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Feedback on hire boats : what hire companies should know (and act on) !


Justin Smith

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To be honest I can't recall the specific location of solving, but then as I said neither can I recall it being a particular issue. There was nine of us on a 59ft boat so I guess I would have.

 

To be frank if there were 9 of you on the boat then I suspect the lack of shelves would go unnoticed ! In theory Katie`s Drum could take 9 but we were speculating on exactly how that would even work, for instance you couldn`t fit more than 6 round the dinette. I certainly wouldn`t want to be the ones who slept in the dinette, last to bed at night and first up every day ! We concluded it`d just be a completely different type of holiday, like camping use to be. Don`t get me wrong that`s fine for those that want that and it`d make hiring a boat much cheaper (and operating the locks much easier and quicker ! ) but we hire a big boat for 4 of us so we can have some comfort, and having to live entirely out of awkwardly placed drawers does not come under that category..... Talk about spoiling the spoiling the ship for a ha'p'orth pf tar.

[different people have different priorities] Precisely......

 

What sums it all up is that I`d be very surprised if any boat owners have no shelves in either their bathroom or their bedrooms.

Edited by Justin Smith
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To be frank if there were 9 of you on the boat then I suspect the lack of shelves would go unnoticed ! In theory Katie`s Drum could take 9 but we were speculating on exactly how that would even work, for instance you couldn`t fit more than 6 round the dinette. I certainly wouldn`t want to be the ones who slept in the dinette, last to bed at night and first up every day ! We concluded it`d just be a completely different type of holiday, like camping use to be. Don`t get me wrong that`s fine for those that want that and it`d make hiring a boat much cheaper (and operating the locks much easier and quicker ! ) but we hire a big boat for 4 of us so we can have some comfort, and having to live entirely out of awkwardly placed drawers does not come under that category..... Talk about spoiling the spoiling the ship for a ha'p'orth pf tar.

 

I have just checked our photos of that holiday and Katie's drum is indeed the boat we hired in 2009. So nine people do fit on it. Obviously it was a 'cosy' weeks holiday. (but I still don't recall the lack of shelves being an issue.

 

With four of you on it there would have been ample space to store stuff what with the spare beds so I honestly can't see what your issue is. Perhaps we just expect different things from our hire boat holidays?

 

6835_137938261699_673286699_3077203_3060

 

Katie's Drum at the top of the Five Rise at Bingley.

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We always take a selection of these plastic caddies with us - they are available in a huge variety of sizes in the local pound shop and they are surprisingly good - I've currently got one in my kitchen holding washing up liquid and spray cleaner and it hasn't fallen off the wall since I put it up two years ago. On holidays we use them in the bathroom/shower and kitchen

 

17259812010_a8ec7690c0_o.jpg

 

They take up next to no room when packing as you simply fill them with socks/undies.

 

We also take a set of these small plastic drawers - two or three high depending on how many of us are on the trip. Great for packing wine glasses safely and it's absolutely amazing how much you can cram into them! Salt, pepper, herbs & spices, torches, batteries etc. We stuff them absolutely full and then tape the drawers shut with duck tape. Once on board and everything's unpacked, each of us has a drawer to keep all our bits and bobs in instead of having things lying all over the boat. (and you can guarantee that we'll find a use for the duck tape during the trip!)

17259890738_6b25b311de_z.jpg

Lessons all learned from camping trips but very useful for hiring boats!

 

Janet

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I have just checked our photos of that holiday and Katie's drum is indeed the boat we hired in 2009. So nine people do fit on it. Obviously it was a 'cosy' weeks holiday. (but I still don't recall the lack of shelves being an issue.

 

With four of you on it there would have been ample space to store stuff what with the spare beds so I honestly can't see what your issue is. Perhaps we just expect different things from our hire boat holidays?

 

6835_137938261699_673286699_3077203_3060

 

Katie's Drum at the top of the Five Rise at Bingley.

 

We were in all three bedrooms, me and my wife in the front one, our two year old in his cot in the middle one, and my mother in law in the back one. So it wouldn`t have been possible to use the spare beds to store stuff. The point is that shouldn`t be necessary anyway, particularly as it`d be so easy to just fit a few shelves on the wall at the bottom ends of the beds,

 

Just out of interest, where did you put your stuff when you went in the bathroom, on the floor or on the toilet ? And how did you fit 9 people round that dinette ? ! ?

We always take a selection of these plastic caddies with us - they are available in a huge variety of sizes in the local pound shop and they are surprisingly good - I've currently got one in my kitchen holding washing up liquid and spray cleaner and it hasn't fallen off the wall since I put it up two years ago. On holidays we use them in the bathroom/shower and kitchen

 

17259812010_a8ec7690c0_o.jpg

 

They take up next to no room when packing as you simply fill them with socks/undies.

 

We also take a set of these small plastic drawers - two or three high depending on how many of us are on the trip. Great for packing wine glasses safely and it's absolutely amazing how much you can cram into them! Salt, pepper, herbs & spices, torches, batteries etc. We stuff them absolutely full and then tape the drawers shut with duck tape. Once on board and everything's unpacked, each of us has a drawer to keep all our bits and bobs in instead of having things lying all over the boat. (and you can guarantee that we'll find a use for the duck tape during the trip!)

17259890738_6b25b311de_z.jpg

Lessons all learned from camping trips but very useful for hiring boats!

 

Janet

 

All very useful, but why should hirers have to do all that ? ! ? The problem with the drawer sets is where would they go on the boat ? In fact where would they go in the car on the way to the boat ! ! We`ve got a Focus estate and it`s full to the brim when we travel down to any hire boat......

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Just out of interest, where did you put your stuff when you went in the bathroom, on the floor or on the toilet ? And how did you fit 9 people round that dinette ? ! ?

 

No idea, it was six years ago, it clearly didn't tax me or I would have remembered. I have a vague recollection of a low shelf behind the loo in one of the bathrooms.

 

I don't think I said we did fit 9 around it, from memory there was enough room for six/seven (three either side four if they were small enough) and I cant recall what the others did, probably made do using the front well deck. (yes I know it wouldn't work if it was peeing down)

 

I don't think Katie's Drum will be the only multi berth hire boat with the same issue of dinette size, it must be pretty common. I guess people just 'manage'. To make the dinette bigger would require the space to be taken from somewhere possibly losing a bathroom or one of the doubles. I don't think the galley could have been any smaller.

 

My prime aim at the time was to find a single boat on the L&L that would sleep 9 people. Given 59ft/60ft is about as big as you can go on that canal I reckon some compromise is inevitable and was acceptable to me. More cabin space could have been gained by the boat being a trad. rather than a cruiser stern I guess but we liked the cruiser stern as it was more sociable.

 

I presume you have fed your comments to Silsden BTW?

Edited by MJG
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All very useful, but why should hirers have to do all that ? ! ? The problem with the drawer sets is where would they go on the boat ? In fact where would they go in the car on the way to the boat !

 

 

We didn't have to do it...it's just something that we've found useful.

 

You're going to have to pack the stuff anyway, so why not pack it in something that's going to be useful once you get there? The drawers we use are only 12" high by 7.5" wide and 10" deep...they only need a small amount of workspace or shelf room and we've always found somewhere to put them. They are only the same size as a couple of large cereal packets! They are incredibly useful when there are three of you on the boat, all with your individual bits and pieces...no more wondering where you've left your watch or your ciggies or your spare camera batteries and no stuff cluttering up the work surfaces or getting lost.

 

Wine glasses are wrapped in teatowels & napkins (to be used on the trip) in one drawer and the others are filled with bits and bobs...salt/pepper, herbs, spices, OXO cubes, e-Liquid, - all the little fiddly stuff. All gaps in all drawers are then stuffed until completely full with useful stuff like scouring pads, plasters, string, pens, batteries, phone chargers, memory cards - you name it, we pack it! It's absolutely amazing the amount of stuff you can get in there!

 

We've also found a lack of hooks on some boats, so we take along some suction hooks that we can use if needed (stuffed into one of the gaps in the drawers!) They can be used virtually anywhere and don't cause any damage. Bungee cords are great too for making an impromptu washing line across the boat! (we use them wrapped tightly round our bags to keep the size down when packing). We have a good one with pegs already attached that has come in very useful! (Pound Shop bargain!)

 

We have always been keen campers and have learned how to pack a LOT of very useful stuff into a very small space!

 

We are also usually on a mission, so we can't afford to mess around with stuff lying all over the place and never knowing where anything is. We are so used to doing it that we can have everything unpacked and in its correct place within an hour of leaving the base, leaving us free to enjoy the trip.

 

Hire boat companies can't cater for every eventuality and every hirer has different requirements. I believe that most of them do the best they can. We had one a couple of years ago which had so many shelves and storage options that some were still left empty at the end of the trip! (Canal Boat Escapes)

 

We've had 58' boats with virtually no usable storage and a 43' boat which was like a bloody Tardis!

 

Janet

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No idea, it was six years ago, it clearly didn't tax me or I would have remembered. I have a vague recollection of a low shelf behind the loo in one of the bathrooms.

 

I don't think I said we did fit 9 around it, from memory there was enough room for six/seven (three either side four if they were small enough) and I cant recall what the others did, probably made do using the front well deck. (yes I know it wouldn't work if it was peeing down)

 

I don't think Katie's Drum will be the only multi berth hire boat with the same issue of dinette size, it must be pretty common. I guess people just 'manage'. To make the dinette bigger would require the space to be taken from somewhere possibly losing a bathroom or one of the doubles. I don't think the galley could have been any smaller.

 

My prime aim at the time was to find a single boat on the L&L that would sleep 9 people. Given 59ft/60ft is about as big as you can go on that canal I reckon some compromise is inevitable and was acceptable to me. More cabin space could have been gained by the boat being a trad. rather than a cruiser stern I guess but we liked the cruiser stern as it was more sociable.

 

I presume you have fed your comments to Silsden BTW?

 

Because we`ve had the problem of lack of shelving before we picked up on it straight away and mentioned it to the chap giving us the run over of the boat when we picked it up, but he just said it was nothing to do with him. When we got back I didn`t bother saying anything, which is actually hypocritical for me ! I didn`t think they were that friendly in the first place and in the past when I`ve given feedback on many hire boats I really get the feeling they`re not interested, hence this thread. Not being bothered about customer feedback really is very very arrogant and short sighted on the part of any business. I`m absolutely 100% interested in what my customers think of my business and the products we stock, in fact, in my experience, the majority of complaints / feedback by customers are correct and valuable.

 

We didn't have to do it...it's just something that we've found useful.

 

You're going to have to pack the stuff anyway, so why not pack it in something that's going to be useful once you get there? The drawers we use are only 12" high by 7.5" wide and 10" deep...they only need a small amount of workspace or shelf room and we've always found somewhere to put them. They are only the same size as a couple of large cereal packets! They are incredibly useful when there are three of you on the boat, all with your individual bits and pieces...no more wondering where you've left your watch or your ciggies or your spare camera batteries and no stuff cluttering up the work surfaces or getting lost.

 

Wine glasses are wrapped in teatowels & napkins (to be used on the trip) in one drawer and the others are filled with bits and bobs...salt/pepper, herbs, spices, OXO cubes, e-Liquid, - all the little fiddly stuff. All gaps in all drawers are then stuffed until completely full with useful stuff like scouring pads, plasters, string, pens, batteries, phone chargers, memory cards - you name it, we pack it! It's absolutely amazing the amount of stuff you can get in there!

 

We've also found a lack of hooks on some boats, so we take along some suction hooks that we can use if needed (stuffed into one of the gaps in the drawers!) They can be used virtually anywhere and don't cause any damage. Bungee cords are great too for making an impromptu washing line across the boat! (we use them wrapped tightly round our bags to keep the size down when packing). We have a good one with pegs already attached that has come in very useful! (Pound Shop bargain!)

 

We have always been keen campers and have learned how to pack a LOT of very useful stuff into a very small space!

 

We are also usually on a mission, so we can't afford to mess around with stuff lying all over the place and never knowing where anything is. We are so used to doing it that we can have everything unpacked and in its correct place within an hour of leaving the base, leaving us free to enjoy the trip.

 

Hire boat companies can't cater for every eventuality and every hirer has different requirements. I believe that most of them do the best they can. We had one a couple of years ago which had so many shelves and storage options that some were still left empty at the end of the trip! (Canal Boat Escapes)

 

We've had 58' boats with virtually no usable storage and a 43' boat which was like a bloody Tardis!

 

Janet

 

They sound excellent, where did you get them and is the suction strong enough ?

Edited by Justin Smith
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Because we`ve had the problem of lack of shelving before we picked up on it straight away and mentioned it to the chap giving us the run over of the boat when we picked it up, but he just said it was nothing to do with him. When we got back I didn`t bother saying anything, which is actually hypocritical for me ! I didn`t think they were that friendly in the first place and in the past when I`ve given feedback on many hire boats I really get the feeling they`re not interested, hence this thread. Not being bothered about customer feedback really is very very arrogant and short sighted on the part of any business. I`m absolutely 100% interested in what my customers think of my business and the products we stock, in fact, in my experience, the majority of complaints / feedback by customers are correct and valuable.

 

They sound excellent, where did you get them and is the suction strong enough ?

 

smiley_offtopic.gif

 

I hadn't made the connection previously between you and ATV. We have actually spoken on the phone before when you sent me an aerial which arrived looking like a banana (damaged in transit) I rang you and you dispatched a replacement without awaiting a return of the damaged item. I posted on here at the time about the good service I got from your company.

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smiley_offtopic.gif

 

I hadn't made the connection previously between you and ATV. We have actually spoken on the phone before when you sent me an aerial which arrived looking like a banana (damaged in transit) I rang you and you dispatched a replacement without awaiting a return of the damaged item. I posted on here at the time about the good service I got from your company.

 

Thanks for that, we try......

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I am impressed that Janet has been resourceful and taken things she might need on a hire boat.

 

I have a collection of items that I take on boating holidays. If they are not needed they spend a week or two in the boot of the car. Rope is always useful. It can be used for springs when mooring, to attach to a Sea Searcher magnet (which also comes on holiday), and could be attached to a lifebelt. Hire companies should provide a floating line attached to the lifebelt, but I've only seen that on an Alvechurch boat.

 

I take a small voltmeter to plug in to the ubiquitous cigarette lighter socket (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIGITAL-LED-12V-24V-PLUG-IN-VOLTMETER-for-CAR-TRUCK-MOTORHOME-UK-STOCK-/141657420684?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20fb70b38c) and keep an eye on the state of the cabin batteries. R-clips for tiller pins, shackles for fender chains, a long windlass for challenging locks. There is a padlock with multiple keys (so everyone can have a key to get back on board) dating from when hire boats usually had a padlock on the sliding hatch, cable ties, string, Swiss Army penknife, BWB key, handcuff key......

Edited by mango
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The last thing I'd want a customer to do would be to pull someone who has fallen in back to the boat.

 

Our view is that in most cases it is far preferable for them to head away from the boat and get out onto the bank - the bow is usually too high to get someone aboard (and the wrong end for the lifebouy which must be within reach of the helmsman), and they run the risk of being run down, and there's a prop at the other end with people potentially panicking who therefore may not remember not stop the engine. I'd review that for certain rivers though.

 

I don't think anyone should step aboard a boat without a swiss army knife or similar and the padlock was a bloomin' neat idea! Tucking away a little key safe (with combination lock) is on our to-do list to cover that eventuality.

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The last thing I'd want a customer to do would be to pull someone who has fallen in back to the boat.

 

Our view is that in most cases it is far preferable for them to head away from the boat and get out onto the bank - the bow is usually too high to get someone aboard (and the wrong end for the lifebouy which must be within reach of the helmsman), and they run the risk of being run down, and there's a prop at the other end with people potentially panicking who therefore may not remember not stop the engine. I'd review that for certain rivers though.

 

I don't think anyone should step aboard a boat without a swiss army knife or similar and the padlock was a bloomin' neat idea! Tucking away a little key safe (with combination lock) is on our to-do list to cover that eventuality.

Not everyone who hires a boat will panic in an emergency situation. I agree that it's best for people to get up the bank, but that is not always practical. As you say, the bow is no use for getting someone back on board, so a line can be used to help pull them round to the stern. A line is essential when on a river with flow and can be useful when rescuing people from locks. I would argue that it is probably better to have someone other than the helmsman in charge of the rescue, since they could be preoccupied with looking after a boat that may be drifting after the engine has been stopped.

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Just out of interest, where did you put your stuff when you went in the bathroom, on the floor or on the toilet ? And how did you fit 9 people round that dinette ? ! ?

 

All very useful, but why should hirers have to do all that ? ! ? The problem with the drawer sets is where would they go on the boat ? In fact where would they go in the car on the way to the boat ! ! We`ve got a Focus estate and it`s full to the brim when we travel down to any hire boat......

 

When we had a full boat we usually (weather permitting) eat outside on the towpath. We used to bring a whole load of trays and deck chairs which people can eat off instead of using the table. On one occasion i even remember bringing a large outdoor white plastic picnic table specifically. During these trips we never really had an issue with storage i must admit. excess chairs and tables usually went under the fixed double bed. Or on top of a blanket on top of the bed itself.

As a hirer there will always be the need to compromise, it's very similar to camping in the respect that storage space (in a tent) will be limited. After all, IMHO, i'm on holiday and on a boat, storage is the least of my concern.

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I think I'll start a new thread for hirers with our ideas for space saving and things to bring!

 

One of our tricks is to use a large recycling box to pack most of our canned/dried foodstuff and supplies. These are packed in the box in carrier bags. On arrival at the boat the first thing we do is pull the bags out and dump them in the kitchen. We then fill the box with the stuff on the boat that we know we won't use - cafetiere, tea cups/saucers, egg cups, teapot, milk jug, egg poacher, rolling pin (yes really, there was one one board on of the boats we hired!) etc and we put this in the boot of the car ready to replace when we get back. We had one boat that had no less than three sieves, all taking up valuable storage space in the kitchen cupboard!

 

On arrival, we usually empty our bags of clothes straight onto our beds and all bags are then put back in the boot of the car to save storage space on board. It's a two minute job to pack them when we're leaving.

 

We also pack small things, toiletries etc in a plastic biscuit tin which is very useful to keep on the boat roof or the back deck to hold anti-vandal keys, mobiles, BW keys, glasses, sun cream, cigarettes, lighters, hand sanitiser etc - it usually sits inside the life ring on the top of the boat so no danger of it going overboard and it's a simple matter to put the lid on if it rains! This way we always know where everything is and there's no hunting around in pockets to find out who has the BW key!

 

I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoy packing for our hire boat trips and finding ingenious ways to save space and yet bring along all the little bits and pieces that make life easier! My OCM laughs at the random stuff I pack into the gaps in that little set of drawers but it all proves useful!

 

Janet

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I am impressed that Janet has been resourceful and taken things she might need on a hire boat.

 

I have a collection of items that I take on boating holidays. If they are not needed they spend a week or two in the boot of the car. Rope is always useful. It can be used for springs when mooring, to attach to a Sea Searcher magnet (which also comes on holiday), and could be attached to a lifebelt. Hire companies should provide a floating line attached to the lifebelt, but I've only seen that on an Alvechurch boat.

 

I'll second that! We take our own centre line with us as they aren't always provided and we find it invaluable when there's only two of us on board. A centre line really is an essential bit of kit for us.

 

We've also found a spare bit of line/rope to be useful when we've come across boats that have become untied. We never pass one without trying to help.

 

Janet

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I'll second that! We take our own centre line with us as they aren't always provided and we find it invaluable when there's only two of us on board. A centre line really is an essential bit of kit for us.

 

We've also found a spare bit of line/rope to be useful when we've come across boats that have become untied. We never pass one without trying to help.

 

Janet

 

Are we talking about the same thing, the rope that comes off the shackle in the centre of the boat on the roof ? Surely no canal boat (a hire boat or otherwise) wouldn`t have one of those ? The best piece of advice we ever had was on our first canal hire back in 2007 when the instructor said "jump ashore with the centre rope and you have control of the boat". I don`t actually see how you could moor a boat (or do half a dozen other things) without a centre rope, certainly, as you say, if there`s only two of you. I`d think it impractical to use the bow and stern ropes even if you had two people to jump off anyway. It`s virtually impossible to come in to moor "parallel" on a tideless canal (certainly for a hirer who by definition is not as used to any particular boat`s handling as an owner may be) so how would they both jump off at the front and rear at same time, and if they didn`t how would the first one ashore have control of the boat ? ! ?

If I`m honest when we have to use mooring pins I like to use the centre rope as well, assuming the boatyard provide three, Silsden boats only provided two, which I thought a bit tight because mooring pins must be commonly dropped into the canal and if you did that you then wouldn`t have a spare and then couldn`t moor anywhere without mooring rings ! And there are very few moorings with those on the L&L.... This preference for using three pins is after an experience on the Kennet & Avon. It had been very wet and the ground was soft, we put the two mooring pins in as best we could. Just before we went to bed a large dining boat went past and the undertow pulled out one of the pins. If that had happened a bit later after we`d gone to bed we could have woken up to find our boat jammed across the canal !

To cut it all short if we took over a boat and it had no centre rope we`d demand one before leaving the marina. Has anyone ever been supplied a canal boat without a centre rope ? And if so by which boat yard ? Come on, name and shame !

Edited by Justin Smith
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Are we talking about the same thing, the rope that comes off the shackle in the centre of the boat on the roof ? Surely no canal boat (a hire boat or otherwise) wouldn`t have one of those ? The best piece of advice we ever had was on our first canal hire back in 2007 when the instructor said "jump ashore with the centre rope and you have control of the boat". I don`t actually see how you could moor a boat (or do half a dozen other things) without a centre rope, certainly, as you say, if there`s only two of you. I`d think it impractical to use the bow and stern ropes even if you had two people to jump off anyway. It`s virtually impossible to come in to moor "parallel" on a tideless canal (certainly for a hirer who by definition is not as used to any particular boat`s handling as an owner may be) so how would they both jump off at the front and rear at same time, and if they didn`t how would the first one ashore have control of the boat ? ! ?

If I`m honest when we have to use mooring pins I like to use the centre rope as well, assuming the boatyard provide three, Silsden boats only provided two, which I thought a bit tight because mooring pins must be commonly dropped into the canal and if you did that you then wouldn`t have a spare and then couldn`t moor anywhere without mooring rings ! And there are very few moorings with those on the L&L.... This preference for using three pins is after an experience on the Kennet & Avon. It had been very wet and the ground was soft, we put the two mooring pins in as best we could. Just before we went to bed a large dining boat went past and the undertow pulled out one of the pins. If that had happened a bit later after we`d gone to bed we could have woken up to find our boat jammed across the canal !

To cut it all short if we took over a boat and it had no centre rope we`d demand one before leaving the marina. Has anyone ever been supplied a canal boat without a centre rope ? And if so by which boat yard ? Come on, name and shame !

 

Most/all hire boats have one centre rope. Its very handy to have two (one each side).

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Most/all hire boats have one centre rope. Its very handy to have two (one each side).

 

I'd say most, not all.

When we hired from Shire cruisers, the boat didn't come with a centre rope. Only when we asked for one because we always used a centre rope on the other boats we hired previously, we were given one, with the strict orders not to control the boat in the locks with this rope.

Looking at the photo's on their site it seems to me that centre ropes are not standard on their boats.

(No naming and shaming intended, we found Shire Cruisers excelllent)

Helen

Edited by hvdb
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Yes. One of the boats we hired from Shire Cruisers didn't have a centre line. We still take ours with us because it's handy to have two and you never know when a spare rope will come in handy.

Edited by Janet S
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I'd say most, not all.

When we hired from Shire cruisers, the boat didn't come with a centre rope. Only when we asked for one because we always used a centre rope on the other boats we hired previously, we were given one, with the strict orders not to control the boat in the locks with this rope.

Looking at the photo's on their site it seems to me that centre ropes are not standard on their boats.

(No naming and shaming intended, we found Shire Cruisers excelllent)

Helen

 

Not having a centre line is crazy if it is a 2 berth boat - and in my opinion ropes present more of a hazard in locks (unless single handing of course)

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Are we talking about the same thing, the rope that comes off the shackle in the centre of the boat on the roof ? Surely no canal boat (a hire boat or otherwise) wouldn`t have one of those ? The best piece of advice we ever had was on our first canal hire back in 2007 when the instructor said "jump ashore with the centre rope and you have control of the boat". I don`t actually see how you could moor a boat (or do half a dozen other things) without a centre rope, certainly, as you say, if there`s only two of you. I`d think it impractical to use the bow and stern ropes even if you had two people to jump off anyway. It`s virtually impossible to come in to moor "parallel" on a tideless canal (certainly for a hirer who by definition is not as used to any particular boat`s handling as an owner may be) so how would they both jump off at the front and rear at same time, and if they didn`t how would the first one ashore have control of the boat ? ! ?

If I`m honest when we have to use mooring pins I like to use the centre rope as well, assuming the boatyard provide three, Silsden boats only provided two, which I thought a bit tight because mooring pins must be commonly dropped into the canal and if you did that you then wouldn`t have a spare and then couldn`t moor anywhere without mooring rings ! And there are very few moorings with those on the L&L.... This preference for using three pins is after an experience on the Kennet & Avon. It had been very wet and the ground was soft, we put the two mooring pins in as best we could. Just before we went to bed a large dining boat went past and the undertow pulled out one of the pins. If that had happened a bit later after we`d gone to bed we could have woken up to find our boat jammed across the canal !

To cut it all short if we took over a boat and it had no centre rope we`d demand one before leaving the marina. Has anyone ever been supplied a canal boat without a centre rope ? And if so by which boat yard ? Come on, name and shame !

 

Perhaps the fact that hirers use it for mooring is a good reason for hire companies NOT supplying a centre rope.

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Perhaps the fact that hirers use it [a centre line] for mooring is a good reason for hire companies NOT supplying a centre rope.

 

What would be the reason for not using it as an additional (i.e. 3rd) mooring point if having to use pins where the ground is soft ?

Furthermore, why should one not use it as the only mooring if it`s temporary, e.g. onto a bollard whilst waiting for your wife/husband to prepare the lock ?

 

Not having a centre line is crazy if it is a 2 berth boat - and in my opinion ropes present more of a hazard in locks (unless single handing of course)

 

I agree.

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I'll second that! We take our own centre line with us as they aren't always provided and we find it invaluable when there's only two of us on board. A centre line really is an essential bit of kit for us.

 

We've also found a spare bit of line/rope to be useful when we've come across boats that have become untied. We never pass one without trying to help.

 

Janet

The first boats I hired did not have centre lines, though they are now commonplace. I prefer if they are removable rather than spliced, so that they can be used as a spring when moored. I have moored up many boats over the years. I presume that BW/CRT usually use cheap thin rope is because some sad person would steal anything better.

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What would be the reason for not using it as an additional (i.e. 3rd) mooring point if having to use pins where the ground is soft ?

Furthermore, why should one not use it as the only mooring if it`s temporary, e.g. onto a bollard whilst waiting for your wife/husband to prepare the lock ?

 

A centre line is a handling rope, and unsuited for mooring.

 

Unlike the for and aft ropes, it's point of action is high up, which means that if it is used for mooring, it will have a tendency to cause the boat to roll as boats pass, and if the ground is soft will work its pin loose in no time.

 

If you need additional security in mooring, then unhitch the centre rope, and use it to set a spring line, but using it in its rooftop position is a waste of time.

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