At a lock today...

[MtB]

Don't really see your point. But anyway as a rare single-handed I've found it does put an entirely different light on things, once chugging it is difficult to have a pee, cup of tea, get those vital things you have left in the saloon (iPad, charger, Jambox, sunglasses, hat), close the hatch when it rains etc. Things that one takes for granted /are non -issues when cruising with your partner, suddenly come into sharp focus when single handed. So waiting for a lock is a prime opportunity for a cuppa or whatever, that you have been gasping for for the past hour. It is a different ballgame from multi-handing.

No need to, he was just being an arse.

^^^This^^^

 

The thought of making a round of teas for another boat crew instead of taking advantage of some precious downtime from singlehanding waiting for a fully crewed up boat to work their lock is beyond the pale.

[Ricco1]

Another thought from recent experience: being single handed it obviously takes longer; have to stop to open gates or set locks, climb up and down ladders.

 

Being single handed, should I offer to let boats with crew to go in front of me? Set the lock then wave them through

[Guest]

^^^This^^^

 

The thought of making a round of teas for another boat crew instead of taking advantage of some precious downtime from singlehanding waiting for a fully crewed up boat to work their lock is beyond the pale.

Thank god I have left all this behind is all I can say.

[MtB]

Thank god I have left all this behind is all I can say.

 

 

I agree.

Another thought from recent experience: being single handed it obviously takes longer; have to stop to open gates or set locks, climb up and down ladders.

 

Being single handed, should I offer to let boats with crew to go in front of me? Set the lock then wave them through

 

 

Yes. I always stop and let fully crewed boats pass.

[Guest]

I agree.

For different reasons I would suggest.

[nicknorman]

Kettle on.....

"Excuse me guys, do you need any help?"

Has boating really become so complicated in the last 18 months?

Boating is not complicated, but dealing with the weird and wonderful people on the cut can be. There are plenty who resent any help. "It's MY lock and I'll work it how I want" ... "I'm perfectly capable of working a lock thank you" ... etc. Or "WAIT (when you haven't done anything yet) .. Now, open that paddle -no not that one, the other one - 3 clicks and no more. I said NO MORE, that was 4 clicks. Now WAIT until I say you can move.. OK now you can open the other one 3 clicks and NO MORE " (you get the general idea).

 

So sometimes it seems easier just to not offer help, although to be fair one can normally see from body language who you are going to regret having offere help to.

 

But anyway the point is that helping is not compulsory, it is voluntary. And like any gift, if you expect or even demand it, it is devalued.

[Jerra]

Being single handed, should I offer to let boats with crew to go in front of me? Set the lock then wave them through

If I happen to be following you a definite no you shouldn't. I (as it is always me and sometimes other crew) will arrive at the lock ask you if you want to stay on board and either work the locks to your instructions or help you. Once out of the lock if you choose to let us pas then that is your decision.

[Peter X]

The man should have realised you were probably single handed and acted accordingly. That would generally mean leaving the gate open on the assumption that a boat on a lock landing must be intending to use the lock.

 

If you had crew it would definitely be a bit off to not offer help as first boat in the queue, but I still wouldn't pick an argument over it.

[nicknorman]

Another thought from recent experience: being single handed it obviously takes longer; have to stop to open gates or set locks, climb up and down ladders.

 

Being single handed, should I offer to let boats with crew to go in front of me? Set the lock then wave them through

 

Yes. Although whether you choose to set the lock is up to you. Personally I dislike being pressured with boats coming up behind although it does depend, for example if the locks are in my favour I may decide not to let the boat pass because often I can go faster single handed with locks in my favour than a following boat can with locks now against them. Some people are incredibly faffy and take ages! If the locks are against anyway, nothing lost by letting them go in front.

[john6767]

Another thought from recent experience: being single handed it obviously takes longer; have to stop to open gates or set locks, climb up and down ladders.

 

Being single handed, should I offer to let boats with crew to go in front of me? Set the lock then wave them through

I have to say that more than a couple of times, we have had a single hander scrabble to pull off a mooring to get in front of us for an approaching lock so they get helped as they are now in front of us. I find that a bit tedious.

 

Likewise when you share a lock with a single hander, and they just stay on the boat and don't help with their side. Particularly going down it is very easy for them to close the gate behind them, I always do that with 2 of us.

[Guest]

Boating is not complicated, but dealing with the weird and wonderful people on the cut can be. There are plenty who resent any help. "It's MY lock and I'll work it how I want" ... "I'm perfectly capable of working a lock thank you" ... etc. Or "WAIT (when you haven't done anything yet) .. Now, open that paddle -no not that one, the other one - 3 clicks and no more. I said NO MORE, that was 4 clicks. Now WAIT until I say you can move.. OK now you can open the other one 3 clicks and NO MORE " (you get the general idea).

So sometimes it seems easier just to not offer help, although to be fair one can normally see from body language who you are going to regret having offere help to.

But anyway the point is that helping is not compulsory, it is voluntary. And like any gift, if you expect or even demand it, it is devalued.

It is becoming complicated when very simple particular incidences and circumstances are over analysed.

[Ricco1]

Yes the recent experiences I've had the locks were in my favour. On a longish flight the crew behind helped me a couple of times by closing the gates behind me. At other times I was ahead. I suppose I'm just looking for a way where nobody gets upset, I'm in no hurry myself. At the same time I have a fairly low tolerance for people who go out of their way to deliberately attempt to antagonise me.

[MtB]

A boat following me with a crew of two or three will generally be quicker than me so good manners to let them past.

 

Once there are four or more crew, I generally find as a single hander I will catch them up in a flight. Boats with a crew of about eight tend to be the slowest of all, causing endless hold-ups to everyone.

[Guest]

A boat following me with a crew of two or three will generally be quicker than me so good manners to let them past.

 

Once there are four or more crew, I generally find as a single hander I will catch them up in a flight. Boats with a crew of about eight tend to be the slowest of all, causing endless hold-ups to everyone.

Really?

 

In a wide lock I would have thought it better to all go in together and share the work.

[MtB]

Wide lock?

 

I was talking about proper canals!

[nicknorman]

Likewise when you share a lock with a single hander, and they just stay on the boat and don't help with their side. Particularly going down it is very easy for them to close the gate behind them, I always do that with 2 of us.

Top gate (going up or down) yes, but otherwise we'd rather they stayed on the boat since it's quicker, especially if they then want to faff around with ropes, getting their multiple and infirm dogs on and off etc.

[Guest]

Wide lock?

 

I was talking about proper canals!

And thus begins another debate regarding what constitutes a 'proper' canal.

 

(The answer BTW is not a narrow muddy ditch dug in the Midlands.)

[Iain_S]

Some people are incredibly faffy and take ages! If the locks are against anyway, nothing lost by letting them go in front.

 

Sometimes there is, because of the red bit

[Bettie Boo]

And thus begins another debate regarding what constitutes a 'proper' canal.

 

(The answer BTW is not a narrow muddy ditch dug in the Midlands.)

 

Oi!! I'm currently moored up on one of those "muddy ditches dug in the Midlands", and I'll have you know it looks like, smells like, and sounds like a canal. It's wide enough for us to moor up and still have loads of space for passing boats, so therefore it's gotta be a proper canal

[Ange]

My last fond memory of the muddy ditch I used to live in

Tixall wide - one of my fave places and Dave loved it because he could do donuts there

Another muddy ditch with miserable inhabitants

Edited July 5, 2016 by Ange

[Ange]

Hey on a roll now don't you just love muddy ditches

[Ange]

I have noticed in recent years the tendency for folks to stay by their boats regardless off their crew compliment. When we were first boating i would often lock many boats through before ours arrived - I have a very happy memory of the top of Atherstone locks when the boaters behind us saw how hard I'd worked and insisted I sat on our boat through that last lock

 

It does seem to have changed, and I do hear other boaters saying the same. Where before we all ran forward to help everyone stays with their boat until It's their turn. Such a shame

[dave moore]

Ange, I can only agree with you. I've noted a change too, as have other old timers. The lack of camaraderie is notable, years ago there was much more willingness to help each other out. I can only put it down to today's boaters, I'm afraid. Maybe they are fearful of having their floating cottages scratched by windlass wielding oafs.

 

Given my present situation, I can't do as much boating as I used to. We managed a bit last weekend, Glascote to Grendon, back to Alvecote overnight then return on Sunday. During the trip Gail commented on the number of boaters who either ignored us completely or gave us scant acknowledgement. Ah well.....

 

Dave

[Guest]

Oi!! I'm currently moored up on one of those "muddy ditches dug in the Midlands", and I'll have you know it looks like, smells like, and sounds like a canal. It's wide enough for us to moor up and still have loads of space for passing boats, so therefore it's gotta be a proper canal

 

I'm sure you realise that my comment is as much tounge in cheek as MTB's about 'proper' canals.

 

Ange, I can only agree with you. I've noted a change too, as have other old timers. The lack of camaraderie is notable, years ago there was much more willingness to help each other out. I can only put it down to today's boaters, I'm afraid. Maybe they are fearful of having their floating cottages scratched by windlass wielding oafs.

Given my present situation, I can't do as much boating as I used to. We managed a bit last weekend, Glascote to Grendon, back to Alvecote overnight then return on Sunday. During the trip Gail commented on the number of boaters who either ignored us completely or gave us scant acknowledgement. Ah well.....

Dave

If so that is a real shame and TBH would dissuade me from holidaying on the waterways in the future.

[X Alan W]

I'm afraid my reply to him would have been "If you are so in need of help with the lock , why did you shut the gate"?