Narrow Boat World Article About Our Incident at Hillmorton on 25th August

[jenlyn]

 

I hope I don't share a broad lock with you - you'll get very confused initially.

Have you bought a boat again?

[FadeToScarlet]

...as I said earlier...when you were captain of a commercial aircraft and needed a pee, you had no control over avoiding a potential collision. Your co pilot did however. As far as I'm concerned the 'driver' is the one in charge at that point as they have control. Maybe CRT's procedures are based on that logic.

 

I agree everyone is responsible for safety BTW.

Not necessarily how commercial shipping works.

 

On the tripboat I skipper, I, as the qualified Boatmaster, am liable and responsible for the safety of the vessel and passengers at all times. If I let another member of the crew steer unsupervised, and go off for a pee or anything, I'm still liable if that crewmember causes an accident- because I judged them capable and competent, but causing an accident proves they weren't. Regardless of who was steering at the time, I'd still be the one in court, and being investigated by the MAIB and MCA.

[jenlyn]

Perhaps all this fuss will see CRT giving guidance for dimensions on what boats are suitable for what locks.

[ditchcrawler]

Perhaps all this fuss will see CRT giving guidance for dimensions on what boats are suitable for what locks.

Lets hope not, they would probably ban anything over 57'

[jenlyn]

Lets hope not, they would probably ban anything over 57'

That's what has crossed my mind.

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Perhaps all this fuss will see CRT giving guidance for dimensions on what boats are suitable for what locks.

 

Dimension data for CaRT's waterways was last updated in August 2014. It is not helpful regarding regarding Hillmorton with the the length left blank. Perversly, length data is given for Hawkesbury stop lock ...

 

Nicholson's is of slightly more use giving 70' for the N. Oxford vs 72' for the south on two of my guides.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Allan(nb Albert)

[magpie patrick]

Dimension data for CaRT's waterways was last updated in August 2014. It is not helpful regarding regarding Hillmorton with the the length left blank. Perversly, length data is given for Hawkesbury stop lock ...

 

Nicholson's is of slightly more use giving 70' for the N. Oxford vs 72' for the south on two of my guides.

 

The trouble is, a lot of this is approximate

 

How long and how wide is a "narrow boat" or a "narrow lock"? Nicholson's weren't prepared on the basis of historic accuracy to the nearest inch, they gave guidance on the basis that narrow means about seventy feet long and about seven feet wide.

 

The GUCCC were particularly adept at pushing the limits, hence the length of Flamingo and her type, which almost certainly went through Hillmorton in the course of their working life, but equally almost certainly never went through Worksop Town Lock on the Chesterfield or Frankton on the Montgomery.

 

It was reported on this forum that BW refused passage for a 61 foot 4 inch long narrow boat at Tinsley some years ago - Sheffield size boats were a notional 61 foot 6 inches and also wide beam

[furnessvale]

Perhaps all this fuss will see CRT giving guidance for dimensions on what boats are suitable for what locks.

Given their propensity for backside covering, we had better all invest in 6' 6" wide boats as being the only ones regarded by CRT as being suitable for narrow locks.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[David Mack]

 

Going even further off topic: We (and a load of other boats) shared a lock with a warship. You get used to people putting out fenders when they see a narrowboat coming in but it does focus the mind a bit when you just see a line of very young crew on one of the decks holding some rather efficient looking guns . . . .

 

We've done that too.

 

With HMS St Albans in the King George V Lock at Woolwich

 

[Catrin]

As an update, we will be meeting with representatives of CRT in the near future to discuss this issue. We will not engage further in any discussion here until we have had this meeting.

 

Cath and Alan

[Paul C]

As an update, we will be meeting with representatives of CRT in the near future to discuss this issue. We will not engage further in any discussion here until we have had this meeting.

 

Cath and Alan

 

Do you want the thread locked?

[Catrin]

Yes, if you are OK to do that. It might stop further speculation.