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Am I a coward?


doratheexplorer

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A few days ago I moored up next to a boat with a lovely couple and a slightly scary looking Staffy dog.  There was another boat moored on the other side of them but with nobody on it that I saw.  We had some nice chats and I was introduced to the dog which then stopped barking and growling at me and became a little less scary.  They were a fairly 'rough edged' pair though, if you know what I mean?

 

All was fine for the first day or so.

 

Then they started regularly running their engine for about half an hour at a time.  Then turning it off for an hour or so before running it again.  I'm no technicalator but even I know thats not a very good way to charge batteries.  So the problem came when one night they didn't turn their engine off until about 8.30.  I didn't worry about it too much because their engine isn't mega loud but I was a little annoyed because I'm super good at that and always turn off before 8.  After that, it got worse, running engine after 8 every night.  Then on Sunday, the worst yet - engine went on at 9.10 and off at 9.40. 

 

Yesterday I moved on to get some peace.

 

I feel cross with myself for not saying anything to them.  But in my defence - they were really nice and friendly to me and i don't like making enemies.  If I had said something and they turned on me, there were two of them and a dog but theres only me (and I'm quite ickle)  and I might have felt quite vulnerable.  I thought about phoning CRT about it, but didn't becase they would have known it was me, which would have properly narked them off.

 

Am I a coward?  What could I have done different?

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Oh and another point. You moored up next to them you say. Were they out in the sticks, somewhere they chose out of earshot of other boaters? Then you pitched up and moored next to them? They may have felt somewhat 'entitled' to run as they were there first. Incorrect logic, but they may still have thought this way.

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Agree.

Over 2,000 miles to pick from so there's no need to be with others.

Leave them in (their) peace and find a place for yourself.

After all, you chose to join them ;)

Rog

Edited by dogless
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29 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I suspect their batteries are utterly and totally shot and ARE fully charged in half an hour of engine running. It's probably that or sit in the dark. 

 

I also suspect they are fully aware of the rules and tested you out intitially with a couple of 8.30 stops, then as you didn't object felt free to run even later. They also quite possibly cannot afford several hundred quid for new batteries so have little choice, or better things to spend several hundred quid on if they had.

 

Like you I would have just move way however, for just the same reasons. Boaters like this are just part of the environment we choose to inhabit. No point in stressing about it. Commend yourself for your tolerant attitude. 

This ^^^. I'd have done just the same. Life is too short to pick fights in that kind of situation.

Edited by BruceinSanity
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31 minutes ago, Robbo said:

My guess is for hot water rather than battery charging.

Strange that they kept making more hot water every hour or so.

32 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Oh and another point. You moored up next to them you say. Were they out in the sticks, somewhere they chose out of earshot of other boaters? Then you pitched up and moored next to them? They may have felt somewhat 'entitled' to run as they were there first. Incorrect logic, but they may still have thought this way.

There was the boat in front.  There were also boats a bit further away which were in earshot but wouldn't have had it as loud as me.  There was a pretty complicated reason why I needed to be moored there which I won't go into here.

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you did the right thing so no your not a coward in anyway shape  or form. As others have said I don't think they were being annoying for the sake of being annoying , they just needed to run the engine

for a particular reason. I hope you found a nice spot when you moved on.

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32 minutes ago, dogless said:

Agree.

Over 2,000 miles to pick from so there's no need to be with others.

Leave them in (their) peace and find a place for yourself.

After all, you chose to join them ;)

Rog

Actually I didn't.  I was asked to moor there.  As I said it's complicated.

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Just now, Nut said:

you did the right thing so no your not a coward in anyway shape  or form. As others have said I don't think they were being annoying for the sake of being annoying , they just needed to run the engine

for a particular reason. I hope you found a nice spot when you moved on.

I'm in a lovely spot now yes.  But now I have a different problem which always happens when I'm moored on my own.  Boats go by far too fast.  I think it's because they knock their revs down slightly when their bow comes alongside my boat and there's no time for the boat to slow at all.

1 minute ago, Robbo said:

If it was only a couple of times it may have been for showers and washing the Sunday Dinner dishes?

It probably happened around ten times on the day I decided to leave.

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I thought 30,000 boats were in London and the western end of K&A ;)

 

You moored with them, rather than them joining you is the point I was making, not your motivation. Move on and enjoy your boating.

Rog

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Just now, p6rob said:

I'd have done exactly the same as you. That's the great thing about boats, if for whatever reason you don't like the surroundings, you can just up sticks and move on.

 

Rob

That's what I keep telling myself.  But also, I think if I'd said something then it's less likely that they'll do it to someone else. 

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18 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

It probably happened around ten times on the day I decided to leave.

That is strange, guessing not for hot water then!     Could have asked if they had engine issues as was stop/starting often.  

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I too would have done what you did.

 

I remember we were moored at Bumble Hole once, and the wife had just settled down to watch Poldark or something when the boat in front fired up its engine, and it was really loud.  It was a case of risk the wrath of the guy on the boat or my wife's so you can guess which I chose.  I went out and banged on the side hatch and it opened to reveal a huge guy who looked like a WWE contender, but of course I was committed.  Er... it's a bit late for running the engine mate, I stammered, the wife's trying to watch telly...  Oh gosh he replied I'm really sorry, no, I'll shut it down immediately, it's just I didn't realise how low the batteries were, sorry mate, really sorry.   The guy was completely in the wrong, and at least ought to have asked us if we minded him running his engine but instead of feeling pleased with my assertiveness I spent the rest of the evening feeling guilty as hell because the poor guy probably spent the evening in darkness.   

 

 

 

Edited by Neil2
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33 minutes ago, Robbo said:

That is strange, guessing not for hot water then!     Could have asked if they had engine issues as was stop/starting often.  

I had lots of chats with them, as I've already said.  The engine was being intentionally started and stopped.

7 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

I too would have done what you did.

 

I remember we were moored at Bumble Hole once, and the wife had just settled down to watch Poldark or something when the boat in front fired up it's engine, and it was really loud.  It was a case of risk the wrath of the guy on the boat or my wife's so you can guess which I chose.  I went out and banged on the side hatch and it opened to reveal a huge guy who looked like a WWE contender, but of course I was committed.  Er... it's a bit late for running the engine mate, I stammered, the wife's trying to watch telly...  Oh gosh he replied I'm really sorry, no, I'll shut it down immediately, it's just I didn't realise how low the batteries were, sorry mate, really sorry.   The guy was completely in the wrong, and at least ought to have asked us if we minded him running his engine but instead of feeling pleased with my assertiveness I spent the rest of the evening feeling guilty as hell because the poor guy probably spent the evening in darkness.   

 

 

 

I think in the same situation I would have either;

 

1.  Just cried and run away.

2.  Made a sort of eeek sound, and run away.

3.  Jumped in the canal.

4.  Asked if they had any spare milk (and then run away)

 

Edited by doratheexplorer
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2 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I had lots of chats with them, as I've already said.  The engine was being intentionally started and stopped.

 

I think that is missing the point.

 

The point is, Robbo's suggestion was a gentle, non-confrontational and rather skilful way of opening a conversation about it (even though you thought you knew the answer) giving you the chance to say you've noticed it at least, and to discuss it. This is better than saying nothing, which suggests it doesn't bother you.

 

Store it up in your memory for use another when a boater runs their engine too late. It might result in excellent relations all around.

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I have knocked on boats at 10pm asking them to turn off the engine but I understand why people would be reluctant to do this. The trouble is, if nobody ever challenges this kind of behaviour it just continues (I know it may well continue regardless). The only other option is to drop an email to CRT who may contact the offender but I don't know whether they would. 

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