Barge skippers

[Daydream believer]

I do not know who let them out, but this weekend someone released barges from Maldon to have a "race",
One such barge- who shall remain nameless, but we at SSC know who- decided to wipe out the limit mark at our start line & deposit it, complete with its 1 ton sinker in the fairway in the river. It was not as if it could not be seen. We have had a race mark there since the year dot. I placed the current one 3 years ago. It stands about 4 ft 6 ins high & is is blue.
Then to demonstrate that they do not look where they are going - or if they do , that they do not care a jot. Another barge returning decided to run in to it & drag it a bit the other way.
Do they know how to sail a barge. It cannot be that hard if a dog & a boy can do it.
We now have the problem of collecting & re laying. I cannot do it myself due to my hip injury, so our HM has to find someone to help him & spend a day with an airbag & see if he can have any luck lifting the sinker & tackle & get into place.

 

[Wansworth]

So your peeved

 

[Daydream believer]

..

 

[Major_Clanger]

Given the circumstances, that's quite aggressive and ill-considered language.

 

[Puffin10032]

Not really. More like "annoyed".
But the gaffers are coming to our club for a weekend meet in a couple of weeks time ( normally a good event) & i am supplying my launch as a ferry. So I shall get my own back by bending their ear about dodgy skippers as I help them come ashore.

If by Gaffers you mean the O.G.A., they don't really have much to do with the barges.

 

[Poignard]

If by Gaffers you mean the O.G.A., they don't really have much to do with the barges.

That's right. Few barges had gaffs anyway. Only the big coasting boomies would have had them.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Gaffer, colloquial term for the person in charge or owner of a business.

 

[Daydream believer]

If by Gaffers you mean the O.G.A., they don't really have much to do with the barges.

Actually they are quite good social crowd so I should not really include them in the same post. They are good fun when they come to our club. We look forward to it. I have sat on the tractor up to midnight moving our pontoon in line with the tide so they can walk aboard the RIB or ferry. At midnight they can be quite- shall we say "Jolly"

 

[Hadenough]

If by Gaffers you mean the O.G.A., they don't really have much to do with the barges.

Or indeed anyone else.

 

[Aquaboy]

Maybe the returning barge was trying to put the mark back in its correct place...........

 

[Aquaboy]

Maybe the returning barge was trying to put the mark back in its correct place...........

I enjoyed it anyway.........

at least they missed the Goldhanger buoy

 

[Daydream believer]

Makes one wonder what would have happened if it had been a couple of lads fishing in a small dinghy. Which often happens.

 

[Major_Clanger]

Makes one wonder what would have happened if it had been a couple of lads fishing in a small dinghy. Which often happens

Have you ever raced? Have you ever hit a mark?

Rather than the overly-dramatic moaning on here, why not contact the race committee? I'm sure they'll happily make arrangements for the SSC mark.

 

[Daydream believer]

..

 

[Plum]

Gaffer, colloquial term for the person in charge or owner of a business.

and the word "gaffers" is a UK registered trademark of the OGA

 

[Plum]

I do not know who let them out, but this weekend someone released barges from Maldon to have a "race",
One such barge- who shall remain nameless, but we at SSC know who- decided to wipe out the limit mark at our start line & deposit it, complete with its 1 ton sinker in the fairway in the river. It was not as if it could not be seen. We have had a race mark there since the year dot. I placed the current one 3 years ago. It stands about 4 ft 6 ins high & is is blue.
Then to demonstrate that they do not look where they are going - or if they do , that they do not care a jot. Another barge returning decided to run in to it & drag it a bit the other way.
Do these idiots have no idea how to sail a barge. It cannot be that hard if a dog & a boy can do it. Or do they think that they know better than everyone else.
We now have the problem of collecting & re laying. I cannot do it myself due to my hip injury, so our HM has to find someone to help him & spend a day with an airbag & see if he can have any luck lifting the sinker & tackle & get into place. A few years ago one smashed the bow roller of one of our moored yachts & did not even offer an apology, sailing off as if nothing had happened.
Thanks Maldon barges

As others have said, recommend you contact the race committee/barge skipper who will have insurance to cover your costs.

 

[Daydream believer]

As others have said, recommend you contact the race committee/barge skipper who will have insurance to cover your costs.

That would be a management decision. & my comments are mine. Not those of the club

I just want to have a moan

 

[Plum]

That would be a management decision.
But I would not dream of charging for my launch, just because someone made a silly mistake. If it can move it back into position, so beit.
Depends what luck we have. If not, then the club may incur charges.
I just want to have a moan first.

Ok good. Having a moan here is better than moaning to the barge skipper

 

[Major_Clanger]

Ok good. Having a moan here is better than moaning to the barge skipper

I disagree Plum. The skipper and/or race committee will be aware of the minor incident already but SSC should certainly make polite contact.

It's now described as a "silly mistake" but started off by bleating that barges are sailed by "brain dead""idiots". As someone who worked on them professionally for several years in the 80/90s, I can assure Daydream Believer that most of the people on them are damned good at what they do. Occasional cock-ups? Yes of course, I made a few myself, but clouting a mark is hardly reason for the silly tirade.

If someone had approached me saying I'd hit and moved their mark, I'd apologise and sort it out. If they came up to me and called me a brain dead idiot the reaction would have been rather less friendly.

 

[Bristolfashion]

Still, it's always good to hear from an absolutely perfect sailor, one who has never made any mistakes, whether minor or major in nature. The rest of us mere mortals stand back in awe!

When we followed the barge fleet in 2022, I was impressed by their handling of these boats.