The advice from CRT is to wear lifejackets.

[Gordias]

with improvised tinfoil reflectors

 

Small (and cheap) lights normally used for other purposes (like lighting the engine room) aimed upwards (and perhaps outwards if it made sense). Tinfoil rather than a fixed system to control the direction the "shine".

 

A webcam will work fine with the illumination provided by the bow light.

 

I have nothing against a glowing strip the roof of course, but I'm not as confident as some that flourescent or phosforescent paint would work well if "pumped" only by the occasional bow light, and AFAIK trilux would be a lot harder to install (and sensitive to kinetic interactions between the steersman's head and the roof).

Edited November 23, 2014 by Gordias

[cuthound]

 

I have nothing against a glowing strip the roof of course, but I'm not as confident as some that flourescent or phosforescent paint would work well if "pumped" only by the occasional bow light, and AFAIK trilux would be a lot harder to install (and sensitive to kinetic interactions between the steersman's head and the roof).

Works well for the tunnel exit direction to indicators.

[Gordias]

Works well for the tunnel exit direction to indicators.

 

Trilux (radioluminescent) or paint?

Edited November 23, 2014 by Gordias

[Chop!]

Last year a CCr asked myself and a collegue (we were checking water levels) why we were wearing life jackets. We explained to him that it was for safety reasons and also that it is CRT policy when working on the canalside. He argued that you could stand up in the middle of the canal as it was so shallow and you were never far from the side.

 

A week later he was found drowned in the canal. I really wished he had listened to our explaination.

If the person in question was my friend Joe at Crick, then a life-jacket would not have saved him. BTW just bought top of the range Mullion 275N Professionals for me and SWSBO

Edited November 23, 2014 by Chop!

[cuthound]

Trilux (radioluminescent) or paint?

Trilux.

[Ian Mac]

Lifejackets - unfortunately we will never know if one would have saved the poor gentleman in Harecastle. As I think I've written before I have bashed my head in Harecastle, its easily done, being a tall person, but I always wear a cloth cap, and I always lean forwards with the back cabin doors shut when steering in a tunnel. This way you duck down (maybe swearing), and don't fall backwards.

 

A number of points this discussion has raised. I believe the tunnel can not be operated without the rescue boat being ready to go. This is why the tunnel keepers don't normally start allowing boats in until about 8:30 and they like the last boat out before 16:30 - because it takes about 30mins to get ready and to shut up.(load/remove all the safety gear from it and unlock/securely moor it,plug it in/out)
If its like Standedge the emergency services will not enter the tunnel, so C&RT have to do the rescue, which they do drill. If they fail then a long procedure then takes place, to get the appropriate emergency service to help.
The procedure is something like the tunnel is secured, ie both end are closed, a third man has to appear so that at least two people can be on the rescue boat, and a third person at the south end. Any other boats in the tunnel have to be dealt with.
If someone has fallen in you can't just go charging in you have to almost drift through.

I will not be wearing a lifejacket for Harecastle, I'm inside the boat, it would get in the way, I've tried it. I do now have a small led touch with me at the tiller so I can watch the lumps and bumps in the roof pass me by, I would recommend other do the same.

 

I also volunteer for C&RT, so when doing this and in falling distance of water I will be wearing a lifejacket, That is the C&RT rule, so I do it. It is now second nature and in fact I miss it when boating, because it keeps me warm, and I worn it so much I hardly notice it now. However its a real pain if you are getting in or out of a boat, which I do far more of when boating myself, so when I'm boating I currently choose not to wear one. Age may cause me to reconsider this. We do keep 4 auto inflate lifejackets on the boat, for the times when they are needed, being on the MSC for example.

[furnessvale]

I do now have a small led touch with me at the tiller so I can watch the lumps and bumps in the roof pass me by, I would recommend other do the same.

 

 

Ever since my headlight failed just as I approached the tight bit causing me to damage my deckboard in the dark, I always have a substantial hand held spot light resting on the slide ready for immediate use.

 

George ex nb Alton retired