal complaint.

 

The same argument applies to passing fishermen, except that stirring up the bottom of the canal helps because it floats potential food around the place, so the fish are more active, so there's a good argument for not slowing down at all while passing them!

[mrsmelly]

Maybe the boats on the K&A would benefit by moving!

 

Are they allowed to ?

[Dekazer]

There is no 'exact' answer. Just be as considerate as you can in any circumstance.

 

Depth, width and other things will influence your speed.

 

As Chertsey said, look at the boats you're passing and judge whether you're moving them too much. If so, slow down.

 

I don't mind moving when boats pass and have never actually shouted or glared at anyone. Twice in 3 years have I seen someone who was really going too fast - one was creating a wash over the towpath and I nearly fell over when they passed.

 

Victoria just passed and we wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't been able to see (and wave) out of the window!

[steve hayes]

, but exactly how slow is one supposed to go past moored boats ? ! ?

 

Based on today, flat out if you own a mock working boat / shiny expensive replica or on tick over if you have an Anglo Welsh hire boat. It was pretty much a whitewash in favour of hire boats today

[Barry]

so there's a good argument for not slowing down at all while passing them!

 

Can't agree with you

 

A narrowboat chugging along at normal shifts a considerable amount of water with enough force to rip their keepnets out of the ground

 

That is not a good way to foster good feelings between canal users

[the grinch]

slam into reverse, back up to the complainants boat and watch how fast they scuttle inside!!

[Daiboy]

Hi all,

I am a relative new boater (January this year) the proud owner of a 50ft narrowboat. I had intended (and still do) wish to be a continuous cruiser until a brief pulminory thingy magig meant that I have to stay in one place for a while (river Thames at Windsor). I have moored up but I am being constantly buffeted by the large plastic cruisers, hire boats and the ever present tourist boats. What speed indeed. The alleged maximum of 4 knots (walking pace) seems to have been overlooked by these craft. What can one do !!!!