Come on, own up.

[pophops]

Go on, confess it. You don't slow down quite so much for an empty boat or one that looks as if it might be unoccupied (look for the padlock). I mean, where's the harm in making an empty boat bob around a bit? They're designed to do that aren't they? And besides, there's nobody on board to shout at you.

Boats are designed with bobbing in mind. That's gonna be my slogan from now on.

[furnessvale]

Go on, confess it. You don't slow down quite so much for an empty boat or one that looks as if it might be unoccupied (look for the padlock). I mean, where's the harm in making an empty boat bob around a bit? They're designed to do that aren't they? And besides, there's nobody on board to shout at you.

Boats are designed with bobbing in mind. That's gonna be my slogan from now on.

The whole point of slowing for moored boats is that you don't deposit scalding hot water in their laps as you pass, not to avoid moving the boat about a bit ............................but how you could be 100% certain there was no-one on board is another matter!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[dmr]

Big padlocks on the doors indicate an empty boat, a big steel bar across the front door with a padlock either end certainly indicates an empty boat, but yes, slowing down for occupied boats is what matters.

 

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

[magnetman]

It would be rather difficult to see both ends of the boat at the point at which slowing down would make a difference. Some (unwise) people leave visible locks on one end (typically the stern doors),even when they are aboard.

[haza]

yes furnessvale .how right you are ...thats exactly what happenend to a friend of mine ..oil from the sunday roast very nasty. and yes i always go in tick over .now if you had asked do .or as anyone stayed over the permitted time at a mooring ...yes i have on more then a few times

[Richard10002]

I generally even slow down for boats that are almost certainly abandoned. It's not all to do with the occupants, it's also to do with not loosening their moorings.

 

If you motored past our club moorings, (or any other club moorings), you couldn't know if there was anyone on board any of the boats, and I would hope that boaters would slow down when passing all of our boats on the moorings, occupied or not. I dont know what the penalty is for not slowing down, other than a mouthful of foul language, but it's all to do with manners, tradition, and etiquette.

[Jamm]

So, now I have to wave a flag to say I'm at home

 

Maybe it was you that turned my well hammered-in mooring stakes into bananas and dragged them through the ground, whilst I was out at work?

[alan_fincher]

I must admit I don't slow much for CRT mud-hoppers I can see are padlocked to the piling with lengths if chain. They can make a very satisfying noise, particularly if moored closely in multiple, end to end, and you get a kind of "Newton's cradle" effect.

 

However I once made the same mistake for a CRT work flat, similarly secured, and which I felt sure was unoccupied, being long after they usually pack up and go home - I spilled their tea apparently, and they were not happy. Worse, one of the workmen involved was a family friend!

Edited May 16, 2016 by alan_fincher

[haza]

i have even got shouted at even when i was in tick over ...and crawling ...some people spend there day just doing the shouting thing ...they think they own the canal lol it amazes me at times

[magnetman]

I occasionally like to shout at people to speed up when passing, in jest, but they don't all get it so I don't do it too often.

[harve90]

What's the hurry?

[magnetman]

The age old question "what's the hurry?"

 

Its seems a fair question but moving at a speed above tickover is not always about being in a 'hurry'. Different boat users have different priorities its just the way it is.

 

For example one of my most satisfying days boating was when I had a friend steering and I did the locks and we boating efficiently from 6am until 11pm. We went from Cassio Bridge lock to Grove Lock on the GU in a day. I operated 50 grand Union locks that day. Some may say we were in a hurry but to some people it is about efficiently moving through a well designed inland waterways system rather than crawling about looking at the wild flowers. Everyone is different.

Edited May 17, 2016 by magnetman

[furnessvale]

The whole point of slowing for moored boats is that you don't deposit scalding hot water in their laps as you pass, not to avoid moving the boat about a bit ............................but how you could be 100% certain there was no-one on board is another matter!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

I fear some may have misinterpreted my post.

 

As my posts in other threads on this matter will testify, I was not advocating excessive slowing, simply pointing out WHY we slow and the difficulty of positively identifying boats which are not occupied.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[the barnacle]

Just had a Bizzard moment why not fit 2 handles at the rear and a wheel at the front - whenever you approach a moored boat - remove boat and wheel along the towpath like a wheel barrow untill past said boat - happy days for everyone

[RLWP]

turned my well hammered-in mooring stakes into bananas

 

 

How far in did you hammer them?

 

Ours are always banged in until the loop is right on the ground

 

Richard

[magictime]

Its seems a fair question but moving at a speed above tickover is not always about being in a 'hurry'. Different boat users have different priorities its just the way it is.

 

And of course on a windy day, you might have to go a bit faster just to keep control of the boat. I hate cruising past moored boats in any sort of wind, because although I always feel I should err on the side of keeping control - so as not to risk smashing into any of them! - I'm painfully aware that the people on board don't know why I'm moving above tickover, and might just be thinking 'slow down and show some respect for other people's boats!'

 

Just had a Bizzard moment

 

See your doctor... it might be treatable if caught early!

[MoominPapa]

I occasionally like to shout at people to speed up when passing, in jest, but they don't all get it so I don't do it too often.

 

I occasionally complained (in jest) to people passing very slowly when I wanted the first couple of boats past after I've moored to check the ropes and fendering arrangements, and possible settie my boat further into the mud, so I can retighten the ropes.

 

MP.

[ditchcrawler]

Big padlocks on the doors indicate an empty boat, a big steel bar across the front door with a padlock either end certainly indicates an empty boat, but yes, slowing down for occupied boats is what matters.

 

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

The number of boats I see with a padlock on the outside or the rear or well deck piled with stuff so you cant open a door and still people inside, I think some of them may be after a Darwin Award locking escape routes.

[Lady Muck]

We've both just been having our breakfast and the widebeam opposite decided to wind - they obviously thought there was no one in any of the boats and they jammed their nose in the gap between us and our neighbours boat, When I say gap, they really had to jam, pushing us both apart. They hit us, hit my neighbour and hit another widebeam moored opposite. They didn't have an inch to spare and flooded the widebeam opposites deck with water from the prop.

 

My partners not really a fist waving type but its the first time I've ever seen him look annoyed.

 

Theres proper winding space ten minutes from here.

[ditchcrawler]

- I'm painfully aware that the people on board don't know why I'm moving above tickover, and might just be thinking 'slow down and show some respect for other people's boats!'

 

 

That is because they probably don't go boating

[haggis]

I must admit I don't slow much for CRT mud-hoppers I can see are padlocked to the piling with lengths if chain. They can make a very satisfying noise, particularly if moored closely in multiple, end to end, and you get a kind of "Newton's cradle" effect.

 

However I once made the same mistake for a CRT work flat, similarly secured, and which I felt sure was unoccupied, being long after they usually pack up and go home - I spilled their tea apparently, and they were not happy. Worse, one of the workmen involved was a family friend!

Not very good for the piling though to have a work boat banging against it and we have all seen places where the piling has been pulled loose.

 

haggis

[Sea Dog]

The number of boats I see with a padlock on the outside or the rear or well deck piled with stuff so you cant open a door and still people inside, I think some of them may be after a Darwin Award locking escape routes.

And how much security does an external locking arrangement provide anyway now that battery powered angle grinders are the weapon of choice for many naughty boys (and girls, obviously, burglary being an equal opportunities profession)?

[Lady Muck]

I've heard of people get locked in by thieves who then proceed to steal their bikes. infact I had to come to the rescue of a boater who had become locked in with his own padlock.

[ditchcrawler]

And how much security does an external locking arrangement provide anyway now that battery powered angle grinders are the weapon of choice for many naughty boys (and girls, obviously, burglary being an equal opportunities profession)?

But you can't do that if your inside the boat at the back and the front end is on fire.

[pophops]

Go on, confess it. You don't slow down quite so much for an empty boat or one that looks as if it might be unoccupied (look for the padlock). I mean, where's the harm in making an empty boat bob around a bit? They're designed to do that aren't they? And besides, there's nobody on board to shout at you.

Boats are designed with bobbing in mind. That's gonna be my slogan from now on.

Oops! That was posted last night and fuelled by 3 pints of Old Speckled Hen.