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The "slow down" shouters


charles123

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Hi John,

 

I shall dip my cap to your wealth of knowledge, I am a mere fledgling!.

 

We use it when stopped for night, after 7.30pm is. I have personally found that it stops the boat rocking a heck of a lot when we are jsut 'mooching' around it and up and down. From memory, since we have been doing this not one boat has come past!!!?.

 

Apart from the widebeam 60 seater pleasure craft at Stratford upon Avon tearing up and down causing a 12 inch rear wave 10 foot from our boat.....where anything would have rocked!!

 

Neil

 

 

Personally being rocked around a bit by passing boats has never bothered me one bit, I have done a bit of sea boat stuff in the past. Moored to a buoy even in an enclosed harbour you get battered about far more than you ever will on a canal, nobody bothers, for some reason people don't have caldron's of boiling water balanced on the stove.

 

Many canal boaters sit in their boats 'waiting to be annoyed' to quote Terry Wogan. I am afraid I counter aggressive behaviour these days by a few ironic remarks of my own. I am always a little disappointed by the un-originality of the remarks, one chap leaned out of his hatch and asked if I was winning. "On my way to the fire, I replied".

 

You have lost your water skier one wag shouted, I laughed for hours at that one.

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OK, I usually slow down for moored boats. There have been the odd times whilst day dreaming of the new boat and the design of it, that I have crept up on a moored boat at my usual 3 mph.

 

In designing the new boat I am always on the lookout for good ideas and so creeping passed moored boats at tick over allows me to peer in windows. You see some wonderful sights. Like the young couple hard at it, drawn the tow path curtains but not the off side ones :blush:

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After my recent trip up the Soar, and now having just returned for another up the Trent, I've had to think about this topic quite a lot.

 

My boat is a Megavissey Tosher mahogany clinker sailing boat, made (not converted) into a cruiser. I have been told it dates from around 1962, so can only assume this may be because of GRP cheaper boats starting to be made, so making this hull redundant from new.

 

This is a boat designed to move through the water with the least effort, and made of a material suitable for just that purpose. She moves through the water with a slow speed of around 3.5mph to 4mph, with no perceptable wash, and a top speed of 6(ish)mph with some wash. So she appears to be moving too fast compared to most on the canal.

 

Now this is definately NOT an attempt to denigrade NBs, but they are still 'a brick' with a point on one end, weighing 10 to 20 tons on average. This is a simple fact and so moving at more than 2mph, some wash should be expected.

 

So what to do about the 'shouters'.......

 

Depending on the mood, smile and wave, retort with one of the amusing reposts, or even "I know I am". Or stare the other way, or concentrate on something on the boat, dashboard etc.

 

I did stop, turning around once to someone waving. I inquired what they wanted, thinking they wanted help (yes, evil of me :blush: ) Then turning around again, headed of requiring full revs to get going. This of course caused much noise and water disturbance. I always wonder if they waved at another boat that day ???

 

What did they think of me ? I'm not the slightest bit interested.

 

Now, since my last trip on the Trent, where I learned you don't slow for fishermen, or moored boats, as the river is wide and the wash no problem, I don't on the Witham. And guess what, I've not been shouted at this year. In fact at the weekend I've had more waves and smiles from fishermen and boaters than every before. I wonder if this is because of the mouth I've painted on? Could it be I've given them something else to think about, and my speed isn't a problem in the first place.

 

Oh, and just as I was about to leave the Trent for the Fosse Dyke, a large Broom approached. The wash was the largest waves I've encountered, even while in the Wash. A NB would have taken on some water, had the front doors been open, and a small cruiser or sailing boat could have been swamped. Did I complain.......no I enjoyed the experience.

 

A friend of a friend has just bought a Mercruiser with a 5.5 litre Chevvy V8 engine. He keeps the boat on the Soar. I have not met him, or seen it, but I'm sure I could get him to accompany me in the future, if the need arose..........so the next person who shouts, or waves me to slow down.............hmmmm.

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You are right, no one should be travelling at a speed which causes other boats to rock unduly, although even at very low speeds some motion is inevitable unless the boat is very carefully moored

 

 

It also has a great deal to do with how much water there is under the moored boat. If there is only a couple of inches or so.

 

Tony :blush:

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The community boat scheme we drive boats for keep laminated A4 sized signs on each of their boats.

 

On one side it says

'Can't hear you, engine too loud!'

 

on the other side it says

 

'Still can't hear you, engine too loud!'

 

I'm going to make some for our nb. They are the ideal solution to many boaters problems!

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i am tempted to stop altogether and moor up next to a moaner and then tell all the kids "its party time"break out the beer the lads.

set the tent s up on the towpath,light the barby and put some good ole rock and roll cd,s on.

you are quite right sir "we are in no rush we shall stay awhile with you" :blush:

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Interested how the thread has developed

 

- how to retort to boaters who complain

- why people should moor correctly

- hire boaters who don't receive correct training

 

For something completely different we were complemented twice this year for slowing down past people who were moored and before the hilarious sarcasm kicks in we don't slow down to the extent of swapping interesting tips with those we pass - just to tickover and just when passing - also oddly we have never been shouted at.

 

Sure, I don't mind being rocked that is boating but for the first time this year we explored the Western part of the L&L and the Rufford branch - a completely different mindset exists to the midlands canals - people in general simply don't slow down - even had people going past on full whack - why??.

 

We went cycling for a day and when we returned the boat was completely off its pins (3 I hasten to add) and loose. OK it could have been kids but we were in the middle of nowhere.

 

Also, spare a though for the hire boaters (how many of us started off that way) who don't really understand how to moor correctly and fully understand the implications of slowing down. Shouting at them has no effect whatsoever.

 

Picking up on the point on Wincham Wharf, I met a hire boater approaching the first of the boats just as I was at the end of the chicane and the poor devil just didn't have a clue how to reverse - clearly there was no point me trying to. How is this allowed to happen ?

 

:blush:

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As a change from being asked to slow down when on tickover , several times recently I have been asked to speed up by anglers when passing through a fishing match . It would seem that when the water is clear the fish go off feed and they want a fast moving boat to stir up the mud and improve the fishing . Going through one large match on the Shroppie earlier this year my arm was aching when I had eventually passed all of them as several would shout speed up , then a few who were catching wanted me to slow down , next couple speed up and so on . After 200 anglers I needed to pull into the side for a rest.

 

So next time someone shouts at you to slow down - you can respond "I am doing my bit for improvements to the angling "

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I tie my boat up tight, the level changes by up to a foot each way, the mooring lines go a bit slack, and speeding boats pull my boat out then push it back against the wooden jetty. I have damage to the fibreglass, creosote stains along the edges where the fenders are either too high or too low, and over time, a complete plank has been torn away from its place on the jetty, complete with boat, mooring ropes and tie-down bracket still attached.

 

The Middle Level where I moor will never be dredged, so every speeding boat that comes past drags up or carries along another bucketful of silt and pushes it over to the bank. There are places developing where both sides of the river are 2 feet deep, and rapidly moving towards each other to meet in the middle.

 

All the clever remarks in the world will not rectify this situation, so if you have been shouted at more than '3 or 4 times' then maybe you ought to think that just possibly the solution might be to actually slow down? Just a thought....

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Talking about throwing a "deafie" we saw you on the bridgewater charles and i shouted " hiya charles" twice !

selective hearing ? - or did you think you were being told to "slow down" and didnt look at who was calling your name ? :P and no you werent going tooooo

fast when we saw you....

:blush:

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Talking about throwing a "deafie" we saw you on the bridgewater charles and i shouted " hiya charles" twice !

selective hearing ? - or did you think you were being told to "slow down" and didnt look at who was calling your name ? :P and no you werent going tooooo

fast when we saw you....

:blush:

 

Apologies for ignoring you I really did not hear or see you, I do acknowledge almost every boat underway with a nod or wave and others stationery when there is someone there. I dont know if others find it a problem but with the engine running not that its any louder than anyone elses, but its hard to hear what anyone is saying, I even struggle to hear what the other half is telling me from the front deck. Must get a hearing aid!

 

Charles

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Apologies for ignoring you I really did not hear or see you, I do acknowledge almost every boat underway with a nod or wave and others stationery when there is someone there. I dont know if others find it a problem but with the engine running not that its any louder than anyone elses, but its hard to hear what anyone is saying, I even struggle to hear what the other half is telling me from the front deck. Must get a hearing aid!

 

Charles

 

I thought that narrow boats were supposed to be quieter!! I can usually hear most things when I'm cruising along. Evinrude 8hp two stroke outboard in enclosed Dawncraft well is very quiet!! Perhaps that's a disadvantage sometimes!!

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None of the replies given so far take account of the fact that, although the posters may have been wrongly accused of not slowing down, there is a sizeable minority, maybe even a majority,, of boaters, both private and hirers, who make no effort, or only a token effort, to slow down.

 

Your right to rock my boat ends when I am about to pour scalding water into a cup or pot, or when my wife is about to inject herself with medication

 

I do sympathise, my wife being a diabetic also requires regular injections, but then if you choose to live on a boat you know it is going to rock ( for whatever reason) and you just have to find ways of working round the problems.

 

We have chosen to take certain risks and we cannot expect everyone else to anticipate our needs. (This is not meant to be quite as unsympathetic as it sounds)

 

This year cruising with 4 teenagers the biggest and unexpected problem was that they were going too slowly to counter the cross winds, which were often strong and consequently t times they were loosing control and bumping into boats.

This led to the ridiculous situation that while others were bellowing at them to slow down I was bellowing at them to speed up!

Sometimes ( not always I accept ) those boats are going "fast" for a reason, there is not always a lot of choice, though I accept that there is the need to cultivate a certain courtesy, best done by good humour and tolerance.

 

I remember once giving my wife an injection while listerning to the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy on the radio. The needle went in just before a funny bit and for literally the next 5 minutes we were killing ourselves with laughter and trying to syncranise our shaking so the needle did not do too much damage, of course the ridiculous situation made the matter worse so we laughed longer.

I could neither withdraw the needle nor complete the injection until we had both calmed down.

We reschdule injections after that!

 

Life has bumpy bits and we have got to be careful.

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OK - let's get controversial! :angry:

 

If anyone read with the editorial in Waterways World a couple of months ago, they will see that it agrees with this philosophy. I want to make it clear that I DO slow down for moored boats out of courtesy and the fact that many are so badly moored, I need to slow down for them!

 

You are welcome to go past my boat at any speed you wish - if I rock about and the ropes 'snatch' when they reach the end of their 10 foot length of slack then that's entirely my fault. On canals, you can totally eliminate any movement at all by simpling mooring up tight, at the right angle and sticking even the shortest springs in to take away the surge. A well moored boat will do nothing more that rise and lower slightly when speeding boats pass.

 

I agree totally with the previous post that replies 'put spring lines in if it bothers you'. Most of the people who yell at 'speeding' boats have to disappear and look this up as they haven't a clue what I mean.

 

Out of interest, I passing a big old working boat some time back and I was going relatively slowly but had forgotten to take the throttle off fully - still his boat rocked quite a bit. The guy was out doing work on the boat so simply out of courtesy, I apologised. The reply, which completely took me back, was 'that's alright mate, I should have moored properly but only stopped for a short while' - now that WAS an experienced and knowledgable boater!

 

I actually moor up loose on purpose sometimes as I like the movement; I don't like to think I'm simply back in a house again however, if I don't want the movement - I eliminate it, simple!

 

Sorry to rant and I know many will vehemently disagree with me here but quite frankly the replies will probably be no worse than those who yell at 'speeding' boaters! I just feel very strongly about this as it really is quite simple, (and proven as anyone who has asked about this on the helmsmans course will testify!)

 

Edited to remove duplicate posting somehow!

Edited by Khayamanzi
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after being told to slow down 3 times on my last trip out I decided once and for all to find out exactly how fast my boat was going at what throttle positions. I figured i must have it wrong as I was earning the ire of so many boaters.

 

Tickover < 1 Mph

Mid level 2.5 Mph

WOT about 4.2 Mph

 

That's right, my boat is capable of going .2 of a MPH over the speedlimit and that's with 1 person on board, carrying less than 1/2 a tank of fuel, and no supplies, and an empty watertank. I don't know what the margin of error is for a GPS system using 7 datums but can't be that much.

 

Think I might get a sign printed up that says "not capable of speeding, find something else to moan about" And for the record, i always drop to 1/2 revs when passing moored boats. i get shouted at to slow down when i'm doing 2.5 Mph.

 

Disgusted of the soar.

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I consider myself a considerate boater and for most of the time slow down when passing moored boats. There have been two incidents recently that got me wondering what it is with some people.

 

 

Anyone got any experiences to offer?

 

Charles

 

Being reasonably new to boating,with only the last few months being able to get out and enjoy the waterways,but fully aware of the considerations expected to other users,be it stationary or on the move,I was suprised to find a very irate couple ,who moored at the side of the bank on the erewash,shaking their fists as I passed by, giving me nurable indications and suggestions to leave the planet when a very small amount of wash obviously disturbed their solitude.Being unable to slow down anymore without actually stopping,and not being of a disposition who will lightly let a person abuse me with words of distaste,I stopped shortly after,pulling into the bank,whilst the offensive one,wife in tow ran along the bank to greet me in a way that I can only describe as intended murder!I could of prosecuted him for overstepping the noise abatement ruling,but whilst these pair obviosly wanted to spar with me I gave them fair opportunity to back off with gentle words of wisdom,being I would be forced to defend my bodily bits from damage and suggested he got a life,on mars preferrably.This of course didnt exactly hit home where I had hoped,and ended up with me chasing him back from where he had gallopped from,scuttling into his 'pretty' vessel,wife in tow.

I really dont understand the mentality of some of these people,do they think they own the waterways,I suppose they do,and maybe a caravan or a lodge in the himalayas would be more suited than their floating anger box.

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after being told to slow down 3 times on my last trip out I decided once and for all to find out exactly how fast my boat was going at what throttle positions. I figured i must have it wrong as I was earning the ire of so many boaters.

 

Tickover < 1 Mph

Mid level 2.5 Mph

WOT about 4.2 Mph

 

That's right, my boat is capable of going .2 of a MPH over the speedlimit and that's with 1 person on board, carrying less than 1/2 a tank of fuel, and no supplies, and an empty watertank. I don't know what the margin of error is for a GPS system using 7 datums but can't be that much.

 

Think I might get a sign printed up that says "not capable of speeding, find something else to moan about" And for the record, i always drop to 1/2 revs when passing moored boats. i get shouted at to slow down when i'm doing 2.5 Mph.

 

Disgusted of the soar.

 

So with my boat doing 3.5 to 6mph, think how I feel. Wonder how Glen will get on with the Mercruiser :angry:

 

It's a pity people can't be taught to judge the wash, not the sound of the engine, or the appeared speed of the boat. And realize sometimes, some wash is acceptable.

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Before long, there is a going to be a boat-rage incident which ends up in somebody getting seriously hurt and then this is going to go national.

 

The waterways are becoming seriously overcrowded in places and people living on top of each other is never a good thing, resulting in people becoming increasingly intolerant of each other.

 

Increased wealth in certain stratas of the UK population and the rising cost of housing, which is causing a lot of first time buyers to choose to live on the canals as an alternative to bricks and mortar, will only make it worse.

 

The waterways are being used a lot more by bike riders, walkers, anglers and of course, boats.

Whilst, their increased use for recreation is a good thing, the flip side of the coin is increased vandalism, littering and confrontation.

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Being reasonably new to boating,with only the last few months being able to get out and enjoy the waterways,but fully aware of the considerations expected to other users,be it stationary or on the move,I was suprised to find a very irate couple ,who moored at the side of the bank on the erewash,shaking their fists as I passed by, giving me nurable indications and suggestions to leave the planet when a very small amount of wash obviously disturbed their solitude.Being unable to slow down anymore without actually stopping,and not being of a disposition who will lightly let a person abuse me with words of distaste,I stopped shortly after,pulling into the bank,whilst the offensive one,wife in tow ran along the bank to greet me in a way that I can only describe as intended murder!I could of prosecuted him for overstepping the noise abatement ruling,but whilst these pair obviosly wanted to spar with me I gave them fair opportunity to back off with gentle words of wisdom,being I would be forced to defend my bodily bits from damage and suggested he got a life,on mars preferrably.This of course didnt exactly hit home where I had hoped,and ended up with me chasing him back from where he had gallopped from,scuttling into his 'pretty' vessel,wife in tow.

I really dont understand the mentality of some of these people,do they think they own the waterways,I suppose they do,and maybe a caravan or a lodge in the himalayas would be more suited than their floating anger box.

Now let me guess.

 

Man with wide brimed hat, geen sweater, about 55-60, grey hair, wife also 55-60, brown hair grey roots, red scarf, windlass in holster (she always works the locks) two way radio fixed to sleeve. Nice shiney boat, no scratches, 55 foot, Jonathan Wilson or Tim Tyler hull, name of boat - "Self Righteous".

 

It was these people who shouted at my wife to speed up whilst appraching Hillmorton Locks, have shouted at my wife and me to slow down, just stood and watched without offering to help at many locks and waied until we had passed through before walking up to the gates, always hastily move off (with lines dangling along in the water) to get in front when our boat approaches (sometimes with amusing consequences), pass other boats with a fixed stare at the horizon and at the last minute offer a slight head movement as a reluctant greeting. Never under any circumstances smile.

 

I think they must own the waterways.

 

Simon

nb Bulrush

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Well there is a pecking order on the canal you know !!

 

These people are definitely a cut above those with smaller/older narrowboats or god forbid, those awful people with bikes, kayaks and bits of garden on their tatty roofs !!

 

If only the great unwashed on the canal would accept this and treat Mr and Mrs.Righteous with the proper respect that they deserve, there would be no problem.

 

:angry:

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Well there is a pecking order on the canal you know !!

 

These people are definitely a cut above those with smaller/older narrowboats or god forbid, those awful people with bikes, kayaks and bits of garden on their tatty roofs !!

 

If only the great unwashed on the canal would accept this and treat Mr and Mrs.Righteous with the proper respect that they deserve, there would be no problem.

 

:angry:

 

Absolutely. We should all know our place in life. Mine is at the bottom of the heap, on permanent tickover with the teenagers well hidden in the engine'ole or shoved under the bed.

 

Apparently, Mr and Mrs Righteous (BOA Town Lock) believe it's teenagers that are bringing the cut into disrepute, happily leaping off boats and opening gates and paddles for them, cheerily smiling and waving; that kind of thing.........

 

Jill

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As someone who has a boat the pushes the limits of size for the GU, who slows down for most moored boats and which wont go faster than 3.5mph on the GU let me ad my two pennth.

Coming back from Limehouse over the last two days there have been a couple of incidents.

The first involved a boat that was moored with no one on board and as I went past didnt rock or move, as I looked back it had come loose and drifted across the cut.

The second involved coming round two right angle bends at Grove Park which |I have to take at just about tickover with bursts of throttle to avoid running up the opposite bank, just after this there were 3 moored boats. As I was lining up for Grove bridge I noticed some fishing rods sticking out of the cratch of the second boat, by this time there was nothing I could do to change my course without hitting something and I decided that the rods were the lest problematical thing,

The owner removed one but the second was caught by my bow with the result that he now only has one usable rod :angry:

None of the boats moved in any way, however at Lady Capels lock this man ( the rod owner) appeard telling me that I had pulled the pins on all the boats I had passed. I asked him how long he had been boating and when he replied 25years I pointed out the he should have learnt in that time how to moor a boat.........

He was then treated to a version of the words that Noah said to the animals as they left the ark!

What he hoped to achieve by walking half a mile to remonstrate with me I have no idea

 

J

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