What the narrowboatists think of you....

Ramage said:
It is an EA rule to turn off engines in a lock... Also gas appliances and radios!
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I had a guy who sparked up in a lock (empty) next to our blower vent..

I asked him to extinguish his cigarette as it was right by the vent, he got the backside and refused, I then told him he was the one standing next to 100 gallons of petrol with a lit cigarette....he put it out
 
was filling up with water at hurley lock last weekend, when a very large white steel boat (is usually moored at one of the big houses at bray), went pass us. On the back cockpit area, they were having a bbq as they went along. It wasn't a gas one but a charcoal one. I did comment to the other half that the locky wouldn't be happy with that, but as we went into the lock behind them, nothing was said by the lock keeper on duty and the bbq was burning away as the people on board chatted away and drunk their drinks.
Then as the water emptied out in the lock, we suddenley noticed that the side of there boat had caught up on the side of the lock, suddenly their boat was at a huge angle, before it suddenly dropped down with a bing bang and splash.
Luckily the bbq seemed to stay upright but could of quite easily tipped over and caused problems, and would of left me stuck behind it.
They just seemed happy that none of them spilt their wine !
 
CX54WEK said:
No. Just pointing out what the narrowboatists really think of the Thames boaters.
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Then you really should read things carefully before you start creating aggro with a post that is nothing to do with Thames boaters - the thread is totally about narrowboaters attitudes to being told to turn off engines by LOCK KEEPERS.

In fact, IMHO, it says much more about (some) NB owners attitudes to being on the Thames
 
Actualy that is a very good thread and its interesting to see NB's views on loosing lock keepers and possible problems, all the views expressed praised the Thames and pretty much defended the rules.

Hairy Neil obviously has "issues" with plastic boats mind.
 
I found it all quite interesting. Thames and the canals, especially the narrow ones, are worlds apart (long may this remain) and there are some practices that don't transfer too well. Its been argued before that the Conservancy rule of two ropes was quite reasonable dating from an era when "rich" boat owners had "crew" to take the lines. I've seen many a solo narrowoboater fall afoul of this one, being used to a centre line or in some cases nothing at all.

SWMBO and I are taking a disabled access barge along the K&A this summer, with my wheelchair bound MIL as chief passenger, FIL and a couple of their freinds as well, none of whom apparently plan to do much lock winding, helming or activities not involving watching the world pass by over the rim of a glass. I look forward to this but its going to be a major lifestyle change between a twin screw command bridge cruiser and a huge thing that fills a broad lock by itself!
 
inlandnewbie said:
was filling up with water at hurley lock last weekend, when a very large white steel boat (is usually moored at one of the big houses at bray), went pass us. On the back cockpit area, they were having a bbq as they went along. It wasn't a gas one but a charcoal one. I did comment to the other half that the locky wouldn't be happy with that, but as we went into the lock behind them, nothing was said by the lock keeper on duty and the bbq was burning away as the people on board chatted away and drunk their drinks.
Then as the water emptied out in the lock, we suddenley noticed that the side of there boat had caught up on the side of the lock, suddenly their boat was at a huge angle, before it suddenly dropped down with a bing bang and splash.
Luckily the bbq seemed to stay upright but could of quite easily tipped over and caused problems, and would of left me stuck behind it.
They just seemed happy that none of them spilt their wine !
Click to expand...

...thank God for that!...there is NOTHING worse than losing a decent glass of red... ;-)
 
Geez, what is it with these oldie worldy narrow boaters, The Thames has it's own set up regulations for a reason, so why do they think they don't need to comply? If the boat isn't fit for the purpose then stick to the hundreds of miles where they can make a racket and stink the locks out... Honestly, some people... Thank goodness it's the minority
 
Chris_d said:
Actualy that is a very good thread and its interesting to see NB's views on loosing lock keepers and possible problems, all the views expressed praised the Thames and pretty much defended the rules.

Hairy Neil obviously has "issues" with plastic boats mind.
Click to expand...

When I had an NB, plastic boats were known as 'Noddy' boats. I think I can say that as the proud owner of a 'Noddy' boat, now!

When I cam up the Thames three years ago, I had a chat with a NB'er at Abingdon while filling with H2O. He was proud of his craft telling me it was 60ft long weighed 15 tons and had a massive 35hp engine.

What you got in that, he said to me. It's 25ft, 3 tons and 260hp. WHAT!!!! he says. What sort of speed will that do, he further inquired. 40 knots says I. WHAT!!! he says!

Canal boating is just a different world, nowt wrong with that.
 
bradtarga34 said:
Geez, what is it with these oldie worldy narrow boaters, The Thames has it's own set up regulations for a reason, so why do they think they don't need to comply? If the boat isn't fit for the purpose then stick to the hundreds of miles where they can make a racket and stink the locks out... Honestly, some people... Thank goodness it's the minority
Click to expand...

Was talking to the lockie at Selby Sea Lock a couple of years ago. This is where the Selby Canal drops into the tidal Ouse.

Lockie does not generally allow boats out onto the Ouse unless its a flood tide or slack water. I have stood at that point and seen bits of wood going down on the ebb at a good 4 or 5 knots and lots of eddies and whirlpools.

Anyway, story goes that a narrowboater pulls into the lock, lockie says that lock is not open, narrow boat owner is all blustery and full of piss muttering about his right to navigate etc etc so lockie thinks "sod it" it s your boat and decision matey", open s the lock gates and narrowboat chugs out into the stream.

Soon as the bow inched out of the lock, boat swung and hit the side of the lock, boat pulled out into the tidal stream that was going full pelt, did about 3 or 4 pirouettes as it was swept downstream, smoke rings issuing from the chimney and the skipper manfully swinging the tiller this way and that.

Eventually he got the plot straightened out and set off upriver, took him about half an hour to reclaim the couple of hundred yards he lost when he was swept away. :D

Gawd knows how long it would have taken him to get to Naburn Lock against that current.

The tidal ouse demands a great deal of respect, it can be a particularly nasty bit of water full of floating logs etc and you get a narrowboat used to canals on it against lockies advice!!!!!!!

Bet he took notice next time.
 
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