Couple of questions

[luggsy]

First one if you are on a wide canal and all the moorings are taken on the towpath side can you moor on the opposite side if you use mud anchors ( 56lb weights ) so you are not putting mooring pins in the ground and not stepping foot on the ground and not causing a obstruction ? Second one does any one use steel rope to moor up with if you are in a place where it has been known to have your ropes cut ? Thanks in advance

[Burgiesburnin]

I'm not sure of the correct answer to your first question but the answer to your second would be to use chain as opposed to a steel rope.

[Alan de Enfield]

We moored behind a boat at Saxilby (LIncoln) - (about a month ago) that had steel shutters padlocked (top, bottom and both sides) on all of the 'alongside' windows and had very, very heavy motorcycle security type plastic coated steel 'ropes' attatching welded eyes on the boat to the rings on the bank.

 

I dont know what they did additional to this when they left the boat (just joking - the boat was left for a few days)

Edited June 29, 2014 by Alan de Enfield

[muddywaters]

I'm not sure of the correct answer to your first question but the answer to your second would be to use chain as opposed to a steel rope.

Seconded regards to using chains.

As to the first question, are you talking about visitor moorings ?

I can't see how there would not be anywhere to moor on the towpath side wide or narrow canal, as there is no reason why you need to stick to visitor moorings on any canal.

With the exception of busy city's and urban area's of course as then you would want to moor where it was relatively safe.

But what I would do in rural area's and in fact have done, is if there is no room on a visitor mooring just find the first place anywhere on the towpath side that is safe to moor and not causing an obstruction to any other passing boats

[Alan de Enfield]

Agree about the chain Vs Wire Rope, but if leaving the boat Chain is easy to cut with a battery angle grinder whilst wire rope is not.

[RLWP]

I think the answers to your questions are no and no

 

We certainly don't carry or use wire ropes - it would be an additional challenge to naughty caster-offers. Remember, this is usually mischief

 

Are you really that worried about mooring in some areas?

 

Richard

[grahame r]

Best mooring option would be to moor alongside a moored boat. Most people don't mind.

I'd go for chain, you can fix a chain with a padlocks so it can't be removed from a bollard or ring or the boat, most caster offerers are drunk opportunists they don't carry battery angle grinders!

[AndrewIC]

I did once see someone anchor overnight in Tixall wide. And showed an anchor light!

[RLWP]

Best mooring option would be to moor alongside a moored boat. Most people don't mind.

I'd go for chain, you can fix a chain with a padlocks so it can't be removed from a bollard or ring or the boat, most caster offerers are drunk opportunists they don't carry battery angle grinders!

 

They are also deterred by simple things - like wrapping a line once around a bollard so it can't be lifted off easily, and tying off on the offside bollard/tee stud

 

Rope cutting is a far less common and more malicious thing

 

Richard

[Wanderer Vagabond]

Does anyone actually have experience of having their ropes cut? I know that having your ropes cast off isn't unheard of but I haven't come across anyone who has had their ropes cut (I'm not saying it hasn't happened but just that I haven't heard of it). I appreciate the effort that some make to secure their boats but on the majority of the cut (not river sections) what will actually happen if the boat is cast adrift? It will block the canal and the next boater coming along will retie it (having done exactly that myself for other boaters on numerous occasions). The most important consideration is WHERE you leave the boat rather than any elaborate methods used to tie it up.

[bassplayer]

First one if you are on a wide canal and all the moorings are taken on the towpath side can you moor on the opposite side if you use mud anchors ( 56lb weights ) so you are not putting mooring pins in the ground and not stepping foot on the ground and not causing a obstruction ? Second one does any one use steel rope to moor up with if you are in a place where it has been known to have your ropes cut ? Thanks in advance

I wouldn't worry too much, the boat won't go very far. I've had pins pulled but you'll get your boat back.

 

I like the option of mooring up to another boat and we've had boats moor up to us. It all helps make friends....best ask first though...

[Ray T]

Does anyone actually have experience of having their ropes cut? I know that having your ropes cast off isn't unheard of but I haven't come across anyone who has had their ropes cut (I'm not saying it hasn't happened but just that I haven't heard of it). I appreciate the effort that some make to secure their boats but on the majority of the cut (not river sections) what will actually happen if the boat is cast adrift? It will block the canal and the next boater coming along will retie it (having done exactly that myself for other boaters on numerous occasions). The most important consideration is WHERE you leave the boat rather than any elaborate methods used to tie it up.

 

Had the bow rope cut, the pin thrown in a hedge and the stern rope untied from the boat and left as in the second picture, when on a hire boat on the Calder & Hebble in 2006.

 

Rather than bother the hire base I spliced the rope.

 

 

Happened in the middle of nowhere:

 

 

But, in all my years of boating this has only happened once.

Edited June 30, 2014 by Ray T

[Bunny]

Twice at kintbury (k and a ) two winter moorings running, cut both bow and stern lines in two places . They didn't notice we had a chain on ( very, very loosely) to the middle ring. Bunny.