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Actually, I don't HAVE to go a bit slower. I go slower as a courtesy. However, courtesy must be mutual! I show them the courtesy of slowing down, so as not to spoil their day of fishing (and yes it seems a pointless pursuit to me). I would like to be shown some courtesy in return, by not expecting me to slow to tickover for many miles. It seems that you expect the fisherman to get the pleasure that HE wants out of the day (with me not disturbing his fish), but that you see no problem with that being at the cost of MY pleasure. So what if I don't get to the pub I wanted to. So what if I spend many hours steering at low speed (you do know how much extra effort is involved steering at low speed don't you). So what if every spot that I might moor to is obstructed by anglers. So what if it is near impossible to get into a lock landing. Why is it that as soon as a boater complains about an angler they are accused of a "me, me, me" attitude, but when an angler does exactly as they want without regard for how it impacts on boaters that is just fine. Tell you what, I won't whinge about anglers doing exactly as they please, just as long as they don't whinge about me going boating exactly as I please

Agleed.

I find all this antagonistic " us and them "'a bit tragic really . Looking for a row where there isn t one . All this " worm danglers " & other phrases etc . So some people might not understand " the point " of fishing . So what ? Whats the point of going between A & B in a narrowboat ? Really - do ask yourself . What is the point ? The point is - you enjoy it . Why do they go fishing ? They enjoy it . Theres no " point " to either activity beyond the idea that it is pleasurable . Your boat is in the water . The fish are in the water . Where do u suggest they go fishing billingsgate f****** market for chrissake . " Me me me " - 21st centurys Britains mantra , now to be commonly heard on the canals aswell as every where else . What bollocks - so u have to go a bit slower than usual & cannot get a favoured pub etc . " But sir .... sir - i pay more than he does .., " - what a pathetic attitude . The fact some folk dont understand the attraction of fishing doesn t mean they should whinge ( & it IS whinging - nothing more ) about them . Fishing is pointless , stamp collecting is pointless , model railway sets are pointless , flying a kite is pointless . Going between A & B by narrowboat is pointless - except for the fact that it brings pleasure to those involved . Does there need to be any more of a reason than that ? Its promising to be a nice sunny day today - so why not stop bellyaching about other peoples chosen source of enjoyment and get on with your own . Me me me & whinging . Wow - well done folks ,

Quality control in China is just as good or as bad as what you pay for it. A lot of high-quality electronics is made there -- most of the high-end gear you see in pretty much all applications -- as well as a lot of low-quality rubbish.

They should rename this site "Canal whingers discussion forum"

Not sure why you're posting this on CanalWorld. Isn't there a Thames forum for you to troll on? I'm sure the Thames will be a nicer place without you and your silly prejudices designed to offend.

Fedoras. surely they must mean Hatton

Ok ok ...i've cheered up now ....not really... but I'll say anything to stop the bad jokes!

Conjecture indeed, and also apparently wrong on both counts. This page may help, including;

With such a statement anyone would think you have no idea about skippering a narrowboat... oh, wait...

A crocodile in custard???

I find your business rather odd old chap. Is it some kind of nocturnal night shift only cafe as whenever I happen to log on here you seem to be always on too.

Ok, thanks for your incisive analysis. The shear extent of your technical knowledge constantly amazes me.

So naïve for someone with your depth of knowledge about everything...

if a canoeist is 'racing you' have no fear. whatever you do he is quite capable of keeping himself clear. canoeists like to use boats as moving obstacles (like slalom gates). if a canoeist looks unsure, tippy and is moving around randomly splashing uselessly with his paddle, then he is probably a novice and is vulnerable. keep clear.

Ever seen the mirrors that some employers have that has a sign above it saying "The person responsible for your safety"? The simple facts are that I cannot imagine any narrowboater doing anything other than their utmost to avoid a collision with a canoeist. However, there is an issue, in that some people are out in canoes without the slightest concept of how a narrowboat will perform. Some seem to assume that a narrowboat will be able to stop on a sixpence, or turn in its own length to avoid them. On several occasions, I've had canoeists try to race me for a narrow section, apparently oblivious to the fact that if they falter for any reason, it is very unlikely that I will be able to avoid hitting them, and that if I attempt to do so, it is very likely that I will have no steerage, and swing into them.

Do you understand a basic electrical circuit? Battery to switch to light to battery?

Well said mayalld I agree entirely. I always slow down for fishermen and try to engage with them but sadly most just totally blank me. If they do not acknowledge me (just a nod would be nice) by the time I am level with them then it's full throttle and up yours I'm afraid.

Re. Q2: It's perhaps worth explaining why you shouldn't tie a boat in a lock. As the water level changes, the length of rope needed from the bollard to the point you've tied to on the boat goes up or down too. So if the rope tightens, the boat gets hung up from above, or from below making it heel over sideways, or is pulled along the lock, any of which can have nasty consequences. Or if the rope loosens, it isn't holding the boat where you want it, and the boat can drift away towards one end of the lock, or sideways in a wide lock. There are various reasons why it is sometimes wise to have a rope around something but not tied to it (though not in such a way that it can trap itself), holding the end and gradually pulling or releasing it to keep the length right. For example if single handing you can stand on a lock side and use a rope around a bollard to keep the boat away from the gates. You really don't want the boat to be near the top gate when emptying a lock. Or you might have the centre line going around a suitable bollard and back to the steerer, who can then use it to help control the position of the boat in a lock, particularly if you have the only boat in a wide lock to prevent the boat going sideways. Or if you're going downhill a bow line around a rail on the bottom gate can be used to keep the boat near that gate, particularly useful with a butty which is a tight fit in the lock. There are probably other reasons I haven't thought of here! But in the OP's situation, at a narrow lock where you're not single handing, it's best not to use ropes in a lock. Just have one person on the boat using the engine to keep clear of the gates, and the other operating the lock, and be a bit cautious about opening all the paddles too soon, especially in a deep lock.

My experience was you need to plan beforehand overnight stopping places (and this forum gave some great advice). Rather than a "no mooring sign" <which are everywhere> there should be a default no Mooring declaration on the Thames unless signposted "mooring available" ; this will reduce 80% signage! Unfortunately too many doss boats and chancers have forced the agenda to genuine boaters.

I think that the problem of tyres is when left lying about they begin to degrade. Then highly toxic additives used in their manufacture, such as zinc, chromium, lead, copper, cadmium and sulphur are released into the environment. This is a problem anywhere but aquatic environments seem more susceptible.

A gross oversimplification of collregs that is actually misleading! 1) There is a general rule that a powered vessel must give way to a SAILING vessel. Unless your canoe is fitted with a sail, it is NOT a sailing vessel, and does not have right of way. 2) All concepts of right of way are not applicable in a "narrow channel" 3) To the extent that rights of way do apply, the top of the tree, even over sailing vessels are "vessels constrained by their draught" - that covers most narrowboats 4) In a narrow channel, small vessels must not impede larger vessels constrained by their draught. So, my simplification of the rules is that canoes must give way to narrowboats, both from a legal point of view, and from a point of view of who comes off worse. This is a story of Johnny O'Day Who died preserving his right of way He was right, dead right, as he sailed along But he's just as dead as if he were wrong Oh, and to answer the question as to etiquette; The steerer of any narrowboat which collides with and sinks a canoe must raise his hat and make a suitably stiff-upper-lip remark to the sinking vessel such as "Oh, jolly bad luck old sport", or "looks a tad bracing in there today".

Quite why the NFA (National Federation of Anglers) and the CRT don't appear to talk to each other I really don't know. Boaters and Anglers are the two groups which care most about our canals, and good communications, clear guidance and a joined up approach would benefit both groups enormously. Even the closing or restricting of public roads for sporting events various can be managed without outbreaks of ill will, so surely CRT could link with other bodies to advise of, deconflict and/or mutually manage fishing and boating events. We have much in common but instead of sharing the canal, we are often left not understanding each other which leads to an inevitable conflict of interests between Anglers and Boaters. Other groups who adversely impact upon both of our interests, and who may seek to undermine our influence in order to use the shared space in an incompatible way to our mutual disadvantage, don't need to divide and conquer - we do it for them.

Last time I cruised through a large fishing match I was asked by various anglers to: 1. Speed up 2. Slow down 3. Move away from the towpath 4. Move closer to the towpath 5. Hit reverse to stir things up a bit 6. Rev up to stir things up a bit Seems once they have taken their "misery pills" (to get them in the mood for fishing) there is no pleasing them. Perhaps we should organise a CWDF cruise past them, with say a boat every minute. Then next time they might choose somewhere a bit quieter for their match.