What a difference a day makes - there we were discussing with (new boater) Rob how one of the (many) pleasures of living life on the cut was the fabulous spirit of the boating community and how we all looked out for each other and that there were very few exceptions - that'll teach me to be a cocky, complacent little bugger then! We just met two exceptions in two days.
We set off yesterday from the top of the Buckby flight, breaking ice again, but someone had already gone through before us and done the first break ....they had also left both bottom gates and some of the paddles open. Now those bottom gates are very heavy and if, nasty man, you are too wimpy to shut them and too wimpy to drop a paddle, then PLEASE GET OFF THE CUT, because I am 8 1/2 stone and, with difficulty, managed it. Yes, I am cross and, yes, I am pissed off with you. Those 7 locks took us most of the day.
Conversely, we pulled up at the end of a line of winter moorings - at the invitation of the last in line who pointed out the vacancy and had just lagged the tap - just before the waterpoint. Now THAT's what I call pole position at this time in the year. Lovely boaters back again.
Then we woke up this morning to NB Stafford roaring through the line of boats breaking ice and with a big building sheet of ice on his bow scoring a slice down everyones boat. When asked to slow down (not just by us) he told everyone to piss off and get a life - perhaps I SHOULD go and live in a bungalow.....selfish, rotten b******s.
Yeah, there are pics but too angry to be bothered
I would tell you to be calm, but I've spent the day being cross myself (at vet things) and not dealing with it!
ReplyDeleteThere's always one (or two) - just read back through your blog and remind yourself of all the good encounters you've had this year!
Regards to all on board
Sue, nb Indigo Dream
So Stafford is outed - better than a missile, house brick for instance, to the back of the head but probably not as satisfying....
ReplyDeleteXX Chin up
Lesley
Lesley, my little Rottweiler, I could have done with you xx
ReplyDeleteSue, what have the hounds done now and why, as the main source of their income, is the vet winding you up? Are you OK or should I ring?
ReplyDeleteDogs are ok, just the continuing saga of trying to find out what is happening with Lou's kidneys. It has been an expensive and somewhat fruitless day but on the other hand there is no drastic bad news so we should be happy.
ReplyDeleteRichard
I wonder if it was the same git steering it as the one in Atherstone back in September? Always assuming it is the same nb.stafford of course.
ReplyDeleteKath
nb.bobcat
Isn't it a pity when just one person spoils everything? A nice glass of wine will help.
ReplyDeleteHave a good Christmas
Kath (nb Herbie)
Im at a bit of a loss here. Why was it Ok for you and the boat before you to ice break, but when you were moored up NB Stafford shouldnt have been breaking the ice?
ReplyDeleteYou cant have it both ways!!
Naughty-Cal
Naughty-Cal, I have NO problem with ANYone breaking the ice. What I have a problem with is someone picking up sheets of ice (unbroken) because they are going so fast and then ramming it down a long line of boats at high speed because they are too inconsiderate to take 2 minutes out of their lives to slow down.As always, it's about speed.
ReplyDeleteKath (Bobcat)I take it you had a problem too
ReplyDeleteKath (Herbie) It took 2 glasses of wine...or was it 3..I can't remember
I can't see what the panic is about, nobody was injured and no damage caused. Just one boatman breaking ice. If you are precious about your hull then may I suggest you use ice boards in the winter as wooden hulled boats do to protect from crashing ice. Stafford is operated by the SMWT fleet who have been operating deep drafted boats as a company for over 40 years. The combined experience of the captains rolls into hundreds of years. I am not defending any actions here mainly publishing facts
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas
Kind of you to offer comfort Jill when you're having your own frustrations.
ReplyDeleteNo need to ring - am feeling much better now - I just had a 'moment' after paying a £950 bill to a specialist vet for repeating the tests that our own vet had done (much cheaper) just a few months ago. Covered by insurance so not a complete disaster!
Regards
Sue, nb Indigo Dream
It may well appear that in fact Stafford wasn't going all that fast but just displacing a lot of water as it draws near 3ft
ReplyDeleteStill after over 40 years on the cut I find there are people that accept that boats can and do move , working or ex-working boats move more water than clone craft or the majority of people who moan about water movement and or speed are simply incapable of tying their boat properly
No I am not the owner or steerer of Stafford just somebody who has to put up with this sort of mindless ranting on a regular basis
Happy Christmas and have a chilled new year
xx
Chris
(On a boat near you)
Anonymous, shame I don't know who is talking to me. Hundreds of years of combined experience, to my mind,,doesn't negate the need for good manners and consideration. There you go; it'ld be a dull old world if we all felt the way. Happy Xmas
ReplyDeleteChris, if you are on a 'boat near me' you could have come and had the debate. I'm sorry that you don't like my thoughts on the blog, but you don't have to read them. Working boats such as Gosty, Victoria and Towcester come and go, laden and unladen without causing so much aggro - it's not about draft; just manners.
ReplyDeleteI feel for you, those lock gates are almost impossible for me to as well. We have been on that flight also when boaters have not bothered doing the gates, they have a couldn't care attitude.
ReplyDeleteToo many of them now on the cut we have noticed a big difference over the last couple of years, some boaters don't give a toss.
Had a boat past us a couple of days ago going back to his mooring after being on the waterpoint a couple of days(That was OK, he would move if anyone wanted water. He was doing a pure minimum speed and looking at the boats he was passing. He did not move one bit of ice by our boat, just cut a little strip where he was.
Happy Christmas to you both too..
you talk about manners, well how about people having the good grace to tie up their own boats properly and also accept that they are in a restricted channel and that a passing boat will make the moored boat move, if the passing boat had made no effort to slow down then fine but just because in your opinion it had not slowed down enough you think that gives you the right to complain, well get a life and learn to live with it instead of moaning, or move off the cut!
ReplyDeleteChris
Sue, those gates are heavy. I have no probs with people moving in the ice, just as you say it's all a matter of speed and showing consideration. Merry Christmas and happy 2012 boating.
ReplyDeleteMay I just make a comment, the Buckby Flight is notorious for the bottom gates opening after a boat has descended.
ReplyDeleteIt happened to us last year, after leaving the locks going south and closing the lock gates by the time we were half way to the next one they had opened again. We returned to close them but they opened again in the end we gave up.
If I may throw in my two bits from across the pond. I have had several wonderful vacations on hire boats on the canals of England. In my opinion, common courtesy says if I am doing something to damage other peoples property, I need to change what I am doing somehow. Just my humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteGreg
Mrs. BadlyIroned BadlyIroned Well it would appear that nothing has changed since I left boating some 14 years ago. A small amount of ignorant Boaters still complain about boats moving too fast ! You need to realise that a boat that is displacing over 3 ft of water al...ong 72 ft (and that’s unloaded !) always appears to be moving faster than it is because of the water it is displacing. And, there is always somebody on these highly painted moored boats ready to shout their disapproval! It is such a good job that Stafford wasn't loaded as there would have been a further displacement of water ! Perhaps you should be looking to your mooring and the manner you are tied up ? Looking back to the New Year when a party of us was completely iced in at Bugbrook, we were there for a full week. Radio Northampton came out to see us and each day there was a dialog of how we were coping. Look North even joined us. When eventually we did break free all the boats were so pleased to see us as we created the necessary channel for them to move. Their boats would not cope with the thickness of the ice. Nobody complained about speeding boats then, just lots of praise. You need to look at your way of life and remember why you are there; you are sharing a life-style not owning it ! Stop complaining and learn to relax into your surroundings. You just never know when you will need help ....
ReplyDeleteMrs. Badly Ironed
Well if nb Stafford, well its steerer, has damaged the blacking on the craft moored there the obvious sollution is for all the agreived parties to send them a bill for the refurbishment.
ReplyDeleteMooring adjacent to the water tap at Weedon is a place where the bottom is close to the top. If you where experienced boaters you would understand that a deep draughted boat "pulls" more water than a pleasure craft. Hence the movement you experienced. Try mooring somewhere else in future away from shallow water. Wonder how long you and your fellow moorers will be mooring there. Remember its only a five day mooring for water and supplies.
ReplyDelete"Live and let Live". I've never seen any permanent damage from thin ice. maybe a quick hull blacking in the spring. whats the problem???
Keith, yes it does happen (although Cracking a top paddle for a few moments stops it), but can you explain how the paddles wound themselves up
ReplyDeleteMrs Badly Ironed, you are not actually reading what I wrote-I'm not a permanent moorer; the poor people you have just maligned have winter moorings. NB Stafford can't be loaded - she is a domestic up for sale. Yes we get stuck too 55 nights last year and 32 the year before. We don't have a mooring; we travel
ReplyDeleteGreg, your comments, as everyone elses, are always welcome. We are only talking common sense.
ReplyDeleteRoger, it's just a 'dear diary' moan about lack of manners - I didn't expect the world to go nuts. Mind you, it's a bit flattering to realise how many people are reading my thoughts and opinions!
ReplyDeleteAnon, the one talking about Weedon being a 5 day mooring - we were there 3 nights and if you can't give me your name....
ReplyDeleteOffend or please keep telling it how you see it. Your blog and your views.
ReplyDeleteHappy Xmas Les, hope your ankle is better
ReplyDelete