Would a radio be useful?

[£0:(]

I have a 22ft fibreglass cabin cruiser, canal-moored. I am new to it all and I am wondering about the question of whether a communications radio would be a useful thing, like to find out if up ahead is busy, and maybe later to be able to contact a marina on approach, etc. Would a radio be useful for me, and, if so, what would be a good choice suitable for my needs, please?

 

[Dave_Seager]

I depends very much on where you are cruising. On the non-tidal River Thames very few marinas use VHF but for those on the tideway it is almost essential. Upriver we mainly use it to contact our club fleet, especially when approaching a mooring. I suspect that VHF will not be used much on most canals in the UK.

 

[prv]

I've not heard of VHF being used on the canals. In fact it wouldn't surprise me if it's technically illegal - the marine VHF band is for vessels at sea (and licensed coastal stations) and I doubt their definition of "at sea" includes ditch-crawling

Pete

 

[bozlite]

I depends very much on where you are cruising. On the non-tidal River Thames very few marinas use VHF but for those on the tideway it is almost essential. Upriver we mainly use it to contact our club fleet, especially when approaching a mooring. I suspect that VHF will not be used much on most canals in the UK.

Yes, agree with this. Not much use on canals. Very handy on the Trent for contacting lock keepers, though, which is probably the case for most navigable rivers. So - it depends where you'll be boating!

 

[MILLIE BOO TOO]

I've not heard of VHF being used on the canals. In fact it wouldn't surprise me if it's technically illegal - the marine VHF band is for vessels at sea (and licensed coastal stations) and I doubt their definition of "at sea" includes ditch-crawling

Pete

What about a lake then prv ?

No usage on UK canals, practicaly VHF would not be effective due to trees, buildings, hills etc etc

 

[mlines]

No use on non tidal Thames, no locks or marinas use radio. Some boats use them for boat to boat chat

Effectively mandatory on tidal Thames

 

[Momac]

I've not heard of VHF being used on the canals. In fact it wouldn't surprise me if it's technically illegal - the marine VHF band is for vessels at sea (and licensed coastal stations) and I doubt their definition of "at sea" includes ditch-crawling

Pete

You would be wrong there. vhf may be used by ditch crawlers. Nothing illegal about it.

We use the vhf on the RTrent quite a lot, primarily to communicate with the lock keepers.
But as far as I know its not a lot of use on canals.

 

[Searush]

TBH, I find my VHF almost no use whatsoever while at sea either.

 

[Alpha22]

No use what soever on the canals unless you are traveling regally with a boat that uses it and there is no other practical method of communication.

To do it legally, you need to take a course that will cost you something the other side of £150..... there are many other cheaper and legal methods of boat to boat chat.
The good 'ol CB is one, PMR 466 walk talkies and of course the mobile phone. If really desire to do a course to chat to a friend on the cut then an amateur radio licence is easier than it ever has been to get started. Both ends would need to be licensed though.

Other than the Trent, tidal Thames, swing bridges on the Norfolk Broads and one or two other tidal (or commercial) waterways you will find very few or even no body using VHF.

 

[prof pat pending]

You might find this interesting.
It's quite long, but does cover the legal side of things, lists a lot of the places that use VHF on the inland systems and the channels used. As said above, you may well find that there is no traffic apart from the odd commercial operator.

https://www.waterways.org.uk/boating/navigating_your_boat/vhf/vhf_guidance

 

[£0:(]

I depends very much on where you are cruising. On the non-tidal River Thames very few marinas use VHF but for those on the tideway it is almost essential. Upriver we mainly use it to contact our club fleet, especially when approaching a mooring. I suspect that VHF will not be used much on most canals in the UK.

I think you are probably right about that, Dave. It's surprising, I thought there would be a sort of cb thing going on quite a lot, like truckers use radio. I'm just all so new to this. I've never even opened a lock, in fact I'm launching the boat this week, weather permitting, so it is all very exciting, and if I can flog the house i'll have some dosh to fully enjoy it.

I like the idea of radio, and it is an interest i'd like to follow, properly, doing the course and getting the licence, but then I would never have any use for it, so it would be a waste of time. The sea seems a long way off for me, but I may graduate to it, then I'd have to have radio. So hearing that it is hardly used on canals is making me think again.

When i got the boat i stripped it all out to the fibreglass and powersprayed the interior, and then fit it all out how i wanted it. I'm really pleased with how it has turned out, and I'm in love with the boat, the size, the shape, the weight, the potential (transom will take up to 100hp, but just got a 9.9 outboard at moment), and that it can be easily trailered. But as i stripped it out, all the electrics, everything, there was a communications radio aerial fixed to the boat, and this is what got me thinking, especially as i knew the previous owners never went off the canal for 20 years, so it is a bit of a funny do is that.

So thanks very much for letting me know you don't think there will not be much going on radiowise on the canal system. So I'll have to think about it. Cheers.

 

[£0:(]

I've not heard of VHF being used on the canals. In fact it wouldn't surprise me if it's technically illegal - the marine VHF band is for vessels at sea (and licensed coastal stations) and I doubt their definition of "at sea" includes ditch-crawling

Pete

I suppose there is much truth in what you write. The sea is a different game, and it seems ludicrous to compare the two. But maybe inland waterways have their own dangers and 'traffic problems'. I can't think what because I haven't got a clue about it all yet Thanks for the reply.

 

[£0:(]

Yes, agree with this. Not much use on canals. Very handy on the Trent for contacting lock keepers, though, which is probably the case for most navigable rivers. So - it depends where you'll be boating!

Boz, rivers is something i want to do very much, so maybe that is enough to justify a radio. When I was a kid in the 70s there was a cb radio craze. I got a rig, as did all my mates. Some rigs went a long way, even the USA. But then the law was changed, and I think cb doesn't go so far now, not that it would matter too much i suppose, but I could never think of anything to talk about anyway. And of course there is now the internet. Things have changed since I was a lad. Cheers.

 

[£0:(]

What about a lake then prv ?

No usage on UK canals, practicaly VHF would not be effective due to trees, buildings, hills etc etc

Millie, i was also thinking about a lake or loch. If the boat ran into trouble it would be useful to ask for assistance. I was on Windermere in one of the rowing boats. The wind was quite strong and the swell was hitting us sideways, as we couldn't row into it, and the boat was rocking a fair bit..........then, in the middle, an oar snapped clean in half (I examined the break and could see it had been repaired, glued, as it had clearly broke before.....imagine if that had been parachute equipment i'd hired), anyway, I was able to signal to a large passenger pleasure cruiser who was able to get help for us. So things do happen. A radio would be good on a lake, it's true.

 

[£0:(]

No use on non tidal Thames, no locks or marinas use radio. Some boats use them for boat to boat chat

Effectively mandatory on tidal Thames

I don't think i'd be any good at boat-to-boat chat. My phone calls last about 20 seconds. I don't mind writing, like this, but verbally on a phone or radio my brain doesn't work. I must be a bit slow rather than quick, so internet communication is good for me. Radio would be, 'Hello.....two weeks.....Staffordshire.....might fine-up next week......over and out'. And it would be that every single time.

 

[£0:(]

You would be wrong there. vhf may be used by ditch crawlers. Nothing illegal about it.

We use the vhf on the RTrent quite a lot, primarily to communicate with the lock keepers.
But as far as I know its not a lot of use on canals.

Well then if it is used on the Trent then I think I'll get into it. But on the canals, i can just see me moored up on a lonely towpath, at night, all dark and silent, and I put a call out and there is nothing at all..........that would make me feel really lonely. 'Is there anyone can hear me?', 'Is there anyone at all out there?'

 

[£0:(]

TBH, I find my VHF almost no use whatsoever while at sea either.

Searush, though the emergency call facilities of VHF must be a comfort, even if you don't use the radio much.

 

[£0:(]

No use what soever on the canals unless you are traveling regally with a boat that uses it and there is no other practical method of communication.

To do it legally, you need to take a course that will cost you something the other side of £150..... there are many other cheaper and legal methods of boat to boat chat.
The good 'ol CB is one, PMR 466 walk talkies and of course the mobile phone. If really desire to do a course to chat to a friend on the cut then an amateur radio licence is easier than it ever has been to get started. Both ends would need to be licensed though.

Other than the Trent, tidal Thames, swing bridges on the Norfolk Broads and one or two other tidal (or commercial) waterways you will find very few or even no body using VHF.

Alpha, I have bought the radio course syllabus. It seems interesting....but it showed to me that about 95% of what it is used for I would never do. But I'd like to do the course. I suppose it is a bit like learning French but knowing you're never going to go to France. I'b be happy with cb if it would be ok for contacting lock keepers and marinas, but then you are right, mobile phone would be able to do a good enough job. I'll buy the book which goes with the syllabus and then make a decision....if i have to be qualified then i may as well do it right.

 

[£0:(]

You might find this interesting.
It's quite long, but does cover the legal side of things, lists a lot of the places that use VHF on the inland systems and the channels used. As said above, you may well find that there is no traffic apart from the odd commercial operator.

https://www.waterways.org.uk/boating/navigating_your_boat/vhf/vhf_guidance

Prof, I've printed that document out to read later.......it looked very interesting, just the info I need. Thankyou.

 

[kennyh]

Millie, i was also thinking about a lake or loch. If the boat ran into trouble it would be useful to ask for assistance. I was on Windermere in one of the rowing boats. The wind was quite strong and the swell was hitting us sideways, as we couldn't row into it, and the boat was rocking a fair bit..........then, in the middle, an oar snapped clean in half (I examined the break and could see it had been repaired, glued, as it had clearly broke before.....imagine if that had been parachute equipment i'd hired), anyway, I was able to signal to a large passenger pleasure cruiser who was able to get help for us. So things do happen. A radio would be good on a lake, it's true.

I've used my VHF very infrequently on Loch Lomond (where I do most of my boating), but I have used it a few times for emergencies; thankfully none of them where I personally was in danger.

One time I ended up liaising with Clyde (now Belfast) CG, when I came a cross a sinking jet ski with a man and a young boy clinging to it in the middle of the loch. I dragged the riders aboard my boat and the CG dispatched the LL Rescue boat to assist.

It is also useful for the odd conversation with the commercial (pleasure) traffic on the Loch.

All that being said, Loch Lomond is 27miles long and 6miles wide, so perhaps a little wider than a canal ;-)

I have also taken the odd Canal boat holiday on the French Canals, and it seems the horn is the method of choice for communication there.