Jump to content

March of the Widebeams


cuthound

Featured Posts

The notice has now been further amended, to make it clear that mooring is not permitted:

Quote

... The North Oxford Canal between Braunston Junction and Hillmorton Locks is a narrow canal, not designated for wide-beam craft. However, wide-beam craft access to and from Dunchurch Pools and Barby Moorings is permitted, in a single journey (i.e. not mooring on the towpath or offside between Braunston and Hillmorton Locks)....

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CRT have created their own issue by allowing Barby and Dunchurch Pools wide entrances. If they had made them construct the standard size entrance, the issue would never have occurred. If CRT are really convinced their new decision is to be enforced they should start notifying wide beam owners that they will not be renewing licences for wide beams with declared home moorings in the North Oxford marina's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, CV32 said:

If CRT are really convinced their new decision is to be enforced they should start notifying wide beam owners that they will not be renewing licences for wide beams with declared home moorings in the North Oxford marina's.

 

Unfortunately the Law does not allow C&RT to refuse a licence for being 'too big'.

 

All they can do is apply fines based on the Byelaws which states "No person shall bring use or leave in any canal any vessel which is not in every respect fit for navigation on the canal or part thereof where it is intended to be used.''

 

Since 1965 the bylaws have never been enforced - maybe now is the time.

 

Maybe a fine every time they left or returned to the marina may encourage them to move onto a more suitable canal / river.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Cheese said:

I wonder how CRT intend to use notice given of a wide-beam movement:  impose a "stoppage" for all boats in the opposite direction for a couple of hours, or just avoid the possibility of two wide-beams meeting?

Ive been told by CRT that there isn't the intention to have a stoppage to other craft...its just to make them aware that a widebeam is moving...and to prevent 2 widebeam meeting on the stretch....and If I meet one its the widebeam thats going aground or through the bushes!

  • Greenie 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, Lady C said:

I wonder how CRT will manage any 'continuously cruising' wide beam boats on the N Oxford.

They arent going to be allowed to be there....quite what action is taken if they are found remains to be seen....one would hope the owners of said boats might have the sense not to be on an unsuitable navigation......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, frangar said:

and If I meet one its the widebeam thats going aground or through the bushes!

 

If you check the regs I believe that the larger craft has right of way, so 'we' should all be giving way to them in theory. I say 'we' as a breasted pair may actually be the larger craft, but for the rest of us narrow beams it's for us to give way

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, sirweste said:

 

If you check the regs I believe that the larger craft has right of way, so 'we' should all be giving way to them in theory. I say 'we' as a breasted pair may actually be the larger craft, but for the rest of us narrow beams it's for us to give way

I have always given way to the very large commercials on our waters, I suspect Frangar will be the one that bounces of a widebeam sheet weight will win the day 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, sirweste said:

 

If you check the regs I believe that the larger craft has right of way, so 'we' should all be giving way to them in theory. I say 'we' as a breasted pair may actually be the larger craft, but for the rest of us narrow beams it's for us to give way

 

 

Not quite what is called for in the Byelaws :

 

Vessels passing

17.

Except as provided in Bye-law 19 where two vessels meet in any part of the canal where they cannot pass in safety the master of the vessel which is nearest to that part of the canal where the vessels can pass in safety shall navigate his vessel back to such passing place and allow the other vessel to pass: Provided always that

(a) a vessel which is not towing another vessel shall give way to a vessel which is towing another vessel or vessels;

(b) vessels which are unladen shall give way to vessels which are laden;

(c) on the Aire and Calder Navigation, the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation, the Trent Navigation and the Weaver Navigation, a vessel which is proceeding against the tide or stream shall give way to a vessel which is proceeding with the tide or stream.

 

Navigation of Pleasure boats

19.

 A pleasure boat when meeting, overtaking or being overtaken by a power-driven vessel other than a pleasure boat shall as far as possible keep out of the main navigable channel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, it's in 18, but you only copy pasta 17 & 19; 18a(ii) I believe. Though the depth of draft take priority I believe.

 

As I've said before if you're in a 14 x 70 ft widebeam, you have right of way over most narrow boats. If you're in a breasted working pair I'd think you'd be hard pushed to find out you don't have right of way over

 

edit: *in most of the systems canals

Edited by sirweste
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, sirweste said:

OK, it's in 18, but you only copy pasta 17 & 19; 18a(ii) I believe. Though the depth of draft take priority I believe.

 

As I've said before if you're in a 14 x 70 ft widebeam, you have right of way over most narrow boats. If you're in a breasted working pair I'd think you'd be hard pushed to find out you don't have right of way over

 

edit: *in most of the systems canals

 

No, Bylaw 18 doesn't seem to cover right of way due to any dimensions.

You are correct if we were talking about Colregs where a vessel constrained by its draft has right of way. But this is not in the Inland Waterways Laws

 

Law 18 in its entirity

 

17

Navigation, a vessel which is proceeding against the tide or stream shall give way to a vessel which is proceeding with the tide or stream. ......

 

Course of Vessel when passing or overtaking

18. Without prejudice to the generality of Bye-law No. 16 the following Bye-law shall apply to vessels passing or overtaking other vessels on any canal:-

(1) Except as hereinafter mentioned where two vessels proceeding in opposite directions meet the master of each vessel shall steer his vessel to its starboard side in such a manner that such vessels pass freely with the port side of each vessel nearest to the port side of the other vessel; Provided always that

(a) where one but not both of such vessels is a hauled vessel the masters of such vessels shall steer the vessels in such a manner that the vessels pass freely with the hauled vessel between the towing path and the other vessel;

(b) on the Aire and Calder Navigation, the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation, the Trent Navigation and the Weaver Navigation, where both of such vessels are hauled vessels such vessels shall be steered and navigated in such a manner that the vessel which is proceeding against the flow of the stream shall be between the towing path and the other vessel;

(c) on the Aire and Calder Navigation, the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation, the Trent Navigation and the Weaver Navigation, where circumstances render it impracticable for vessels to pass port side to port side a power-driven vessel proceeding with the tide or stream shall have the right of way and must indicate to the other vessel by two short blasts on her whistle in ample time to prevent collision, her intention to pass starboard to starboard. The approaching vessel shall immediately reply by a similar sound signal and pass accordingly, stopping, if necessary, until the other vessel has passed clear.

 

(2) Except as hereinafter mentioned the master of a vessel overtaking another vessel proceeding in the same direction shall steer his vessel in such a manner that his vessel shall pass with her starboard side nearest to the vessel overtaken and the master of the vessel overtaken shall steer his vessel to her starboard side so as to permit the overtaking vessel to pass in safety on the port side of the vessel overtaken: Provided that

(a) where a vessel which is not a hauled vessel is overtaking a hauled vessel the masters of such vessels shall steer their vessels in such a manner that the vessels pass with the vessel overtaken between the towing path and the overtaking vessel and the master of the vessel overtaken shall slacken his hauling line and keep his vessel as near as possible to the towing path whilst the other vessel is passing:

(b) where a hauled vessel is overtaking another hauled vessel the master of the vessel overtaken shall slacken his hauling line and steer his vessel away from the towing path in such a manner as to permit the overtaking vessel to pass freely between the towing path and the vessel overtaken and the master of the overtaking vessel shall keep his vessel as close as possible to the towing path whilst passing the other vessel.

 

Navigation of Pleasure boats 19.

(1) A pleasure boat when meeting, overtaking or being overtaken by a power-driven vessel other than a pleasure boat shall as far as possible keep out of the main navigable channel..........

Edited by Alan de Enfield
  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, sirweste said:

Yeah, sorry, I reference 18 from the col regs. I'm pretty naive with it all but I thought they were applicable too

 

Colregs are applicable on the Inland waterways EXCEPT whre there are Navigation Authority rules (which overide the Colregs)

 

 

 

MARINE GUIDANCE NOTE MGN 469 (M) Inland Waterways – Non-Passenger Vessels: Applicable Safety Standards for Vessels Operating Solely on Inland Waterways in the United Kingdom

 

(Notice to all ship owners, ship operators, Masters, Navigation Authorities, Harbour Authorites, Certifying Authorities, inland waterway freight shippers and surveyors)

 

 

7 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

7.1 The Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/75) implement the Convention on International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea2 – usually known as the “COLREGS”. These regulations apply to vessels on waters that are navigable by seagoing vessels, which include most Category D inland waters, and some Category C. In practice, most such areas are subject to local rules which modify the COLREGS in the jurisdiction of the relevant navigation or Statutory Harbour Authority. However, if you are operating in a Category C or D area where no Navigation or Harbour authority rules seem to be in place, then the international rules may apply. MSN 1781, as amended, provides further information and advice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Didn't someone on here have an insurance problem for not following Colregs when they got hit.

 

 

Was that the one where someone came out of a marina (or junction) without sounding the correct sound signal  and got T-Boned ?

 

Bylaws (not Colregs)

 

 

(4) When the view of the canal ahead is obstructed by a bend in the canal and until such view is no longer obscured, a powerdriven vessel making way through the water shall sound, at intervals of twenty seconds, a prolonged blast

Edited by Alan de Enfield
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe not the same incident but I got T-boned on the BCN just after coming through a big wide bridge, by a hire-boat (with drunken helmsman) coming at full speed out of the side-turning and doing a classic "straight on at T" into my offside bow. My insurer's "legal assistance department" said that I was partly at fault because taking a 20m boat through any bridge without a crew member on the bow as lookout was a clear contravention of Colregs regardless of whether or not I had sounded my horn and regardless of the fact that my view through the bridge was clear in the straight-ahead direction. The insurers only paid part of my costs so I took the hire company to the small claims court for the rest (and won).

  • Greenie 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.