BCN Moorons

[nicknorman]

Is the BCN the new KandA? We were behind 2 boats on the mainline heading for Wolverhampton. Next stop factory locks where we’d have to wait while they ascended. So I suggested we take a sharp right at Bromford Jn and go up Spon Lane locks, and race them to the top of factory (well not race really, just interested to see if we’d get there before the second boat!)

its quite an acute right turn but not that difficult normally. But this time it was made harder because there was a boat on the lock landing (which is pretty much on the Jn) and another boat breasted up to it. It seems inconsiderate to mooron a junction and to mooron a lock landing and to mooron another boat that is already causing an obstruction. The boats were well ensconced with loads of stuff all arranged on the towpath and against the roving bridge wall.

The dreadlocked youngish guy appeared and I pointed out that to mooron a lock landing with a breasted up boat and to mooron a tight junction wasn’t a good idea. He said he wasn’t on the lock landing, which was nearer the lock. Which was odd because he was fully on the row of white bollards (bow and stern) and there were only two in front of him with the rest of the space a somewhat collapsing wall. Needless to say he became abusive, lots of 4-letter words, but then I’ve heard them all before! I decided he was probably a mooron.

 

[Timx]

Well done for saying something, and not letting him ruin your day.

[Athy]

Not necessarily in this context, but I do like Mr. N's word "mooron" - have you the copyright on that one, Nick?

Edited November 15, 2017 by Athy

[BWM]

It certainly is a spectacularly stupid and inconsiderate place to moor, a lot of it going on nowadays.

[nicknorman]

2 minutes ago, Athy said:

Not necessarily in this context, but I do like Me. N's word "mooron" - have you the copyright on that one, Nick?

I originally coined a slightly different phrase on the other channel - “ Continuous Mooron” - do I have to copyright this one too?

[haggis]

They were there when we were up that way a week or so ago so they have probably taken up residence for the winter. Looks like it form the stuff on the towpath
haggis

[Rob-M]

Need to get a pair of full length working boats like Atlas and Malus or Scorpio and Leo to swing round the junction. That may highlight the error of their ways.

[mark99]

lol re "Mooron".

 

Very autological. Top man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[nicknorman]

16 minutes ago, haggis said:

They were there when we were up that way a week or so ago so they have probably taken up residence for the winter. Looks like it form the stuff on the towpath
haggis

Well I’ve mentioned it to Annette Vaughan. Of course she then asked me if I had the boats names/numbers which I didn’t, because I was too busy negotiating the junction and “interacting” with the mooron. Although I don’t recall seeing any names or numbers anyway.

We did see a few liveaboard-type boats moored in unusual places on the main line today. This is generally a good thing as it helps to make the BCN more usable. And tbh I don’t particularly care if they overstay, there is plenty of room. But not if they moor in mooronic places like junctions and lock landings.

We did traverse the entire KandA twice this summer and the only boat moored on a lock landing was one that had broken down, RCR on the way. Perhaps the usual residents have all come to the BCN for winter?

Edited October 24, 2017 by nicknorman

[Peter X]

Went round that corner last year (down the Spon Lane locks then left for Birmingham) on Nuneaton & Brighton, loaded. No moored boat there then, but we ran aground for a while on a sandbar which seemed to be right across the canal below the lock.

[nicknorman]

27 minutes ago, Timx said:

Well done for saying something, and not letting him ruin your day.

No, I’m pretty thick skinned! We came down the Wolverhampton 21 in slick fashion, 2:25 despite about 2/3rds of the locks against us. But virtually no traffic hence the swiftness. Not that canaling is a racing sport, but I do find being expeditious and efficient rewarding, so it has been a “good day” not spoilt by a mooron. And it didn’t really rain significantly despite the forecast!

[Rob-M]

The last time I came in and out of the Icknield Port loop there was a cruiser moored just before the junction, made it a bit difficult to get a good line to come out on to the main line keeping tight to the bank in case something was coming.

[john6767]

To be honest I never go near that Lock landing is is very shallow there and the crap you stir up is gross.  Drop your lock crew off on the Main Line and they can cross the turnover bridge and you can hover while they get the lock ready.  Much faster that way!

[mrsmelly]

15 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Well I’ve mentioned it to Annette Vaughan. Of course she then asked me if I had the boats names/numbers which I didn’t, because I was too busy negotiating the junction and “interacting” with the mooron. Although I don’t recall seeing any names or numbers anyway.

We did see a few liveaboard-type boats

If you mention to Ms Vaughan that it was the same boats that were there last week and will be there next week etc etc she can go and find out for herself...............fat chance!!

What does a " Liveaboard-type boat " look like?

[Victor Vectis]

Dreadlocks apparently.

Perhaps you need to grow some Tim!

[nicknorman]

20 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

If you mention to Ms Vaughan that it was the same boats that were there last week and will be there next week etc etc she can go and find out for herself...............fat chance!!

What does a " Liveaboard-type boat " look like?

Usually full of scruffy people with cheapo batteries that don’t work properly!

But actually, if you want a sensible answer, you can’t tell that a boat is not a live-aboard, but you can tell if it is. To do with the amount of clutter everywhere. Not everyone has a spic and span roof like you do!

6 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Dreadlocks apparently.

Perhaps you need to grow some Tim!

I don’t think the boat had dreadlocks, but I might have missed them.

Edited October 24, 2017 by nicknorman

[mrsmelly]

17 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Dreadlocks apparently.

Perhaps you need to grow some Tim!

[Victor Vectis]

Dreads that is.

Not something(s) else.

(Just for clarification, you understand)

[JamesFrance]

You don't grow them, if you never wash or brush your hairs for a few years that is the result.

 

[tree monkey]

7 minutes ago, JamesFrance said:

You don't grow them, if you never wash or brush your hairs for a few years that is the result.

 

Worked for me, mind you last I saw them they were in a sainsbury carrier bag

[JamesWoolcock]

7 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Is the BCN the new KandA? We were behind 2 boats on the mainline heading for Wolverhampton. Next stop factory locks where we’d have to wait while they ascended. So I suggested we take a sharp right at Bromford Jn and go up Spon Lane locks, and race them to the top of factory (well not race really, just interested to see if we’d get there before the second boat!)

its quite an acute right turn but not that difficult normally. But this time it was made harder because there was a boat on the lock landing (which is pretty much on the Jn) and another boat breasted up to it. It seems inconsiderate to mooron a junction and to mooron a lock landing and to mooron another boat that is already causing an obstruction. The boats were well ensconced with loads of stuff all arranged on the towpath and against the roving bridge wall.

The dreadlocked youngish guy appeared and I pointed out that to mooron a lock landing with a breasted up boat and to mooron a tight junction wasn’t a good idea. He said he wasn’t on the lock landing, which was nearer the lock. Which was odd because he was fully on the row of white bollards (bow and stern) and there were only two in front of him with the rest of the space a somewhat collapsing wall. Needless to say he became abusive, lots of 4-letter words, but then I’ve heard them all before! I decided he was probably a mooron.

 

These boats were tied there on 5th October, blue boat on the the Main Line just to the left of the finger post in your pic, the other opposite side to where they are shown, or maybe further towards the lock.

So they've moved!

Wow!

RH boat in your pic is a Licenced Trader.

James

[Iain_S]

Wouldn't Brades have been shorter/quicker?

[StephenA]

5 hours ago, JamesWoolcock said:

RH boat in your pic is a Licenced Trader.

James

So they really should know better....

[john6767]

5 hours ago, Iain_S said:

Wouldn't Brades have been shorter/quicker?

Yes, but he would have had to follow the 2 boats for another mile.

[nicknorman]

5 hours ago, Iain_S said:

Wouldn't Brades have been shorter/quicker?

Yes. I wasn’t sure by how much at the time, but I’ve just put it into Canalplan and got

mainline Bromford Jn To factory Jn 3m 4f

via Brades 4m 3.75f

va Spon Lane 4m 7.25f

So an extra 1/2 mile via Spon Lane

But a factor was that the bottom gates of the lock could be seen to be slightly open as we passed before the junction, and indeed the 3 locks were all fully empty. As it was, when we arrived at factory Jn the top lock was 1/2 empty so either they were very slow up the first two locks (very unlikely) or they had both turned off for Netherton or stopped for lunch. Anyway, it was fun and a bit of a challenge to make the turn out of Spon Lane top lock in the wind tunnel under the motorway!