Youngsters hiring boats

[dmr]

 

As someone who lives on the Western end of the K and A at the moment I'd say that comment is very wide of the mark. I don't see every boat movement by any means, but being almost at Dundas Aqueduct and often outside (my mooring is just on the coal canal) I see a lot of them, a certain amount of incompetence yes, drunken stupidity, not really.

Patrick,

 

I am describing a single weekend, think it was April or early May. Maybe it was a bad day, but my post is honest.

I think Bath (rugby) were playing at home so this could be a significant factor.

We actually moored in Bath on the Friday then cruised from Bath to Bradford on the Saturday, so every single one actually passed us. We then stayed at Bradford so they all passed us on their return Journey.

I said "drunken", rather than "drunken stupidity". Almost all were drunken though in good spirits, many had some incompetence (but it is a very tricky canal to navigate), only two or three were full blown drunken stupidity including one swimming beside the boat, and two travelling breasted up, One gentleman was particularly abusive on their return journey, including what we might call a "verbal sexual assault" upon a woman walking the towpath.

 

As someone who travels the system I would say the K&A is not alone, it happens everywhere, and Day boats appear to be one of the bigger problems.

The issue with the K&A is that everything is crammed in between Bath and Bradford. Do note that I am not another "K&A knocker", it is in my opinion the best waterway in the country with the best and friendliest boaters, though the Weaver comes a close second!

 

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

 

PS can we meet for a chat and beer next winter, I am in awe of your knowledge of the canal system

 

I saw about 20 hire boats and all but one was single sex.

 

How do you know? Perhaps the members of the opposite sex were down below getting dinner ready.

 

 

.

 

...........

 

 

Good grief, I didn't think of that, 10 blokes on the back of a cruiser stern with two kegs of lager, plus 10 women down below getting the cheese sandwiches ready for the after pub munchies!

 

Please reverse the rolls if you find this sexist!!!!!!

 

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

[Starcoaster]

 

You are not to shout 'Death Boat' at Alvechurch hire boats*

 

Richard

 

*like the Finchers do

 

They do it too? I thought it was just me and Mikey Bee...

 

*Edited for unforgivable to, too, two error.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Starcoaster

[Athy]

Patrick,

 

I am describing a single weekend, think it was April or early May. Maybe it was a bad day, but my post is honest.

I think Bath (rugby) were playing at home so this could be a significant factor.

We actually moored in Bath on the Friday then cruised from Bath to Bradford on the Saturday, so every single one actually passed us. We then stayed at Bradford so they all passed us on their return Journey.

I said "drunken", rather than "drunken stupidity". Almost all were drunken though in good spirits, many had some incompetence (but it is a very tricky canal to navigate), only two or three were full blown drunken stupidity including one swimming beside the boat, and two travelling breasted up, One gentleman was particularly abusive on their return journey, including what we might call a "verbal sexual assault" upon a woman walking the towpath.

 

As someone who travels the system I would say the K&A is not alone, it happens everywhere, and Day boats appear to be one of the bigger problems.

The issue with the K&A is that everything is crammed in between Bath and Bradford. Do note that I am not another "K&A knocker", it is in my opinion the best waterway in the country with the best and friendliest boaters, though the Weaver comes a close second!

 

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

 

PS can we meet for a chat and beer next winter, I am in awe of your knowledge of the canal system

 

Good grief, I didn't think of that, 10 blokes on the back of a cruiser stern with two kegs of lager, plus 10 women down below getting the cheese sandwiches ready for the after pub munchies!

 

Please reverse the rolls if you find this sexist!!!!!!

 

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

I hope that the boat did not roll, even in reverse.

If you read my post, I was careful not to attrbute drinking or cooking duties to specific genders. Have you never seen birds knocking back the cider on deck and thought that perhaps their blokes were busy preparing steaks and salads down below?

[magpie patrick]

Patrick,

 

I am describing a single weekend, think it was April or early May. Maybe it was a bad day, but my post is honest.

 

As someone who travels the system I would say the K&A is not alone, it happens everywhere, and Day boats appear to be one of the bigger problems.

The issue with the K&A is that everything is crammed in between Bath and Bradford. Do note that I am not another "K&A knocker", it is in my opinion the best waterway in the country with the best and friendliest boaters, though the Weaver comes a close second!

 

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

 

PS can we meet for a chat and beer next winter, I am in awe of your knowledge of the canal system

 

 

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

 

Sounds like our experiences are not exclusive then, given mine is how things are generally and yours is a short period when I certainly wasn't here.

 

Of course we can meet for a chat and a drink, I'll PM you, and if I forget, PM me.

[Cruising Mike]

I think at the end of the day everyone can have their own opinions on what is right or wrong. But what people can expect, and rightly so, is people using the waterways to respect the rules and other users. Those who don't, then shame on them.

 

Aside from drink, there is one other 'disadvantage' to seeing single sex boats..... When i was about 10, i was allowed to steer the boat for a bit (under supervision of course) and came accross a boat laden full of ladies in bikinis on the roof. Needless to say, we spent the next 2 hours try to to get out of a shallow embankment!

Edited August 21, 2013 by Cruising Mike

[Athy]

You were distracted by girls in bikinis at the age of TEN? Blimey, you must have been a precocious developer. I think when I was that age the only thing which would have distracted me would have been a steam locomotive (less often encountered these days which is perhaps why I usually manage to steer fairly straight).

[magpie patrick]

<sigh> One bloke distracted by scantily clad females, another by steam trains. It's no wonder the ladies despair of us men folk...

 

Have you no concept of discreetly gawping you two

[mayalld]

<sigh> One bloke distracted by scantily clad females, another by steam trains. It's no wonder the ladies despair of us men folk...

 

Have you no concept of discreetly gawping you two

 

Yebbut sometimes it is the ladies fault.

 

Like the time we were passing through Bollington, and Bev said "don't look right"

 

Well, I mean what would you do?

 

Ninety years old if she was a day, naked as a jaybird, and presenting her rear end as she bent down to load the washing machine.

[Athy]

A steam train does not notice or react when one gawps at it - much like a vintage boat engine, which is probably what I gawp at most often nowadays.

I don't think that Mrs. Athy "despairs" of me. She already knew that I was slightly unusual when she married me 26 years ago. Her little foible is that she cannot pass anything which looks like a TV screen (computer etc.) without gawping at it. Whenever she comes into my office the first thing she does is look at the computer screen. I used to think that she was checking up in case I was viewing a web site called Wobbly Totty or suchlike, but it's just a natural reaction with her.

 

 

 

naked as a jaybird

 

This insults jaybirds, unless you mean that she was richly and colourfully plumaged. But I hope you did not look as closely as that.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Athy

[Cruising Mike]

You were distracted by girls in bikinis at the age of TEN? Blimey, you must have been a precocious developer.

 

Well it's no secret that real men in the making catch onto things pretty quickly

<sigh> One bloke distracted by scantily clad females, another by steam trains. It's no wonder the ladies despair of us men folk...

 

Have you no concept of discreetly gawping you two

 

However, being 10, i hadn't yet learnt the art of being discreet!

Edited August 21, 2013 by Cruising Mike

[Doorman]

I'm sure every hire company sits their hirers down and lists all of the byelaws to them at the start of each holiday!

 

Yes, you are probably right, they don't. Their main concern is that of their bank balance and not the safety of other boaters. If it is illegal to drive a car whilst drunk and anyone with an ounce of common sense agrees with and conforms to that ruling, then how can anyone condone a group of hirers or otherwise, who are pissed out of their minds and incabable of boating safely?

 

As previously stated, young boaters are very welcome on the waterways and probably represent boaters of the future, but only if they act responsibly.

 

To act in defense of hire companies on the basis that they don't know (or care) what their hirers will get up to when out on the cut is naive beyond comprehension. When a group of youngsters arrive to board a hire boat and load up stupid amounts of beer in the process, it's pretty obvious that they're out to get drunk. Some resposible hire companies near us refrain from allowing groups of youngsters to hire their craft, but sadly some others don't exercise such wisdom.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Doorman

[rubblequeen]

Recently on the Thames my BinL suddenly said words to the effect"Look over there, there is a woman about 95 topless" I refrained from looking - not for any other reason than that I was worried in case I started to feel excited.

[Athy]

, there is a woman about 95 topless"

I hope that measurement was in centimetres - it would equate to about 37".

[Naughty Cal]

 

Yes, you are probably right, they don't. Their main concern is that of their bank balance and not the safety of other boaters. If it is illegal to drive a car whilst drunk and anyone with an ounce of common sense agrees with and conforms to that ruling, then how can anyone condone a group of hirers or otherwise, who are pissed out of their minds and incabable of boating safely?

 

As previously stated, young boaters are very welcome on the waterways and probably represent boaters of the future, but only if they act responsibly.

 

To act in defense of hire companies on the basis that they don't know (or care) what their hirers will get up to when out on the cut is naive beyond comprehension. When a group of youngsters arrive to board a hire boat and load up stupid amounts of beer in the process, it's pretty obvious that they're out to get drunk. Some resposible hire companies near us refrain from allowing groups of youngsters to hire their craft, but sadly some others don't exercise such wisdom.

So in your mind no group of youngsters is capable of hiring a boat and being sensible.

 

Its nice to know that some people have lots of faith in the younger generation.

[Doorman]

So in your mind no group of youngsters is capable of hiring a boat and being sensible.

.

Quite the opposite from experience.

 

Recently, there have been a few hire boats pass us with young blokes on board, one with a group of Norwegian lads enjoying their boating experience and being courteous to other boaters and the folk in the village. Another with a group of Chilean fellas whom were equally friendly and well mannered. Both groups spoke perfect English by the way.

 

The third group of about eight men ageing between late teens to late twenties were totally obnoxious. They moored their Norbury Junction hire boat close to the village, came into The Bridge pub already pissed, causing many of the locals to leave due to their violent and abusive behaviour, then returned to their boat even more pissed!

 

The next morning, both myself and many others in our pound were awaken by their respective boats listing at a sharp angle, I thought that I was on the bloody Titanic the way the boat was leaning to starboard. Upon getting up and investigating the cause I discovered that our 100 metre long pound was down by about 45cm (18 inches). A chap across the canal explained that a group of lads had just gone through one of the locks and left all of the paddles up!

 

Within the hour, they returned having winded the boat after the bottom lock. Once again, they left paddles up on the lock. One distraught boater approached the group at the next lock and tried to explain where they were going wrong, only to be told to go away in jerky motions otherwise he'd get hurt!

 

It transpired that in the early hours of the morning, after causing so much disruption in the pub, one of their group alerted a nearby boater pleading with him to come and help with the boat. Upon lifting the engine boards the chap noticed the water level approaching the exhaust manifold on the engine. They hadn't greased the stern tube at all along the way and the bilges were overflowing with incoming water. The lad who alerted the boater was the only one in a fit state on the boat, the rest were completely out of it!

 

Dare I say that this bad mannered, foul mouthed and abusive crew were English.

 

So, out of three occasions, two sets of young hirers were sensible young blokes who displayed good manners, courtesy to other boaters and safely went on their way, whereas the third crew were similar to what has been described elsewhere on this forum and in particular the incident involving Starcoaster.

 

Anyone meeting these social outcasts would immediately recognise that they didn't give a toss for other people's feelings or safety. Anyone that is, other than the mercenary people who run the hire boat company.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Doorman

[Sir Nibble]

I don't recognise the description of the western K&A. Loads of hirers, Mostly families I would say with "pirates" a close second. I find them fine and the only problems I have encountered have been dayboats full of incompetents (drunk or sober) and occasional liveaboards convinced the canal is their own property and the towpath a skip.

[Athy]

Doorman, you paint a bleak picture of young British hireboaters. But surely they will get away with such unacceptable actions for only one day - the next day, the hire company's staff will eject them from the boat and they will forfeit the rest of their holiday. I have certainly heard of this happening.

[Doorman]

Doorman, you paint a bleak picture of young British hireboaters. But surely they will get away with such unacceptable actions for only one day - the next day, the hire company's staff will eject them from the boat and they will forfeit the rest of their holiday. I have certainly heard of this happening.

 

Athy,

 

You don't know Norbury Junction Hire Boats. They'd hire to the IRA if it was still in existence! I must add though, this year we've seen many hire boater families who have handled the boats really well and been cheerful whilst they were at it.

 

Also, it is not only me with such accounts of troublesome behaviour, ask Starcoaster what she thinks of young British hireboaters too.

 

Mike

Edited August 22, 2013 by Doorman

[Guest]

Sapphire from Yorkshire narrow boats came bimbling past us day before yesterday no body was drunk, they were not speeding, they hit nothing, they gave us a cheery wave as they passed, what were they doing wrong I wonder as they were clearly not worthy of the title 'hire boaters'

[Athy]

Ditto the Fox's day boat which passed us an hour or so ago.

[Laurie Booth]

It's dreadful the way some hire boat company's rent their boats to all those riff rafts !!

 

[Doorman]

It's dreadful the way some hire boat company's rent their boats to all those riff rafts !!

 

Yes, you're quite right. I've watched this drunken scoundrel on TV and to think someone would let him loose on the canals. An utter disgrace if you ask me! You only have to look at his face to see that he's a selfish discourteous scamp!

[W+T]

I think its great to see young folk on boats, my god i have had a few ciders whilst cruising, but not got bladdered, i have grown out of that...i think lol

 

Brings back a time when i was a young lad of about 22 and just bought my first boat, a Dawncraft Dandy GRP type. i was cruising it up to Atherton when we was over taken near Leigh by a hire boat with very similar characters as in the OP, yes the pirates were about, they were also a bit worse for ware, well they went on and after maybe half an hour they were on the footpath coming towards us, there was 6 in all and looked a bit damp, i shouted hello and they replied back with a wave and a bit of laughter, strange i thought as i went on, then not long after i spotted there boat sat on the bottom on the canal, yes they had sunk it,

 

It must of been the jewels they were after on board and then they sank it like good old pirates.

 

Oh and to make it worse they were not youngsters, well to me then they were old and around 30

 

So its not all youngsters that can be like that.

[Athy]

i was cruising it up to Atherton

I don't remember you cruising it up to me. When was this?

[DeanS]

Recently on the Thames my BinL suddenly said words to the effect"Look over there, there is a woman about 95 topless" I refrained from looking - not for any other reason than that I was worried in case I started to feel excited.

 

I was standing on the balcony of a villa in Mauritius...the sun was shining on the water, waves gently lapping against the shore....palm trees swaying too and fro...then...in the distance a silhouette of a woman...approaching......in a bikini...(topless) .....along the shoreline....I tried not to be too obvious in my gawking......

 

when she finally got close...I saw she was in her eighties....all wrinkly and ...eeeewwwww.......ruined my Mauritian fantasy forever....