Stolen Lines

[Golden Duck]

The other day, came in to find that some so and so had stolen both our stern lines and the back end was drifting. Admittedly, they were nice black 10mm lines but even so....

 

They didn't touch the diesel or bow line or the fenders ???? - weird !

 

The boat is in a locked compound, so indications are that they were taken from the water side of the boat.

Edited September 19, 2006 by Golden Duck

[charles123]

Sadly It happens, we had both the stern and bow lines stolen some years back while on the boat and set adrift in Middlewich. Makes you very angry I wont moor anywhere near now and avoid town centrs

 

Charles

[Guest]

Never heard of that before. We suspect we had some diesel stolen last year, so we fitted a locking cover over the cap. Might be worth using some cheap blue nylon rope if the area is possibly dodgy.

[Bones]

Oh my goodness... that is amazing! We'll have to start keeping a full set of spares. WHO ON EARTH would steal the lines.... did you upset them?

[Guest]

Just remembered we had a tub of flowers nicked off the roof during the night on Leeds Liverpool in July, and the boat next door had his boarding plank nicked. Makes you wonder who would want articles such as these that we are talking about?

[Bones]

Just remembered we had a tub of flowers nicked off the roof during the night on Leeds Liverpool in July, and the boat next door had his boarding plank nicked. Makes you wonder who would want articles such as these that we are talking about?

 

 

good heavens! I am amazed. I suppose you simply can't be too careful. I was told to paint my new punting pole on my last boat as it would get pinched... so I suppose it is only natural.

[DHutch]

Its all sad isnt it!

- Our mooring lines (warps?) are fairly scruffy/bland looking, which i guess helps. Although there nice thick (22mm) polyester, with sliced ends, there just plan white, which easly picks up dirt and looks less valuvable.

 

We always take in our (really quite smart) alumminum boat pole, and the boat hook, and have the "mega highway" alumium gang plank chained down (easyer than moving it)

- Mainly just for peice of mind, but it would be gutting to lose any of them.

 

 

 

Daniel

 

Edit, we also had a 56lb mudwieght pinched of the back deck about a year ago, and are still looking for a replacment.

- Fuller said he had about 20, but wasnt selling any of them!

 

 

Daniel

[charles123]

My lines are secured to the t stud and dolly by 2 big cable ties, this means they wont come off unless a would be theif has a sharp knife or pliers to cut them

 

Charles

[roger]

The other day, came in to find that some so and so had stolen both our stern lines and the back end was drifting. Admittedly, they were nice black 10mm lines but even so....

 

They didn't touch the diesel or bow line or the fenders ???? - weird !

 

The boat is in a locked compound, so indications are that they were taken from the water side of the boat.

 

It could have been someone from within the Harlow centre compound!

 

I've had ropes stolen before, I was at Worsley one year when I came back to the boat and saw kids making off with one of my ropes. Tried to catch them but failed. At least I could fall back on some spare ropes that I keep.

[RichardH]

I had the lifering nicked last year which beggers belief.

 

Only other thing stolen is a manky old mop which is bizarre !

 

Some people will nick anything !

[Yamanx]

When I was about 13 I lived in Kent very near the Medway, us kids nicked some rope off a boat once to make a tree swing, it was great it swung right out accross the water, got wet plenty of times.

 

I know its a bugger if you've had some rope pinched and your boat is drifting accross the canal, I'm not condoning it mind, just that sometimes kids will be, just that, kids. If they're making swings and playing outdoor stuff its probably better than shoot-em-up video games, and definately better than throwing stones eh?

[John Orentas]

When I was about 13 I lived in Kent very near the Medway, us kids nicked some rope off a boat once to make a tree swing, it was great it swung right out accross the water, got wet plenty of times.

 

I know its a bugger if you've had some rope pinched and your boat is drifting accross the canal, I'm not condoning it mind, just that sometimes kids will be, just that, kids. If they're making swings and playing outdoor stuff its probably better than shoot-em-up video games, and definately better than throwing stones eh?

 

 

Yes, I go along with Yammy, it is rare to have things nicked from your boat but when it happens we should not over react and let it spoil our enjoyment.

 

My garage at home was broken into last week, they smashed the lock of the door, emptied the firewood out of a cardboard box and made off with the box. Left my toolbox and other semi valuables undisturbed.

 

Very curious!

[Howard]

Sorry to hear of your loss....

 

Nows your chance to buy some lines that are up to the job .... why do you think the large plastics have heavy lines , it's not for show...... i know not everyone likes the jellymould owners, but they have got their heads on when they choose their ropes.... a 42/45 ft plastic will weigh about the same , if not more than a 55 ft narrowboat. It is rare to see a largeish cruiser with any less than 12mm lines usually more.......

 

10mm on a 57ft narrowboat weighing what ? 9 or 10 tons ?

 

If you have to stop the boat suddenly, like in a lock by taking a turn on a bollard , you will snap these easily , i have seen several snap like this, or even just undue strain....

 

I saw a narrowboat earlier this year with what looked like thick wool for lines, he moored in the lock cut, and came adrift in the night after a party boat went past, not speeding, but a large displacement , just drew him away from the bank until the lines went......

 

It snapped the wool lines ( that were about 12-15mm) like string ....

 

We also see a lot of narrowboats using what looks like ex-climbing rope, that stretches a treat when you try and stop the boat suddenly let me tell you ...

 

I'm not trying to preach , and no doubt there will be some who will say, 10mm is plenty... .but if you have to fetch up quickly, beleive me the day will come when it wont be....

 

I just want everyone to be safe ( plus it saves the paperwork when you wreck the boat in front / lock gates (delete as appropriate)

 

H

Edited September 20, 2006 by Howard

[DHutch]

Nows your chance to buy some lines that are up to the job ....

...10mm on a 57ft narrowboat weighing what ? 9 or 10 tons ?

Not even that, this a widebeam, proberbly wieght 15/20tons easyly.

 

Emilyanne has 22m 3strand polyester rope, with sliced* ends. And sometimes when you stoping her surging foward in a lock you deffornaly feel you need it!

 

*A knot in a rope can weaken a rope by upto 50% of its rated breaking strength, whereas a good splice can maintain about 80% of the rated stenght.

 

 

 

Daniel

[Howard]

Jeez .....

 

I didn't notice it was a widebeam ........ 10mm is madness ......

[John Orentas]

I have always used climbing rope, they are nice to handle and I have never snapped one yet. The trick is to always double the rope and tie up on the boat, given that the ropes are one tonne breaking strain how strong do you want them to be!

[Waterways Jim]

As a new boat owner, I'm learning a lot about ropes here (cheers Howard).

 

Boating as Life is a learning experience & one hopes that those folks who used wool (unbelievable!) for lines will never do it again.

 

As for stuff being nicked, kids (chief protagonists) will nick anything. Where I'm moored is in the middle of nowhere, the pub next to the marina is called "The Five Miles From Anywhere No Hurry Inn" and I think it's actually more than 5 miles from anywhere, so we have practically zero security problems.

Edited September 20, 2006 by Waterways Jim

[DHutch]

...how strong do you want them to be!

Momentum

So, 20ton narrowboat, thats 200000kg. Doing 2mph, thats about 0.9m/sec.

Therefore the of a 22nb at 2mph momentum equals 18000kg m/s (equall to a one ton car at 40mph)

 

Force

 

So say it takes 3seconds to bring the boat to a stop slightly gently. I calculate the force on the rope would be 6ton?

 

And from the web i get the below breaking strains:

12mm 2270Kg

14mm 3180Kg

18mm 5080Kg

22mm 7600Kg

 

 

Daniel

[Yamanx]

Momentum

So, 20ton narrowboat, thats 200000kg. Doing 2mph, thats about 0.9m/sec.

Therefore the of a 22nb at 2mph momentum equals 18000kg m/s (equall to a one ton car at 40mph)

 

Force

 

So say it takes 3seconds to bring the boat to a stop slightly gently. I calculate the force on the rope would be 6ton?

 

And from the web i get the below breaking strains:

12mm 2270Kg

14mm 3180Kg

18mm 5080Kg

22mm 7600Kg

Daniel

 

If your boat was falling from the sky that is. Or moving in a vaccum, or a totally frictionless environment. And of course the boat is slowing at a rate not shown ie the force is not constant.

 

I like these maths problems will have a think.

[DHutch]

If your boat was... ...moving in a vaccum, or a totally frictionless environment.

Yes, clearly i havnt taken into acount frictial forces between the boat and the water, but seeing as a 20ton nb, such as emilyanne, will coast for like about a mile, i think is fairly safe to say friction is negligable. And at the end of the day, i was only after a "fingar in the air" sort of answer, just rough figures for thought!

- But no, not if falling from the sky! Stoping it falling from the sky would need a LOT more force, well over 20ton for sure!!

 

 

Daniel

[Stephen Sugg]

I had the lifering nicked last year which beggers belief.

 

Only other thing stolen is a manky old mop which is bizarre !

 

Some people will nick anything !

 

I had a water tank cap knicked off of an Anglo Welsh hire boat few years ago in Cropredy......

[Yamanx]

I had a water tank cap knicked off of an Anglo Welsh hire boat few years ago in Cropredy......

 

A shinny one, no doubt?

[Howard]

I have always used climbing rope, they are nice to handle and I have never snapped one yet. The trick is to always double the rope and tie up on the boat, given that the ropes are one tonne breaking strain how strong do you want them to be!

 

 

Up to you ...... i knew someone would pipe up with something like that ..... the day will come though , beleive me .....

 

I accept you are an experienced boater ..... its a shame that ropes are not used for the purposes that they were designed for ..... climbing ropes are designed for climbing, mooring lines are designed for boats ....

 

Climbing lines will quickly lose their springiness and strength with repeated heavy loads being put on them .

 

A proper mooring warp is a joy to handle , has enough weight to throw round a bollard, too many ropes are too light and just fall short and into the water, and will hang nicely , when properly coiled , not wound round the hand and elbow as so many people who 'coil' their ropes do .....

 

Good luck with it , i certainly won't try and help a narrowboat to stop if i twig it has climbing ropes as it enters the lock , far too dangerous to myself and the boat in front ......

Edited September 20, 2006 by Howard