Wheeee ...................

[Iain_S]

 

I fancy flying one of these:

 

 

 

Richard

 

I didn't think that one actually existed; although most of the current Admirals should be flying one, had the system not been overhauled in 1864!

Edited June 5, 2016 by Iain_S

[magnetman]

Long shaft is one of the traditional terms for what is often called a "Barge pole" nowadays. You can also have a Severn shaft, which was about 20' long, or a hitcher which was the east Anglian term. There were other terms used around the country.

 

The other one is the cabin shaft, which lives on the cabin top- what people nowadays call a boathook, with the hook sharpened on one side to cut through rubbish on the blade.

Thames locks have Hitcher poles. Nowadays they are aluminium shafts witg iron hooks. I was fortunate enough to find one with the magnet a couple of years ago - nowhere near a lock - by picking up the iron hook part. The shaft is long I haven't measured it but I think its about 15ft.

Above Oxford where the locks have balance beams the hitcher pole is used to pull or push the the opposite gate closed or open to save the lock keeper having to walk round.

[RLWP]

I didn't think that one actually existed; although most of the current Admirals should be flying one, had the system not been overhauled in 1864!

It doesn't quite. Left in charge of the beach, I believe

 

Richard

[BruceinSanity]

Fibre glass cruisers were known as " Noddy Boats " in the 60s and 70s. The phrase seems to have vanished from popular use. Who else remembers?

Dave

According to David Blagrove in Bread upon the Waters, noddy boat was a term coined by him and his colleagues in his Thames lock keeping days.

[Scholar Gypsy]

We've been referred to as a monkey barge on the Thames tideway, on the VHF radio, by some rather larger commercial traffic (hence we didn't argue ....).

[Athy]

proceeded to leave the lock on full boor.

How apt.

[FadeToScarlet]

We've been referred to as a monkey barge on the Thames tideway, on the VHF radio, by some rather larger commercial traffic (hence we didn't argue ....).

Which is the West Country term for a narrowboat. Seems to have spread.

Is twenty foot that long? I thought the current ones on sale were short

 

Richard

Normally about 14' or 16'.

 

I like my long aluminium shafts, ex punt poles, they're great.

Edited June 6, 2016 by FadeToScarlet

[RLWP]

Normally about 14' or 16'.

 

IIRC, the ones in chandlers are usually sized to fit a delivery van. If you shop around, you can find 16' poles, and these are still shorter than the ones that would have been carried in the past. I would have thought 20' is the 'proper' length

 

Richard

[howardang]

According to David Blagrove in Bread upon the Waters, noddy boat was a term coined by him and his colleagues in his Thames lock keeping days.

I certainly remember the term "Noddy Boat" when we lived near the Thames in the mid 1970's and still use it (in an affectionate way of course!) today.

 

Howard

[BruceinSanity]

IIRC, the ones in chandlers are usually sized to fit a delivery van. If you shop around, you can find 16' poles, and these are still shorter than the ones that would have been carried in the past. I would have thought 20' is the 'proper' length

 

Richard

I once ordered a 14' shaft from MC. When delivered, it was 12' long – they'd cut two foot off to get it in the van. To be fair, they did deliver the two foot bit with it...

 

14 is about as much as I can handle, 20 would be a real challenge.

[RLWP]

I once ordered a 14' shaft from MC. When delivered, it was 12' long – they'd cut two foot off to get it in the van. To be fair, they did deliver the two foot bit with it...

 

14 is about as much as I can handle, 20 would be a real challenge.

 

Can you reach the bottom with a 14' pole?

 

Richard

[Sea Dog]

Red can be used by anyone (anyone can buy)

Blue is for royal navy Merchant ships (anyone can buy with permission by navy if your doing any sort of merchant use for them of any kind)

White only royal navy vessels and some royal navy buildings can fly (you cant buy them only given them)

Sorry to have to stop you there, Billybob, but that's not really correct. It's all to do with Warrants, but a number of explanations are findable on the Web.

[Dharl]

Sorry to have to stop you there, Billybob, but that's not really correct. It's all to do with Warrants, but a number of explanations are findable on the Web.

..but the red ensign can be used by any one without a warrant.

[BruceinSanity]

Can you reach the bottom with a 14' pole?

 

Richard

I can think of a number of answers to that, but most would get me a warning!

 

We mostly boat on narrow canals, so yes, bottom well within reach usually. Except here in Mercia, of course.

[Arthur Marshall]

Passed us too today. The captain has the peaked cap with gold badge! The boat is called Moxy I think.

Just got back from the boat. He passed me (moored up) on the Middlewich link a few days back with a two foot wave following on behind. Was gone before I even had time to swear!

[Dharl]

well if he had a peaked cap with a gold badge he must be very important and shouldn't be stopped! Only time you see those on a deepsea ship its either the pilot coming aboard or a local customs officer in certain areas of the world....

[Sea Dog]

..but the red ensign can be used by any one without a warrant.

That's ostensibly as might be - the rest, however, was what I was referring to. The Royal Yacht squadron for example (nothing to do with the Royal Yacht, but rather an exclusive group of boat owners) are entitled to fly a White Ensign yet have nothing to do with the Navy. Meanwhile, there is a long list of those groups entitled to fly the Blue Ensign, defaced or otherwise. That list is not limited to merchant ships and certainly not just those doing work for the Navy.

 

See, you've sucked me in now instead of just Googling like I suggested! This from one versed in the ways of the sea too: naughty sailor!

[RLWP]

That's ostensibly as might be - the rest, however, was what I was referring to. The Royal Yacht squadron for example (nothing to do with the Royal Yacht, but rather an exclusive group of boat owners) are entitled to fly a White Ensign yet have nothing to do with the Navy. Meanwhile, there is a long list of those groups entitled to fly the Blue Ensign, defaced or otherwise. That list is not limited to merchant ships and certainly not just those doing work for the Navy.

 

See, you've sucked me in now instead of just Googling like I suggested! This from one versed in the ways of the sea too: naughty sailor!

 

Swing the lamp, boys

 

Richard

Edited June 7, 2016 by RLWP

[Sea Dog]

Swing the lamp, boys

 

Richard

Wasn't my fault Chief - he made me do it!

[Dharl]

Wasn't my fault Chief - he made me do it!

 

Shhh! you have us both on a charge!