This attempt to overtake reminds me of an incident we had at Gailey lock a few
weeks back. We were in a queue of 3 boats leaving Penkridge where - just as we
left the lock - a Doing the Ringer came racing up behind. As there was a BW
boat at the front and as it was early afternoon and we (correctly) assumed they
would not want to get to Gailey yard too quickly so progress was steady -
which was ideal as we were not in a hurry.
On the other hand the lot behind were. We worked out they had left Bunbury
in the afternoon, first nighted - Middlewich, second Kidsgrove, third Heywood.
Their plan was to get to Coven early on this day four.
So along we went - at each lock we caught BW (as the boat in front of us had
pulled over for fuel) and, as we came up in the lock the boat behind would
arrive, ram the bank and disgorge crew who, after the first lock where they
helped, just stood giving us looks until we had exited, closed gates and
paddles - at which point they went mad working the lock like the devil was
chasing them.
Two locks below Gailey BW moored up. In the lock below Gailey lock we left
and seeing a boat approaching waved at the lot behind but they already had the
paddles up. This meant approaching Gailey lock there would be them and us in
the same pound.
The wife walked between locks, I came along slow. Having reached the lock
the wife whipped back to signal that one was coming down so I went into hang
mode 300yards out (just like Quidditch does a hang). This hang is well back to
let the one coming have plenty of room to pass when he comes out. (If you like
I hang in an imaginary lock and start to move when he starts coming out so we
pass halfway between his lock and mine.)
Waters coming out - glance behind - ring boat coming but well back. Gates
open, boat appears then backs to pick up crew - no problem except... Suddenly
ring boat's nose appears on my inside moving forward rapidly - crew appear to
be sucking pieces of orange totally unbothered that their steerer is diving
into a too small gap as he dives up the inside and they seem surprised when I
ask WHAT THE * ARE YOU DOING. One implies they are going to moor. (The pound is
all mooring so they have had plenty of chance.)
By now chummy is almost hitting me more than half way up and we are being
pulled together so I gun my engine and pull away yelling at the steerer to
'slow down and wait - this is my pound and until I'm in the lock you keep
back'. He totally ignores me (and he could hear) so my language goes ballistic
while we both head for the lock now side by side and me hoping the one coming
out will get his crew (who is debating whether to walk to the next lock or ride
I was later told) on and move out of the lock mouth.
Finally he does (just before I have to slam on the brakes and let ring boat
ram me) and I get round him as ring boat does his ram the bank, crew ashore
trick. By the time he has bounced off I am going in the lock.
Up above the wife knows nothing of this - in fact she is having trouble
getting a private boater to reverse out the lock mouth as he seems to think a
boat coming out can get round him in this position. (It is obviously idiot hour
with Gailey boats double moored opposite the water point to underline this
idea.)
As I come up in the lock the crew of the ring boat are sat on the lock wall
- backs to me. So I call out that when they catch up with us after the lock
they can pass as we are not in a hurry. Finally one of them replies that they
wouldn't come near us let alone pass as 'you swore at us'. One notices that
young swearing at young is OK but grandads swearing in rather more imaginative
and detailed language seems to shock the little dears.
The end of the story is interesting - they ringers stopped for water, we
didn't but we worked out, given their speed, where they would catch us once
they got going again - based on time to fill and their observed speed of travel.
A few hundred yards before this point there is no sign of them but we do
have a boat - which just moved off - a hundred yards back. We meet a boat at
blind B75 but no problem they come through then us. Leaving the bridge we look
behind and the boat that was behind has been replaced by the ring boat - one
assumes the one behind pulled over for the one the other way and stuck on the
mud...or maybe not.
So, right on time, we pull into a winding hole and wave Mr ring past. He
comes - centre canal rather than over a bit and too fast but we can deal with
that. Not a bit of thanks do we get.
He then goes off with wash on both banks until he reaches the moat turn just
before the bridge where (due to speed and/or lack of control) he hits the metal
head on before getting round and disappearing.
By this time we are moored at one end and getting the chain on the other -
and goodnight (it's 4pm).
Will Chapman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Michael Askin wrote:
> On 11/3/07, chris potter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> On the same canal I was told off for NOT shutting a lift bridge,by a crew
>> member, in the face of an oncoming boat. At the next bridge not far away
>> you've guessed it as they approached I closed it. I have always worked on
>> the principle that first to the bridge has priority, if I loose out then I
>> wait patiently for the other boat to come through and any boats following
>> close behind however many.CKP
>
> Thats unusual, at the very least you could jump on your boat as it
> went through and they could then they close it if thats what they
> wanted to do, still that's their loss.
>
This summer, we got an early start and were below the staircase
at Chester, I had disembarked to set the locks and Jane had
Quidditch in hovering mode waiting for me to open the bottom
lock.
Another boat arrived and the steerer sent his wife to instruct
Jane to moor up. Jane said why and she said 'don't you realise
how dangerous it is when that lock spills out water?'. Jane told
her she knew what she was doing (she had steered into at least
300 locks that summer) and remained in hover mode.
Wife went back to her husband who sent her straight back to
tick Jane off once more.
By this time I'd checked the top of the staircase and had started
opening the bottom lock (which, by the way, I had emptied whilst
checking upstairs). I have no ida of what had been going on below.
Jane enters lock first and 'Bluebell' (ex-Black Prince with most
of old livery still on) settled in beside Quidditch. I notice
Bluebell is bending Jane's ear and that his bow is tucked under
a span about half-way up the forward lock gate - too late, his
bow fender is ripped off. I mention this to his wife but she
shows no particular concern. A few minutes later, he is still
ear-wigging Jane and now his bow is under the next span
so I shout at him to reverse and close my paddle a bit; he
reverses JUST in time but his face suggests umbrage was taken.
We proceed upto the top lock and I open the gate on my side just
fractionally before his wife opens his side. Jane, having had him
up to her ears asks me to take over the steering and in that few
seconds Bluebell starts to rev up and try and get out of the lock
first. I ask him politely, 'Excuse me, do you mind if we go out
first.' 'Why?' he says. 'Because we were first in and that is
canal etiquette', I reply. 'But where are you going?', he
responds. 'I'm going to moor in Chester', I replied. 'So am I',
he says and revs up his engine again (we're about 30 feet ahead
but going at a normal pace) so I rev up a bit too so as
to keep ahead. At this he says to me 'is that all you've got'?
so I showed him I had more and rev'd up and pulled away from him
as soon as I cleared him moved into the middle of the canal and
slowed down to a sensible speed.
What a pillock! Afterwards Jane told me how he (via his wife) had
tried to persuade her to moor up and we wondered whether that was
a lame attempt to get into the lock first to establish right of
way but I'm not sure that neanderthals have that much reasoning
power.
Cheers
--
Will Chapman
Save Our Waterways
www.SaveOurWaterways.org.uk
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
