Little Venice

[Keeping Up]

Seeing Little Venice on Waterworld tonight reminds me of something I meant to ask much earlier. Last summer we spent a night in Paddington Basin, then early the next morning we left the basin to turn right at Little Venice and head towards the Zoo. As I approached the island at the junction I sounded my horn, and heard an answering horn from ahead. I hung back, and an (empty) trip boat came sweeping round from the direction of the Zoo at high speed, heading for his mooring on my left. As he passed in front of my (stationary) bows he gave me a severe telling off, saying that "everybody knows" that you should always go around the island clockwise except when going straight along the main line or when turning right into the basin from the West. It's easy, he said, just like a roundabout.

 

Was he correct? In turning right from the basin towards the Zoo, should I have gone round to the left of the island. And if so, how is anyone supposed to know this fact?

 

Allan

[Liam]

I don't know, but I think he tried to hide the fact that he dropped a b*llock

Edited January 4, 2007 by Liam

[Theo]

I don't know, but I think he tried to hide the fact that he dropped a b*llock

 

I would agree with Liam. Always going clockwise means that you have a tight turn if you are turning from the basin on to the Regents. I have had a brush with the Waterbus there and was unimpressed by the general loving kindness shown!

 

Nick

[NB Willawaw]

I have gone round the island clockwise, but not because its any kind of rule. I only did it that way because the right turn for the tunnel is a blind turn and the clockwise route gives you a better view of whats coming down the narrow channel from the tunnel.

 

I don't think its written down anywhere !!

[DHutch]

Urrrm, thats not a round about....

 

- We went the same way as you, its triangle shaped, and far better suited to that. You would struggle to get round the other way really.

- PLus, at the end of that day, theres plenty of room for two boats to pass anyway, clearly a fool.

 

 

This is us turning into paddington basin, using it like a three-way junction, rather than a round about. (its a bleedin triangle in'it!)

 

 

 

Daniel

[David Schweizer]

I used to Captain a Trip Boat, and one of the things you quickly learn is that everyone else is a pratt and the only person who knows how to do anything correctly is the Trip Boat Captain. I also learnt that Trip Boats have priority over all other boats including access at locks etc. --- Well at least, that is the impression the other Captains gave. The reality was that most of them were frustrated men who envied those of us who own our own boats rather than having to satisfy our needs by working someone elses boat.

 

I was treated to a similar tyrade from the Captain of the charity Trip Boat based at Marple in the Summer, who seemed to think that he had the God given right to force me to reverse whilst he messed about in the junction failing to turn the boat. When I then performed the same operation in one swift move without fuss, he went very quiet, and just nodded as I passed. I didn't need to say anything.

Edited January 4, 2007 by David Schweizer

[khaffra]

we followed a trip boat off its moorings along the Paddington arm up to the junction, we thought he was going straight on as he kept to the left of the island so we went to the right as it looked the obvious route only to find he then turned right at the end of the island to head the same way as us, anyway we obviously managed a fantastic overtaking manouvre as we took the much shorter route.

I would have to say that I had no idea which way you were suppose to go as there are no signs.

[BGA]

I've never been to this part of the network and what I have to say has little relevance to the debate but if you were to follow the logic of the said trip boat captain. To use the island as a roundabout would necessitate going anti clockwise since we travel on the right as per vehicles on the continent.

[blackrose]

It's obviously unclear, as many would think (with justification) that they're supposed to stay to the right of the island. In cases of such ambiguity why isn't a simple sign put up by BW?

[Liam]

Because they spend all their money for signs on daft ones with no meaning.

[Theo]

we followed a trip boat off its moorings along the Paddington arm up to the junction, we thought he was going straight on as he kept to the left of the island so we went to the right as it looked the obvious route only to find he then turned right at the end of the island to head the same way as us, anyway we obviously managed a fantastic overtaking manouvre as we took the much shorter route.

I would have to say that I had no idea which way you were suppose to go as there are no signs.

 

 

I imagine that he was going to moor on the triangle while he dropped his passengers.

 

Nick

[fender.]

There is no correct way to turn although it has always been usual practice as long as I remember to use the island clockwise. There is no hard and fast rule and certainly one can go round the island anti-clockwise if they wish, the waterbus should in fact be taking care in case anyone is coming the 'other way' the other issue is of course that that boats from the west nearly always travel to Paddington basin anti-clockwise via the south side of the island.

 

I've also another poser - which way is the correct way to turn a boat in Paddington Basin. My reasoning is that the correct way is to turn a boat to the south side where there are no boats moored. Yet I've seen most 'professionals' (save one very well known character who has been in the business longer than anyone else) turn their boats into the moorings (on the north side) BEWARE of mooring at Paddington beyond the pontoons you dont want your windows smashed by fly-by-night 60 or 70 footers this has actually happened a number of times.

Edited January 5, 2007 by fender.

[Keeping Up]

There is no correct way to turn although it has always been usual practice as long as I remember to use the island clockwise. There is no hard and fast rule and certainly one can go round the island anti-clockwise if they wish, the waterbus should in fact be taking care in case anyone is coming the 'other way' the other issue is of course that that boats from the west nearly always travel to Paddington basin anti-clockwise via the south side of the island.

 

I've also another poser - which way is the correct way to turn a boat in Paddington Basin. My reasoning is that the correct way is to turn a boat to the south side where there are no boats moored. Yet I've seen most 'professionals' (save one very well known character who has been in the business longer than anyone else) turn their boats into the moorings (on the north side) BEWARE of mooring at Paddington beyond the pontoons you dont want your windows smashed by fly-by-night 60 or 70 footers this has actually happened a number of times.

When we moored at the basin it was very windy indeed, blowing from the South. I got the impression that the high buildings act like a wind-tunnel so that it was much windier in the basin than out on the main line. While we were moored there (on the pontoons) we saw several boats come in and try to turn towards the North side, then get blown by the wind very hard indeed into either the wall or the boats that were moored there. When we left the next morning it was still windy so I turned to the South wall, and a gust of wind just spun me round and pointed me in the right direction so all I had to do was time my opening of the throttle to set off in the required direction.

[Hairy-Neil]

Because they spend all their money for signs on daft ones with no meaning.

 

Ay, you mean like.....Welcome to ........ Sanitary Station. As if anyone would enjoy their visit.....

[fender.]

When we moored at the basin it was very windy indeed, blowing from the South. I got the impression that the high buildings act like a wind-tunnel so that it was much windier in the basin than out on the main line. While we were moored there (on the pontoons) we saw several boats come in and try to turn towards the North side, then get blown by the wind very hard indeed into either the wall or the boats that were moored there. When we left the next morning it was still windy so I turned to the South wall, and a gust of wind just spun me round and pointed me in the right direction so all I had to do was time my opening of the throttle to set off in the required direction.

 

Aha yes - all the more reason to turn the boat with the bows facing south! But for some psyhcological reason 99% want to turn with the bows north. Maybe they think they wont get MRSA from St Mary's if they touch the north side????

Edited January 7, 2007 by fender.

[khaffra]

I imagine that he was going to moor on the triangle while he dropped his passengers.

 

Nick

 

No he had just set off with his passengers and did not drop any off, he carried on following us through the tunnel.

[DHutch]

I've also another poser

- which way is the correct way to turn a boat in Paddington Basin?

Ah yes, we came across that one two!

- As first timers to the basin we wherent even 100% that we could turn at all!

 

In the end we turned right on the bend just after the glass bridge bit.

- We just looked at it, and thought "that should go..."

- Didnt want to go much further incase it didnt get any better!

- In the end it did go, and with feet to spare, but not that many...