MOORINGS

On arriving at Nelson lock we found that the gate paddles had been disabled, as had those on the top lock. I understand that baffles are to be fitted to the  paddle openings. This is truly a throwback to typical BWB idiocies of days past. The Gargrave incident had almost nothing to do with gate paddles. A much worse (but unreported) problem was that the top paddles were locked with anti vandal keys, causing a delay in getting them open to prevent the sinking. By the time they were opened, it is true, the boat was so far down they flooded it. 

So now BWB wants to bodge all the gate paddles on the system, apparently just to "be seen to be doing something" (anything will do, I guess) for insurance reasons. The nobbling of gate paddles pending a "solution" is up to local Waterway Managers. I suggest everyone tell Simon Ainley he is being a prat on this one (usually, he isn't, to be fair). And what about locks that have *only* gate paddles at the top. There are two near me, and I think they are quite common. Baffles may be a good idea, but there is serious concern that they will quickly clog with rubbish. This was discussed at length at an IWA meeting last weekend. The consensus there (and at the GU South user meeting) was that the problem isn't the paddles, it is a need for better education of users. 

This is making me angry. We have lobbied for years to get gate paddles reinstated, and this is now being done on the GU. There is nothing wrong with them. And I don't want to see lock working slowed down as a result of the equipment being changed, eliminated, or taken out of service. It is *impossible* to make it impossible for people to damage themselves on the waterways. That is actually a major part of their charm. But what's next? Railings around all locks, and along all tow paths? Life jackets to be worn at all times? The spread of the health and safetyitis in the UK is becoming a serious hazard to enjoying life. The IWA is asking BWB to do *nothing*, including interim paddle nobbling, until a  decision has been taken on what if anything needs to be done  long-term. It is suggesting that (little) notices on gate paddles, and better training of new users, is actually the best approach if, in fact, anything is needed. Start complaining to BWB about this folks. Please. Often, and loudly.

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LICHFIELD AND HATHERTON CANALS RESTORATION

I urge you to look positively at the situation and continue the good start that your Government has had with the waterways, with it’s decision to increase funds made available for maintenance and repair which I greeted with pleasure when it was announced.

If you know of other causes which could do with support let me know, I will be only too pleased to pass on the info!

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WHAT’S NEW ON THE CUT?

Why we choose to holiday on a narrowboat, and for some long to retire onto one , is not easy to define. The leisurely pace of travel – and life in general; the quiet, the scenery – both countryside and industrial; the wildlife. Or is it the history hiding round every bend and the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) change in architecture from bridge to bridge and lock to lock? Maybe it is the friendliness of almost all who you meet on your travels. For me the biggest lure is the new and surprising.

This can take many forms. The most obvious is that of exploring waterways totally new to you, another is when you cruise a stretch you know well in a different direction to that which you have previously done, or when the season is different. The views are amazingly different!!

An example of this was 5 or 6 years ago when on an autumn cruise from Blue Lias. We were heading toward Braunston along a stretch of canal we must have cruised 8 or more times before – although always in the summer- when a sight I had never noticed before came into view

I am a compulsive reader of canal books, and always spend the months between holidays researching the route of our next cruise, and so knew that between bridge 98 and Braunston the course of the canal had been altered in the 1830’s, but we had never noticed signs of this before.

This time it was different. With the leaves off the trees and perhaps more importantly a good deal of rain in the previous months, as we approached bridge 98 there it was! A ribbon of water curving away from the line of the canal clearly visible through the trees on the left. It looked as if we could have cruised along it if it had not been for the intervening towpath. We were now on the alert. Would we see the same sort of sight as we approached bridge 97 where the old course swaps sided to loop back to the marina? Yes we did! One day when in the area without a boat or am retired onto a boat and time afloat is not at a premium I must walk the old course.

The more you cruise, the more difficult it becomes to reach new places in the weeks and fortnights of your holidays afloat. Hire bases tend to be situated in the main cruising areas and even with the total flexibility of home bases afforded by the OwnerShips scheme, you tend to end up choosing a base which is within easy reach of several of the usual cruising circuits. So the more remote parts are difficult to reach.

Part of the OwnerShips sales pitch had been that as the scheme was more like a cruising club for friends than a business, it would be possible to organise extended cruises away from the home mooring involving more than one owner. Is it practical? Yes, twice so far I have been part of such a cruise.

How did we set them up? Well, the first step I took was to contact the owners who had their holidays booked either side of ours to see if they were keen. On the first occasion both were, and surprisingly perhaps, we had all wanted to cruise south from Braunston down the Grand Union. Now the serious logistic planning began. We soon decided that the best idea for the cars was to use our home marina car park in all cases to leave the cars during the holidays, and run a shuttle service on change over days. This would mean that we knew the cars would be as safe as anywhere, parking would be free and we would only need to drive our own cars so avoiding any insurance problems.

The next step was to decide where to make the change overs. Any marina would be fine (pump outs, diesel etc could then be easily arranged) but where? We all had our own ideas of how many hours a day we would like to cruise, but lock opening hours were likely to be affected by water shortages so exact timings were a little problematical. The solution was, as so often is the case the obvious. We did not mind where we started our cruise from as we were the middle of the three, and the people following us were happy to take over anywhere north of Watford, which they felt would leave them with a gentle cruise home, which was as they liked it. So the decision was made. We would use the boats phone to arrange details "on the fly" a day or two before the event, so allowing maximum flexibility for everyone.

The whole thing went absolutely smoothly, no hitches at all, and all parties agreed it was an excellent way of increasing the potential area of cruising. You may well feel it was all down to luck, I like to think it was due to all of us trusting each other to play the game, and fulfill our commitments, while all being flexible enough to adjust our plans if necessary. I think these attributes and being a canal enthusiast goes hand in hand.

Well did the increase in range lead to any surprises? You bet it did! From finding masses of Damsons along the Towpaths near the Soulbury 3 locks (we went in late August) to the experience of watching the lockeeper at Limehouse basin scour the lock mouth at low tide by opening BOTH sets of radial lock gates while we were moored only 40 yards from the top gates, and the sense of cruising in the Carribean as we passed through Camden locks situated in the market on a sunny Sunday with the local West Indian population out in full force in their finery and with "Ghetto Blasters" blasting out dance music for the more energetic to "boogie" to. We managed to reach the limits of navigation on both the Lea and Stort, as well as cruise all the London canals. We did not complete the "Ring" as when we arrived at the Thames winds were gale force and despite waiting a day for things to calm down, we were still faced by waves of more than two feet which were breaking, and so discretion became the better part of "cowardice" and we left the joys of "Father Thames" for another day.

 Steve
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Speeding on the "cut"

Much has been written in the Waterways press recently on the subject of  "speeding"  while on the cut. Indeed I was even motivated to put finger to keyboard myself recently in defense of the rights of all boaters to cruise at a speed that is their choice, while not inconveniencing others or damaging to the environment. This was published in Waterways World February edition.

I wont bore you here with all the text, suffice it to say that it was in reply to a letter in their December edition where the author had taken it upon himself (at least it appeared so to me) to claim divine right to set the speed at which all boaters should cruise - and this was to be the speed that HE wished to cruise at, and woe betide anyone with the temerity to try to overtake him!. Needless to say this speed  was slow! and consequently was likely to cause annoyance to other users. My reply was to the effect that as long as you were cruising a) within the speed limit and b) were not causing damage to the cut or inconvenience to others, why did he feel that boaters should travel at his speed and not attempt to pass him if they safely could? a view which it would appear I was not alone in holding.

Anyway, this theme would seem to be just the tip of the iceberg as far as speed of travel on the canals goes. Thinking back to cruises I have made myself, and to letters in the canal press, it would seem that there are many times when speed is called into question.

We all of course know that speed is relative, both to the conditions and also to your own point of view, but it would seem that a little thought could ease the problems which inevitably occur. In no particular order, here are a few "tips" which might bear consideration.

• If a boat is catching you up, find a convenient place to slow and move over and with a cheery wave bid him (and if appropriate) his water skier a good day as they pass.

• If you are closing on another boat, don't try and pass unless you can do so without inconveniencing others, and if a lock is only a few minutes away, don't try and pass unless it is unavoidable, and even then why not offer to let the other boat have first use of the lock even if you set it. By the time you are then through the lock yourself, the other boat will be ten minutes or so in front of you and no longer in your way

• When mooring your boat, choose a place where it does not cause passing boats too much trouble, and if you don't wish to be moved by the passing of a boat, use spring lines, and hammer your mooring stakes well in.

• When passing moored boats (and even anglers) slow to a sensible speed before reaching them, don't just take the power off as you reach them. The wash you are creating follows you a fair distance, and even though you think you are slowing down, the effect will still disturb other users.

On the subject of moored boats, has anyone else noticed the trend to vast lengths of (permanent) linear moorings near marina basins? On some parts of the system you can sometimes cruise for 20 minutes while passing such moorings.

  To end with I will just say that we will all enjoy our time on the canals much more if we realise we all have different view points on what we are hoping to achieve while cruising, and also have consideration for others in the same way as we would hope they would have for us.

Written by: Steve Goodsell.

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Towpath usage:

An area which is increasingly becoming a talking point with ALL users of the canals is cycling. The rapid growth in "off road" bikes at the same time as a marked improvement in towpath condition due to restoration, local council initiatives, and even the dreaded cable layers, has lead to a boom in the number of cyclists discovering the canals. The number is not a problem, what is, is the way they for the most part cycle  -  flat out regardless of the width of the useable towpath, and expecting all other users to get out of their way. The biggest potential problem is the plan to designate most of the towpath network as cycleways.

Cyclists are fast becoming to the canals what the Angler was for the 80's and early 90's. Certain in their own mind that they have a god given right to do as they wish on the towpath, they proceed  with little or no regard for other users. Unless serious thought (followed by action) is given to the problem, they will definitely be a major blight to the enjoyment of the canals by all other users in the New Millennium.

We all of course realise that the asset which the birth of the industrial age left to the 20th century is no longer just a transport route, but a facility which should be shared and enjoyed by as many different sections of the population as possible, especially if we are going to continue to enjoy financial support from the Government and other sources such as the Lottery, local councils. Surely we all realise we need as much popular support as possible to gain the necessary finance to restore and maintain what is surely a priceless resource for leisure and education as well as being a huge linear nature reserve.

What the Angler did over the last decade was realise that as more of them spent more time on the canal bank, they should learn to compromise with other users. Now you hardly ever see a group fishing at locks or moorings, and if they are there perhaps during the winter months, they readily (for the most part) move when a boat comes on the scene. The high hurdles for the walker encountering a fishing match is now becoming a thing of the past. The roach poles are now often swung sideways rather than pushed across the path. (perhaps we should encourage the return of this bad habit as I am sure that it would at least slow the cyclist if not deter  them) They are also much more careful with their rubbish, and have even been known to converse with other canal users :-)

Even boaters have grown more considerate of other users than they were before, keeping to the center of the canal while slowly passing anglers and taking care to clearly mark mooring stakes placed at shin height in the towpath. Yes even we were not perfect in the past!                                       

   Written by Steve Goodsell
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