Worrying at Windsor

boatone

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Pain in the *rs* sort of weekend although the weather wasnt as bad as expected.

Had a difficult time finding anywhere to moor at Windsor. Can't get on the Brocas 'cos too shallow as mentioned elsewhere, and all the other moorings on the island and leisure centre full.

Well, I say full but they were actually capable of taking several more boats if there hadn't been such big gaps between those that were moored.

So I tried a two pronged experiment:

1. I cruised up and down to see if I could see any "Welcome to Moor Alongside" stickers - not one to be seen !!!

2. I asked 3 boaters if they would be kind enough to move up a bit and make room - all refused, one quite rudely. I regret to say that all 3 were NOT NB's but cruisers /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Not the EA's problem here as the moorings are Windsor council but one does wonder what can be done to wake everyone up to the need for a more flexible and co-operative attitude to mooring when its busy.

On the way back down stream I encountered a particularly bad example of a NB not having a clue about handling his boat on the river. It was witnessed by EA peeps but I did not see any attempt to 'advise' him. Then I noticed on the side of his boat that it was from Batty Wharf or summink similar /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

Doolittle

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It's a sad indictment of the need for us British folk to preserve our personal space.

We encounter this occasionally on Laleham wharf when we are just stopping for 10 mins to deliver the kids to school. Although I will say that for every one that refuses us, there are two who are more than happy to allow us to moor alongside and have access across their stern. One chap, just recently even offered his keys in case they weren't there on our return!
 

byron

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Things appear to have changed a lot. I know it's 3 years or so since I sold my Princess 435 but can everyone lost their co-operative spirit in just 3 years?
I never had a moments trouble finding a berth, was always called alongside by someone if there were none available. I too made it a practice to signal people to come outside of me.
 

BG1

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The lack of mooring spaces could be helped if the councils and others did some tree pruning. There's a particularly large overhanging tree on the island above the rail bridge that even a nb would have trouble getting under.

Several weeks ago I was on the Brocas and the level must have dropped during the night even after all the rain. I listened to my props playing footsie with the gravel all night.

What about naming and shaming the cruisers that wont move up.
 

ms1

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agree about tree pruning and there are some very selfish boat owners.
I must admit I have pretty much given up on Windsor these days. There has been so much erosion of the Brocas that much of it is very shallow and I cannot get in there.
Then there's the illegal BBQ fires of the day tripper families on the Island (all the no-fires signs point outward towards the river) many of whom would rather use the bushes than the toilets at the leisure centre.
I had a word with the Council last year about the rat population on the Windsor side and they admitted that 'housekeeping procedures' at the leisure centre were below standard. They had to call in contractors to deal with " a heavy infestation".
So apart from the mooring space issue I am well and truly 'put off' a trip to Windsor, although it is pretty much a perfect crusing distance for a weekend.
 

boatone

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[ QUOTE ]
I had a word with the Council last year about the rat population on the Windsor side and they admitted that 'housekeeping procedures' at the leisure centre were below standard.

[/ QUOTE ]

SWMBO was walking back from the town on Saturday afternoon and was confronted by a rat sitting up on the path through the park in broad daylight !
 

oldgit

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Well remember our last trip there with Boatone,as I was forcing aside a tree or two while fitting my 33 ft boat iinto a nicely available 32ft foot space on the river bank,the owner of the boat in front ,annoyed at our impudence announced that he had a small baby on board and warned us that it might make a noise.I said it would be perfectly OK as it would be drowned out by my wifes snoring.
The evening was rounded off with a forced route march to some chinese restuarant at least 10 miles away that B1 assured us was "just round the corner" but most important of all was "good value" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

boatone

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[ QUOTE ]
So you ended up in Staines?

[/ QUOTE ]

As always, Oldgits recollection of things is at odds with reality. Probably a mile or so but definitely not 10! Certainly far enough to work up an appetite for excellent food well served and at a reasonable price. Forget the name of the place but its right next to the barracks at the opposite end of the town to the Eton Bridge.

Somewhere I have a photograph of him doing some sewing at Marlow and I seem to remember he actually jumped overboard near Cliveden. His SWMBO has a very well honed shake of the head........ /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

nickcred

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It was definately Kamikaze Cruisers time in Windsor on Saturday from the little red boats from Datchet to the yellow ones from Windsor. At one point, I think it was a hire boat from Bates? we were coming downstream with a French Brothers Boat coming out from picking up Passengers at Windsor to our Starboard when I see this guy overtaking boats already 3 abreast across the river coming upstream. After some avoidance tactics he passed my port side with about 1 inch to spare steadfastly looking directly ahead /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

At Romney Lock I had to jump aboard a KC hire boat who by this stage had both lines trailing in the water, an abandoned crew member on the landing stage and a terrified looking driver sideways across the river, with the locks emptying. Lol not sure I drove that thing any better than he did. When the lock opened he weaved his way through the boats in the lock to get out first as he was already late returning /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

As you say Windsor was busy on the moorings and agree signifcant gaps that would have allowed another 5 cruisers at least if they had all moved up to an acceptable distance. Also noticed that what appears to be an abandoned small narrowboat that was at the mooring just above Bovney, most of last season, has no moved down to the Windsor stretch, smashed starboard window an all. Think its called Chug***** something or other.

Weather was much better than expected though and just a joy to be out on the river.
 

nickcred

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Hi Tony

Yes sorry I did. Mentioned it in my "I am obsessed" post that you may not have seen .

Apologies my wave was a little delayed /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif was contemplating dinghy restoration and a beer. We saw you moored at Windsor on Saturday afternoon as we went up stream and was going to pull alongside and say Hi on the way back down but you were gone by the time we came back. Hope you had a good trip.
 

bradtarga34

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I find it so annoying when there are large gaps between boats and try to justify it by convincing myself that tere must have been a bigger boat there before and then a smaller one came in at a later stage. The fact that even after asking people refuse is just utter rudeness, don't they ever think that they may be in a similar situation at some time. Maybe that's the problem, they just don't think. Whenever I moor up, I always butt up close to the next boat, irrespective of how much space is available, just seems like common sense and courtesy to me... Haven't been to Windsor for a couple of months now, only just finishing cleaning all the salt off the boat after the France trip, but was suprised about the number of brazen rats about on the island!
 

Andrew_Fanner

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I, as a waring, not a warning off, do advise anyone very close behind that the boat smokes a bit when cold, but that I don't plan to run the engines save for starting up when I leave. Front windows or washing are then within their decision making process...
 
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