ShedSpy

Someone earlier refered to "narrowboat v grp war" and there is some
animocity (tribalism really) between certain users. That no one can deny.

Angry? I dont get angry these days, just passionate and maybe disappointed.
Mainly with the actions of the few spoiling things generally for the many.

You call me a troll. Whats a troll?

Night boating. I love it. If anyone hasn't done it then you dont know what
your missing. Theres nothing like it, so earily peaceful and at one with the
ambience.

Dave Mayall

"ShedSpy" <spam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:flRSd.122812$68.76919@fe1.news.blueyonder.co. uk...
> Someone earlier refered to "narrowboat v grp war" and there is some
> animocity (tribalism really) between certain users. That no one can deny.

I don't deny it. Neither do I relish it or attempt to stir it up. I do
recognise, however, that my view on this matter may find some detractors
amongst GRP owners.

> Angry? I dont get angry these days, just passionate and maybe
> disappointed. Mainly with the actions of the few spoiling things generally
> for the many.

You seem angry to me.

OK, so you talk about the actions of the few. Well where I am likely to
cruise in the winter, narrowboats outnumber GRP vessels 10:1. Strikes me
that expecting all the narrowboat owners to stay tied up just to accomodate
a tiny number of unprotected GRP vessels is the actions of a few spoiling it
for the majority.

> You call me a troll. Whats a troll?

You are.

Somebody who posts simply to cause an argument.

> Night boating. I love it. If anyone hasn't done it then you dont know what
> your missing. Theres nothing like it, so earily peaceful and at one with
> the ambience.

It's probably best if you stick to night boating. That way you can do all
your boating without fear of meeting somebody that you disagree with (which
seems at the last count to be almost everybody)

Tony Clayton

In a recent message "ShedSpy" <spam@spam.com> wrote:

> Someone earlier refered to "narrowboat v grp war" and there is some
> animocity (tribalism really) between certain users. That no one can deny.
>
[snip]

In many years boating, in both marine ply and grp boats, I have very rarely come
up against a narrow boater with an 'I'm better than you' approach. There have been
one or two who were fearful at sharing a lock with us, but having been hit hard
by several narrowboats without significant damage, the fear has been exaggerated.

We used the boat in icy conditions several times, but only with clear water
in the channel. Locks were interesting, as we pushed a raft of ice out
in front of us, but that was the only serious boat-ice encounter.
On the Shroppie Wolverhampton kept the water quite warm ;-)

> Night boating. I love it. If anyone hasn't done it then you dont know what
> your missing. Theres nothing like it, so earily peaceful and at one with the
> ambience.

We have only tried it a few times. Once was at the end of a long holiday
when we were within striking distance of 'home', when we travelled from
Wheaton Aston to Norbury in the dark. The fact that our battery was almost flat
meant that we could only switch the headlight on as we approached bridges,
but since I knew the cut well I knew when we were about to come upon one.

I once held a society committee meeting on the boat, as we went from Norbury
up to Shebdon, had a meal, and returned in the dark. It was an experience my
colleagues remeber to this day. Sadly, on the Wey night navigation was forbidden.

What was much more exciting even than that was taking a friend's narrowboat up
Audlem at night. I had parked my car at the top and emptied all the locks
on the way down, so at least they were all ready for us.

--
Tony Clayton tony@tclayton.demon.co.uk or tony.clayton.1962@pem.cam.ac.uk
Coins of the UK : http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/coins.html
Metals used in Coins : http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/metal.html
Sent using RISCOS on an Acorn Strong Arm RiscPC
.... On second thoughts, lets not go to Camelot. It is a silly place.

Neil Arlidge

Tony Clayton wrote:

> What was much more exciting even than that was taking a friend's
> narrowboat up Audlem at night. ....

....an every day (and night) occurence with Ocean Princess boat moving....


--
Neil Arlidge - NB Earnest
Follow the travels of the TNC at : http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk

Molly Mockford

At 21:17:03 on Wed, 23 Feb 2005, Richard Lucas
<Richardnew@thelucases.me.uk> wrote in
<1v4numgxc2nys.1e2q1zipmwan3$.dlg@40tude.net>:

>Very early morning boating is good, too. On a BCN Challenge we went
>towards the Delph Locks from Windmill End, starting before dawn, and had
>serotine bats, the ones that look a bit like swallows at a glance, sweeping
>the sky above us as the sun came up.

I really love that. Being first boat through of the day, and seeing all
the wildlife that hasn't gone to bed for the day yet. I even saw an
otter once (on the Barrow river in Ireland, to be fair - but I was on a
narrowboat all the same).
--
Molly Mockford
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.)

Brian J Goggin

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 22:19:35 +0000, Molly Mockford
<nospamnobody@mollymockford.me.uk> wrote:

>I really love that. Being first boat through of the day, and seeing all
>the wildlife that hasn't gone to bed for the day yet. I even saw an
>otter once (on the Barrow river in Ireland, to be fair - but I was on a
>narrowboat all the same).

The IWAI's Dublin rally traditionally sets off into the city at 4.30am
or so, for precisely the opposite reason: to avoid the (human)
wildlife, most of which will have gone to bed by then.

Early starts are also a good idea for crossing lakes: the wind is
usually at its lowest in the early morning, rising throughout the day
to reach a peak in the afternoon. No problem if its peak is Force 4 or
so, but for anything more it's nice to be tied up and pottering about,
doing essential boaty things, before white horses appear.

bjg

Hugh Allen

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 10:59:09 -
>
>It's probably best if you stick to night boating. That way you can do all
>your boating without fear of meeting somebody that you disagree with (which
>seems at the last count to be almost everybody)
>
Thjis from a man who can't stand cyclists, anglers and canoeists and
who thinks that the majority of boaters are speeding inconsiderate
idiots! I

Drifter

Phil Rushton wrote:

> My last nightime boating was on New Years Day - coming back
> from a New Years Eve party. A journey of just over the hour.
> We saw 5 herons fishing at 2:30 AM.
> There was a previous occasion when a crew member has
> actually stroked a heron on the head (mesmerised by the searchlight).
>
> Cheers
> Phil
> night owl

We often cruise in the dark on late evening party hire with Merlin, on
the Mytchett pound.

Being accompanied back to our mooring by bats dive-bombing the insects
attracted to our headlights is quite spectaclear, as are mesmarinised
owls flying towards the lights.

Mrs Drifter did her first night steer last year. We had caught a
mattress on the prop at Ash Wharf on Merlin. We couldn't get it off,
and ended up towing the boat back to Mytchett using our own 54ft boat
as tug. Mrs Drifter steered Merlin, 72ft, for the first time ever, and
in the dark, on tow, dragging the mattress behind her. Mind you, she
was fortified by dutch courage.

She didn't touch a single bridge either.

She often talks about it proudly, but hasn't steered Merlin since,
claiming it would be too easy in daylight without the mattress.

Tony H
in the dark on the Basy

Dave Mayall

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 09:54:51 +0000, Hugh Allen <hugh@naddress.com>
wrote:

>On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 10:59:09 -
>>
>>It's probably best if you stick to night boating. That way you can do all
>>your boating without fear of meeting somebody that you disagree with (which
>>seems at the last count to be almost everybody)
>>
>Thjis from a man who can't stand cyclists, anglers and canoeists

Each of them is fine, until they cause problems for others.

I can't stand cyclists who turn the towpath into a mudbath, rendering
it unusable by anybody other than cyclists, or cyclists who cycle
where it is forbidden.

I can't stand anglers who feel that you should turn your pleasant
cruise into a feat of endurance struggling to cruise just as they
want.

I can't stand canoeists who use waterways when they lack the skills to
safely share the water with powered craft.

>and
>who thinks that the majority of boaters are speeding inconsiderate
>idiots!

I think we put this one to bed last year.

I said no such thing.

I said that the majority of boat movements past my mooring were made
too fast and without consideration.

--
Dave Mayall