wide beam navigation

[blackrose]

On 02/04/2018 at 23:39, Dr Bob said:

To the OP. Wide beams are great if parked in one spot or for navigation on rivers, but they don't fit very well even on wide canals down south. They are a pain in the neck for many narrowboaters. The busy stretch of the GU that we stay near grinds to a halt when a fat boat comes along. Chaos on weekends. If you are going to navigate the canals then why not get a narrowboat?

In 13 years on a widebeam I've never had any problem and my boat has never caused a problem to anyone else. That includes navigating the entire K&A from Reading to Bristol. 

 

[MtB]

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

In 13 years on a widebeam I've never had any problem and my boat has never caused a problem to anyone else. That includes navigating the entire K&A from Reading to Bristol. 

 

 

I'd be more interested in the opinions of the boats you met coming the other way.

[Naughty Cal]

7 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'd be more interested in the opinions of the boats you met coming the other way.

Yes there are always two sides to every story.

A bit like the folk who insist they have been driving for 70 years and never had an accident.

Yes but how many have you caused ?

 

[Dr Bob]

8 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'd be more interested in the opinions of the boats you met coming the other way.

.....or in the opinions of the one that were following you. 

[blackrose]

10 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'd be more interested in the opinions of the boats you met coming the other way.

Are you calling me a liar? Wanna fight about it? 

I don't think I've ever recalled the steerer of a boat passing me who hasn't waved or smiled. If we both get past each other without incident then what is the problem exactly? I generally pull into the side and give way to other boats on narrow sections unless it's obvious I have right of way because my boat is relatively shallow drafted and I know my own abilities to alter course and hold my position, whereas one never knows the steering abilities of others. 

On the other hand if people get miffed just because a bigger boat happens to be coming the other way and they have to slow down to get past, then as far as I'm concerned that's their problem. 

 

1 hour ago, Dr Bob said:

.....or in the opinions of the one that were following you. 

Again, if someone is following me and they're faster and want to get past I just pull over as soon as it's practically possible and let them go. But sometimes I happen to be faster single-handed through locks then some narrow boaters with crew and I've been stuck behind narrow boats too. Haven't you?

So it's more about being considerate rather than the width of the boat. If the slow boat you're following isn't willing to let you go past, then in most cases it won't matter if they're wide, narrow, grp cruiser, etc.

Edited April 7, 2018 by blackrose

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Yes there are always two sides to every story.

 

Agreed, apart from when there is no story... 

[Dr Bob]

41 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Again, if someone is following me and they're faster and want to get past I just pull over as soon as it's practically possible and let them go. But sometimes I happen to be faster single-handed through locks then some narrow boaters with crew and I've been stuck behind narrow boats too. Haven't you?

So it's more about being considerate rather than the width of the boat. If the slow boat you're following isn't willing to let you go past, then in most cases it won't matter if they're wide, narrow, grp cruiser, etc.

Partially agree but how many fat boat skippers stop and let people past? I dont know the K&A but wide beams cause havoc on the stretch of GU near us. No locks just a 5 mile stretch of bendy canal with narrow bridge holes and lots of moored boats. The fat boats have to slow down for the bridge holes and some seem to spend ages getting through them. On a busy weekend it is not unusual to see a line of 10 NB's following a slow fat boat down this stretch and that then causes problems for the boats going the other way trying to pick a hole in the oncoming traffic to get through the next bridge. The fat boat skipper will be oblivious to all of this. We have just got used to it and just chill but there are many other boats on a mission who dont want to be held up. When there are a lot of locks there is only a queue at the first one as then everyone gets spaced out.

[rusty69]

6 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

The fat boat skipper will be oblivious to all of this.

Its not a new phenomenon Dr Bob. This is us in 1999 (the narrowboat,not the other one)

 

[peterboat]

On 4/2/2018 at 23:39, Dr Bob said:

To the OP. Wide beams are great if parked in one spot or for navigation on rivers, but they don't fit very well even on wide canals down south. They are a pain in the neck for many narrowboaters. The busy stretch of the GU that we stay near grinds to a halt when a fat boat comes along. Chaos on weekends. If you are going to navigate the canals then why not get a narrowboat?

And? they pay the license so can create as much chaos as they want

[Naughty Cal]

13 minutes ago, peterboat said:

And? they pay the license so can create as much chaos as they want

They will shortly be paying more licence fee so can cause even more havoc

 

[Drayke]

5 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

They will shortly be paying more licence fee so can cause even more havoc

 

I'll drink to that.