And in third place....

[mayalld]

Shouldn't knock volunters, I'm one myself (Scouting) but we came across a community boat a couple of months ago that had gone aground and needed a bit of a tug, but it soon became obvious that no-one on their boat knew how to tie the rope onto their boat.

 

Barry F

 

Oh, I wouldn't knock volunteers. I'm a volunteer myself (and in the same line as you).

 

I just don't accept the idea that volunteers should be allowed to do things less well than people who are paid to do something.

[ditchcrawler]

Nope.

 

The only boat that we saw that had just come off the Thames was a trip boat, and they caused us no particular problems.

 

Were you on it?

No.

[mayalld]

No.

 

Just looked at your blog, you were a few days after us.

 

We arrived in Oxford on Sunday 19th, and left on Tuesday 21st

[Lady Muck]

community boats and the like are operated by amateurs who only get to play every few weeks/months. Many have no other

 

Well it depends - the London ones I know, Tarporley and Pirate Club, especially if it's a weekday, the helmsman will probably be either someone who has volunteered for decades, or a paid member of staff.

[AMModels]

I dont think President and Northwich should be exempt from brickbats, at the parkhead rally a few years ago I was chatting with Joe Safe as the Pressie mob were atempting to wind above the locks...no problem you may think but somehow they managed to get the pair stemmed up right across the canal. Joe wandered over and offered some advice in a helpful manner only to be told we are professionals we know what we are doing, we had a good laugh for the next half an hour as they to'd and fro'd trying to get themselves winded, Joe was very pragmatic about the whole thing merely smiling serenely and chuckling at the 'professionals'

[sociable_hermit]

Oh, I wouldn't knock volunteers. I'm a volunteer myself (and in the same line as you).

 

I just don't accept the idea that volunteers should be allowed to do things less well than people who are paid to do something.

Quite right. Volunteers need responsibility - they aren't in it for the money (obviously) so they must be in it for the job satisfaction. And job satisfaction largely comes from being given challenges and responsibilities and living up to them. It is entirely wrong to suppose that volunteers don't like responsibility and must be wet-nursed. Volunteers generally like having high standards to aim for and achieve.

 

The other good thing about voluntary organisations is that they act as great social levellers. It doesn't matter who you are and where you've come from, it's whether you're any good or not that matters.

[the grinch]

Having had a full performance from Snipe and Taurus a few years back as we all had to moor to let them work through the bottom two at Hurleston (or rather screw up working through) while the motor boats captain hurled insults at all us amateurs what can I say.

 

My favourites for semi pro working was Jupiter and Saturn - in 1978 operating down heartbreak going round those coming up and still sliding into a double chamber each. Compare their smooth operation to President and Kildare coming down Hatton (with some chap forceably telling us steering boats coming up what to do to get out of their way (and blow us) while noting he had no clue about how the water moves in these pounds and how it effects boats below when you draw the paddles above.)

 

yes Peter had some good and some bad crews over the years, but he was a decent bloke to work for, as was Derek on Snipe & Taurus, John & Anne on mabel & forget me not were ok as well, never really had much to do with Jupiter & Saturn as they stayed on the Llangollen whilst the other 2 pairs travelled far and wide

[Hobbler]

I dont think President and Northwich should be exempt from brickbats, at the parkhead rally a few years ago I was chatting with Joe Safe as the Pressie mob were atempting to wind above the locks...no problem you may think but somehow they managed to get the pair stemmed up right across the canal. Joe wandered over and offered some advice in a helpful manner only to be told we are professionals we know what we are doing, we had a good laugh for the next half an hour as they to'd and fro'd trying to get themselves winded, Joe was very pragmatic about the whole thing merely smiling serenely and chuckling at the 'professionals'

 

Do you mean President and Kildare or did they have a different butty then ?

 

Anyway mate people who "Live in Glass Houses shouldnt throw stones" Should they ? Going down the 21 - Nuff said ?

 

Anyway not even the old professionals always get it right - I will never forget the look on another Joe's face when he inadvertently discovered that the stub end of the Sneyd branch was still navigable whilst trying to pass under the bridge to go past the yard with Atlas.

[Heffalump]

Nope.

 

The only boat that we saw that had just come off the Thames was a trip boat, and they caused us no particular problems.

 

Were you on it?

 

Was it yellow and blue?

[roger]

I dont think President ....should be exempt from brickbats

 

Hawkesbury IWA rally in the 1980's the crew of President misunderstood a situation and took to it that I should be adominshed enormously. I serioulsy remember their aggro very well. I have NEVER forgotten them or their complete and utter violence towards me. Nowadays their kind of action would be seen as hate crime. It is high time some of these boaters (and their noted personalities) moved into the 21st century - especially after a noted waterways couple's shocking attitude and attempt to denigrate my integrity at a recent waterways rally. The problem is a lot of people on the waterway dont understand things. Despite the apparent openess there are a lot of closed and biased minds.

 

The waterways DO NOT belong to able bodied people only! Or shiney boats. Or traditional boats. Or working boats. They belong to everybody and as such everybody should treat everyone else with the same amount of respect as they would glady get.