Teenage (and younger) Crew

[Grassman]

 

 

These days I'm seeing more and more boats with children and teenagers sat inside playing with their 'hand helds' while the parents or grandparents are busily working the locks, sometimes struggling with stiff paddles or heavy gates. It's no wonder they get bored.

 

I'd have never let my kids get away with it, and they used to enjoy being involved with both the locking and the steering (standing on an upturned milk crate). When my grandkids are old enough to come on the boat with us I will make sure they do their bit and join in.

[mrsmelly]

1 hour ago, Grassman said:

 

 

These days I'm seeing more and more boats with children and teenagers sat inside playing with their 'hand helds' while the parents or grandparents are busily working the locks, sometimes struggling with stiff paddles or heavy gates. It's no wonder they get bored.

 

I'd have never let my kids get away with it, and they used to enjoy being involved with both the locking and the steering (standing on an upturned milk crate). When my grandkids are old enough to come on the boat with us I will make sure they do their bit and join in.

There is a very sad advert on tv at the moment, I think it is for Giff gaff. It shows a family at home with dad and the various kids etc just sat around giggling to themselves all sat in different areas of the house with a device in their hands on Farcebook or whatever. Not talking at all to each other not " doing stuff " as a family.......this is what we call progress I suppose. So very very sad that companies sell this as a marvellous state of affairs.

[rusty69]

The river nene guillotine locks shouldn't be operated by children according to my book. 

[Peter X]

To state the obvious, children operating gates and paddles and steering a boat have to be properly taught and supervised, and might be legally barred from operating some equipment. For example I think there's a minimum age for employing someone to operate machinery, but whether such restrictions exist for unpaid leisure activities I don't know. What a child is permitted to attempt just comes down to common sense really, but it's desirable and quite possible to get children involved in a safe manner.

For example last week at a lock on the K&A we came across a group of primary school children with a few adults, presumably on a school outing, and got them opening and closing a gate for us. The children all had lifejackets on, and once I'd explained that they all needed to be on the correct side of the beam, it was safe to have them do it. It probably didn't slow our progress, because it saved me walking around the lock. Nobody was going to get sued, and maybe one day one or two of them will talk their parents into hiring a canal boat.

[Hudds Lad]

It is a bit sad, but its the way of the modern world unfortunately.

We limit what our tween can take on the boat, but its still a struggle at times to get her off the phone and helping, then again some of the winding gear just can't be budged by an 11yr old which then leads to her getting disheartened with the whole thing.

Its a fine line between being engaged/involved and the yawning chasm of an immature strop

[David Mack]

A few years ago I had a discussion with our insurers, the outcome of which was they confirmed that a person under the age of 18 cannot operate a boat unsupervised. "Supervised" meant an adult had to be close enough to the steering position to take over in the event of anything occurring. So my son, who was about 16 at the time and far more capable of steering the boat than many adults, was not allowed to even take the boat between locks in a flight unless one of us was also on board - walking alongside on the towpath was not acceptable.

I had my first boat at age 14, and a friend and I used to go away for a few days at a time on it. No idea if it was "legal" then, or if the insurance was valid, but its a shame that children can't do the same now.

 

[Laurie Booth]

13 minutes ago, David Mack said:

I had my first boat at age 14, and a friend and I used to go away for a few days at a time on it. No idea if it was "legal" then, or if the insurance was valid, but its a shame that children can't do the same now.

 

It was illegal.

[mrsmelly]

35 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said:

It was illegal.

That will depend on legislation at the time. As a for instance as recently as when my still alive and kicking mum was a kid girls could marry aged 12 and boys aged 14 with parental consent, nowadays that would be strictly in the peedo zone.

[Laurie Booth]

57 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

That will depend on legislation at the time. As a for instance as recently as when my still alive and kicking mum was a kid girls could marry aged 12 and boys aged 14 with parental consent, nowadays that would be strictly in the peedo zone.

The age of consent for sexual activity in the UK is 16. In England and Wales, the age of sexual consent for women has been set at 16 since 1885, when campaigners fought to raise it from 13 to prevent child prostitution. When was your mother born?

[pete harrison]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

I had my first boat at age 14, and a friend and I used to go away for a few days at a time on it. No idea if it was "legal" then, or if the insurance was valid, but its a shame that children can't do the same now.

The City of Birmingham employed me as a full time boatman when I was 17, and I was responsible for a full length narrow boat motor / butty pair as well as up to twenty children and four staff members (these were camping boats). I got this job because I had been operating narrow pairs, tugs with day boats (B.C.N. joeys) and the likes since I was 10 years old and 'supervision' rarely came into it. Clearly tuition is important, and I am proud to have been taught boating by some of the old boat families who also expected their children to take an active part in keeping their boats on the move.

I am glad I did my boating when I did as nobody was concerned with liability back then, or at least not to the degree that they are now, and although I am casually looking for a boat now I think I might regret it if I buy one as the canals / people have clearly changed a lot.

[WotEver]

5 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said:

The age of consent for sexual activity in the UK is 16. In England and Wales, the age of sexual consent for women has been set at 16 since 1885, when campaigners fought to raise it from 13 to prevent child prostitution. When was your mother born?

My mother, in her later years whilst suffering badly from dementia, told all and sundry that the had my sister when she was only 14 and got married just after her 15th birthday. She was 4 years adrift and no amount of persuasion would shift her from that assertion. 

[Laurie Booth]

15 minutes ago, WotEver said:

My mother, in her later years whilst suffering badly from dementia, told all and sundry that the had my sister when she was only 14 and got married just after her 15th birthday. She was 4 years adrift and no amount of persuasion would shift her from that assertion. 

She could well be telling the truth, I suspect in other times a blind eye was turned. A friend of mine tried to join the army at a recruiting station and gave his true age. The sergeant said with a wink "Come back tomorrow when you will be a year older"

[WotEver]

21 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said:

She could well be telling the truth, I suspect in other times a blind eye was turned.

Whilst I'm sure you're correct about the blind eye my mum was born in '29 and my sister in '48, so in this case my mum was definitely confused. 

[Hudds Lad]

54 minutes ago, WotEver said:

My mother, in her later years whilst suffering badly from dementia, told all and sundry that the had my sister when she was only 14 and got married just after her 15th birthday. She was 4 years adrift and no amount of persuasion would shift her from that assertion. 

Have been going through similar with my Mum for the last 6 or 7 years, although not so much now as she struggles to use real words, but she told tales of babies being taken away from her in her youth which just plainly are not true. It's was easier to agree or play along as that was less upsetting for her than correcting her, even though some things she said could be very hurtful or indeed believed by those who didn't know her condition.

It's a horrible illness that's touching more and more families nowadays, having had grandparents and a parent now fall victim to it I can't help wonder what lies in store for me in the future, perhaps a trip to Switzerland if I realise i'm a burden.

[DHutch]

Mad eh? I was encouraged to get stuck in from an early age.

Bearly out of my teens when I first took the boat out with just by freinds who had never boated before, and believe you me as it's a steam boat it wasn't me steering. Care was taken to ensure they where competent and loosely overseen, but there are also a lot getting stuck in.

 

Daniel

[WotEver]

You're right. Hard as it may be, agreeing with the sufferer is less stressful for all concerned. In the long run. My wife was constantly saying gently to me "Just let it go..". When I did everyone was happier. 

37 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

It's was easier to agree or play along as that was less upsetting for her than correcting her, even though some things she said could be very hurtful or indeed believed by those who didn't know her condition.

 

[Detling]

I had my first boat at 14 years old a Mirror dinghy and my self and my friends in their Mirror used to sail it on the Bristol channel from Barry Yacht Club. When we were 16, the coastguard rang the club to ask them to tell us off, we were out in a force 6-7 planing like the clappers and having great fun. We sailed into the harbour later to be congratulated by for keeping the right way up. And yes the boat was insured and it was legal for us to sail it alone but then this was the sea and not a ditch.  We also went out on the lifeboat after we were 16, in whatever the channel could throw at us, 30 foot waves and green water washing over the decks.  Modern kids have no idea of the fun we had.

[system 4-50]

Playing happily with my almost 2 year old granddaughter yesterday until she caught sight of somebody's Ipad, then it was wailling and exclamations of "ipad", "ipad". Her parents carefully kept her away from electronic toys but unfortunately used a babysitter who let her play with one. Instant addiction. She only has a dozen words and one of them is - Ipad.

[mrsmelly]

4 hours ago, Laurie.Booth said:

The age of consent for sexual activity in the UK is 16. In England and Wales, the age of sexual consent for women has been set at 16 since 1885, when campaigners fought to raise it from 13 to prevent child prostitution. When was your mother born?

The age for marriage only went up in 1929 to 16 with and 18 without parental consent. My mum was born in 1920 when a girl of 12 and a boy aged 14 were the ages for marriage with parental consent.

[Philip]

It's a shame one or two boaters don't think "they'd rather be off the boat having fun working the lock than stuck on the boat in the chamber bored stiff" when they come across single-handed boaters at locks. Some people are genuinely trying to be helpful, but others get snappy and annoyed when I insist I'd rather work the lock through enjoyment, than stay onboard.

[DHutch]

I always get kids on the lockside to help out, with some form of parental consent of present, and always in public view. You have to have an eye to how wrong could it go and where you stand legally, but you also can't restrict everything from happening for fear of falling fowl of guidelines.

 

Daniel

[DHutch]

8 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

I had my first boat at age 14, and a friend and I used to go away for a few days at a time on it. No idea if it was "legal" then, or if the insurance was valid, but its a shame that children can't do the same now.

 

 

8 hours ago, Laurie.Booth said:

It was illegal.

Would be interesting to know when all this did actually come in.

 

Daniel

[Mike Todd]

1 hour ago, DHutch said:

I always get kids on the lockside to help out, with some form of parental consent of present, and always in public view. You have to have an eye to how wrong could it go and where you stand legally, but you also can't restrict everything from happening for fear of falling fowl of guidelines.

 

Daniel

Me too! I actually think that this is a really important thing to do as when people, youngsters especially, feel involved then they are just a little less likely to trash it later on. 

Coming down the Rochdale None today we had at least three families with small children. The youngsters enjoyed being given tasks to help almost as much as their parents did watching them (and videoing them on their phones!)

One thing which I do try to do is to have a quiet word with the parents to suggest that they get them to wash their hands before eating especially if they have been handling ropes.

[Rose Narrowboats]

First time I was left alone on a boat was coming up Stoke Locks and I suddenly realised that everyone else was either setting ahead or closing up behind. I felt quite proud to be trusted like that at the age of 7.

I could single hand a boat by the time I was 10 but the first time I was allowed to take the boat away for an extended trip was when I was 14, and I know this was approved by our insurers as there were various conditions (some of which I'm also pretty sure where made up by the old folks) including no boating in the dark.

Several weeks after I'd got back the old man said "I hear you got round Hawkesbury in one, son - well done." I didn't really know how to reply to this as it was perfectly true, but occurred at 1am......

We find with the hire fleet that teenagers often make better steerers than adults, I think because they don't have any preconceptions (or ego?) and don't expect/want the boat to handle like a car.

 

[DHutch]

1 hour ago, Mike Todd said:

Me too! I actually think that this is a really important thing to do as when people, youngsters especially, feel involved then they are just a little less likely to trash it later on. 

 

So important. I don't wash my hands before eating let alone tell others however....

20 minutes ago, Rose Narrowboats said:

 I didn't really know how to reply to this as it was perfectly true, but occurred at 1am......

Cracking!

Better than my going round Fradley Jn one time then, got chatting coming down out of the locks, totally missed the start of the turn, extra boat moored on the outside of the junction, ran out of space. 

I meant it because I understand it was yourselves that re-welded the bow locker lid after I popped the weld/hinge. Still, got to Sutton stop about the time you did!

 

Daniel