Speeding boats, Fossdyke and Witham

[Kendorr]

I've just spent the last 10 days travelling from Torksey to Boston and am now in Saxilby ready to go out of Torksey tomorrow. I've been surprised at the amount of speeding boats that I've seen. Now, I know it's a river, but the etiquette of going slow passed moored boats appears to not be adhered to along this waterway. I'm not going to blame cruisers, as most of the boats on this section are cruisers, and some of them very large.

 

Last night in Saxilby I counted 9 boats going past, 8 of them, 7 cruisers and 1 narrowboat, went past anything from 4 to 7 mph! I re-tied the ropes 4 times!!

 

Is this just me, or is it normal for this navigation? Ah well, back on the Trent to Keadby in the morning.

Kevin

[rusty69]

There was one a few years back in Brayford pool. 

[Jess--]

5 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

There was one a few years back in Brayford pool. 

but they were quite naughty

[pearley]

Wasn't us honestly.  Nice talking to you last week at Tattershall Bridge. We're leaving Boston today and heading back upstream but doubt if our speed will bother anyone. 6 or 7 cruisers have already left, presumably for Sunday lunch somewhere. Just hope there's room to moor.

Edited August 6, 2017 by pearley

[Naughty Cal]

Wasn't us this time. We are moored in Lincoln for the weekend!

But yes it is quite normal on here and you just get used too it and tie your boat up accordingly. 

ETA: the speed limit is higher on the Witham at 6mph.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Naughty Cal

[Kendorr]

7 minutes ago, pearley said:

Wasn't us honestly.  Nice talking to you last week at Tattershall Bridge. We're leaving Boston today and heading back upstream but doubt if our speed will bother anyone. 6 or 7 cruisers have already left, presumably for Sunday lunch somewhere. Just hope there's room to moor.

Are you sure? :-)

It was nice getting the Brompton out this morning, first day without strong wind for a couple of weeks!

Enjoy the rest of the trip, see you in Thorne if you're ever passing again.

Thanks Cal, think it will be slower on the Chesterfield, which is my next trip :-)

Kevin

[rusty69]

27 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

but they were quite naughty

Phylus in with the details. 

[Alan de Enfield]

33 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

but they were quite naughty

 

5 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Phylus in with the details. 

 

How did they Cal-culate the speed ?

Are you sure the machine was properly Cal-ibrated ?

[Crow]

Have to agree with you on the speed,I was moored at saxilby last night ,other side of railway bridge as all other moorings were full

cooking breakfast was real exciting when large speeding cruisers came past,and another thing why is it that most of the large fibreglass 

boats want there side of river and 1/2 of mine,sooner or later your going to get a great big pointy end bit of metal right through your second Morgage 

[Naughty Cal]

20 minutes ago, Crow said:

Have to agree with you on the speed,I was moored at saxilby last night ,other side of railway bridge as all other moorings were full

cooking breakfast was real exciting when large speeding cruisers came past,and another thing why is it that most of the large fibreglass 

boats want there side of river and 1/2 of mine,sooner or later your going to get a great big pointy end bit of metal right through your second Morgage 

Probably because most of the larger ones are going on for 4ft draft so they can't get too close to the edge!

And I doubt you would hit them. The sewer tubes all seem very nervous of the plastic boats round these parts and dive out of their way far too early. Very funny to watch despite all of the my boats bigger than yours bravado that goes on on here.

1 hour ago, Kev's Halcyon said:

I've just spent the last 10 days travelling from Torksey to Boston and am now in Saxilby ready to go out of Torksey tomorrow. I've been surprised at the amount of speeding boats that I've seen. Now, I know it's a river, but the etiquette of going slow passed moored boats appears to not be adhered to along this waterway. I'm not going to blame cruisers, as most of the boats on this section are cruisers, and some of them very large.

 

Last night in Saxilby I counted 9 boats going past, 8 of them, 7 cruisers and 1 narrowboat, went past anything from 4 to 7 mph! I re-tied the ropes 4 times!!

 

Is this just me, or is it normal for this navigation? Ah well, back on the Trent to Keadby in the morning.

Kevin

I doubt they went past at 7mph. You would know if they did as they would be climbing out onto the plane and the resulting wash would plant you firmly on the flood bank.

[Momac]

15 minutes ago, Crow said:

sooner or later your going to get a great big pointy end bit of metal right through your second Morgage 

That's not nice.

You will always get a bit of wash off a cruiser - many of the larger ones  struggle to go slower than 4.5 knots  unless in and out of gear.

I can't imagine large cruisers  were going particularly fast under the railway bridge at saxilby.

The fossdyke is very shallow and moving over to the side is a lot easier for a narrowboat that is not so deeply  drafted . Most cruisers draw 3 feet or so  and are more prone to overheat if they pick up silt or weed from the canal. This is why they may seem reluctant to move over.

 

 

[Naughty Cal]

2 minutes ago, MartynG said:

That's not nice.

You will always get a bit of wash off a cruiser - many of the larger ones  struggle to go slower than 4.5 knots  unless in and out of gear.

I can't imagine large cruisers  were going particularly fast under the railway bridge at saxilby.

The fossdyke is very shallow and moving over to the side is a lot easier for a narrowboat that is not so deeply  drafted . Most cruisers draw 3 feet or so  and are more prone to overheat if they pick up silt or weed from the canal. This is why they may seem reluctant to move over.

 

 

It's all bravado. He will be petrified of the plastic really.

[rusty69]

The man stood on the sewer tube, fearing for his life. 

 

Petrified by the pointy plastic aiming at his wife. 

 

Hark! , he cried, please desist and slow your vessel down. 

 

Otherwise,  In Brayford pool, we'll all be blooming  drowned! 

Edited August 6, 2017 by rusty69
God, i'm bored sat beneath this crane.Surveyor tomorrow. Hope it doesn't rain!

[Mac of Cygnet]

The wash from cruisers doesn't affect my small (27ft) boat much, but the water skiers at a couple of places on the Trent kick up waves that have me all over the place.  Apparently they have a special dispensation to exceed the speed limits, and boy, do they!

[Naughty Cal]

2 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

The wash from cruisers doesn't affect my small (27ft) boat much, but the water skiers at a couple of places on the Trent kick up waves that have me all over the place.  Apparently they have a special dispensation to exceed the speed limits, and boy, do they!

Yes they have ski permits. Good fun to watch them but choppy on the High Marnham mooring if they are out skiing.

[StephenA]

4 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

The wash from cruisers doesn't affect my small (27ft) boat much, but the water skiers at a couple of places on the Trent kick up waves that have me all over the place.  Apparently they have a special dispensation to exceed the speed limits, and boy, do they!

Its not much fun when the skier drops the line and the boat cuts across you and the line goes under the boat

[john6767]

I think it is normal, we went to Boston last month and found the same.  Mostly it is not a big issue, but near Burton Waters there was even a cruiser on the plane, and that is just ridiculous.

[rusty69]

The yoghurt pot slowed right up and came down off the plane,

The man cried out, thank gawd for that.Don't do that again!

He turned his back, and went inside to have some ice cold beers

When he came out all around were dead water skiers

[Stilllearning]

2 hours ago, MartynG said:

That's not nice.

You will always get a bit of wash off a cruiser - many of the larger ones  struggle to go slower than 4.5 knots  unless in and out of gear.

I can't imagine large cruisers  were going particularly fast under the railway bridge at saxilby.

The fossdyke is very shallow and moving over to the side is a lot easier for a narrowboat that is not so deeply  drafted . Most cruisers draw 3 feet or so  and are more prone to overheat if they pick up silt or weed from the canal. This is why they may seem reluctant to move over.

 

 

Just wondering here, but if a cruiser can struggle to go slower than 4.5 knots, how on earth do they manœuvre for mooring at pontoons etc on windy days?

On the subject of narrowboats being scared of plastic boats, at least in my experience it is that I am very aware of just how much damage 15 tons of steel could do, so it's best to avoid some bright spark swanning apparently oblivious to the danger down the middle of the main channel.

[Naughty Cal]

7 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

Just wondering here, but if a cruiser can struggle to go slower than 4.5 knots, how on earth do they manœuvre for mooring at pontoons etc on windy days?

On the subject of narrowboats being scared of plastic boats, at least in my experience it is that I am very aware of just how much damage 15 tons of steel could do, so it's best to avoid some bright spark swanning apparently oblivious to the danger down the middle of the main channel.

You get used to how your boat handles and get on with it.

As you didn't hit the boat clearly it wasn't a danger. If you don't think you can pass boats on a river perhaps you need a different pass time.

[Tim Lewis]

4 hours ago, Kev's Halcyon said:

I've just spent the last 10 days travelling from Torksey to Boston and am now in Saxilby ready to go out of Torksey tomorrow. I've been surprised at the amount of speeding boats that I've seen. Now, I know it's a river, but the etiquette of going slow passed moored boats appears to not be adhered to along this waterway. I'm not going to blame cruisers, as most of the boats on this section are cruisers, and some of them very large.

 

Last night in Saxilby I counted 9 boats going past, 8 of them, 7 cruisers and 1 narrowboat, went past anything from 4 to 7 mph! I re-tied the ropes 4 times!!

 

Is this just me, or is it normal for this navigation? Ah well, back on the Trent to Keadby in the morning.

Kevin

We went through Saxilby on Fulbourne yesterday afternoon and again this morning but I believe that we slowed down passed all moored boats!

Tim

Edited August 6, 2017 by Tim Lewis

[Naughty Cal]

34 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

We went through Saxilby on Fulbourne yesterday afternoon and again this morning but I believe that we slowed down passed all moored boats!

Tim

Didn't feel our boat move as you can past this morning. We did hear the engine thumping away though whist we were in bed.

[pearley]

All these boats on the Witham but I was surprised to see how empty the Boston moorings were. Just 3 visitors, only 2 of the permanent moorers plus another 2 that are said to be overstayers, though I think one has permission.

Edited August 6, 2017 by pearley

[Naughty Cal]

3 minutes ago, pearley said:

All these boats on the Witham but I was surprised to see how empty the Boston moorings were. Just 3 visitors, only 2 of the permanent moorers plus another 2 thatvare saidvtk be overstayed, though I think one has permission.

A lot of the boats on the Fossdyke can't get under the bridges at Lincoln so the Witham does tend to be much quieter.

[john6767]

6 minutes ago, pearley said:

All these boats on the Witham but I was surprised to see how empty the Boston moorings were. Just 3 visitors, only 2 of the permanent moorers plus another 2 thatvare saidvtk be overstayed, though I think one has permission.

That is about what was in Boston when we were there, I think 4 on the visitor pontoons including us.  We saw very few boats at all on the Witham and most of those were narrowboats and widebeams.