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Blind corners


Bunny

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Now I may be wrong here but I tend to drive defensively i.e slow down , blow horn ( sometimes) and assume there is a boat ' just around the corner , in the bridge ect' . So when I met a boat on Thursday above Banbury on a blind corner , I was prepared, He didn't see us or slow down at all, even when his wife, on the fordeck was shouting and waving at him and then trying to push us away , that didn't work as I had already put our bow over as far as I could and was hard in reverse . Being one of these 50something ladies with a strident dont mess with me voice I do tend to shut up in these situations ( mostly, but no guarantee ) as I just annoy some male boaters of a certain age that dont think ladies can drive . My husband did tell the driver of the other boat he was going far to fast around a blind bend . Reply ....... well its a blind bend isint it , couldn't go any slower. We checked the cratch covers, they are fairly new, before we moved off , there is a 4 inch tear along one side . Well , just another battle scar , it wasn't till later , when rolling the covers up fully we realised how hard he had wacked us . The gunnels by the front fuel tank have been pushed in about half an inch . Paint will cover the gash, so no real problem , but I must say generally I think courtesy is somewhat lacking now days. Would you hit a car with the owner sat in it , shrug you shoulders and walk away without a sorry , or at least see if any damage had been done . Or would you ? Bunny .

P.s I got the name of the boat, I wont forget that bloke in a hurry .

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Had a similar incident recently leaving Braunston. Chap flying through a tricky bridge, id slowed and tooted horn. Bit of a bump and when I mentioned that he could have been going a little slower, I got the all to common response of its a contact sport. The other boat is often seen on this forum...

 

Ian.

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Bunny hi! Loads of sexism on canals as there is everywhere. I do most of the steering too. I just grin and bare it, I think responding encourages those who engage in casual offensiveness. After all, they who do this know that neither party is going to turn around, catch them up and challenge them. I now smile and carry on boating. I steer defensively too, expecting a boat to appear round the next bend. Others do not.

 

However damage to your boat is more serious. I think you should decide if it needs pro fixing and if so inform your insurer as you can supply the boat name, time and place.

 

I love narrowboatimg, really hope you continue to love narrowboating too.

 

Val

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PS I do not agree with "naming and shaming" either. You have enough info for an insurance claim if you need it. Whoever that boater is he knows it too. "Enough said" is the correct terminology I believe.

 

Val

  • Greenie 1
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I do most of the steering too. I just grin and bare it,

Val

Any chance of a photo? ;) Personally I grin and bear it, much less traumatic to those I meet.

 

Seriously, the OP is quite right, slowing for blind bends is responsible boating, it is NOT a "contact sport".

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Any chance of a photo? wink.png Personally I grin and bear it, much less traumatic to those I meet.

 

Seriously, the OP is quite right, slowing for blind bends is responsible boating, it is NOT a "contact sport".

 

The phrase "contact sport" in respect of boating used to simply mean that there was no point in using fenders along the side of a narrow boat - they are provided with steel rubbing bands to take the wear in locks where you are in contact with the lock walls. It was not an excuse to play at bumper cars on a canal - boats are not designed for that sort of contact, and people should not expect to wave that phrase about as some sort of get out of jail free card and escape the consequences of their bad boatmanship. The OP's problem here though is she will never prove the other boat was responsible retrospectively.

Edited by Tam & Di
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After a couple of near misses from such incidents on the Oxford we ended up sending a look out ahead which really helped. In fact on one the other chap thanked us as he saw our dog first then the lookout signalling back (thumbs up for all clear, wide open arms for approaching boat) he slowed right down to a crawl saving us both.

 

As regards the dent - you may have to use filler before re-painting as in the light, you will see the bump all the time.

Edited by mark99
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I find this can be particularly tricky if you are going slowly around a blind left hand bend and see an oncoming boat.

 

Do you keep to the right, which can be risky? Or do you judge that the oncoming boat has lost control a bit, and is going to get too close to the outside of the bend. In that case one might apply some power to steer hard left and pass stbd to stbd, the "wrong" side. (No point in sounding your 2 hoots of course...).

 

On some parts of the Oxford - esp the summit - you can sometimes feel the bow wave that an oncoming boat is pushing in front. But I wouldn't rely on that.

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I always "Toot" at blind bends etc but oncoming boats don't always hear as 1 guy said to me he had seen me but assumed I was going t'other way at norton Junction as he had not heard horn..he got in a bit of a mess but we managed to avoid collision.

Don't think my horn loud enough but if had one louder would probably p... people off.

Edited by patty-ann
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I had a close shave recently when approaching a v. sharp bend 90 deg with the bridge cutting right across the bend. I was travelling downstream, so my bridge, one long blast on my horn, lined up, heard no horn in reply so committed for the bridge/bend.

As I entered the bridge to the right of the channel a NB shot through, cutting the corner I was left with about a foot between me and the other NB and the same between me and the bridge pier.

They went on their way with just a cheery wave.

Had they not cut the corner there would have been loads of room, had they sounded their horn I would have backed of even though travelling downstream, as it was a unnecessary squeaky bum moment for me that could have been avoided.

Phil

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I had another boater on a straight bridge keep coming and not make any attempt to slow. When he hit my boat I was half way through the bridge hole and going hard astern so clearly was well into the bridge before he entered. Fortunately we hit stem fenders and not metal to metal. The chaps wife disseapered inside and he didn't even look at me, just kept going. Unfortunately I didn't get his boat name as I was a bit shocked at what had just happened.

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there is a lot of discussion about passing moored boats at tickover speed.

 

surely the safe speed to approach a bend or bridge is the speed at which you can comfortably bring the boat to a halt assuming you 'meet yourself' coming in the other direction. This should take into account the alertness of the crew and the visibility from the steering position.

 

in my little GRP cruiser I use an aerosol horn as soon as I see another boat approaching in a blind situation (including obscured vision because of overhanging trees). It is so loud that it always wakes up the helmsman of the other boat (and all the sheep in the neighbouring fields). I gave up on those crappy 12V horns intended for vintage cars.

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in my little GRP cruiser I use an aerosol horn as soon as I see another boat approaching in a blind situation

So a blast on it means "Slow down, you aerosol"?

 

Vigilance is the watchword when going along twisty wooded bits of canal. I. along with many other boaters I suspect, tend to be distracted by sights along the way - scenery, old buildings, birds, fluffy bunnies and the like. When going round blind bends it's essential not to gaze upon such things, but to look ahead, ready to take appropriate action as soon as a prow heaves in sight. Our horn, like me, works only when it feels like it, so I have to be ready to take evasive action if necessary.

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I find this can be particularly tricky if you are going slowly around a blind left hand bend and see an oncoming boat.

 

Do you keep to the right, which can be risky? Or do you judge that the oncoming boat has lost control a bit, and is going to get too close to the outside of the bend. In that case one might apply some power to steer hard left and pass stbd to stbd, the "wrong" side. (No point in sounding your 2 hoots of course...).

 

On some parts of the Oxford - esp the summit - you can sometimes feel the bow wave that an oncoming boat is pushing in front. But I wouldn't rely on that.

 

 

I try to keep away from the inside of a bend if I can. Approaching well to the inside means I can't see and I can't be seen. On top of that, catching a shallow part of the canal on the inside means an inevitable cutting across the canal in front of the other boat.

 

If I can see another boat, they have seen me and I have time and clear water I can usually sort things out

 

Richard

Edited by RLWP
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Is it only me that ends up in the shallows, slow down and usually takes ages to get going again once the other ignoramus has disappeared round the next bend at full speed?

Edited by Nightwatch
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Is it always me that ends up in the shallows, slow down and usually takes ages to get going again once the other ignoramus has disappeared round the next bend at full speed?

Not only you...

But at least you don't get the "Bloody Hireboaters" abuse on top!

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I did look up the name of the boat on the members section and contacted the forum member . Again apologies to said member , as they sold this boat 3 years ago. The hull damage, luckily is covered by the cratch curtains and the cratch curtain can be stitched . It was a lovely looking trad with a highish bow , glad I was so far over otherwise it would have done serious damage . As for the sexism , no I won't stand for it generally ( husband walks wisely away , shaking head sagely ) . I find that driving more efficiently and better than the flat cap brigade and NOT using the girly button makes more of a point . Bunny

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I once entered a bridge on a corner and couldn't see the other side, I went in slow incase another boat was approaching so they could use the horn back at me. Instead I was forced out of the bridge up onto rocks the other side, had a man shout at me for not looking where I'm going and left me stranded. That was on the Llangollen. At first I felt ashamed but only other option to have prevented it would have been to tie up the boat and walk through the bridge to check its clear.... not sure if that would be going to far though.

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I try to keep away from the inside of a bend if I can. Approaching well to the inside means I can't see and I can't be seen. On top of that, catching a shallow part of the canal on the inside means an inevitable cutting across the canal in front of the other boat.

 

If I can see another boat, they have seen me and I have time and clear water I can usually sort things out

 

Richard

 

I agree - my point was that in some circs plan A (which is to keep well to the outside going around a left hand bend) needs to be abandoned if the boat coming towards you is losing control and is going to either hit, or get too close to, the outside of the bend.

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Why are you singling out left hand bends? As you are on the outside (if keeping to the right for some bizarre reason). you get a better view. It's right hand bends that are the issue

 

Richard

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