Rhine Boating

[john6767]

OK so sitting by the Rhine this evening, why do the boats "drive on the left" I thought we drove on the right because of ColRegs and that would apply everywhere, but apparently not!

[magnetman]

is it a depth thing?

Edited April 24, 2013 by magnetman

[john6767]

I don't think so as they are big barges and are passing "wrong"side so there must be depth

[Timleech]

they are probably displaying blue 'flags', usually a pivoted board.

Upstream boats can show a blue flag if, for instance, they want the inside of a bend where the current is less.

I'll hazard a guess that your viewing point is on such a bend.

 

Tim

[furnessvale]

OK so sitting by the Rhine this evening, why do the boats "drive on the left" I thought we drove on the right because of ColRegs and that would apply everywhere, but apparently not!

Depends where you are sitting. Are the boats displaying a blue board with a white edge and a flashing white light in the middle? If so they are deliberately passing wrong side. Often required by boats in one direction or another needing a specific side due to prevailing currents etc.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

ps If you are at Boppard you will see this round the long sweeping bend downstream, and I am very jealous (have a Bopparder Hamm for me!)

[john6767]

Seen one with the board with flashing light going up stream.

I am in Mannheim and the current looks strong.

 

Edited to correct the one I spotted the board on was going down stream, and it is probably a big sweeping g bend that the down stream boats are taking the outside of

Edited April 24, 2013 by john6767

[furnessvale]

Seen one with the board with flashing light going up stream.

I am in Mannheim and the current looks strong.

 

Edited to correct the one I spotted the board on was going down stream, and it is probably a big sweeping g bend that the down stream boats are taking the outside of

Both boats should be displaying the board so they both know what is happening.

 

Barring emergencies, or possibly where a boat is leaving or joining a wharf etc., the locations where side swapping is done are well known to the regulars and seems to be done with ease.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[ditchcrawler]

Some places the navigation authorities tell you to cross over and travel on the "wrong" side, see Mandatory Signs B2-B4

[john6767]

Thanks for the feedback, it was interesting to watch and I probably missed quite at bit of what was happening as I had to keep talking with the customer, who to their credit paid for the meal and the copious beers we drank!

 

It seemed that later on as it got dark they seemed to stick to the correct side, but then most I think we're down stream at that point. The boats all seemed to know exactly what was happening, and that is what matters.

[BGA]

I understood that boats travelling downstream have priority on the decision whether to opt for starboard to starboard passing because they have less control on steering this is particularly the case near the "Lorelei" where the current is quite strong.

[Tam & Di]

I understood that boats travelling downstream have priority on the decision whether to opt for starboard to starboard passing because they have less control on steering this is particularly the case near the "Lorelei" where the current is quite strong.

URL=http://s705.photobucket.com/user/tamdem/media/Blueboarding.jpg.html?sort=3&o=80

 

I don't know if the photo link will work as I'm having problems with photobucket, but it's of me blue boarding so people can see what it looks like. In this particular instance it is by signage making it mandatory. The automoteur coming towards me is leaving the lock cut and we are instructed to "blue board" to keep me as the downstream vessel over to my port side away from the wier stream with the "no entry" sign.

 

Within the COLREGS the upstream vessel must not impede the passage of a downstream vessel; also it must leave a downstream vessel an appropriate route. It is therefore the UPSTREAM vessel that will initiate the signal to inform the downstream one that it is allowing it passage on the starboard hand rather than the conventional port hand. The reason is that the downstream vessel has less control, as you say, but the onus is put on the upstream one to facilitate that.

 

Tam

Edited April 25, 2013 by Tam & Di

[WJM]

I guess you are in Dusseldorf. The bend in the river there means that it is much easier (and fuel efficient) to move upstream on the left - the inside of the bend. The continentals have made provision for such intelligent practices, you just display the appropriate marker and everybody understands what you are doing.

 

I sometimes use the same system when punching the stream on the Thames tideway. Its not an official system here but since the boats ploughing downstream are in the middle anyway they don't seem bothered by a narrow one crawling up the wrong bank.

[Chris Pink]

[Tam & Di]

Thanks Chris. Can you tell me (Private mail?) how you did that. I tried to click on the IMG box in photobucket as usual but it would not copy, and all I could get was the direct link to the image rather than the image itself.

 

Tam

[Guest]

Thanks Chris. Can you tell me (Private mail?) how you did that. I tried to click on the IMG box in photobucket as usual but it would not copy, and all I could get was the direct link to the image rather than the image itself.

 

Tam

 

Photobucket have changed their site (Again!) and copying the IMG code directly into the forum no longer works.

 

You need to click on the 'Direct link' so that goes yellow and is copied onto your clipboard.

 

Put your cursor where you want your picture, click on the 'image' button on the toolbar (just to the left and below of the smiley button) and paste the 'direct link' into the box that appears and then click on OK.

[Timleech]

Photobucket have changed their site (Again!) and copying the IMG code directly into the forum no longer works.

 

You need to click on the 'Direct link' so that goes yellow and is copied onto your clipboard.

 

Put your cursor where you want your picture, click on the 'image' button on the toolbar (just to the left and below of the smiley button) and paste the 'direct link' into the box that appears and then click on OK.

 

It worked for me yesterday the way I've always done it. Just paste the image code into the text.

It's certainly annoying the way photobucket and others can't resist 'improving' their sites, though.

 

Tim

[Guest]

It worked for me yesterday the way I've always done it. Just paste the image code into the text.

It's certainly annoying the way photobucket and others can't resist 'improving' their sites, though.

 

Tim

 

 

It did for me too yesterday - but a couple of forum members have reported it had changed for them in the 'posting pictures' thread (plus T&D above) - when I have gone in to PB this morning it's gone the same this morning for me too.

 

I have no idea why PB have removed the IMG code option as you could just paste this direct into the forum and the picture would show - it now requires an additional step, as in the use of the 'Image' button unless somebody has found different.

[Timleech]

It did for me too yesterday - but a couple of forum members have reported it had changed for them in the 'posting pictures' thread (plus T&D above) - when I have gone in to PB this morning it's gone the same this morning for me too.

 

I have no idea why PB have removed the IMG code option as you could just paste this direct into the forum and the picture would show - it now requires an additional step, as in the use of the 'Image' button unless somebody has found different.

 

Test posting

 

 

Just pasting in the IMG code obtained by 'clicking the box' on PB

 

Tim

 

Random pic from my PB page, sorry it's OT for the Rhine

Edited April 25, 2013 by Timleech

[Chris Pink]

Is that my flywheel?

[Guest]

Test posting

 

 

Just pasting in the IMG code obtained by 'clicking the box' on PB

 

Tim

 

Random pic from my PB page, sorry it's OT for the Rhine

 

Weird - it seems to still work for some the old way but others seem to have lost the ability to do this. I have found if you edit out the first and very last bit of the link and pare it down to just IMG code bit it still works, so I haven't got a clue what PB have done.

 

[Timleech]

Is that my flywheel?

 

No, it's another National flywheel.

Yours has an RN ring gear, shrunk on. This one is purpose made, slightly bigger dia., & screwed on.

 

Tim

[john6767]

I guess you are in Dusseldorf. The bend in the river there means that it is much easier (and fuel efficient) to move upstream on the left - the inside of the bend. The continentals have made provision for such intelligent practices, you just display the appropriate marker and everybody understands what you are doing.

 

I sometimes use the same system when punching the stream on the Thames tideway. Its not an official system here but since the boats ploughing downstream are in the middle anyway they don't seem bothered by a narrow one crawling up the wrong bank.

Thanks again for the info, it had me rather confused last night. As I mentioned earlier I was in Mannheim, and there seemed no obvious reason for the need to pass wrong side, but clearly their was as almost all were doing it.

[john6767]

I guess you are in Dusseldorf. The bend in the river there means that it is much easier (and fuel efficient) to move upstream on the left - the inside of the bend. The continentals have made provision for such intelligent practices, you just display the appropriate marker and everybody understands what you are doing.

 

I sometimes use the same system when punching the stream on the Thames tideway. Its not an official system here but since the boats ploughing downstream are in the middle anyway they don't seem bothered by a narrow one crawling up the wrong bank.

Thanks again for the info, it had me rather confused last night. As I mentioned earlier I was in Mannheim, and there seemed no obvious reason for the need to pass wrong side, but clearly their was as almost all were doing it.