Hire boat stag do

[Doug Scullery]

Did a bit of Googling to see how hire firms market themselves to the stag and hen parties that have been discussed lately and came across this article:

 

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/a-stagdo-backwater-that-floats-my-boat-6813249.html

 

Made slightly bizarre reading, definitely a fresh perspective!

[dor]

Perhaps we should all log in and say what a stupid immature little tw@t the author is for being so proud of crashing boats and generally causing mayhem.

 

Or maybe they were as quiet as church mice but he wanted to try and show his mates how big he is.

 

As for "river carnies" eating a fox barbecued over an oil drum fire... I've not seen that one on the Shroppie!

[madcat]

It can be arranged,not fox but something more edible like belly pork maybe

[ditchcrawler]

Did a bit of Googling to see how hire firms market themselves to the stag and hen parties that have been discussed lately and came across this article: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/a-stagdo-backwater-that-floats-my-boat-6813249.html Made slightly bizarre reading, definitely a fresh perspective!

That was five years ago

[Doug Scullery]

That was five years ago

Yeah, I know. I never said it was a new article.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

 

 

As for "river carnies" eating a fox barbecued over an oil drum fire... I've not seen that one on the Shroppie!

I've seen it down the West Country on the K&A. Happens all the time down there, it's like that wicker man film down there.

Don't go there!

[luctor et emergo]

We have Dragons here too. And VM full of crusty overstayers. It's horrible, don't waste your time and money coming down here...

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Very soon they'll all be having hair bouffants down there too.

Bradford on Avon getting an on water hair 'salon' (allegedly)

Really scary.

More reason to stay away.

[Doorman]

Hair Bouffants? That's me definitely out, I'm as bald as a coot! That's coot madam, not what you thought I said.

[Doorman]

Back to the original reason for Goliath's post, researching hire company's rationale when accepting Stag and Hen parties as customers, you have to question company ethics when handing over sets of boat keys to a group of people who are obviously out to have a drink or five. If the boats were simply static house boats then there shouldn't be an issue other than noise pollution to nearby boats or the safety of the party members, e.g. Falling overboard. Whereas in hiring with regular boats the potential for disaster is quite possible and surerly hire firms are culpable of neglect and dereliction of duty to other boaters. The recently posted incident involving Starcoaster was evidence of this. Not until an incident of death by misadventure occurs, it appears, will these companies be held to account and more stringent in their approach to recruiting new customers.

 

Doh! I'm using my phone to reply and can't edit my posts. It was Doug Scullery who was the OP and not the giant as per my last post. :-(

[David Mack]

Back to the original reason for Goliath's post, researching hire company's rationale when accepting Stag and Hen parties as customers, you have to question company ethics when handing over sets of boat keys to a group of people who are obviously out to have a drink or five. If the boats were simply static house boats then there shouldn't be an issue other than noise pollution to nearby boats or the safety of the party members, e.g. Falling overboard. Whereas in hiring with regular boats the potential for disaster is quite possible and surerly hire firms are culpable of neglect and dereliction of duty to other boaters. The recently posted incident involving Starcoaster was evidence of this. Not until an incident of death by misadventure occurs, it appears, will these companies be held to account and more stringent in their approach to recruiting new customers.

 

Which is why many companies won't accept bookings from single sex groups.

[Kwacker]

Very soon they'll all be having hair bouffants down there too.

Bradford on Avon getting an on water hair 'salon' (allegedly)

Really scary.

More reason to stay away.

Hair today

Gondola tomorrow

[ditchcrawler]

Which is why many companies won't accept bookings from single sex groups.

But there are also a lot of single sex groups who don't cause any problems at all

[Paul C]

Back to the original reason for Goliath's post, researching hire company's rationale when accepting Stag and Hen parties as customers, you have to question company ethics when handing over sets of boat keys to a group of people who are obviously out to have a drink or five. If the boats were simply static house boats then there shouldn't be an issue other than noise pollution to nearby boats or the safety of the party members, e.g. Falling overboard. Whereas in hiring with regular boats the potential for disaster is quite possible and surerly hire firms are culpable of neglect and dereliction of duty to other boaters. The recently posted incident involving Starcoaster was evidence of this. Not until an incident of death by misadventure occurs, it appears, will these companies be held to account and more stringent in their approach to recruiting new customers.

 

Doh! I'm using my phone to reply and can't edit my posts. It was Doug Scullery who was the OP and not the giant as per my last post. :-(

 

 

Which is why many companies won't accept bookings from single sex groups.

 

 

But there are also a lot of single sex groups who don't cause any problems at all

 

In the recent past, hire firms have struggled to get bookings. Thus, I believe while many may state they don't accept single sex bookings, they'll now accommodate them.

 

So the decision is more like, accept single sex bookings or lay a member of staff off. Not an easy choice to make.

[dor]

 

In the recent past, hire firms have struggled to get bookings. Thus, I believe while many may state they don't accept single sex bookings, they'll now accommodate them.

 

So the decision is more like, accept single sex bookings or lay a member of staff off. Not an easy choice to make.

 

But they could take a substantial deposit, tell the hirers they will be pursued through the courts for any shortfall, and not treat the boaters on the rough end of the antics with the contempt that many do.

[Paul C]

But they could take a substantial deposit, tell the hirers they will be pursued through the courts for any shortfall, and not treat the boaters on the rough end of the antics with the contempt that many do.

 

They do! (At least, for the first bit regarding a substantial deposit).

[Stephen Sugg]

They do indeed. I was sort of in charge of a stag thing 7 years ago on two College Cruisers boats on the Oxford in a very cold February. It cost quite a lot! We were well behaved on the boats, there was some rowdiness in a couple of the pubs which I think surprised the locals (i did a lot of apologising and drink buying).

 

There was no fancy dress (apart from us painting the groom blue and making him wear an Everton shirt which as a Liverpool fan upset him).

 

I do remember a few years ago following a boat on the Wey with a load of pirates on board, one was swimming behind the boat, caught up and hung off the rear fender. I had to look away as I feared the worst. He got away with it.

[IanM]

One of the big hire companies does say it may ask for an additional (IIRC) £250 deposit from some groups when they turn up at the boatyard.

 

Anyway, I think the worst thing I've seen from a 'single sex' hire boat was one entering Braunston Tunnel with 5 lads stood on the roof of the boat!

[Paul C]

I've seen some pretty daft things done by first time hirers which were male-female couples, or families; or other groups of mixed gender in various combinations. I don't believe I've seen any particular group composition and related it to rowdiness/stupidity/antisocial behaviour.

 

Maybe its a local or regional issue with certain canals/hire firms?

[leolady too]

We were waiting for a boat to come up a lock on the river Wey a couple of years back. This was a day boat full of ladies having a hen party of some sort. Much hilarity and booze and all of them having a good time. Unfortunately they'd opened the top and bottom paddles and were wondering why it was taking the lock so long to fill. I went and helped and they went on their very merry way but I was glad they were going in the opposite direction. I wouldn't want to stop anyone having a good time but I do think inexperience, booze and a narrow boat is a dangerous mix.

Edited May 2, 2013 by leolady too

[Doorman]

I wouldn't want to stop anyone having a good time but I do think inexperiance, booze and a narrow boat is a dangerous mix.

That should be engraved in stainless steel and mounted over the MD's desk of all hire boat firms as their 'Mission Statement'.

[Doorman]

I don't believe I've seen any particular group composition and related it to rowdiness/stupidity/antisocial behaviour.

 

Maybe its a local or regional issue with certain canals/hire firms?

Yes Paul, mainly the ones who place profit before accountability! Whilst running off-licenses, and in particularly quiet months, it would have been easy for me to serve under age drinkers rather than risk laying members of my staff off. Instead, I used my overdraft to fund their wages and kept them on. It's all about ethics! Edited May 2, 2013 by Doorman

[David Mack]

A couple of years ago we caught up with a Rugby Club-type group on a hire boat going down the Tardebigge. No rowdy behaviour or anything of that sort, but just rather surprised that after each lock they all got back on the boat and crusied the few yards to the next (empty) lock, where a couple got off and opened the top paddles. No thought of walking between the locks or of someone going ahead! It made for very slow progress, even when our smaller and older crew was virtually working them through!