Overtaking

[Rufford]

The last bank holiday of the year always brings a few 'strange' people on to the canals, however on Saturday I was over taken on a blind bend by an Australian couple in a hire boat, their justification being 'our tickover is faster than your tickover' (I was driving the 56ft boat, and was motoring along at an acceptable 3/4mph). Thankfully I spotted their over take and checked around the corner to see another boat coming the other way - so I backed the throttle off and headed over to the right as far as I could. The Aussie's did a slow motion powerslide around my boat and narrowly missed the oncoming boat (very very close!)

 

AND then on Sunday moving Rufford up to Haywood (Hi Chertsy, I saw you coming past on Monday) I was overtaken by a share boater/posh chap whom again was insisting that his tickover was faster than my boat (I was travelling a few rev's above tickover in shallow water) oddily enough he didnt seem to have any problem maintaining such a slow tickover through the narrows. As soon as we had cleared the narrows he then floored his boat and overtook me on the left between a moored boat and Rufford, he got his back end up alongside and told me to do the 'gentlemanly thing and slow down and let him pass' it was at this point that I had to explain that Im on tickover is deepwater now, and that it cannot possibly go any slower. Eventually he edged further and futher along the boat and narrowly missed some moored boats - the bow of Rufford by this point was a foot off the back of this chaps boat and he was thrashing it and essentially pulling us along with him (water stealer!). To disengage the 'tow' I had to put Rufford into reverse. Another mile up the canal and I saw the chap moored up at Rugeley town centre!

 

Ah well it will soon be back to the winter season, with the lovely cold weather and peaceful canals :-)

[nicknorman]

You missed a trick with the latter - you should have just gone into neutral, switched the engine off, and surfed along with him to Rugeley. Think of the fuel you could have saved!

[Jerra]

I was overtaken by a share boater/posh chap

Excuse my ignorance but how do you know he was a share boater - did he have a sign round his neck saying I am a share boater?

 

I haven't learned how to tell boaters apart unless they have a hire company sign on them.

[howardang]

Excuse my ignorance but how do you know he was a share boater - did he have a sign round his neck saying I am a share boater?

 

I haven't learned how to tell boaters apart unless they have a hire company sign on them.

Wait for the comment that it was obvious because he was on a shiny boat! :-)

 

Howard

[by'eck]

My boat is pretty slow at the best of times. When single handed cruising broad canals with a lock coming up a mile or so ahead, I often let any boat close behind overtake. Their crew then arrive, set the lock and are usually just about ready to enter when I chug into view around the corner ready to share with them. I then insist they exit the lock first to repeat the pattern at next.

 

Doesn't always work out, but more often than not.

[Athy]

Very neat, Mr. Thump.

Occasionally, other boats show anxiety to overtake ours. I generally just pull over the side, step off with a rope and let them get on with it.

The above does not apply if I know that there is a (single) lock just ahead!

[Rufford]

Excuse my ignorance but how do you know he was a share boater - did he have a sign round his neck saying I am a share boater?

 

I haven't learned how to tell boaters apart unless they have a hire company sign on them.

 

Rather simple, it was a shiney boat

 

Nah in all honesty, it may well have not been a shareboat - it could have been privately owned (and lovingly stored in a marina most of the year), however the basic premesis still remains the same - if you are in a rush, what are you doing on the canal?

 

I have no issues with people over taking on a safe and straight bit of canal, however not when there is a blind bend or moored boats, and a bit of understanding that older boats take more water and as such will be rather slow in shallow water and quicker than most in deep water would be nice. But Im guessing im just asking too much for people who enjoy the waterways to take an interest in the history of the waterways!

 

Of course what really humoured me was that the chap was moored up at Rugeley visitor moorings not even a mile down the canal, so just what was he in a rush for?

[nicknorman]

 

if you are in a rush, what are you doing on the canal?

 

 

Sometimes people are in a rush due to external commitments, there is nothing in the bylaws that says you can't be. We for instance usually have a plane to catch at the end of the weekend. Although I appreciate you do let people past, its not your place to decide whether or not they can be in a rush.

[Jerra]

if you are in a rush, what are you doing on the canal?

Tell that to those folk posting about speed records for the Harecastle tunnel.

[nicknorman]

Of course what really humoured me was that the chap was moored up at Rugeley visitor moorings not even a mile down the canal, so just what was he in a rush for?

 

Maybe Morrisons was due to close? Anyway, I understand your original point about not needing to overtake reckelessly or in ridiculous places, I just rile slightly when I hear the "you shouldn't be on the canals if you are in a hurry" line.

Edited August 27, 2013 by nicknorman

[Jerra]

 

Sometimes people are in a rush due to external commitments, there is nothing in the bylaws that says you can't be. We for instance usually have a plane to catch at the end of the weekend. Although I appreciate you do let people past, its not your place to decide whether or not they can be in a rush.

The post implies that they may also be using excessive speed if the "slow" boat was doing 3 -4 mph

[Nine of Hearts]

 

Maybe Morrisons was due to close?

 

Apropos of nothing, I did rather more overtaking than usual this weekend. Two were extremely raw hire boaties, of which there seemed and unprecedented number this weekend for some reason. Not that it's a problem, everyone has to start somewhere and they happily let me past and then continued to weave about getting the hang of things. The first one, though, was a trip boat and he waved me past. Considering those things tend to spank around the place, I must have been doing mach 2. I need to get my rev counter adjusted...

[Timleech]

 

Maybe Morrisons was due to close? Anyway, I understand your original point about not needing to overtake reckelessly or in ridiculous places, I just rile slightly when I hear the "you shouldn't be on the canals if you are in a hurry" line.

 

Yes, not everyone on the canal is on holiday (even if appearances suggest it), also people do get unexpectedly delayed & have to try to make up time. No excuse for bad boating, though.

 

Tim

[nicknorman]

The post implies that they may also be using excessive speed if the "slow" boat was doing 3 -4 mph

 

Agreed, and my point was a general one, not aimed at that particular circumstance.

[WJM]

If you find yourself being overtaken regularly then you must logically conclude that you prefer to travel slowly. That is your choice and you are entirely free to do so. But please do not impede the other 'school', those who like to travel purposefully. Enjoy your boating in your own style, and allow others the same freedom.

[Naughty Cal]

If you find yourself being overtaken regularly then you must logically conclude that you prefer to travel slowly. That is your choice and you are entirely free to do so. But please do not impede the other 'school', those who like to travel purposefully. Enjoy your boating in your own style, and allow others the same freedom.

For just this once I will agree with you

[Doorman]

Excuse my ignorance but how do you know he was a share boater - did he have a sign round his neck saying I am a share boater?

 

I haven't learned how to tell boaters apart unless they have a hire company sign on them.

 

They're pretty easy to spot around here, they tend to use the bow thruster to steer rather than the tiller. all except Howard of course and he's a perfect gentleman too!

[BargeeSpud]

 

They're pretty easy to spot around here, they tend to use the bow thruster to steer rather than the tiller. all except Howard of course and he's a perfect gentleman too!

 

Off topic, but I shared a well known lock flight a few weeks ago with a guy on a similar sized boat to mine (58') who used his bow thruster just about ALL the time, hovering, entering the lock, in the lock & leaving the lock. It was just about constant, man it was sooooooo annoying. Talk about overkill. Knowing my luck "Captain Thrust" is a member & has recognised himself!

[NickF]

On the rare occasion that I have been overtaken or have overtaken (by invitation) I always find at the last moment the bow of the boat being overtaken is pulled towards the stern of the overtaking boat, I have seen this result in a collision (not with me at the helm!). Is there any way of stopping this happening. Should the overtaker ease off at the last minute and glide past the last few feet? Should the overtakee go into neutral to allow the other boat past quicker but then the overtakee will have no steering!

 

Advice please!

[john6767]

if you are in a rush, what are you doing on the canal?

 

It really depends on what you mean by a "rush", I think getting where you need to be at a reasonable speed for the conditions is perfectly acceptable, and we do that. Behaving as you describe in the OP is not acceptable though. If you were doing 3/4 mph, then you were going fast in my mind for most canal conditions, and overtaking should only be done where there is plenty of space and good visibility, as even when one boat is very slow it take a surprising amount of time to pass someone, unless they actually stop to let you past of course.

 

 

If you find yourself being overtaken regularly then you must logically conclude that you prefer to travel slowly. That is your choice and you are entirely free to do so. But please do not impede the other 'school', those who like to travel purposefully. Enjoy your boating in your own style, and allow others the same freedom.

Agreed.

 

Yesterday we caught up with a hire boat between Norton Junction and Braunston tunnel, he was American (we passed pleasantries when he has past us moored up 30 earlier) and he and his wife were enjoying the good views of the English countryside, and were pootling along on tickover, which is absolutely fine. What was concerning me was if I stayed behind would he go through Braunston Tunnel on tickover, as I didn't fancy that. So I closed up on him and he waved me past on what is a straight and exceptionally wide part of canal. To me that was a good reason to want to overtake someone, perhaps others would not agree though.

[Tam & Di]

The post implies that they may also be using excessive speed if the "slow" boat was doing 3 -4 mph

 

Except that a boat travelling legally at 4 mph will be travelling faster over all than one doing 3 - 4 mph and will quite reasonably wish to overtake when it is safe to do so.

 

Tam

[Richard10002]

 

They're pretty easy to spot around here, they tend to use the bow thruster to steer rather than the tiller. all except Howard of course and he's a perfect gentleman too!

 

Again.... How could you know? A shiny boat with a well used bow thruster isn't necessarily a sharer, or is it?

[Jerra]

 

They're pretty easy to spot around here, they tend to use the bow thruster to steer rather than the tiller.

Ah I see only boats with bow thrusters are allowed to be share boats! Now I know.

[Cruising Mike]

Let's hypotheticate a scenario....

 

Doing a ring, someone gets held up for a few hours, even a day at a lock or tunnel due to some inconvenience. Now needing to make up for lost time, surely that person would need to be cruising alot quicker than expected (within 4mph of course). Is that rushing?

[FadeToScarlet]

personally, I'd do longer days - 5am until 9pm ish- if I was that far behind where I needed to be. I don't think I could go faster when travelling, we normally get on reasonably well but would have the wash over the towpath if we tried going at 4mph in some places.