Passing moored boats

[Athy]

And if you are faced with a mile or two of moored boats, I don't think anyone can be blamed for not crawling past them at 1mph. The thoughtlessness there is with the mooring, not the mover,and the responsibility is to tie the things up properly. And I may just add that a sign in your window saying "What part of slowing down don't you understand?" doesn't amuse but causes me to want to reverse and speed up (though I never do, obviously).

Interesting. I think that if one slows down for one moored boat, one should equally slow down for 100 of them. I don't think it's thoughtless for someone to want to secure a mooring in a pleasant place, be it MFN or in a row of craft. Oh, and that sign's not in MY window, and would not be as it presumes guilt - but I do like the ones which ask "Is that tickover?", to which I can truthfully reply "Yes, it is".

[Witchword]

Well, I did find my half hitch had come undone when I went out (though I don't know how, I did it the same as I always do) and the stern ropes were a bit slack. But I do pull the ropes as tight as I can when I tie up, with a couple of secure knots on the boat, and I'm fairly confident I do ok, since when I get up or return to the boat she's basically been still tied as I left her- no extra slack- this morning notwithstanding. It's a hard towpath with little mushroomy bollards. I'm not using the centre line to moor up here

 

I'm off to look for a thread on correct mooring angles now, though. I thought that as long as the ropes were not parallel to each other, you were ok (and now I'm nervously awaiting a flaming to put me right!!).

[dogless]

Don't worry about it.

Those that go fast will continue to do so.

Those that slow down will continue to do so.

Just relax and enjoy.

Rog

[Athy]

 

 

I'm off to look for a thread on correct mooring angles now, though. I thought that as long as the ropes were not parallel to each other, you were ok (and now I'm nervously awaiting a flaming to put me right!!).

A flaming, whatever that may be, sounds dramatic! Same thing as a wigging, perhaps?

Expert moorers, of whom I am not one (Mrs. Athy normally ties the boat up) suggest that "springs" are the best way to stop your moored craft ploughing back and forth when Sir Malcolm Bloody Campbell comes hurtling past. You may be able to find a thread about those.

[BMC problems]

Is it just me or do the majorityof boaters steam past moored boats with no attempt to tick over? Three in the past 15 minutes have made my ropes groan and the boat sway and rock quite alarmingly. Grrr.

I'm afraid that you are on a boat, it's their nature to rock and sway. There are methods of tying up that will help you to feel more secure but the movement is part of the fun.

 

And remove that centre line.

[ditchcrawler]

And if you are faced with a mile or two of moored boats, I don't think anyone can be blamed for not crawling past them at 1mph. The thoughtlessness there is with the mooring, not the mover,and the responsibility is to tie the things up properly. And I may just add that a sign in your window saying "What part of slowing down don't you understand?" doesn't amuse but causes me to want to reverse and speed up (though I never do, obviously).

Saw one yesterday saying slow down baby on board, if they were that worried about its safety maybe they should remove some of the crap piled against the back door so in an emergency they had two exits available.

I pass moored boats between 1,75 and 2.25 mph depending on conditions

[Witchword]

I do like the rocking and swaying but I prefer it not to rock and sway my pans too much! And I'm not using the centre line...

 

Deep breathing. Bit stressed lately, I must let it wash over me (ha, pun not intended!)...

[Captain Pegg]

I slow down considerably when passing moored craft and my wife tells me I am going too slow. I find two very good reasons for slowing down;-

 

1. My engine makes a great thumping noise when in forward gear at low revs.

 

2. It really annoys those folk whose heads pop out as you approach because although they ostensibly want you to slow down they are actually hoping that you don't so they can feel smug about shouting at you for not doing so.

 

JP

[Athy]

I slow down considerably when passing moored craft and my wife tells me I am going too slow. I find two very good reasons for slowing down;-

 

1. My engine makes a great thumping noise when in forward gear at low revs.

 

 

Sod the second reason, that's good enough for me too! I sometimes refer to it as "posing speed" - that's the boat, not me, posing, y'unnerstand.

[junior]

I slow down for moored boats.

 

I've never felt the need to look and assess whether moored boats are on pins/bollards/rings. I've never analysed the towpath incase resurfacing works have taken place and only left a small strip of grass. I've never thought about the weather in the last few days incase the ground is set. I don't check my speedo to make sure I'm only doing 1.86mph. I could go on...

 

I just slow down.

Edited April 7, 2016 by junior

[Dharl]

A flaming, whatever that may be, sounds dramatic! Same thing as a wigging, perhaps?

Expert moorers, of whom I am not one (Mrs. Athy normally ties the boat up) suggest that "springs" are the best way to stop your moored craft ploughing back and forth when Sir Malcolm Bloody Campbell comes hurtling past. You may be able to find a thread about those.

 

 

Springs could be a bit drastic on the canals, useful on vessels mooring in a tideway or strong current (like a river) mind you.

 

I prefer to use either 3 pilling hooks or mooring pins rather than mooring bollards, they are rarely in the right place! Aft I use one mooring line, going out from the offshore dolly at an angle of about 45 deg from the stern to the mooring pin and then back to the inshore dolly and make fast.

 

Forward I use two mooring pins, normally using just the one forward mooring line. First I take this out to a mooring pin in frount of the boat at about a 45 deg anglke, take this back to the cleat and make fast (use OXO), then I take the line back towards a second mooring pin, again at about an angle of 45 deg round the pin and back to the cleat to make fast. Looking from above , the lines of the forward moorings would make an Isosceles Triangle with the 90 through the T Stud (cleat) on the bow.

 

with above mooring works best for most overnight and odd day length stays, important that their is little slack in the system. If I was staying moored any longer wound consider using longer 'spring' lines forward and aft.

 

hope above helps!

[Athy]

But surely what you have just described IS a spring.

[kris88]

I slow down for moored boats.

 

I've never felt the need to look and assess whether moored boats are on pins/bollards/rings. I've never analysed the towpath incase resurfacing works have taken place and only left a small strip of grass. I've never thought about the weather in the last few days incase the ground is set. I don't check my speedo to make sure I'm only doing 1.86mph. I could go on...

 

I just slow down.

Well done, it really is that simple, unfortunately not every boater is so thoughtful.

 

Regards kris

[Klanky]

Has anyone tried doubling up mooring pins for more security?

 

We used to use this method (with 3 massive pins driven in at 45deg) for clifftop rescue. I'm wondering if using something similar would give more grip on the towpath - or would it be too much of a faff?

 

[FadeToScarlet]

Has anyone tried doubling up mooring pins for more security?

 

We used to use this method (with 3 massive pins driven in at 45deg) for clifftop rescue. I'm wondering if using something similar would give more grip on the towpath - or would it be too much of a faff?

 

No, I just don't tie up my boat on toothpicks! I use 3' ground anchors when out and about.

[Athy]

I slow down for moored boats.

 

I've never felt the need to look and assess whether moored boats are on pins/bollards/rings. I've never analysed the towpath incase resurfacing works have taken place and only left a small strip of grass. I've never thought about the weather in the last few days incase the ground is set. I don't check my speedo to make sure I'm only doing 1.86mph. I could go on...

 

I just slow down.

Greeno!

I was surprised by the assertion that one of our colleagues passed moored boats at between 1.75 and 2.25 m.p.h.; while this indeed is a civilised speed, how does he know? None of our boats has had a speedometer and I haven't ever seen one on a boat.

[Victor Vectis]

Handheld GPS, a yellow Garmin thingy in my case.

[Athy]

Handheld GPS, a yellow Garmin thingy in my case.

I'll believe you. (Scuttles off to Google to try and discover what a GPS may be).

 

(Scuttles back, with Goon Show-style footstep sound effects)

 

Hmm, Global Positioning System - a navigational aid. I did look at the Wikipaedia article about them, but it's heavy stuff and there's lots of it, so I didn't read it all in detail. But I didn't see any reference to it being used as a speedometer.

 

So, Vic, why would you need one of these (quite expensive) navigational tools on your boat - unless, of course, you do sea boating?

Edited April 7, 2016 by Athy

[cuthound]

Ulysse Speedometer app on my mobile phone for me.

[Athy]

Ulysse Speedometer app on my mobile phone for me.

Blimey oh Reilly. I don't own a phobile mone, but I've heard a rumour that they're bringing out a model which can be used for telephoning people.

[MtB]

Blimey oh Reilly. I don't own a phobile mone, but I've heard a rumour that they're bringing out a model which can be used for telephoning people.

 

 

That would be foolish of them, as the market for such devices is one, and you have declared you won't be buying it!

[Victor Vectis]

So, Vic, why would you need one of these (quite expensive) navigational tools on your boat - unless, of course, you do sea boating?

It cost about £60 but that was a number of years ago. I used it when walking but more recently replaced it with a Satmap device (displays OS map and your position on same)

 

I don't use the Garmin for navigation (sorry, can't think of a better word) on t'boat. I'm just interested in roughly what speed we're doing (2mph on the Curly Whirly or 9mph surfing up the Trent!) even though these things aren't said to be very accurate at low speeds. It also has a digital clock display and as we don't have a clock at the back of RW it tells me the time too.

[Athy]

It cost about £60 but that was a number of years ago. I used it when walking but more recently replaced it with a Satmap device (displays OS map and your position on same)

 

I don't use the Garmin for navigation (sorry, can't think of a better word) on t'boat. I'm just interested in roughly what speed we're doing (2mph on the Curly Whirly or 9mph surfing up the Trent!) even though these things aren't said to be very accurate at low speeds. It also has a digital clock display and as we don't have a clock at the back of RW it tells me the time too.

It sounds as if you find it useful, fair enough. Er, if you want to know the time, can't you just look at your watch?

[Victor Vectis]

I could, if I wore one!

[Witchword]

(Can I just interject to thank whoever corrected the spelling in the title? I was on the phone when I posted it and didn't check, but it was really annoying me every time I looked at it afterwards!)