Paul wrote: > I can't help agreeing with Adrian. The problem is often about mooring > technique and not the speed of the passing boats through the water. Many > canals were originally designed (redesigned) for speeds far in excess of > those we use today. I get fed up with idiots who have moored their > boats so badly that they bangs and crash against chains fitted at right > angles to piling as I pass at tick over. If the owners get soaked with > hot liquids it is there own fault in my opinion. If you want to learn > how to tie a boat up correctly have a look in the BW Boaters Handbook > (other books are available). Use good rope not chain, look where you > are moored, don't hide in trees on the inside of a bend where others > can't see you and finally, use a spring, it stops the worst of the surge > if a boat does happen go passed too fast. > > Paul > > Good boating is about being considerate to others that includes thinking > about where and how we are moored.
All good stuff and I couldn't agree more. I have been as annoyed as any person when passing a badly moored boat that floats out to meet you as you pass until the thin string that attaches it to the bank eventually impedes its progress. It's only common sense to ensure that you are moored as well as the locality will allow..........but..........what is your attitude if you've done all that and your boat is still thrown about by a passing boat? You can only moor as well as you can in the circumstances. When you've driven your 2 ft spikes at the correct angle right in up to the neck, set the ropes as low as possible on the spike/ground level, set a spring (in my case a ratchet strap that can be tightened to take up slack) and you still get thrown about and the spikes pulled out. I'm not convinced that, under those circumstances, the moorer can be blamed for poor technique unless Adrian is going to suggest that we cruise on and on and on, stopping every so often to try the ground for hardness with a spike, only to find it's still too soft before cruising on to repeat the exercise ad infinitum. Roger
