Slowing down

[Pykebird]

I am not bothered by people going past fast, where I am moored at the moment. But I am on a pontoon and there is plenty of water. Having double staked on the bank of a narrow canal, I know how frustrating it can be when the pins are pulled out if someone steams past or is in a deep drafted boat. (the W**nker tankers down at uxbridge were the worst offenders!)

[frangar]

Another thread which shows why some of the people I spoke to over the summer (it may be hard for some people on here to realise that there are real people on boats out there) won't post in case they get shot down by the "ever so clever" usual suspects....quite a few of those I spoke to have been involved with canals and boating for their whole lives and would have very interesting points to add and raise.

 

If you don't have or want to add anything to a topic then don't open it. Sometimes for those of us that have been here a while the same things get discussed but we were all new once on here. It's not hard to be polite people!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[BGA]

 

I thought it was going to be a thread about boat handling.

Of course if it were a thread on boat handling it would be in the boat handling section

[Nightwatch]

My first question was about batteries!!! I couldn't be bothered doing a search.

 

I'm sure there were plenty of people moan and groaning in the background.

 

The forum has changed over the short time I have been here. It seems the real stories of experience have almost gone. It is at times same old etc.

You do get an interested thread now and then.

There are contributors who do jump on new posters (and the more established) just to get a reaction and flex their irritable muscles to show how well informed they are. This thread was active in the dark hours which may well explain the number of posts.

Sad but true. In my opinion.

 

Martyn

[Doorman]

Bo**ocks

 

They are exactly what's holding the ears apart of all the boaters that insist on going fast past moored boats.

 

As suggested and from advice on here in the past, we've learnt how to moor our boat properly by using springs and now pay little attention of those speed merchants whom always turn their heads away at the critical moment of passing, as if it mitigates their total lack of concern for other boaters.

 

 

Another thread which shows why some of the people I spoke to over the summer (it may be hard for some people on here to realise that there are real people on boats out there) won't post in case they get shot down by the "ever so clever" usual suspects....quite a few of those I spoke to have been involved with canals and boating for their whole lives and would have very interesting points to add and raise.

If you don't have or want to add anything to a topic then don't open it. Sometimes for those of us that have been here a while the same things get discussed but we were all new once on here. It's not hard to be polite people!

Cheers

Gareth

 

Have a well deserved greenie.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Doorman

[Naughty Cal]

Ooo I like this one......

 

How slow do you want me to go?

[Athy]

I see no harm in this topic being raised again. If you read the boatimags (we subscribe to CB and WW) you'll se a cyclical pattern: occasionally a ground-breaking article appears, but generally topics reappear every few years. This is notably true with cruising guides - after all, there are only so many canals and rivers out there, so after four or five years the same ones are covered again. (Not always to their credit: Recently one of the mags covered my beloved, charming, scenic South Oxford again, and when i read the piece I got the impression that the writer was keen to dash off his article as quickly as possible and collect his fee. If I hadn't known the S. Oxford, there was little in his guide which would have made me want to explore it).

 

How about a thread on speeding up past moored craft? The steerer of one narrowboat actually did this when passing us at Shackerstone a couple of weeks ago. Mind you, the Rising Sun had just opened, so maybe he had an excuse.

[Doorman]

Ooo I like this one......

 

How slow do you want me to go?

 

Come on Phyllis,

 

We all know that you're a racy girl and won't slow down for us water slugs! :-)

Edited September 20, 2013 by Doorman

[Naughty Cal]

Come on Phyllis,

 

We all know that you're a racy girl and won't slow down for us water slugs! :-)

 

[Athy]

I se that another well-explored topic, engine choice, has returned. But it has been started by a prospective boat owner seeking advice about suitable engines for narrowboats, so its return is perfectly valid.

He will probably get replies in favour of engines which go kerDUNK, kerDUNK (JP, RN)*, fartfartfartfart (SR2 and similar) or drrrrrrrr (almost anything Jap-based) and will end up confused, but aware of his available choices.

I shall not confuse him further by mentioning that ours , when running in neutral to charge the batteries, goes womBAT womBAT womBAT.

 

 

* Oh, and come to think if it, plooploop......................plooploop.....................plooploop (Kelvin)

[MikeV]

How about a thread on speeding up past moored craft?

Happens all the time where I'm moored between two swing bridges. Boaters passing me realise someone has just swung the bridge and they accelerate to get to the bridge in time before it closes again!

[leeco]

The waterways are full of old people and as you know old people don't like to go fast in any type vehicle. They also don't like other people like boy racers or boy boaters going fast too. I have an app on my phone that tells me how fast I am going and I have been told to slow down when doing 1MPH.

 

I have had people doing at least 5MPH past me and never had a problem with it.

 

They just like to have ago because they have nothing better to do.

[Terence]

Sadly, many boats no longer seem to take off the way when passing in the opposite direction. If the channel (under water) is narrow and the cut shallow, and you don't, you put deep drafted boats up the bank by taking the water from under us. Then it may take as much as half an hour to get a heavy deep boat like this back off.

 

Obversely ,why when in the same situation, do boats pass so far away because I am at that point I am still in the middle of the channel?, I will move over as far as I dare but they move over 100+ yards away, hit the foliage or the bottom near the bank and glare at me.Two foot would do, or even six inches.

 

James

 

This is something that has also puzzled me. You tend to find it’s usually the hired boats that pull over to much (which I can understand).

The ones that confuse me the most are what I call the 'Bridge dashers'. When you can see you are clearly going to meet at the bridge at the same time and they speed up, the oncoming boat usually having a towpath to step on to, but you always end up in the bushes because they feel they were there first. I have now learnt to hold back.

But, yes boats passing at speed happens quite often now.

 

Terence

[Athy]

From your avatar, Mike, it looks as if you have solved the problem by mooring on a hackaduck so that no one can get past you at any speed!

 

We often moor just below Cropredy lock. Boats coming up from Banbury have to negociate a narrow bit where there used to be a bridge (and where a splendid weeping willow tree greatly reduces visibility); they then have no more than 50 yards to go before they have to stop and work the lock. Yet some of them speed up after leaving the narrows! That I don't comprehend.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Athy

[Nine of Hearts]

 

This is something that has also puzzled me. You tend to find it’s usually the hired boats that pull over to much (which I can understand).

The ones that confuse me the most are what I call the 'Bridge dashers'. When you can see you are clearly going to meet at the bridge at the same time and they speed up, the oncoming boat usually having a towpath to step on to, but you always end up in the bushes because they feel they were there first. I have now learnt to hold back.

But, yes boats passing at speed happens quite often now.

 

Terence

 

The problem with that is, what if the person coming the other way shares your opinion and you both slow down to let the other get there first? Then no-one gets to the bridge hole. I thought the general principle for avoiding collisions was, if you're in doubt about the course of another boat, take action early and make it obvious. As a dramatic course alteration on a canal is out of the question, I would say that should you hear the roar of a diesel and see a bow wave appear at the bows of the oncoming boat, at least you know where you stand.

[Terence]

 

The problem with that is, what if the person coming the other way shares your opinion and you both slow down to let the other get there first? Then no-one gets to the bridge hole. I thought the general principle for avoiding collisions was, if you're in doubt about the course of another boat, take action early and make it obvious. As a dramatic course alteration on a canal is out of the question, I would say that should you hear the roar of a diesel and see a bow wave appear at the bows of the oncoming boat, at least you know where you stand.

 

Hi. I really meant when you are both vertually at the bridge (maybe bridge dashers was the wrong choice of title). I mentioned the towpath. The sensible thing to do is that the boat having the towpath simply pull over as they are able to step of the boat if needs be. Then the other boat can see what is happening and life is sweet again. I just feel that if any manoeuvring is required then the boat with the towpath is better and safer equipped to deal with the problem. But usually they just bulldoze through.

[system 4-50]

All other things being equal, when there is a strong wind blowing, I give preference to the boat that has the harder job dealing with the wind.

[DeanS]

I know this thread had lots of stupid replies, (I'm guilty), but it was started after midnight.......

[Guest]

Another thread which shows why some of the people I spoke to over the summer (it may be hard for some people on here to realise that there are real people on boats out there) won't post in case they get shot down by the "ever so clever" usual suspects....quite a few of those I spoke to have been involved with canals and boating for their whole lives and would have very interesting points to add and raise.

 

If you don't have or want to add anything to a topic then don't open it. Sometimes for those of us that have been here a while the same things get discussed but we were all new once on here. It's not hard to be polite people!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

On a point of order the OP who I responded to as been on here nearly as long as I have, they joined in December 2006 (I joined a couple of months prior) so I'm afraid they must have been aware speeding boats flying past moored boats is a subject that has been done to death on here. If they had indeed been a new poster they could be forgiven for not knowing this.

 

As to people not wishing to post - that is their choice, most boaters I talk to however have never heard of the forum, but if they really have something of value to add why should they be afraid of posting? That rather sounds as if people just want to come on here and moan about hireboaters, none moving CCer's, dog crap, cyclists, and so on, if so they can expect to be challenged or should folk just come on here and say what they wish and everybody nods sagely and applauds. I keep having to say this but this forum is much the same across a great many subjects in many respects it's no better or worse than many, actually it's pretty tame compared to a design forum my daughter used to on.

 

I would turn your argument and say that some of the most combative members on here are often the most helpful, and if fact what I find interesting is that we seem to have lost some of the most combative (and helpful) over recent weeks and months, and the forum is a lesser place for it.

[Guest]

 

On a point of order the OP who I responded to as been on here nearly as long as I have, they joined in December 2006 (I joined a couple of months prior) so I'm afraid they must have been aware speeding boats flying past moored boats is a subject that has been done to death on here. If they had indeed been a new poster they could be forgiven for not knowing this.

 

As to people not wishing to post - that is their choice, most boaters I talk to however have never heard of the forum, but if they really have something of value to add why should they be afraid of posting? That rather sounds as if people just want to come on here and moan about hireboaters, none moving CCer's, dog crap, cyclists, and so on, if so they can expect to be challenged or should folk just come on here and say what they wish and everybody nods sagely and applauds. I keep having to say this but this forum is much the same across a great many subjects in many respects it's no better or worse than many, actually it's pretty tame compared to a design forum my daughter used to on.

 

I would turn your argument and say that some of the most combative members on here are often the most helpful, and if fact what I find interesting is that we seem to have lost some of the most combative (and helpful) over recent weeks and months, and the forum is a lesser place for it.

Removed, lost the will to live.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Guest

[Guest]

Something of value to add in whose opinion? Yours? Who decides what is of value and what isn't?

 

The poster themselves. If they think it adds value then post it - though others may (and are entitled to) disagree.

[Guest]

 

The poster themselves. If they think it adds value then post it - though others may (and are entitled to) disagree.

Have iremoved it Martin, I really can't be arsed.

[LoneWolf]

 

On a point of order the OP who I responded to as been on here nearly as long as I have, they joined in December 2006 (I joined a couple of months prior) so I'm afraid they must have been aware speeding boats flying past moored boats is a subject that has been done to death on here. If they had indeed been a new poster they could be forgiven for not knowing this.

 

As to people not wishing to post - that is their choice, most boaters I talk to however have never heard of the forum, but if they really have something of value to add why should they be afraid of posting? That rather sounds as if people just want to come on here and moan about hireboaters, none moving CCer's, dog crap, cyclists, and so on, if so they can expect to be challenged or should folk just come on here and say what they wish and everybody nods sagely and applauds. I keep having to say this but this forum is much the same across a great many subjects in many respects it's no better or worse than many, actually it's pretty tame compared to a design forum my daughter used to on.

 

I would turn your argument and say that some of the most combative members on here are often the most helpful, and if fact what I find interesting is that we seem to have lost some of the most combative (and helpful) over recent weeks and months, and the forum is a lesser place for it.

 

but the OP wasn't wanting to discuss speeding past moored boats. He wanted to discuss whether is was generally known that one should slow down a bit before you actually get to the moored boat.

 

maybe you should have read the OP properly before jumping in with a yawn

 

I know exactly what he means, it's not uncommon for someone to cut the engine when they get to the moored boat and rev up the second their stern clears it - 2 boats did this past me today.

 

 

and lol to your second para. how many of your 17 thousand odd posts have added value?

 

eta: that question is rhetorical

Edited September 20, 2013 by LoneWolf

[frangar]

Have iremoved it Martin, I really can't be arsed.

Exactly! Funny how some people make you feel like that isn't it?

 

Cheers.

 

Gareth

[Timleech]

 

but the OP wasn't wanting to discuss speeding past moored boats. He wanted to discuss whether is was generally known that one should slow down a bit before you actually get to the moored boat.

 

maybe you should have read the OP properly before jumping in with a yawn

 

I know exactly what he means, it's not uncommon for someone to cut the engine when they get to the moored boat and rev up the second their stern clears it - 2 boats did this past me today.

 

 

I was admonished when a teenage trip boat steerer by Charlie Atkins (senior) (Chocolate Charlie to some) for 'leaving it a bit late' before slowing down to pass his boat.

 

Tim