Mooring Pins Pulled Out Twice In Leigh Last Night

[mrscloudinspector]

We stayed in Leigh last night on the towpath side facing the Waterside Inn, as there was no room opposite on the visitor moorings where there are rings (which we have done twice before on a Saturday with no issues) and at about 2.30am we both woke up after hearing a clunk to find that we were drifting down the middle of the canal.

 

We got ourselves back to the bank and moored up again but as the OH was on an early shift he decided to stay up and have a cup of tea. About 4am with lights on in the boat about four lads came past and pulled the pins again (although not sure if they were the same group who did it the first time as it was quite a while later). I shouted out at them and one of the lads came running up the the window telling me to F off and generally verbally abusing me, they ran off as soon as the OH appeared and then while we were sorting the boat again they were shouting abuse at us from the bridge.

 

Martin was already late leaving for work but I was really shaken and didnt want to be left alone so we got a friend to come over to stay with me til morning and then moved the boat alongside another boater (who very kindly offered) on the opposite side.

 

I phoned the police today on the non emergency number to report it and they were really helpful, they said we should have phoned them at the time - We didn't think they would've been interested!- they logged it and gave me a reference, said to ring straight away if any more problems as I will be on my own here tonight.

 

Must admit It was quite scary, made me feel really vulnerable.

 

Sorry if I've waffled, didn't get a lot of kip last night! And apologies if I should have posted this elsewhere. Just thought I would let people know.

 

Thanks

 

Meg

[RLWP]

Meg, that does sound very scary indeed

 

Richard

[The Pipe]

Did someone tell me that pulling your mooring pins out was classed as breaking and entering?

Any imput from the legal beagles?

[blackrose]

I had the same thing happen to me once in Berko on the southern GU. They actually set 2 other boats adrift but they couldn't get my stakes out. I helped the others get their boats in and the 3 blokes who'd done it shouted abuse at us from the footbridge.

 

The only other time I've had any trouble was when 2 drunk blokes jumped on the roof of my boat in broad daylight and threatened to beat me up when I came outside. That time I called the police, but when they turned up 20 minutes later and caught up with them about 200 yards down the towpath, they returned and told me that they were "disinclined to effect an arest" because the blokes were drunk by the water. What they really meant was that these blokes were too big and nasty for a young female PC and her young male PC partner to deal with.

 

But yes, the truth is that occasionally you are vulnerable.

Edited August 4, 2013 by blackrose

[Midnight Rider]

Did someone tell me that pulling your mooring pins out was classed as breaking and entering?

Any imput from the legal beagles?

No it isn't --- but I would love to know the reasoning behind it.

 

 

The only other time I've had any trouble was when 2 drunk blokes jumped on the roof of my boat in broad daylight and threatened to beat me up when I came outside. That time I called the police, but when they turned up 20 minutes later and caught up with them about 200 yards down the towpath, they returned and told me that they were "disinclined to effect an arest" because the blokes were drunk by the water. What they really meant was that these blokes were too big and nasty for a young female PC and her young male PC partner to deal with.

 

 

Well, if they were drunk & incapable or drunk & disorderly, they should have been arrested. If they couldn't handle it, then why not get some back up?

[luctor et emergo]

If anything pulling the pins, and setting a boat adrift, would I expect be classed as criminal damage. On a river possibly also 'endangering live'?

[carlt]

3 foot marquee stakes and a sledgehammer rather than toothpicks and a toffee hammer stops mooring stakes being pulled out.

[Greedyheron]

That's a really horrible thing to happen, unfortunately there are a few people around with less brain cells than toes. I would suggest asking someone if you can tie alongside them tonight- hopefully they will be off bothering someone else but at least if they did come back you could be assured that some one else would be on hand to deal with them with you ( and that someone else would probably wake up first as thier boat would be nearest the bank). Maybe the nice person that offered today will still be there- if not perhaps another person on the VMs would welcome having the security of someone else on hand.

Just realised that you posted that yesterday Meg- I hope you had a nice idiot free night!

[Guest]

3 foot marquee stakes and a sledgehammer rather than toothpicks and a toffee hammer stops mooring stakes being pulled out.

 

err .might one ask how you get them out when you need to leave then?

 

[carlt]

 

err .might one ask how you get them out when you need to leave then?

 

I've never had a problem.

 

Tap them on all sides a few times to loosen them and enlarge the hole a bit and they pull straight out.

[john4647]

I've never had a problem.

 

Tap them on all sides a few times to loosen them and enlarge the hole a bit and they pull straight out.

 

That's done it. All the bad guys will know what to do now.

[carlt]

 

That's done it. All the bad guys will know what to do now.

They'll have to take their own sledge hammer along to tap the stakes with, mine is locked away on the boat when not in use.

[billS]

My usual method of using mooring pins is to drive the pin into the ground until only the loop is proud of the surface. I pass the rope through the loop, tie it off on the T-stud or dolly and then continue to drive the pin into the ground until only an inch or so protrudes.

 

This makes the pin very unlikely to come loose accidently, but additionally, to remove it, you have to board the boat to loosen the rope from the T-stud, and then use the rope to pull the pin from the ground (after tapping it sideways as described by CarlT).

Edited August 5, 2013 by billS

[Rich]

 

That's done it. All the bad guys will know what to do now.

Only if they are carrying a sledgehammer, or possibly if one of their number bangs his head against the pin.

[Robbo]

My usual method of using mooring pins is to drive the pin into the ground until only the loop is proud of the surface. I pass the rope through the loop, tie it off on the T-stud or dolly and then continue to drive the pin into the ground until only an inch or so protrudes.

 

This makes the pin very unlikely to come loose accidently, but additionally, to remove it, you have to board the boat to loosen the rope from the T-stud, and then use the rope to pull the pin from the ground (after tapping it sideways as described by CarlT).

 

You could also use two pins at a angle and then padlocked, one pins stops then stops the other pin from been removed. You can then use a security cable to padlock the boat if wished.

[Hoose]

 

You could also use two pins at a angle and then padlocked, one pins stops then stops the other pin from been removed. You can then use a security cable to padlock the boat if wished.

That's a great idea! It happens a lot in Thorne and Barnby dun in south Yorkshire so chaining on is a must

[Guest]

That's a great idea! It happens a lot in Thorne and Barnby dun in south Yorkshire so chaining on is a must

 

That's interesting we have moored there (Barnby) loads of times and it has never happened to us but then we never moor on pins there anyway because the commercial tankers will pull your pins out in a flash.

 

Any body who moors on pins only there (by which of course I mean not on the VM's like we are but further along) I'm afraid can expect to be set free and not necessarily by the locals!

 

Edited August 5, 2013 by The Dog House

[KJT]

You could also use two pins at a angle and then padlocked, one pins stops then stops the other pin from been removed. You can then use a security cable to padlock the boat if wished.

Similar to what I do, but I use the pins with the integral ring at the top. I put the first pin in at an angle as normal, and the second pin I put through the ring of the first so it forms an 'X'. I have never had any pins come loose! (Touch wood!)

 

Ken

[nb Innisfree]

Anyone drunk on a nb roof is very vulnerable if attacked by an angry boater with a big stick...

[mrscloudinspector]

3 foot marquee stakes and a sledgehammer rather than toothpicks and a toffee hammer stops mooring stakes being pulled out.

 

 

We didn't use toothpicks, but thanks for the advice

 

Also, it was also a case of threatening behaviour as well as having the pins pulled

Edited August 5, 2013 by mrscloudinspector

[Hoose]

 

That's interesting we have moored there (Barnby) loads of times and it has never happened to us but then we never moor on pins there anyway because the commercial tankers will pull your pins out in a flash.

 

Any body who moors on pins only there (by which of course I mean not on the VM's like we are but further along) I'm afraid can expect to be set free and not necessarily by the locals!

 

[carlt]

 

We didn't use toothpicks, but thanks for the advice

By "toothpicks" I was referring to the conventional mooring stakes that are the root cause of many peoples' woes concerning "speeding boats" and high spirited towpath users.

 

They are just not up to the job much of the time.

[steven wilkinson]

 

I bet that's impressive when it goes past you! (And a bit scary the first few times!)

[mrscloudinspector]

By "toothpicks" I was referring to the conventional mooring stakes that are the root cause of many peoples' woes concerning "speeding boats" and high spirited towpath users.

 

They are just not up to the job much of the time.

We didn't use a toffee hammer either, but again thanks for the advice

A genuine thanks for the tips about mooring pins, however it was the abuse that we received that can't be solved by padlocks etc. that was the most unsettling part.

 

If they hadn't been able to pull the pins so easily they might have just started to smash things up....

 

They also threw one of my pots in the canal so I think they were just out to do some sort of damage.

[Cloudinspector]

Anyone drunk on a nb roof is very vulnerable if attacked by an angry boater with a big stick...

The big tough men shouting abuse through the window at my wife weren't man enough to hang around once I'd got my boots on, otherwise at least one would have ended up in the cut even if I went in with them.