The Boat Behind You.......

[Athy]

a bit like those brave and angelic motorists who lead a convoy, made up of like-minded drivers interspersed with some rightfully indignant drivers, along a country road at 20mph when the safe speed is 40ish but there is no opportunity to pass. It would never occur to such self-righteous eejits to pull in to a lay-by or farm entrance to let the followers pass.

My late father used to say "Keep death off the roads" when he got stuck behind such a person.

[patty-ann]

You have 2 versions of the same event.

We all see from our own perceptions and read a situation according to that.

Edges of truth always blur...I guess there is not one to blame...both parties maybe didn't quite get it right.

It happens..

[Guest]

 

 

 

And I'm the one who stops well short of obstructions like bridges where a tall vehicle can only go through in the middle, in order to allow passage of one coming the other way. The only problem being that some plonker in a BMW or Merc may use this as an opportunity to try coming around you only to then be faced with an HGV coming straight at them!

 

There was that many accidents in our village caused by this (we have two low arched bridges close together) that the local authority had to re-organise the road layout so that traffic was channelled down the centre of the arches single file and create 'give ways' to make driver behave.

[The Bearwood Boster]

 

For buses, at least because it is what the Highway Code asks you to do......

 

 

 

Yep,

 

And I'm the one who stops well short of obstructions like bridges where a tall vehicle can only go through in the middle, in order to allow passage of one coming the other way. The only problem being that some plonker in a BMW or Merc may use this as an opportunity to try coming around you only to then be faced with an HGV coming straight at them!

Humph...we have a sporty black Merc & are NOT plonkers thank you very much !?

[mayalld]

Last week we (a crew of 6) moved our 62' semi-trad from Cheshire down to Braunston (around the top via Middlewich), via the Trent and Mersey, Coventry Canal and finally the Oxford Canal. A great trip that was largely uneventful, apart from the odd grumpy so and so at couple of locks who didn't want the help we offered!

 

 

Good opening. In the first sentence, you alienate a good part of your audience by condemning anybody who didn't want your help as a "grumpy so and so".

 

People are allowed to not want your help!

 

 

Surely, if somebody operates a boat that cannot be controlled as easily as another (ie the one in front), then it is their responsibility to ensure that they keep a safe separation - isn't it?

 

Yes, if that is possible, and to an extent.

 

What some pootlers forget is that ever boat will have a minimum speed, and that those minimum speeds are NOT the same for all boats.

 

Sometimes it seems that those who like to go everywhere at tickover are always blessed with boats that are slower at tickover than all other boats.

 

If your boat goes at 1mph at tickover, and mine goes at 1.2mph, then if you choose to go everywhere at tickover, I am going to end up on your rear end, and have to come into and out of gear, particularly when you decide to reverse apparently randomly.

[Victor Vectis]

But catching up with slow boats, quite frankly, I find dawdlers a menace when they won't let you pass - particularly those who decide their speed is the 'correct one' for the canal.- and following boats should space themselves all pretty in line astern.

 

As are those who tie up at the lock landing, get off the boat, open the gate, get back on the boat, take the boat in, tie the boat up, close the gate, open the paddles one click at a time, open the gate, get back on the boat, take the boat out, tie up at the other lock landing, get off the boat, walk back and close the gate, walk back to the boat, untie the boat, coil the ropes up and then set off, only to repeat the performance at the next lock!

 

The antithesis of efficient boating.

 

This particular bloke slowed down at every bridge 'ole too.

Because she's not a "CRT lady", she's the resident of the lock cottage doing the survey for CRT. When we went through last she was wearing mufti and I doubt if she's had the volocky training.

Yeah but...........if there was a queue she could still help boats through (as long as they wanted help, of course!)

[Athy]

As are those who tie up at the lock landing, get off the boat, open the gate, get back on the boat, take the boat in, tie the boat up, close the gate, open the paddles one click at a time, open the gate, get back on the boat, take the boat out, tie up at the other lock landing, get off the boat, walk back and close the gate, walk back to the boat, untie the boat, coil the ropes up and then set off, only to repeat the performance at the next lock!

 

The antithesis of efficient boating.

 

 

If you know that someone does this, you must be at the lock too, and in a position to help with the lock work and speed him through. If he's on his own and no boats are waiting, he can take as long as he likes.

 

In such circumstances, Mrs. Athy and I sometimes put the kettle on and make hot drinks before leaving the lock. It's a convenient stopping place and we aren't in anyone's way.

[mayalld]

If you know that someone does this, you must be at the lock too, and in a position to help with the lock work and speed him through. If he's on his own and no boats are waiting, he can take as long as he likes.

 

 

Not necessarily!

 

Working efficiently, we prefer to just drop me off, then hold off mid channel for me to open the gates.

 

If we have a macramé act in front, we then have to stop ourselves, and even if we help, they will be at the next lock.

[Captain Pegg]

I must admit I had half expected that Woodstock25 might end up going the same way as my new friend alycidon55 from a couple of days ago. However it appears Woodstock25 first posted over a couple of months ago so I am wrong on that score.

 

 

 

Where can I instantly acquire the necessary all encompassing experience needed to set off in my new boat without fear of being variously bullied and sneered at?

I can't, so be ready to be told to "do one" if that's you, fuel boat or not. I'll be doing my best, if you get angsty, I'll do it slower.

Not looking forward to this after reading this thread.

It's really very simple. You happen upon a coal boat by chance; you pull over, flag it down and buy some coal. Then let it go on it's way, take a couple of photos and reflect on the fact that it's one of best experiences you can have during a day's boating.

 

If in doubt about anything or anyone else on the canal just steer clear. It isn't a competition. Most experienced boaters want to work expediently; not rushing as such but to keep moving with purpose. Allow them to do so and you will be fine.

 

JP

Edited July 19, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[MtB]

If you know that someone does this, you must be at the lock too, and in a position to help with the lock work and speed him through. If he's on his own and no boats are waiting, he can take as long as he likes.

 

 

In my experience the 'one clickers' are the most resistant of all to being 'helped' to go faster through a lock. which is fair enough if there is no-one following. But my boat is slow, and I still catch up with one once in a blue moon and am delayed.

 

In which case like you I'm a leasure boater so I moor up, make a cuppa, feed myself and do all the general stuff I can't as a single hander whilst steering. Even so, I am usually still attempting to keep to a timetable e.g. get to the pub before they stop serving food or to a mooring site before dusk.

[alan_fincher]

Humph...we have a sporty black Merc & are NOT plonkers thank you very much !

 

I have not said all Merc and BMW drivers are plonkers though!

 

Surely you cannot deny that some are?

[Victor Vectis]

If you know that someone does this, you must be at the lock too, and in a position to help with the lock work and speed him through.

Of course.

 

But this particular couple (leather hats, long waxed cotton coats. Yes, I could name the boat but I'm not going to) said "We can manage very well by ourselves, thank you very much" I think it was a share boat.

 

I was single handing and reckon I could still have been faster through the locks than them.

[nicknorman]

By the same token, if you accept the O.P.'s version of events as gospel, you are calling Mr. Askin a liar. The moral maze, eh?

You have 2 versions of the same event.

We all see from our own perceptions and read a situation according to that.

Edges of truth always blur...I guess there is not one to blame...both parties maybe didn't quite get it right.

It happens..

What is interesting is that there is no significant incompatibility between the two perspectives of the events. Edited July 19, 2016 by nicknorman

[MtB]

I must admit I had half expected that Woodstock25 might end up going the same way as my new friend alycidon55 from a couple of days ago. However it appears Woodstock25 first posted over a couple of months ago so I am wrong on that score.

 

 

 

 

It's really very simple. You happen upon a coal boat by chance; you pull over, flag it down and buy some coal. Then let it go on it's way, take a couple of photos and reflect on the fact that it's one of best experiences you can have during a day's boating.

 

If in doubt about anything or anyone else on the canal just steer clear. It isn't a competition. Most experienced boaters want to work expediently; not rushing as such but to keep moving with purpose. Allow them to do so and you will be fine.

 

JP

 

 

There is however, a significant rump of awkward old bastards who seem to positively enjoy delaying other boaters who want to pass.

 

The OP sounds as though he could be one of those, in which case stopping and mooring up to put some space between you and them denies them that enjoyment.

[Athy]

What is interesting is that there is no significant incompatibility between the two perspectives of the events.

I don't recall Mr. Woodchuck mentioning reversing two or more times, which Mike Askin did comment upon. Such manoeuvres could well be seen as significant.

[alan_fincher]

I don't recall Mr. Woodchuck mentioning reversing two or more times, which Mike Askin did comment upon. Such manoeuvres could well be seen as significant.

 

The following could be a clue.....

 

"while at the same time trying to dig myself out of an over-cooked bend"

 

Often when an inexperienced person has "overcooked" a bend, they are in the silt, and need to reverse off as part of the "digging out" procedure.

This is also a bit telling, I think.....

 

In fact, this almost stands out as the worst case of canal; rage I had met (up to that point – It has since been exceeded, but that’s for another time).

 

So given that the incident here is last week, he has already managed to get involved in another where there was even more "canal rage".

 

I genuinely can hardly ever think of things I have witnessed where I would go as far as "canal rage", so twice in a week might indicate something?

[nicknorman]

Yes I'm that annoying one in front of you letting trucks pull out and hanging back when they negotiate a roundabout.

For buses, at least because it is what the Highway Code asks you to do......

 

And I'm the one who stops well short of obstructions like bridges where a tall vehicle can only go through in the middle, in order to allow passage of one coming the other way. The only problem being that some plonker in a BMW or Merc may use this as an opportunity to try coming around you only to then be faced with an HGV coming straight at them!

Hanging back when trucks negotiate a roundabout is self preservation, ditto bridge arches where the oncoming vehicle has to be in the middle. For buses, yes one should allow them to pull out from bus-stops. That is all "normal driving", it is not "always giving vehicles that are working, priority" which would for example mean braking to a halt on a stretch of 60mph road to allow a van to pull out from a side road. That would be bad driving.

[spadefoot]

As are those who tie up at the lock landing, get off the boat, open the gate, get back on the boat, take the boat in, tie the boat up, close the gate, open the paddles one click at a time, open the gate, get back on the boat, take the boat out, tie up at the other lock landing, get off the boat, walk back and close the gate, walk back to the boat, untie the boat, coil the ropes up and then set off, only to repeat the performance at the next lock!

 

The antithesis of efficient boating.

 

This particular bloke slowed down at every bridge 'ole too.

Yeah but...........if there was a queue she could still help boats through (as long as they wanted help, of course!)

If you ever get stuck behind me, maybe you could show me the trick for getting a boat in or out of a lock without opening the gates first. Or maybe start with something simpler, like, how to open the gates without getting off the boat. I'm always open to lernin new stuff.

[Athy]

If you ever get stuck behind me, maybe you could show me the trick for getting a boat in or out of a lock without opening the gates first. Or maybe start with something simpler, like, how to open the gates without getting off the boat. I'm always open to lernin new stuff.

Opening the bottom gates without getting off the boat is perfectly feasible, and I believe that working boats used to do it often if not always, but it's frowned upon nowadays as it can damage the gates.

 

I must admit that we have occasionally done it, especially if we're getting tired towards the end of a day's travelling, but very gently!

 

Have you never seen this done?

Edited July 19, 2016 by Athy

[RLWP]

If you ever get stuck behind me, maybe you could show me the trick for getting a boat in or out of a lock without opening the gates first. Or maybe start with something simpler, like, how to open the gates without getting off the boat. I'm always open to lernin new stuff.

 

It's the macrame demonstration that wastes time

 

Richard

[spadefoot]

 

It's the macrame demonstration that wastes time

 

Richard

Surely, if I leave my boat at the landing in order to set the lock, then some attempt at securing the boat with a line is reasonable.

[RLWP]

Surely, if I leave my boat at the landing in order to set the lock, then some attempt at securing the boat with a line is reasonable.

 

Maybe. Or perhaps you leave the boat with the bow in the lock entrance with a single line looped around a bollard? You don't need to moor up properly using several lines on the lock landing each time, which is what I have seen some boaters doing

 

Richard

Edited July 19, 2016 by RLWP

[cuthound]

Having the luxury of Mrs Hound with me, I usually drop her off before we get to a lock, usually at a convenient bridge, and she usually has the gates open for me by the time I have ambled up to the lock. Only if there is a queue do we tie up, and then I hold the boat on the center line.

 

What slows us up is when the apprentice Cuthound escapes, whilst we are in the queue

[RLWP]

Having the luxury of Mrs Hound with me, I usually drop her off before we get to a lock, usually at a convenient bridge, and she usually has the gates open for me by the time I have ambled up to the lock. Only if there is a queue do we tie up, and then I hold the boat on the center line.

 

Yes, having two people is much easier. Do you do some of the lock work too?

 

Richard

[MtB]

 

Maybe. Or perhaps you leave the boat with the bow in the lock entrance with a single line looped around a bollard?

 

 

Sometimes this works here on the K&A, but it can be tricky as a single hander (like spadefoot) to be certain the bow will stay in the lock mouth and not get drawn back then onto the (substantial) bywash weir 10ft from each lock mouth.

 

 

 

You don't need to moor up properly using several lines on the lock landing each time, which is what I have seen some boaters doing

 

 

Yes mooring front and back just to set the lock is monumentally pointless, but there are few about who seem to consider this the mark of good boating.