CRT Press Release - Film to help new boaters get started

[Leo No2]

NEW FILM TO HELP NEW BOATERS GET STARTED

 

The Canal & River Trust has teamed up with Drifters, a consortium of hireboat operators, to produce a new training film to show new boaters the ropes. A companion to the existing popular Boaters’ Handbook, it contains lots of ‘getting started’ tips for hire boaters and new boat owners, as well as important reminders to old hands about how to boat safely.

 

Sally Ash, head of boating at Canal & River Trust, said: “We want new boaters to have a safe and enjoyable experience of the waterways. After all, we want them to come back and to recommend boating to their friends. The friendly spirit that pervades the waterways means there is a lot of help available on the spot but it’s obviously a good idea for new boaters to build up their knowledge and confidence in other ways too. The film covers the fundamentals of boat handling, lock operation and general safety afloat.”

 

The film is a great example of collaboration between the industry and the Trust and was produced by Eclipse Communications with help from Drifters, who provided the boats and crews. The directors of Eclipse are boating enthusiasts who spend their leisure time enjoying the inland waterways. The video’s director, Dave Bowring, has spent many years cruising the system on his narrowboat, Whernside, and has seen first-hand the results of both good and bad boat handling techniques.

 

The 30 minute film is available free to stream online or as a free DVD. You can order your copy of this DVD via our on-line shop (https://secure.britishwaterways.co.uk/shop) or by telephone to our customer service team on 0303 040 4040, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Our boating business team will be contacting hire operators to offer stocks of the DVD as they require.

 

Take a look at the film here: http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/navigating-the-waterways/boaters-handbook

[Ray T]

A good little video.

 

IMHO better than the previous where we had one boat where it was all done right and another where it was all done incorrectly.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Ray T

[Guest]

A good little video.

 

IMHO better than the previous where we had one boat where it was all done right and another where it was all done incorrectly.

 

Agreed - the previous one was pretty hopeless, this one is much better.

[Chop!]

A very useful guide for newbies, maybe this link could be pinned to the New to Boating section.

A change of avatar I see Doghouse, have you bought a 'plastic Mac' lately then?

[Guest]

Not a Mac no - but I've just been bought a very nice phone, to replace the one I gave to Jan.

 

'Tis a techno marvel......

[Paul C]

Cute dog at 11:15! Some of the knot choices are a bit dodgy and they seem to want boats in the middle of the lock, rather than the front. Apart from that, all ok.

[Chop!]

Not a Mac no - but I've just been bought a very nice phone, to replace the one I gave to Jan.

 

'Tis a techno marvel......

I hated my i-phones, so bought a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, it's absolutely brilliant

[lampini]

I actually saw this (in about 5 bits) on youtube in early November - just before we went on our very first narrowboat holiday! It was actually really helpful, and i recon it added to our confidence and general enjoyment.. Needless to say we were pretty "hooked" on boating after that..

[Guest]

I hated my i-phones, so bought a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, it's absolutely brilliant

 

I like my Android tablet (nexus 7) but for some reason I can't get along with the phones.

[john6767]

That seems to be a very good video.

[Cruising Mike]

Just watched the video and really enjoyed it, defintely makes me more excited for our holiday in 2014. I will certianly show this to my fellow boater so he has a better idea of what to expect.

 

Just one thing, is it possible for them to add subtitles for the benefit of deaf people, like myself? Youtube has a captions option and it uses voice recognition to create it's own subtitles but it is not 100% correct. Whilst watching i had to try and think of what the subtitle is really meant to say in relation to what is going on in the video and what is being said.

[Grehan]

Yes I agree, a well-produced introduction. I learnt something - the pronunciation of Winding Hole, which I thought was related to winding the boat around, not being blown by the wind.

A couple of things surprised me though. Firstly, the number of times people pulled directly on a line, instead of taking a turn. Secondly, the use of some knots, which in my book are plain wrong. Clove hitch on a bollard? If the tie tightens up or an emergency happens, it's going to be difficult or slow to untie. The tugboat hitch is a better solution and what professional boatmen use. That, or use a bowline and take the rest of the line back to the boat and cleat off there.