March of the Widebeams

[Jonny P]

I regularly cruise the northern sections of the GU and I rarely see a moving widebeam. It’s a rate of easily less than one per day.

 

However I’ve been a bit further south the last couple of days and seen one on both days. Yesterday’s was of no consequence but today I met a 12’er (so the steerer said) in a very awkward place as per the photo below.

 

Now this would still have been a little awkward if it had been a narrowboat coming the other way, and similarly if it had been a widebeam without the moored boats.

 

As I took the picture I was reversing into a gap between moored boats that I hoped was long enough but wasn’t quite so I ended up with the bow protruding out into the channel. I wasn’t too bothered because I realised there was room for the widebeam if it took to the bushes.

 

Nonetheless despite a lot of whirring of the bow thruster he still managed to rub along the outside of my boat.

 

Then I tried to extricate myself and found my back end on the mud. A combination of pushing the back out and the wind meant I was very close to the moored boats and the chap shown in the photo watched intently as I passed him.

 

I don’t think I touched him but he did shake his head and remark about how many times he’d been hit today, although not angrily like I’d just hit him.

 

He had a rant about the steering capabilities of other boaters but unfortunately for him I’m not a naturally sympathetic person. So I told him I disagreed given the weather conditions today and said that if he didn’t want to be hit he should moor on the straight where there are no overhanging trees on the offside and not near a bridge.

 

I wonder how these folk approach locking if they’re paranoid about a bit of brushing contact from a passing boat?

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by Captain Pegg

[magnetman]

Too many idiots these days I'm afraid. 

 

God help you if you do icebreaking in the winter. The last time I did that was about ten yars ago and people were looking at me as if I was engaged in some sort of disgusting act like defecating orf the side of the boat. 

 

I've been living on boats on the cut and the Thames since 1994 and things have certainly changed. 

 

Too many idiots. 

 

I'm not sure what can be done. 

 

 

 

 

[Kiwidad]

On 18/09/2023 at 05:20, matty40s said:

Well, this twit has just come past all the boats round here at virtually full chat with his bowthruster being used almost constantly.

Probably about 8 people on board, having a party.

 

 

Where is Old Friends?

[matty40s]

47 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

I regularly cruise the northern sections of the GU and I rarely see a moving widebeam. It’s a rate of easily less than one per day

There have been some serious widebeam movements in this area since August.

 

That looks like an early Stowe Hill with those angled handrails...

Just now, Kiwidad said:

Where is Old Friends?

Hiding from the lager louts...

[Jonny P]

40 minutes ago, matty40s said:

That looks like an early Stowe Hill with those angled handrails...

It is

[ditchcrawler]

Even causing holdups on the A14 now, we passed Orca on our way home

[matty40s]

Two more Fatquelines dropped in at Whilton last week, both 14 footers. A bit further down, two more slightly older brick shaped 14 footers. 

[MtB]

30 minutes ago, matty40s said:

A bit further down, two more slightly older brick shaped 14 footers. 

 

Oh, you wrote 'brick'!

 

Mis-read it at first 🤣

 

 

[Victor Vectis]

On 18/10/2023 at 21:35, matty40s said:

 

 

Yeahbut....

Nice pic of that Barry Hawkins boat.

[matty40s]

...as he scraped the 70x14 foot monstrosity along the piling all the way round the corner,  you could almost see the wife muttering "and you call me a bad driver "...

[Jon57]

7 minutes ago, matty40s said:

...as he scraped the 70x14 foot monstrosity along the piling all the way round the corner,  you could almost see the wife muttering "and you call me a bad driver "...

Has it got the correct prop on and a Schindler rudder.🤣

[IanD]

3 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

Has it got the correct prop on and a Schindler rudder.🤣

With a steerer like that, would it make any difference? 😉

[Jon57]

1 minute ago, IanD said:

With a steerer like that, would it make any difference? 😉

Yep lots of them about 🤭

[Alan de Enfield]

9 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

Has it got the correct prop on and a Schindler rudder.🤣

 

Maybe he has a list ?

[Jon57]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Maybe he has a list ?

Might have 👍

[Alan de Enfield]

11 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

Might have 👍

 

 

Or maybe it is the Austrian currency that pre-dates the Euro ?

[Ronaldo47]

That was the Schilling, sub-divided into 100 Groschen.

 

On a skiing holiday in a remote Austrian  village in the early 1970's, the village shop kept a small tub of boiled sweets next to the cash register. Due to a shortage of small denomination Groschen coins, you would sometimes  be given the balance of your change in sweets. 

[Peanut]

10 hours ago, Ronaldo47 said:

That was the Schilling, sub-divided into 100 Groschen.

 

On a skiing holiday in a remote Austrian  village in the early 1970's, the village shop kept a small tub of boiled sweets next to the cash register. Due to a shortage of small denomination Groschen coins, you would sometimes  be given the balance of your change in sweets. 

How sweet

[ditchcrawler]

For anyone who has Facebook access, I don't know how I can share it here for others 

(8) Facebook

[IanD]

5 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

For anyone who has Facebook access, I don't know how I can share it here for others 

(8) Facebook

 

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

 

An update 

 

 

Apologies for any inconvenience caused I was moving the boat from Redhill to Mercia yesterday and ran out of daylight so we left it there not realising it was causing an obstruction.

We did come back at 7:30 this morning to try and move it on to Mercia but the ignition barrel was frozen solid and it wouldn’t start.

As others have mentioned it was too icy to attempt moving it by hand and ropes were frozen so we left it until the sun had defrosted it and returned this afternoon to collect it.

People need to think there may be an innocent reason rather than jumping on the band wagon and hurling abuse and insults.

And as for the OP try talking to you’re neighbours in front they were there when we tried to move it this morning so knew it was us.

Maybe try grassing up the widebeam in Willington village that’s been there on short stay moorings for over a year now, it’s amazing how CRT can contact the owners of a boat that’s been there less than 24hrs but happy to let another overstay for 12 months 

[Alan de Enfield]

14 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Maybe try grassing up the widebeam in Willington village that’s been there on short stay moorings for over a year now, it’s amazing how CRT can contact the owners of a boat that’s been there less than 24hrs but happy to let another overstay for 12 months

 

I wonder if the inconsiderate mooring (ie blocking the waterway) had anything to do with the fact C&RT contacted you.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[Guest]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

For anyone who has Facebook access, I don't know how I can share it here for others 

(8) Facebook

 

2 hours ago, IanD said:

 

What a twat! For mooring there, beyond belief, instead of grassing him up they should have moored him somewhere else I would 

[PaulJ]

3 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

For anyone who has Facebook access, I don't know how I can share it here for others 

(8) Facebook

I passed that at 8.00 am this morning- did think at the time I was glad I wasnt on a widebeam..

Interestingly both top gates were wide open which was great as it saved me having to fill the lock and open them myself😀

[Victor Vectis]

4 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

An update 

 

 

Apologies for any inconvenience caused I was moving the boat from Redhill to Mercia yesterday and ran out of daylight so we left it there not realising it was causing an obstruction.

We did come back at 7:30 this morning to try and move it on to Mercia but the ignition barrel was frozen solid and it wouldn’t start.

As others have mentioned it was too icy to attempt moving it by hand and ropes were frozen so we left it until the sun had defrosted it and returned this afternoon to collect it.

People need to think there may be an innocent reason rather than jumping on the band wagon and hurling abuse and insults.

And as for the OP try talking to you’re neighbours in front they were there when we tried to move it this morning so knew it was us.

Maybe try grassing up the widebeam in Willington village that’s been there on short stay moorings for over a year now, it’s amazing how CRT can contact the owners of a boat that’s been there less than 24hrs but happy to let another overstay for 12 months 

but the ignition barrel was frozen solid and it wouldn’t start.

So, heat the key (match, gas hob etc) then insert in keyhole.

and ropes were frozen

Ahh, diddums. Where you worried your hands might get cold if you tried to untie them?

People need to think there may be an innocent reason rather than jumping on the band wagon and hurling abuse and insults.

But, then again, if the cap fits..........