Mooring Pins Pulled Out Twice In Leigh Last Night

[nb Innisfree]

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.

Nice to hear, rock on.

[carlt]

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

Normal boaty lump hammers are toffee hammers, compared to what I use (blumming grumpy Joy Division fans )

[rubblequeen]

(blumming grumpy Joy Division fans )

Just wondered what a 70's punk band has to do with this, or is it some Mancunian saying now.

[Guest]

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

They don't creep up on you for sure, they disturb the water well ahead and you can sense their approach plenty of time ahead ~ enough time to get the camera out for sure.

 

The skippers take as much care as they can but the sheer size means you do get pulled about on your mooring. We once lost a fair bit of crockery which had lazily been left to drain after washing up, a sand barge that time not one of the tankers.....our fault not theirs. It will be a sad day if they ever disappear, which is a real risk.

[Cloudinspector]

Just wondered what a 70's punk band has to do with this, or is it some Mancunian saying now.

Check out my avatar

[dmr]

Sounds like a nightmare!

We went past you when you were moored on the far bank against another boat!

Economic changes have not been kind to Leigh and its one of those places where I would not moor.

There are always quite a few people just hanging about on the towpath looking a bit bored.

There is a small group of drinkers who are always sat on a canalside bench and can be very excitable, though we have found them friendly, however drinking all day long is not a good thing (though I guess with no work there is not much else to do.)

 

I do not go along with the idea of big pins or double pins, its just tempting people to cut the ropes which is much more of a problem.

Unless you need public transport there is a lot of quite remote canal in that area which is probably much safer, and its only a few hours cruising to the centre of Manchester which is a great place to moor.

 

...........Dave

[Sade]

The air rifle poking out of a porthole should do the trick! I used to live (in our old house) near slough and had to chase a man who was sitting in the front seat of my friends car trying to steal it......I just chased him down the road with a lump of wood in my hand shouting like a derranged crazy woman and he legged it. Not condoning violent behaviour but I get sick of hearing people being intimidated by complete scumbags and wouldn't put up with it in a house, never mind a boat.

 

Saying that, it must have been awful and I'm sorry you had to go through it. I hope you have other boaters around you when you're on your own and hopefully that will make you feel a bit more secure

[ditchcrawler]

Normal boaty lump hammers are toffee hammers, compared to what I use (blumming grumpy Joy Division fans )

I have been boating with boaters who use claw hammers to put their pins in. Some even use what look like aluminium toffee hammers with a round head and metal shaft.

The air rifle poking out of a porthole should do the trick!

The rifle, air or otherwise could get you in a lot of trouble

[Guest]

I have been boating with boaters who use claw hammers to put their pins in. Some even use what look like aluminium toffee hammers with a round head and metal shaft.

The rifle, air or otherwise could get you in a lot of trouble

That's nowt,; I use the blunt side of me axe.

 

Sorry to hear about OP's bad experience. We go through Leigh a great deal and have never had any probs. We usually have a laugh with the drunken guys. Just shows it can kick off anywhere.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Guest

[carlt]

That's nowt,; I use the blunt side of me axe.

I once offered the loan of my sledgehammer to a, pretty obviously, new boat owner who was trying to knock his stakes in with a rubber tent peg mallet.

[rubblequeen]

Check out my avatar

Still unsure of the meaning in this thread, I assume your avatar is the lead singer who unfortunately had a lot to deal with in his short life.

[Sade]

I have been boating with boaters who use claw hammers to put their pins in. Some even use what look like aluminium toffee hammers with a round head and metal shaft.

The rifle, air or otherwise could get you in a lot of trouble

I should have put a little smiley next to the air rifle comment (is there a "tongue in cheek" one available?)

[rubblequeen]

I do not go along with the idea of big pins or double pins, its just tempting people to cut the ropes which is much more of a problem.

...........Dave

 

I haven''t read every thread on this forum, but I don't remember anyone reporting that their ropes had been cut but several at having their pins pulled, untied etc. I'm sure it has happened but just how prevalent is it to be cut loose do you think?

.

I feel for the OP as it is just awful what they were put through and I have to admit I hate it when late into the night you hear a group of people coming along the tow path making a lot of noise. Even that I find unsettling although to date never had any trouble.

[carlt]

I do not go along with the idea of big pins or double pins, its just tempting people to cut the ropes which is much more of a problem.

...........Dave

Well in 30+ years of boating and using 3' long stakes I have never once had them pulled out nor my ropes cut.

 

Stakes can be pulled out but you need to be carrying a knife to cut ropes.

[madcat]

I used to stop in Liegh quite happily but haven't been that way for a number of years,everywhere does a good line in meat heads these days.

I have a selection of pins including some big blacksmith made brutes 3 foot long and sledge hammer to knock them in. If I can I prefer a short length of chain through the piling with a rope through the links.

[dmr]

Getting untied or having the pins pulled out is a pain but no big deal, we have experienced both. Gas street in Birmingham is a place where the ropes slips easily off the bollard!. We have boats let loose at Banbury

Searching this forum should turn up few reports of ropes getting cut, I believe there was a recent spate of this on the Coventry. Getting untied is maybe just high spirits, though can be dangerous on a river, rope cutting is vandalism and expensive!. We were untied and a rope stolen at Thrupp last year.

Sadly there is still a bit of rope untying on the river in Bath, and I have heard reports that if you use a chain that will be cut!

 

............Dave

[FadeToScarlet]

Well in 30+ years of boating and using 3' long stakes I have never once had them pulled out nor my ropes cut.

 

Stakes can be pulled out but you need to be carrying a knife to cut ropes.

...or a lighter, if the ropes are artificial.

[mrscloudinspector]

Normal boaty lump hammers are toffee hammers, compared to what I use (blumming grumpy Joy Division fans )

I've got to live with him lol

[Biggles]

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'?

 

Did i read somewhere that if a boat is on the SSR its considered sovereign and to cut it lose is an offence against the crown and considered treason which still carries the death penalty. Or did I dream this?

[Biggles]

When i feel it necessary either because of passing boats or possible threat of pin pulling I always put 2 in in a cross formation with one pin through the eye of the other and they are driven in 750mm. I of course made my own pins. Longer and thicker than off the shelf ones.

 

Although when I have to remove them I wonder why I made them so long and whacked them in so hard.

[mayalld]

 

Did i read somewhere that if a boat is on the SSR its considered sovereign and to cut it lose is an offence against the crown and considered treason which still carries the death penalty. Or did I dream this?

 

Yes, you dreamed it!

 

Being on the SSR has a certain advantage, in terms of giving you a power of arrest, but forget Treason (and the death penalty for treason was abolished some years ago)

[bizzard]

At the IWA boat festival at Waltham Abbey in 1994 I think it was we had a whole trot of doubled up moored boats cast adrift late at night, my cousins poodle Sophie raised the alarm by barking.

Edited August 6, 2013 by bizzard

[KJT]

 

I do not go along with the idea of big pins or double pins, its just tempting people to cut the ropes which is much more of a problem.

 

 

...........Dave

 

Fortunately we have never been cut adrift. But have in the past had pins pulled out by passing craft, usually travelling too fast.

 

Since adopting the 'double pin' method we haven't had any pins pulled.

 

Ken

[Cloudinspector]

Getting untied or having the pins pulled out is a pain but no big deal, we have experienced both. Gas street in Birmingham is a place where the ropes slips easily off the bollard!. We have boats let loose at Banbury

Searching this forum should turn up few reports of ropes getting cut, I believe there was a recent spate of this on the Coventry. Getting untied is maybe just high spirits, though can be dangerous on a river, rope cutting is vandalism and expensive!. We were untied and a rope stolen at Thrupp last year.

Sadly there is still a bit of rope untying on the river in Bath, and I have heard reports that if you use a chain that will be cut!

 

............Dave

shouting abuse and threatening my wife through a window at 3am whilst she is in bed is NOT "just high spirits"

[Black Ibis]

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

agreed. we have a sledgehammer and quite a collection of very sturdy stakes, including some left behind when they've used the park where we moor for events in marquees. With lines tied through closed loops and back onto the boat and big stakes there's no way Willow's coming loose unless they cut through the ropes.