Mooring Madness

[allybsc]

Yeah... I know...

 

And why is it that some people come flying round the corner on a blind bend, on the wrong side completely, and then start moaning when they have to get out of the way.

 

Hi Liam,

Looked out for your boat but missed it, it was humping it down with rain that day so I was probably hiding inside or making tea.

We got hit 12 times in one day on the T&M leading up to Great Haywood, I stood on the bow and blew my very loud BR horn as we approached the bends, not one other person sounded back...just piled round at speed. One old guy told me off for blowing it after they hit us, he shoouted "OK, OK We heard you" I said if you heard it why didn't you sound back, he just moaned that we were going too fast on the wrong side....not! We hit another boat very hard, lifted them up about three feet out of the water and redecorated the people on the front with red wine, they were fine about it suprisingly but admitted it was their own fault.

Regards,

Ally p.

 

Hi Blackrose,

 

I'd make sure I bumped them before I went in, just like I did with some idiot who was moored on the lock moorings in the middle of Stone, which is busy at the best of times.

 

When we went through Stone this week boats just kept coming up the lock without looking to see if there was room, not suprisingly the boats coming down couldn't get through, not helped by two boats moored right at the top lock.

Regards,

Ally p.

[Paul@CW]

You have to bear in mind that a huge number of hire boats are out on the canals and a good number of them are crewed by novices who, apart from a 10-minute talk from the boatyard, have no idea of boat handling or where they can or can't (or shouldn't) moor.

 

Well now when I "gave a ten minute talk" to a hirer when I worked at the boatyard last month, after showing them through the boat, I ran through the safety checklist and canal rules and etiquette. Then took them through a tunnel and lock, explaining how the lock worked, getting them to do it and explaining lock safety then after exiting the lock showed them how to moor the boat before accompanying them to a bridge some 20 minutes away.

 

All in all that "ten minute talk" takes about 50 minutes.

[david and julie]

We were out for the long weekend and have never seen so many miserable looking private boat owners.

 

Give me the hire or syndicate boaters anytime, a bit of a scrape or mistakes I can live with, we all started somewhere.They are enjoying a holiday and good luck to them too.

 

What I can't understand are the sullen looking private boatowners who clearly resent anyone sharing their waterways and steadfastly refuse to even smile or wave. If they find boating so depressing why do they do it? Thankfully these types are still a minority.

[Hairy-Neil]

Well now when I "gave a ten minute talk" to a hirer when I worked at the boatyard last month, after showing them through the boat, I ran through the safety checklist and canal rules and etiquette. Then took them through a tunnel and lock, explaining how the lock worked, getting them to do it and explaining lock safety then after exiting the lock showed them how to moor the boat before accompanying them to a bridge some 20 minutes away.

 

All in all that "ten minute talk" takes about 50 minutes.

 

Then the company you worked for are a pleasing exception to the rule. When I first hired the boatyard staff steered the boat from the marina (Hilmorton) and pointed it south on the Oxford Canal before handing the tiller to me. At the first bridge hole he jumped off and I was on my own after all of 200 yards tuition on a dead straight canal.

[Ron]

It is nice to realise that other people are both being hit and hitting other boats - not that you want to particularly!

 

I think my particular gripe is people who moor just opposite weirs or discharge points for streams or ditches.

 

It's chucking it down with rain, the cross currents are strong and so you are having to go at a fair wack of speed to keep straight and then just to make it worse you have a boat to avoid which is limiting your options at the very point where you are most likely too loose control.

 

They then indignantly complain you are going too fast, which you might not have had to do if you could stay a little futher from the weir or whatever the problem is.

 

Perhaps I'm just underlining my own weaknesses as a helmsman here, but there are times when you really do need the speed to counter winds or cross currents and sometimes at least you have the choice of upsetting the moored boats with a burst of speed or upsetting them by hitting them.

 

Strangely enough this year it seemed to be the "apparent" boat owners who were the " mean inconsiderate bastards" - perhaps it's just the damn boaters who are having a bad day.

[matt]

It is nice to realise that other people are both being hit and hitting other boats - not that you want to particularly!

 

Last year near Braunston, I was going down a straight (in no rush), saw a boat tearing round a corner in front of me, so slowed down.

 

There was a bloke stood on the front deck, and his wife/daughter at the rear, my wife and kids (including a baby were on our front deck). I slowed down further as she didn't appear to be in control at all.

 

She straightened out, then just before she passed she swerved straight at me, and there was a very big collision - the guy nearly fell over, my misses who was holding the baby nearly fell over. They had no fender on. The guy didn't even give eye contact, the woman didn't say sorry, they just powered off. I didn't get the name as I was too busy checking the kids were okay.

 

I've uploaded the dent here, it doesn't look much from the picture but it's actually pushed the deck wall in by an inch (the gas pipe runs behind it).

[allybsc]

OH my gawd!!! that could have been so awful, glad you were all OK. We are still learning and still make mistakes but to whack you that badly and then rush off without a word of apology is inexcusable

REgards,

Ally p.

[Jaysay]

Some people just don't think, and it's not just the amateurs. A year or so ago, on the Lower Oxford, one of the bridge arches was 50% blocked by quadruple moored hire boats belonging to a nearby firm. It was difficult enough for me to get my 30' boat through; heaven knows how a wide-beam would manage it.

As for double yellow lines on the mooring, actually I think that would be a good idea for water points and lock and bridge moorings. But it's a pity that people have to be told something so basic and considerate.

[alan_fincher]

A year or so ago, on the Lower Oxford, one of the bridge arches was 50% blocked by quadruple moored hire boats belonging to a nearby firm. It was difficult enough for me to get my 30' boat through; heaven knows how a wide-beam would manage it.

May be missing something here, but would,'t a wide beam have bigger difficulties than this navigating the Lower Oxford

[Guest]

I'd say the selfish harsols are those that leave 40 feet between them and the next boat on popular moring spots, knowing that the average boat these days is 50. Ok, everyone likes a bit of privacy but thats just inconsiderate mooring. I arrived at Gnosall late on Sunday evening to find loads of space but nowhere quite long enough..... It was the same at the bottom of Audlem flight on monday though we did just get in somewhere.....

 

Is there really any need to leave more than a couple of foot between fenders?

Saw loads of this down the Shroppie this time. When we moored on a popular (short) mooring next to a boat last week, we left a four or five foot gap on mooring. The owners of the boat we moored next to untied it and moved it away from us.

[adam1uk]

Saw loads of this down the Shroppie this time. When we moored on a popular (short) mooring next to a boat last week, we left a four or five foot gap on mooring. The owners of the boat we moored next to untied it and moved it away from us.

 

You should have waited until they went out, and moved it back again!

[adam1uk]

duplicate post.

Edited August 30, 2006 by adam1uk

[GRPCruiserman]

I'd say the selfish harsols are those that leave 40 feet between them and the next boat on popular moring spots, knowing that the average boat these days is 50. Ok, everyone likes a bit of privacy but thats just inconsiderate mooring. I arrived at Gnosall late on Sunday evening to find loads of space but nowhere quite long enough..... It was the same at the bottom of Audlem flight on monday though we did just get in somewhere.....

 

Is there really any need to leave more than a couple of foot between fenders?

 

No, I love this, at 25 foot, it means handy gaps for us to moor in!! The spaces are not ususally taken up quickly as a lot of boats are now bigger.

[Triton]

We have two dogs, both well behaved.

 

We always try and moor up in isolated areas. We consult maps and look for moorings well away from any active bridges and roads so that we can let the dogs off without worrying about them causing any problems to others or harming themselves. The dogs never wander far away from the boat and are not interested in sheep/cattle etc. We avoid Armco like the plague.

 

Don’t get me wrong, we are far from anti-social, we enjoy life on the canals as in general, 99% of people we meet are very friendly and helpful. We enjoy meeting and chatting to other boaters, walkers etc, we just don’t want them two feet away from us at night when we are moored up for peace, quite and a bit of privacy.

 

On several occasion recently, we have moored up, as usual in the middle of nowhere (as best we can) only to find that within a short time, we find that someone has moored up within a few feet of us. Last Saturday evening, we had a boat moor so close that their bow fender was no more than 2 feet from our stern!! Why do people feel the need to do this?? I was tempted to ask them but they were the most miserable looking couple I have come across in some time, perhaps they had just had a domestic or something??

 

I am now thinking of getting a ghetto blaster and some rap/dance music and turning it on full blast as soon as I see anyone trying to moor up my back side when there is half a mile of better mooring spots both in front and behind of me.

[gaggle]

i know that our boat can be a bit noisy with loads of kids onboard and we sometimes have a young baby who is teething ect and will undoubtably cry in the middle of the night so when cruising i moor up out of the way.

on one occassion only someone who came to moor next to us tut tutted about the kids kicking a ball on the towpath,they then tut tutted at me when i asked why the hell they moored next to us in the middle of free miles,especially as they could see all the kids on their approach.

mostly i just let the moans go over my head and olong the towpath with the breeze.

out all day you are unlucky to come across a dickhead amongst the many others who are like yourself ,just out for a good day.

[Jaysay]

May be missing something here, but would,'t a wide beam have bigger difficulties than this navigating the Lower Oxford

 

Oh yes... Missed a point there. But you get the gist of what I am trying to say!

[GRPCruiserman]

We have two dogs, both well behaved.

 

We always try and moor up in isolated areas. We consult maps and look for moorings well away from any active bridges and roads so that we can let the dogs off without worrying about them causing any problems to others or harming themselves. The dogs never wander far away from the boat and are not interested in sheep/cattle etc. We avoid Armco like the plague.

 

Don’t get me wrong, we are far from anti-social, we enjoy life on the canals as in general, 99% of people we meet are very friendly and helpful. We enjoy meeting and chatting to other boaters, walkers etc, we just don’t want them two feet away from us at night when we are moored up for peace, quite and a bit of privacy.

 

On several occasion recently, we have moored up, as usual in the middle of nowhere (as best we can) only to find that within a short time, we find that someone has moored up within a few feet of us. Last Saturday evening, we had a boat moor so close that their bow fender was no more than 2 feet from our stern!! Why do people feel the need to do this?? I was tempted to ask them but they were the most miserable looking couple I have come across in some time, perhaps they had just had a domestic or something??

 

I am now thinking of getting a ghetto blaster and some rap/dance music and turning it on full blast as soon as I see anyone trying to moor up my back side when there is half a mile of better mooring spots both in front and behind of me.

 

I think this may be a security thing; some people feel safer if moored near another boat. Safety in numbers??

[Hairy-Neil]

Same thing happens in car parks. Leave your car for 10 minutes in the deserted end of B&Q's parking lot (so avoid getting dings in your doors) and when you come back its surrounded by cars.

Edited August 31, 2006 by Hairy-Neil

[JohnOnTheWey]

Same thing happens in car parks. Leave your car for 10 minutes in the deserted end of B&Q's parking lot (so avoid getting dings in your doors) and when you come back its surrounded by cars.

 

I reckon it's the herding instinct. Same effect can be found in other species such as buses and tube trains.

 

John

[gralyn]

 

On several occasion recently, we have moored up, as usual in the middle of nowhere (as best we can) only to find that within a short time, we find that someone has moored up within a few feet of us. Last Saturday evening, we had a boat moor so close that their bow fender was no more than 2 feet from our stern!! Why do people feel the need to do this??

 

Where one boat is moored usually indicates that there is enough depth for others to moor up and sometimes the depth dictates where the second boat will moor