David Cragg wrote: > I would agree with that. On the very busy Llangollen some of the > bridge and lock mooring Armco is bashed into horrible shapes as boats > fly in to eject crew in their race to Llangollen and back. It's got > much worse (we think) in the last few years as boats have, on > average, got much bigger. In fact some moorings, like that a the lift > bridge 45, are so bent that they are Health and Safety hazards and > should have their Armco replaced - as should a lot of unfixed stuff > on this busy canal. > > As for mooring we use chains if the Armco is the older variety with > bolts and a chunk of screw thread visible or the hooks if it's the > newer sort with bolts/threads concealed. In each case the chain/hook > is located on the far side of the bolt from the boat with (normally > the doubled) rope passed through the chain/hook and secured back on > the boat making 4 thicknesses of rope from boat to shore. After a few > boats pass we can normally take a foot or more of slack out of the > ropes and later even more as they get stretched. But even so there is > always some slack as we are on rubber fenders and they contract as > boats pass. At night we slacken the ropes if the fenders are > squeaking as I am a very light sleeper.
I know - we often move off the marina (Whixall) onto the towpath - to let the dog have a nice grassy run. The armco is well bent and bu**ered, not just the unbolted bits, looks to me like the bolts have been pulled a few inches as well. There's no easy answer. One has to make a decision base on the towpath you have - just try the Regent's, so much concrete, you need a sledge hammer to get a pin in. Ron Jones Process Safety & Development Specialist Don't repeat history, unreported chemical lab/plant near misses at http://www.crhf.org.uk Only two things are certain: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not certain about the universe. ~ Albert Einstein
