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6 minutes ago, American boater newbie said:

What a joy to wake up to all these helpful, kind, funny and practical answers.  To summarize so far (in no particular order)

1. Slow down, especially when passing moored boats.  Slow down to enjoy the canal.  Slow down (this is my goal for the trip)

2. Read the Nicholson guide (downloaded and read it last night)

3. Don't waste the water in the locks by emptying without a boat in it, unless there is no-one in sight

4. Don't moor in places where others need to go - such as water stops, winding holes

5. Take turns at bridges and tunnels (notify waiting boats if you have a boat immediately following)

6. Be prepared for some humiliation on keeping the boat going straight (I've read the zigzag thread)

7. Do the homework - watch the canal trust videos https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/a-guide-to-boating/boaters-handbook (done)

8. Learn how to use and protect the locks - paddles etc.

9. "Drive" on the right

10.  Pay Mike the Boilerman 10 Pounds per lock + 20% VAT and hope that he buys everyone some warm beer when he gets back from the Seychelles

Thanks again - can't wait to get out there in June 2018.  We'll warn you before we get going :captain:

As I believe they say in your fair land, "You got it!"

 

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4 minutes ago, American boater newbie said:

Be prepared for some humiliation on keeping the boat going straight (I've read the zigzag thread

Hi a useful bit of advice which has helped me in my quest to go in a straight line .."if you DON'T want to hit something point the tiller at it ! " this works for me :D

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I'd add, Don't assume the opening hours for wherever you are aiming for. This is England (mostly). For example, researched the Secret Bunker at H??? Green. Arrived at 14:50 to be greeted by "we're closing at 15:00. Yes, our scheduled closing time is 17:00 but we're closing at 15:00 today. No, you can't take a quick peek."

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And don't take it for granted that you can get a meal in a pub Sunday evenings. Some pubs serve Sunday Roast at lunchtime/early afternoon, and then close the kitchen. Our first Sunday dinner out hiring ended in self-cooked pasta on board. But do try to have a Sunday Roast somewhere nice!

Edited by Sally Grim
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Don't judge a book (or a boat or a boater) by its cover, but take people as you find them. Most, but sadly not all, boaters are generous folk who will help you in any way they can. Some of the kindest people I've come across have been those that on dry land I would instinctively turn away from. 

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1 hour ago, American boater newbie said:

What a joy to wake up to all these helpful, kind, funny and practical answers.  To summarize so far (in no particular order)

1. Slow down, especially when passing moored boats.  Slow down to enjoy the canal.  Slow down (this is my goal for the trip)

2. Read the Nicholson guide (downloaded and read it last night)

3. Don't waste the water in the locks by emptying without a boat in it, unless there is no-one in sight

4. Don't moor in places where others need to go - such as water stops, winding holes

5. Take turns at bridges and tunnels (notify waiting boats if you have a boat immediately following)

6. Be prepared for some humiliation on keeping the boat going straight (I've read the zigzag thread)

7. Do the homework - watch the canal trust videos https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/a-guide-to-boating/boaters-handbook (done)

8. Learn how to use and protect the locks - paddles etc.

9. "Drive" on the right

10.  Pay Mike the Boilerman 10 Pounds per lock + 20% VAT and hope that he buys everyone some warm beer when he gets back from the Seychelles

Thanks again - can't wait to get out there in June 2018.  We'll warn you before we get going :captain:

Just a bit of clarification, you don't want to keep to the right of the channel in normal cruising.  Canals are generally saucer shaped and the centre is usually the place to be, and definitely on the upper reaches of the Llangollen.  An experienced canal boater would maintain his/her course along the centre of the channel until meeting an oncoming boat, then move slightly to the right/starboard leaving just enough room for the other boat to pass safely.  You might well find that a "working" boat or a deep draughted boat might be reluctant to give up too much of the centre channel but there's often more space than you think so don't panic.  

 

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when passing an oncoming boat be ready to be pushed away as your bows pass each other and then sucked back towards the middle of the canal as your sterns pass each other.

don't do what a boat I was following last week did, every time a boat approached them they took their boat out of gear and then wondered why they ended up sideways across the canal (after the 5th time you would have hoped they would have learnt)

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10 hours ago, Neil2 said:

 

10 hours ago, Neil2 said:

 

Another "Wally" thing (you know what a "Wally" is in the UK?) 

It has Harry Potter glasses, a red and white stripped top and blue trousers, and is usually well hidden. Known to Americans as a "Waldo".

Edited by David Mack
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7 hours ago, American boater newbie said:

 

9. "Drive" on the right

Drive in the middle, pass on the right. Amd when you meet an oncoming boat don:t be too hasty to move over - its easier you you wait until the boats are a couple of lengths apart, and then you 'dance" around each other. A couple of feet between the boats is fine. If you aim for a large separation one of you will go aground or get stuck in overhanging trees. And don't panic amd throw the boat intp reverse when you see the oncomer. That WILL put you across the canal and cause a collision.

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On 10/10/2017 at 12:13, cuthound said:

When helping another boatthrough a lock, always check with the steerer that it's OK before opening a paddle.

 

^^^^ This ^^^^

I wholeheartedly agree. As a single hander someone winding a paddle up (especially fully) before I realise they are about to really winds me up too, so to speak.

This only applies BTW when in an empty lock going uphill by the way as the turbulence and/or draw from a fierce paddle can really knock the boat about.

Going downhill however, the faster lock gets emptied the better. Which leads me to another irritating thing. Boaters barely cracking open one paddle and taking 20 minutes to empty/fill a lock when I'm waiting to use it.

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7 hours ago, system 4-50 said:

I'd add, Don't assume the opening hours for wherever you are aiming for. This is England (mostly). For example, researched the Secret Bunker at H??? Green. Arrived at 14:50 to be greeted by "we're closing at 15:00. Yes, our scheduled closing time is 17:00 but we're closing at 15:00 today. No, you can't take a quick peek."

 

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NEVER LEAVE A WINDLASS UNATTENDED IN THE LOCK MECHANISM it can fly off !

usually you standby the paddle mechanism in case you are asked to close paddles if something goes wrong.

KEEP BOAT OFF THE CILL [SILL] as boat could get hung up

Edited by LadyG
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29 minutes ago, LadyG said:

KEEP BOAT OFF THE CILL [SILL] as boat could get hung up

This only applies when going down in a lock. 

Most (All? ) locks have a call marker line that you need to keep the boat ahead of until the lock has emptied far enough to see the actual cill. 

It is good practice to keep an eye on the boat going up or down in a lock to make sure it has not snagged on anything (the gate, protruding underwater masonry etc). If snagged only one end of the boat will rise or fall and if not corrected, will sink the boat.

Best to have a pre-arranged signal to alert those operating the paddles to IMMEDIATLEY close then if a boat snags. I use a long blast of the horn. 

Closing the paddles stops things getting worse and allows you to think what to do next. The corrective action is usually to open the paddles at the other end of the lock slowly, and allow the lock to  fill/empty until the boat is level again and floating free. Then carry on locking as normal.

Sinking a boat in a lock is a very rare event, almost always caused by inattention of those locking the boat. As long as you are aware of the potential to sink, and the corrective action, then you will be ok.

Edited by cuthound
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3 hours ago, cuthound said:

This only applies when going down in a lock. 

Most (All? ) locks have a call marker line that you need to keep the boat ahead of until the lock has emptied far enough to see the actual cill. 

It is good practice to keep an eye on the boat going up or down in a lock to make sure it has not snagged on anything (the gate, protruding underwater masonry etc). If snagged only one end of the boat will rise or fall and if not corrected, will sink the boat.

Best to have a pre-arranged signal to alert those operating the paddles to IMMEDIATLEY close then if a boat snags. I use a long blast of the horn. 

Closing the paddles stops things getting worse and allows you to think what to do next. The corrective action is usually to open the paddles at the other end of the lock slowly, and allow the lock to  fill/empty until the boat is level again and floating free. Then carry on locking as normal.

Sinking a boat in a lock is a very rare event, almost always caused by inattention of those locking the boat. As long as you are aware of the potential to sink, and the corrective action, then you will be ok.

 

Keeping boats off the cill hardly fits the question posed by the OP (in the thread title).

Although I grant you, newbies sinking their boats in locks although extremely rare IS quite annoying if one is next in the queue to use the lock. 

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22 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Keeping boats off the cill hardly fits the question posed by the OP (in the thread title).

Although I grant you, newbies sinking their boats in locks although extremely rare IS quite annoying if one is next in the queue to use the lock. 

LadyG raised the topic of cilling a boat. I thought that it deserved expansion once it had been raised. After all knowing of a risk but not knowing what to do to minimise it isnt particularly helpful.

I also took the opportunity to put the risk into perspective, so as not to scare any newbies.

 

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40 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Keeping boats off the cill hardly fits the question posed by the OP (in the thread title).

Although I grant you, newbies sinking their boats in locks although extremely rare IS quite annoying if one is next in the queue to use the lock. 

Some years ago, I was towing a disabled boat down the South Oxford. We had got the 'motor' through the top lock at Marston Doles, but held the 'butty' back to allow BW to bring a dredger down. Mistake!!

They managed to catch the square stern on the rounded brickwork below the cill, and the bow dipped under the water! Total disaster was only averted by stuffing the spud legs down and lifting the boat up again, but by this time is was so full of water that they were concerned it would turn turtle if they removed it from the restraints of the lock walls. We waited a long time while they faffed around with two electric bilge pumps that didn't work, and then found a manual pump which allowed them to pump out enough water (eventually) to float the thing out into the pound.

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Regarding the sound signals (page 53 of the handbook ).
What it calls an extra long blast... that would be at least 5 seconds long. So a 'normal' blast would be less than that.
Also pretty much anyone you meet wont know them.
I was approaching a blind bend with a bridge, I gave 1 long blast (over 5 seconds) & then immediately my missus who was at the front told me there's a boat coming. I then heard 3 short blasts from said boat which I couldnt see, so I kept going. The idiot crashed into me hard, & then he want all apoplectic on me "didn't you hear me tooting my horn" (& lots of swearing & other stuff), but basically those 3 short blasts told me he was either going backwards or trying to stop, he then did the exact opposite of what he signalled.

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12 hours ago, Ssscrudddy said:

Regarding the sound signals (page 53 of the handbook ).
What it calls an extra long blast... that would be at least 5 seconds long. So a 'normal' blast would be less than that.
Also pretty much anyone you meet wont know them.
I was approaching a blind bend with a bridge, I gave 1 long blast (over 5 seconds) & then immediately my missus who was at the front told me there's a boat coming. I then heard 3 short blasts from said boat which I couldnt see, so I kept going. The idiot crashed into me hard, & then he want all apoplectic on me "didn't you hear me tooting my horn" (& lots of swearing & other stuff), but basically those 3 short blasts told me he was either going backwards or trying to stop, he then did the exact opposite of what he signalled.

too much knowledge is a dangerous thing.

 

let's face it, on inland waterways, away from commercial traffic, a horn is just an alert - not a means of sending a message; anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

Edited by Murflynn
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Don't only slow down if you see the boatowner on the boat, slowdown in case they are upside down under the deck with the weed hatch open...

engage with others it oils the wheels regardless of how scruffy their boat is. A smile a nod or a word...

. They May have a million pounds in the bank an Audi and a house in suburbia, or a rusty bike and be in debt to the coal boat, but if you have engaged first they are far more likely to help you if you need it.

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  • 3 weeks later...

To help with basic boat handling:

1. The boat will only steer when you have power on, in the forward direction.  Doesn't have to be much power, but it does have to be forwards.  In tight spots, it pays to come in as slowly as possible and then use quick bursts of power with the rudder fully over to steer, using reverse to slow down inbetween if necessary.  With practice it's possible to get the boat turning and let it continue the turn whilst putting it in reverse. "Pumping" the rudder can sometimes help you to turn more sharply.

2. When steering, the boat will pivot roughly around the middle.  It's therefore essential to allow space for both the pointy end and blunt end to swing when turning.

3. High winds can be a real nuisance, in general slightly more power is often the answer, even though it's more inuitive to back off.

4.  Contrary to popular advice, boating ISN'T a contact sport.  However it's a very inexact game and the only way to learn is to start.  No-one minds if you're trying your best to avoid a collision but end up nudging another boat gently becuase you've run out of options / luck / skill.  Just try to do it as slowly as possible (i.e. while making considerable effort not to make contact at all) and say sorry if necessary. There's nothing more British than everyone saying sorry to each other over an event that was pure random bad luck. 

5. Tea should be used for bribery purposes prior to 12 noon, beer thereafter. 

 

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1 hour ago, Dyertribe said:

Rule No1: Enjoy!!!!

Indeed, and as for going slow and slow.......

Only when you need to, nothing is more annoying than getting stuck behind a boat going slow, losing control as a result.

A brisk walking pace is fine in most situations, to gauge this watch the bank and imagine yourself walking along it. If you don't want to go as fast as a boat following you that is fine leave them to it, find a place to tuck yourself in and wave them past. You will probably catch them up at the next lock or swing/lift bridge anyway.

Ed - Oh and ready yourself for the inevitible shouts of 'SLOW DOWN' even when doing an appropriate speed, some boaters see hire boats and just shout it in Pavlovian fashion.

Edited by MJG
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2 hours ago, Dyertribe said:

Rule No1: Enjoy!!!!

Sorry I have to disagree there;

Rule No1: if you are in the pub and happen to meet anyone who owns a green boat, it is customary to buy them beer :D

I believe it is a tradition or an old charter or something 

 

Edited by Bewildered
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