FlyingFortress

Quite early on in my career as a Pilot in The Largest Port in The Country we had to let a bloke go who simply wasn't making the grade. He had been a senior Captain on a cross channel ferry doing multiple dockings and sailings every day in all weathers. He simply could not make the transition from high powered high performance ships to the low powered "heavy" ships that we had to deal with every day. I had also come from high performance ships and it did take a bit of getting used to.

I really am surprised that after a week of intensive training that half the class were still unable to moor safely. Having said that some while back a private boat came into moor at Ranworth , forward drive Bounty,and it was clear the guy did not have a clue about boat handling. With quite a bit of help from others he was eventually pulled into the mooring. We happened to be sat close to him in the pub later on and he mentioned that he had only just bought the boat. I mentioned what I did for a living and I offered to give him some tuition the following morning which he accepted greatfully. The following morning I boarded his boat and we went over to the island which was empty. Under instruction he backed up to the quay over and over again but only made limited progress. After the best part of an hour I thought he could progress no more and called time on the exercise. He was able to complete the manouvre but I could tell he was never going to be a natural. On the way back to the Staithe he said he did not have so much trouble with his other boat."Other boat?" He owned a 45' Sealine that he regularly took to The Continent

Wussername What an excellent and well considered post. You have obviously given this subject a lot of thought. It does to me seem a workable idea particularly when coupled with the digital suggestion by DAVIDH. As for someone like myself who is a long term owner who decides to hire my opinion is just take the hit and do a full trial run as I would not be able to offer an acceptable audit trail. What have I got to lose an hour of my time no Biggie.

Rangers are not infallible. I have been yelled at to turn around at GTY when there was more than sufficient clearance for me. I have also been yelled at Reedham when I was coming in to moor stern to tide. But I don't let it bother me as I do know my boat looks like a hire boat from the front.

That's what I was told in no uncertain terms earlier in the discussion. And also why I have curtailed my answers.

Vaughan. I do agree with you that rails are not the ultimate solution. Boat design is the biggest problem. Being unable to see crew from the helm while manoeuvring is asking for trouble and it was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened. I don't however agree that modifications cannot be made to changeover of helm controls.

Grendal The rail around the exterior of a Pilot Boat is called a Hadrian's Rail. The track runs around the house of The Pilot Boat. There are no external guard rails. The idea is to get The Pilot off the boat. The deckhand will clip a safely belt to a traveller on the rail. This allows the deckhand free access All around the boat with both hands free to grab the pilot if he /she stumbles. This happens a lot when the weather is poor and the boat is moving vertically 2m or more. Timing is everything. Pilots do not clip on as once again the idea is to get off the boat onto the ship. If we did clip on and ended up going over the side we would be suspended just above the water with a 15 ton boat smashing us to a pulp between the boat and Ship. Certain death. The preferred boarding place is as you say where the enhanced fendering is in the shoulders of the boat but there are many circumstances when this has to be done at other places hence the Hadrian's Rail being all around the pilot boat. Communication and trust are key here particularly when disembarking as one cannot see where you are going. The scenario you explained for Lads Week seems a bit elaborate to me Mrs FF What side to. Me Port/ Starboard Mrs FF then steps off the boat when alongside with a bow and stern line in hand. She then either ties off the bow line ( tidal) or holds the boat until I step off (non tidal) and together we run springs and head and stern lines. Simples

Thank Ray. That's what I got when I googled it. It does not really tell us anything about its members, it's power's or lack of. I only ask as they seem to be opposed to the installation of indicator devices or interlocks on dual helm boats. I am finding it difficult to understand why?

May I ask who or what is The Association of Inland Water Authorities ?

It isn't

Thought the answer was no.

Bit confused as usual. Are we allowed to discuss the DE1 incident or not ?

Probably going to take The Hooligan on his first river trip tomorrow then. Just for half a day, then hopefully first overnight over the weekend.

No worries 😊 Have a good trip.

Griff Just let me know either on here or by phone tomorrow.

Thanks Paul. She was 14 so as Griff said she had a good innings.

Give me a ring.

He is a bit of a hooligan 9 months old

Can do it if you are really stuck C, Better if someone else offers as I have a new dog and truthfully want to take him out on my boat at that time. Yes Treacle has gone .

Looks pretty good value for money to me. Am I being thick as I can't see how introducing a new audience to The Broads is a bad thing. Last year when folks could not travel I met quite a few people who would not normally holiday on The Broads who thoroughly enjoyed the experience and planned to return. One group of younger Lads who were obviously normally The Ibiza crowd had thoroughly enjoyed their week were even asking about buying a boat. Could these Lads be the future Father's who will bring a new generation to The Broads. Or maybe is there a more sinister attitude of "We don't really want that sort on our Broads" ? Remember what Vaughan said earlier " Be careful what you wish for" and truthfully I agree with him as without The Hire Boat Industry The infrastructure of our Broads will die. All I am asking is that some and I emphasize some companies simply up their game. One particular Boatyard in a Village I used to live in was simply an embarrassment when compared to The slick operation of The likes of Richardson's, BB, NBD, and The likes. Smaller yards such as Summer craft , Royalls, and Pacific can/ could give a very personal experience. Long may this continue. Good enough is simply not good enough when paying the rates for a week's hire that it costs me to run my own boat for a year.

When was this Sun thing? Please bear in mind I have never been a hirer? With regards to closing the Thread. There is always the option not to read it

I am genuinely interested to know what "bad press publicity " killed the hey day of The Broads Hire Industry. I was only working in this area from mid 80s and did not move here until early 90s when I bought my first boat shortly after. I had only ever visited the area once before on my last holiday with my Parents in the late 70s. IIRC I joined the Norfolk Broads Forum around 2002 or 3 when it was in it's early days and as far as I am aware it was the first Forum about The Broads.

I would never venture outside the markers at Rockland either seeing the amount of weed that is there.

According to a friend who crossed Breydon this morning the boat is no longer there

Good old days eh. A drunk fork lift driver putting his forks through the side of a ship almost killing one of my Seaman. Life changing injurious is the current expression. Trying to convince dockers that I really needed my cargo loaded in a certain way as it was me taking this ship to sea in a Force 10. The death rate in the offshore industry was horrendous when you take into account the limited numbers of people doing it was at the time statistically the highest fatality rate of any industry. The good old days. Oh how we laughed. Except those Mother's,Wives and Children of those who returned in a box if at all. Given good old elf an safety and Safety Management Systems fatalities are now the exception rather than the norm. But we can all laugh with the rose tinted glasses on. So I politely request that no one lecture me on responsibility for people's lives.