Barge skippers

[RivalRedwing]

Oh no - is Brian dead?

hope not, he's only just opened Parliament

 

[Puffin10032]

The barge hit a mark which got 'hooked' on one of the anchor flukes and so was pulled out of position.

Ah so it was all down to having the wrong kind of anchor

 

[Concerto]

Sounds more like a fluke than the wrong anchor.

 

[38mess]

Another overly-dramatic response, FFS!

How do you know the skipper didn't try to make contact?

The barge hit a mark which got 'hooked' on one of the anchor flukes and so was pulled out of position. If you believe that amounts to "an appalling lack of seamanship" then I'd hate to see your reaction to a genuine crisis.

Rather than drift into the realms of fantasy and supposition, let's remember that it wasn't a yacht.... It wasn't a tender with children in it..... It was a small mark with no navigational significance.

I'm not blindly defending the barge crew, it was a cock-up and cock-ups happen. Everyone makes them - heaven knows I've seen enough fellow yachtsmen making monumental, and potentially dangerous, mistakes while they're still tied-up in the marina!

I race semi-regularly with the OGA, so you're welcome to find me at the bar of the SSC and we can put the world to rights.

I have put this guy on ignore, the only one I may add, he just spouts rubbish like most of us, but he has a nasty streak.

 

[oldgit]

Having been an avid barge race match watcher for the last four or five decades and having managed to put my boat in the wrong place at the wrong time on occassion , have always been amazed at the skill of the barge skippers and their ability to turn a barge on what appears a sixpence while competing in the event.

 

[Daydream believer]

I see that the A mark is now on the hard, did the tackle get recovered?
The same barge nearly hit it again yesterday on it’s way back in

The returning barge did not "nearly" hit it-- it hit it-- which is what prompted my comment about small fishing dinghies being at risk if large vessels are being sailed without proper lookout.
.
Fortunately, when I made the A mark I made it so we could remove the bottom metal work & renew it. So the HM & I have now done that ready to replace it with new tackle.( at some cost to the club)
The HM went out to try & recover the mooring but was unsuccessful. Fortunatelly the A mark Buoy was recovered just as it went walkabout. the sinker & riser now has a couple of temporary buoys on them. We cannot just cut it free as it has a floating riser & would be a danger to navigation & the sinker would be a danger to fishing nets. So it has to be recovered. The HM will have another go soon using our air bags.
'
But the matter will be resolved & I am sure that it will be done so amicably. The club sec is most concerned that he wishes it to be known that the comments made above do not represent the club & I have already said that.
We are going to have another go at pulling the old mooring up & if successful, a letter to the barge skipper may be all that arises. I do not know. The club is not of a disagreeable nature. Just a bit p..sed off that its race mark has gone just before its regetta week.

 

[Cobra]

Just a quick passing comment here. I can only assume that the OP from his comments has never actually sailed on a Barge?

I know a number of the barge skippers and have sailed with several of them...their standard of seamanship is considerably higher than that found in dinghies and small cruisers chasing round a few marks at the weekend (and saying that as a former competitive dinghy sailor of some 50 years standing!). I would certainly feel happier sailing with any of them than with someone who without knowing the full circumstances felt it appropriate to slag the genre off on a public forum!

I doubt very much that the mark would have been hit and dragged as it 'seemed like a good idea'! A barge is a very complex bit of kit and yes, I am fully aware that in the days of trade they were often sailed by a man and a boy, but in those heydays the need to dodge yotties and avoid racing marks that had been laid for the benefit of pleasure sailors wasn't a necessity.

On todays waters you need eyes in the back of your head to make sure that you do not hit something or someone...and that is just sailing something like my little 26 footer!

Maybe you should cut the barge skipper a bit of slack, his insurance will cover the costs involved! As for why didn't he tell someone...err he was racing and unless you had a statement to the effect "If you hit this mark and drag it out of position, please contact 07********** or call Stone Sailing Club on CHM1" it would be somewhat difficult to guess who owned the damn thing!

Finally, could I suggest that if you haven't actually sailed on a barge before, you do yourself a favour and do so...ideally in a match...you may just change your mind about these "Brain Dead Barge Skippers"!

 

[Daydream believer]

Just a quick passing comment here. I can only assume that the OP from his comments has never actually sailed on a Barge?

Yes I did about 35/40 years ago. My bank manager invited me on one because the bank allowed him to charter one & take a selection of customers for his retirement party. We went to Brightlingsea. Moored up, dined & sailed back to Maldon.
On the way back the skipper- a woman- ran the barge aground for about 15 minutes. Fortunately on a rising tide
Personally I was surprised how easy they are to sail & given 3-4weeks practice I reckon I could p..s it.
Not so difficult as everyone makes out at all.

 

[Daydream believer]

Maybe you should cut the barge skipper a bit of slack, his insurance will cover the costs involved! As for why didn't he tell someone...err he was racing and unless you had a statement to the effect "If you hit this mark and drag it out of position, please contact 07********** or call Stone Sailing Club on CHM1" it would be somewhat difficult to guess who owned the damn

 

[Major_Clanger]

Deleted for the sake of harmony.

 

[Cobra]

Personally I was surprised how easy they are to sail & given 3-4weeks practice I reckon I could p..s it.
Not so difficult as everyone makes out at all.

You really must be an exceptional talent that somehow the barging community has missed out on!

Everything else aside, hope the weather holds up for Stone Week...it is usually a fun regatta week!

 

[Daydream believer]

I take it that the Club Sec has distanced themselves from your comments, given that you seemed to be preaching in a semi-official capacity?

You are just out to stir the poo. Read what I have said a couple of times already.

 

[Major_Clanger]

 

[Black Sheep]

Thank you to the Mod who edited the thread title!

 

[Major_Clanger]

Thank you to the Mod who edited the thread title!

Daydream Believer gets the credit.

 

[oldgit]

a good day out....

 

[Puffin10032]

a good day out....

I'm very envious.

 

[Sailing steve]

Bouys are magnetic, it's a well known fact

Indeed.

My autohelm has a subtle function called aim straight for the nearest buoy which definitely isn't mentioned anywhere in the handbook

 

[johnalison]

Indeed.

My autohelm has a subtle function called aim straight for the nearest buoy which definitely isn't mentioned anywhere in the handbook

There are those daft enough to put buoys as waypoints of course.

 

[oldgit]

Indeed.

My autohelm has a subtle function called aim straight for the nearest buoy which definitely isn't mentioned anywhere in the handbook

The Medway can be a mile wide in places , my boat however has the unerring ability to head directly for a tiny dot on the horizon at the very end of any reach.
On the other hand should you wish it to hold a particular heading, while putting the kettle on or having a quick w**, it will almost immediatly head for the nearest bit of " terra firma "