watson1959
Well-Known Member
Why on earth do the Caversham rental lot allow rentals when the river is this high and the boards are all out?
Hire boats out on red!
- Thread starter watson1959
- Start date
boatone
Well-Known Member
Why don't you ring them up and ask?
watson1959
Well-Known Member
It did cross my mind but I suspect I'd get a swift two-word response: probably on the approach to Shiplake College about now.
TrueBlue
Well-Known Member
I'd hope not, IME most boating firms take safety seriously. Their response - dodging the issue - is to say that their hirers are told not to navigate in Yellow or Red conditions.
However, their approach to releasing boats to hirers if the River is on alert when they collect their boat might be worth investigating.
I nominate you to ask.....
watson1959
Well-Known Member
Yess sir!
Interesting conversation.
First there was a comment that the only person onboard is a pilot. When I qualified that further by saying I was sure that there was more than one person onboard (and the boat was covered in balloons and streamers for a party) that became 'No....there are guests but they are with a qualified pilot.'
It seems they have 'an agreement with the EA' that when conditions are such, rentals can take place so long as there is a qualified person onboard.
The lady I spoke with explained that their pilots have 'even more experience that the EA boat crews themselves as you'll not see the EA boats out on red'.
I did suggest that this may because powered craft are advised not to navigate on reds and so the EA crews are heeding their own advice. In fact, the only boats I saw during a two-hour doggie walk were a narrowboat who lives between Sonning & Reading and this one from Caversham.
TBH I don't know what to make of it but even one experienced person on a large boat like this (it was one of their bigger craft) with a pile of inexperienced boaters just seems to be asking for trouble when you see how the river is at the moment....
Ah well.....
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TrueBlue
Well-Known Member
Well, thank you - interesting research...
I wonder what sort of qualification the "pilot" had. Must be something believable, else their insurance company would not be happy.
thamesS23
Well-Known Member
we drove through old windsor today and saw one of their boats moored up by the Harvester restaurant, with a family on board - so looks like they may have a few out and about. (it was a caversham hire boat).
Deefor
Well-Known Member
.Deefor
Well-Known Member
Slightly off topic but I'm going to play devil's advocate so.....
Let's say you're a newbie boater and only had your first boat a few days/weeks and your "home" mooring is a quiet marina or bankside between two locks. Weather's dry, sun's shining and newbie sets off for a cruise between locks but, unbeknown to the newbie, there's red boards.
In time old fashion, "what now skipper?"
.
Let's say you're a newbie boater and only had your first boat a few days/weeks and your "home" mooring is a quiet marina or bankside between two locks. Weather's dry, sun's shining and newbie sets off for a cruise between locks but, unbeknown to the newbie, there's red boards.
In time old fashion, "what now skipper?"
.watson1959
Well-Known Member
Slightly off topic but I'm going to play devil's advocate so.....
Let's say you're a newbie boater and only had your first boat a few days/weeks and your "home" mooring is a quiet marina or bankside between two locks. Weather's dry, sun's shining and newbie sets off for a cruise between locks but, unbeknown to the newbie, there's red boards.
In time old fashion, "what now skipper?"
Exactly what happened to me this spring: as we went through shiplake yellows turned to red.... The return to T&K was not pleasant. I won't be doing it again.
shades
Well-Known Member
The boat in question did have a "T.H.C.A. (Thames Hire Cruisers Association) PILOT" on board.
The vessel was displaying a bright orange sign in the front window saying "THCA PILOT". The pilot (who is known to me, and is a highly qualified RYA skipper who also has coastal experience) was also wearing a bright orange ring on his lifejacket saying "THCA PILOT".
He is likely to have altered the governor fitted to the vessel to allow him extra power to negotiate the more challenging bits.
This is the agreed practice for hire fleets in Red Board conditions.
When hire boats arrive at a lock displaying Red Boards, they are handed a "Red Card" and told that they must contact the boatyard immediately. If there are a number of Red Boards ahead of them, the hirers are normally told to wait at the lock for a pilot.
The people at greatest risk in Red Board conditions are inexperienced people on underpowered craft... Hire Boats!
The vessel was displaying a bright orange sign in the front window saying "THCA PILOT". The pilot (who is known to me, and is a highly qualified RYA skipper who also has coastal experience) was also wearing a bright orange ring on his lifejacket saying "THCA PILOT".
He is likely to have altered the governor fitted to the vessel to allow him extra power to negotiate the more challenging bits.
This is the agreed practice for hire fleets in Red Board conditions.
When hire boats arrive at a lock displaying Red Boards, they are handed a "Red Card" and told that they must contact the boatyard immediately. If there are a number of Red Boards ahead of them, the hirers are normally told to wait at the lock for a pilot.
The people at greatest risk in Red Board conditions are inexperienced people on underpowered craft... Hire Boats!
watson1959
Well-Known Member
Interesting: thanks Shades!
Sulley
Well-Known Member
I know when I spoke to Caversham earlier this year they said unfortunately they don't have enough pilots for all their fleet. It's been a bad year of business for them due to the conditions......
