Hissy fits

[Adios]

Most marina cleats these days are of the type that gives you the choice of oxoing/figure-of-8ing or passing a loop through a hole, or lazily looping it round as we usually do. An oxo basically takes up the whole cleat and makes it hard or impossible to add a second line, especially if the oxo morphs into a bird's nest.

Ah oxoing is just normal cleating, gotcha. Not heard that before. Yes agree they aren't much use to anyone else once a newbie has put 15 turns around a cleat.

I don't think it is ever reasonable to raft onto a boat if there are free spaces available, other than to friends, or on the instruction of the harbourmaster.

Thats good to hear its not just me then. That just seemed sensible. I really don't like climbing over strangers boats to get to mine. I've rarely had to as I prefer quieter places than the sort where its common.

 

[Adios]

From occasional ventures into canal forums it seems that "the cut" is an extraordinarily rancorous place. Wide-beam versus narrow boat, owned versus hire, residential versus cruiser - lots of tribes all at each others throats. Apart from the man who nearly had an apoplectic fit when he saw me leaving my berth, opposite his, in Bangor Marina under Seagull power I don't think I have ever had or even seen an argument between sea-boating types. The Thames lot seem to seethe quietly at each other, but mainly over slightly askew regimental ties or suspected foreign-ness.

My short experience on the Trent put me off inland boating, I'd been up the Thames to Oxford before and Medway to Tonbridge but never thought of being based inland. The ever present scowling fishermen along the banks were enough to spoil the atmosphere anyway but as you say you encounter a really different mentality in the boaters. Its just not interesting enough going back and forth on the same bit of water anyway. Moving back to the coast asap.

 

[johnalison]

My short experience on the Trent put me off inland boating, I'd been up the Thames to Oxford before and Medway to Tonbridge but never thought of being based inland. The ever present scowling fishermen along the banks were enough to spoil the atmosphere anyway but as you say you encounter a really different mentality in the boaters. Its just not interesting enough going back and forth on the same bit of water anyway. Moving back to the coast asap.

I too prefer the sea, but I think that we have to be careful not to patronise inland venturers, just as I hope that ocean wanderers would not stoop to patronising me. For many people the open sea induces anxiety but they enjoy being on the water, and canals or reservoirs suit them well. A late neighbour owned a narrowboat and some friends with long experience of offshore sailing, including oceans, always leapt at the chance to holiday with her.

 

[Adios]

I too prefer the sea, but I think that we have to be careful not to patronise inland venturers, just as I hope that ocean wanderers would not stoop to patronising me. For many people the open sea induces anxiety but they enjoy being on the water, and canals or reservoirs suit them well. A late neighbour owned a narrowboat and some friends with long experience of offshore sailing, including oceans, always leapt at the chance to holiday with her.

Well yes I would never turn down a holiday on a boat anywhere. Generally it will be somewhere new then. Just remembered I went up the yorkshire ouse a bit past York on a friends trimaran after we took the mast off at goole. Its always good exploring somewhere new by boat. At least 1 time.

But owning a boat on one piece of locked in water is another mater, just can't get anywhere new. Backwards, forwards, backwards, forwards. I didn't realise how limited cruising is in winter as well. Lock closures and regular flooding prevent use half the time. Can get the same view walking along the tow path for free and take a flask and pick a new bit of tow path each time.

Of course its somewhat similar being based on an estuary you still have repetition but the wider expanse allows views of the changing weather, which effects the wider water in much more varied ways, the wildlife is much different, the tides change, and you feel a greater distance away from it all. Inland having constant joggers and dog walkers passing by proved I hadn't got anywhere away. When I was based at Melton on the Deben with only a short period of water each tide I would have to arrive maybe in the dark or first light which I loved and that variety was forced on me, the smallest trips I would drift down the river, pick up a buoy, sit and read for some hours, take in the solitude and go back up with the tide a much relaxed person. I think knowing the water I'm on is the same stretch of water as New York and Sydney isn't lost on me. While inland I always feel aware that I'm just on a locked in rectangle of water. After a week or so on the non-tidal Medway first time I came back out of the last lock the feeling was like a big relief. Freedom!

Its better by a factor or x10 at least. In my opinion, which is all I'm saying.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I too prefer the sea, but I think that we have to be careful not to patronise inland venturers, just as I hope that ocean wanderers would not stoop to patronising me. For many people the open sea induces anxiety but they enjoy being on the water, and canals or reservoirs suit them well. A late neighbour owned a narrowboat and some friends with long experience of offshore sailing, including oceans, always leapt at the chance to holiday with her.

I'd love to take a canal holiday. The apparent grumpiness of canal users puts me off a bit (they probably aren't really that bad, just as there are probably a few Thames boaters who don't wear blazers all the time) but the main disincentive is the extraordinary expense of it. One week in a 4 berth narrowboat in the Forth and Clyde or the Llangollen off-season is £2,500.