A most exclusive club...?

[MtB]

Given a comment about PaulStoke1975 now being a member of a 'not very exclusive club' having now fallen in, I'm wondering who here is a member of that other club perhaps more exclusive, i.e. boaters who have never fallen in*.

 

I'll kick off by saying I've fortunately yet to fall in, having been boating since 1977! (Albeit with a gap between 1980 and about 1995).

 

 

* Putting one leg in whilst continuing to hang on to the boat (something I've done several times) doesn't count. I'm talking full-on falling in

[YamYam]

Can't join I'm afraid

[NigelMoore]

Just knew we had something in common MtB.

[dave moore]

Sorry, Mike

 

I'm not eligible....in 67 at the Leicester Rally I filled 2 water cans, stepped on the counter of Tay with one leg...the boat wasn't tied, the gap gradually widened with the inevitable result. My boating mate grabbed for his camera....!

 

In the 90s I fell in at Sherborne Street, Birmingham, clutching two paint boxes which happily floated. While I floundered around in the paint dock, cameras were once again sought. Since then, I've been dunk free...but I'm off to work tomorrow at Glascote...who knows?

 

Dave

[Rickent]

Can't join either, I managed to stay dry for a whole seven months before I went in.

[Loafer]

I've never fallen in in 30 years or more, but I emptied a friend's laugh bag when I hopped off a hireboat years ago, holding the stern rope, turned round and then pulled hard on the stern rope to bring the boat in. It wasn't attached to the stern at all, and I fell on my arse with a bang.

 

ETA: I actually ran backwards a few paces and THEN fell on my arse.

Friend:

 

Loafer:

Edited December 16, 2015 by Loafer

[tillergirl]

He ca n join I cannot. ....

[MtB]

I've never fallen in in 30 years or more, but I emptied a friend's laugh bag when I hopped off a hireboat years ago, holding the stern rope, turned round and then pulled hard on the stern rope to bring the boat in. It wasn't attached to the stern at all, and I fell on my arse with a bang.

 

Friend:

 

Loafer:

 

 

Lol I've done something similar. Going uphill solo into a particularly deep Thames lock.

 

I chucked my stern line up to the lockie 15ft above me, only to see my end of the line follow up the end I threw. The lockie diplomatically dangled me back the end with the loop and courteously suggested I attach it to the stern dolly, without a trace of a smirk crossing his face!

Edited December 16, 2015 by Mike the Boilerman

[mrsmelly]

Ive never fallen in. Hope I never will. I think it harks back subconsciously to the fact that I was trained by the best people in the world on joining the Royal Navy in 1973.

We were taught from day one that one hand was for the Queen and the other was for us and drilled in to us all the time on ensuring our own safety whilst on the upper deck, I believe it has stayed with me.

 

Tim

[Chewbacka]

Slipped of the gunnel landed standing up and not so deep, but both legs wet to well above my knees.

That was many years ago and touch wood, not done it again - tempting fate now.............

[dmr]

Standing on the "Gunnels" at Bugsworth basin putting a quick coat of Raddle on the roof and stepped back to admire my work!

It was very shallow, not even waist high, so not sure if that counts.

 

..............Dave

[patty-ann]

Not really bin boating long enough guess to be in either club but I did fall in the Duke of Gloucesters fishpond when I overbalanced testing how deep it was....I put one leg in with my boots on and oops..

[Peter X]

I'm in, or rather I mean I've never been in. However I haven't done a huge amount of boating yet, so maybe it's not too surprising.

 

I did quite a lot of punting long ago, during which I always stayed aboard but someone fell off a punt I was on on three separate occasions, none of which I felt to be my fault. They just didn't understand the art of keeping their balance on a punt; it isn't easy, lots of people shift their weight suddenly, rock one of those sideways and go in.

 

Then in July this year while I was crewing for Paulmeds he fell off the stern of his narrow boat into the South Oxford at Kidlington. Suddenly I found myself getting my only experience so far of being a single-handed boater.

 

I'm not a jinx, honestly!

[Loafer]

Not really bin boating long enough guess to be in either club but I did fall in the Duke of Gloucesters fishpond when I overbalanced testing how deep it was....I put one leg in with my boots on and oops..

 

Prithee say what you were doing at the Duke of Gloucester's, Patty. Was there Merlot involved perchance?

[Rufford]

I have been present when someone, whilst carrying laptop, phone etc and wearing a coat and hat walked off the front deck in the dark into water.

 

Winter too

[Kiwidad]

I'm out did it with witnesses and there is a photo lurking around somewhere as well

[gazza]

I can't join.

 

Went in just after Crick tunnel aged 10, slippy gunwales and a keen sense of adventure ended up with one soggy sprog.

 

7 years later on a very cold October night up at Hardley Dyke beer in wits out I misjudged my late night post pub pee on the bank, somehow I managed to convince my self it wasn't the first bank the boat was tied up to that was the alfresco loo, it was the second one I needed to use. Unfortunately for me, it was the near verticle bank of a ditch running around the perimeter of the field......

Once I bobbed back up out of the filthy stinking water I was what you may describe as sober but somewhat unhappy!!

 

No surprise dunking since then, but I did end up having to rescue the dog out of the river at Great Barford following a rather poorly executed reentry into the cockpit after he had been sunning himself up at the bow, it confirmed depth sounder readings that the river is around 5' deep there

Edited December 16, 2015 by gazza

[kingswood]

I failed pushing off with sandals on and broke ribs

[Starcoaster]

I am so pleased that Ange managed to get a video of you not quite falling in, it was a special moment!

[AMModels]

Not me, as a ten year old on the length just before Market Drayton going north I reached for my uncles mug to fetch a brew and my legs levered off the gunnel as I reached over the cabin top. Went full under eyes open and watched the prop whir past my head from about 18" distance... felt a lot closer. Bobbed to the surface to receive the most unneeded advice ever "swim son!" funnily enough I was going to do that ta. Cut water may look like chocolate milk but it doesnt taste like it.

 

Even scarier I went in between two boats tied at Titford national, boat came past and was a bit squashed but luckily someone had seen me and braced the boats apart so someone else could pull me out, was about 7 iirc.

 

Lesson for all kids on boats, you arent immortal.

[Jeffers71]

I have a theory that if you're afraid you're going to fall in then you're more likely to but have never put it to the test! I've never fallen in but did go swimming in the Llangollen canal as a young girl before anyone bothered warning about the dangers of leptospirosis etc

[gazza]

Not me, as a ten year old on the length just before Market Drayton going north I reached for my uncles mug to fetch a brew and my legs levered off the gunnel as I reached over the cabin top. Went full under eyes open and watched the prop whir past my head from about 18" distance... felt a lot closer. Bobbed to the surface to receive the most unneeded advice ever "swim son!" funnily enough I was going to do that ta. Cut water may look like chocolate milk but it doesnt taste like it.

 

Even scarier I went in between two boats tied at Titford national, boat came past and was a bit squashed but luckily someone had seen me and braced the boats apart so someone else could pull me out, was about 7 iirc.

 

Lesson for all kids on boats, you arent immortal.

How true, unfortunately kids bring kids won't believe you

 

That year I had done my RYA level 2 dinghy sailing down in Exmouth while staying with my grandparents over the summer hols, the narrowboat seemed pretty boring after that!

 

I haven't included any small boat WAFI dunkings as it sort of goes with the territory!

[AMModels]

How true, unfortunately kids bring kids won't believe you

 

That year I had done my RYA level 2 dinghy sailing down in Exmouth while staying with my grandparents over the summer hols, the narrowboat seemed pretty boring after that!

 

I haven't included any small boat WAFI dunkings as it sort of goes with the territory!

hehe I sailed for my school and county at nationals, Im not sure I remember how often I went in from a dinghy.. I do remember nearly drowning my crew man capsizing a 420 at trials, he was still attached to the trapeze as we went over.

[IanD]

Not me either. Icy Christmas Day at Cosgrove in 1986, came out of lunchtime pub session (music, not just beer), needed to fetch something from boat which was breasted up on the outside, walked along gunwales which were gradually getting further apart (boats not parallel parked) ignoring warnings ("Don't worry, I'll be -- aargh..."), crunch/splosh as I fell through the ice and disappeared. All except my right arm which was sticking up out of the water holding my tankard, still with beer in it -- like the Lady of the Lake with Excalibur, but much funnier according to those who saw it. I've never been so cold in my life...

[gazza]

hehe I sailed for my school and county at nationals, Im not sure I remember how often I went in from a dinghy.. I do remember nearly drowning my crew man capsizing a 420 at trials, he was still attached to the trapeze as we went over.

The 420 is a tidy boat, not done any rag and stick stuff for a few years now. We have a reciprocal open day with our local sailing club just up the river from our cruising club, took the nephew for a taster a few years ago but sadly he is a product of the x box generation and wasn't keen

 

The most intolerable watersport I had a go at was wind surfing at Pitsford reservoir on a school trip, I either fell off it or I couldn't get round the sail to tack so ended up shuttling from one bank to the other in straight lines!

I can remember the instructor being less than impressed with my efforts, it didn't help me telling him it wasn't proper sailing and i'd much rather have been out in their Wayfarers