Boat Being Untied.

[tonplus]

Have just heard about a boat being untied at Gay's Staithe last night whilst people where on board!

Has anyone else had this happen to them?  Must have been quite scary to be set adrift whilst you are asleep.

[BroadAmbition]

Yes - Happened to us whilst onboard  a Jewel of Light one year in Horning. by the Ferry Pub. Discovered oursens in mid river when one of the crew got up about 0300.  He simply lowered the mudweight over stern end and we then sorted oursens out in the morning.  No harm done and not scary either as all asleep bar one and he went back to bed.

Griff

[vanessan]

It’s a stupid, thoughtless act but sadly it happens. We drop our mudweight wherever possible, less chance of drifting too far if the worst happens. In a strong tide it probably wouldn’t be much good but (with apologies to Tesco’s) every little helps! 

[Maxwellian]

That is why we always put the mud weight down when mooring. Also use spring when not needed as it is another one for them to have to untie. Happened to us in 1984 in Norwich YS. long time ago and never again. The Ranger had warned us as it was a Saturday night so we stayed put. We were woken up to others shouting trying to wake up the occupants of a cruiser floating past that had not put their mud weight down. they eventually heard the calls. It is not common so please don't panic everyone.  

[NeilB]

Remember being cast adrift at Thorpe many, many years ago as a teenager with my parents.  Mum came into my cabin to wake me so I could help dad.  Apparently I said ok, turned over and went straight back to sleep!!

Must have been over 30 years ago now!

[vanessan]

Just a word of warning about putting a mudweight down overnight - it’s very easy to forget it in the morning and sail off wondering why the steering is so awful! I made a letter box sized sign just saying ‘mudweight’, laminated it and we put it on the dashboard when the mudweight is in use. (You just have to remember to put the sign out at the appropriate time!)

[JawsOrca]

We moor a lot at Gayes and Neatishead and never have felt concerned about mooring here even on our own.  The place is very much off the beaten track so I have no idea where these people come from.   We always use the mudweight and if anyone is stupid enough to untie us the boat will sit there, in fact most of the times only one stern line is on to keep it reasonably there!

If I ever spot anyone tampering with a boats lines I will report them to the police, Orca may also have CCTV in operation  which maybe passed to the police.

[ScrumpyCheddar]

We had it done to us about 25 years ago On the Great Ouse at Godmanchester... lucky enough the boat behind us was still awake and held us with his boat hook.. while we managed to fire up the engine and got her back on to the mooring... after that had two cleats fitted inside the aft and thread the black ropes through the canopy... It just added abit more security..

[VetChugger]

Happened to me at Loddon Staithe, found myself banging about on the way past Bill Maxted's yard. Seemed disturbingly common at the time about 10 years ago. Late saturday night/sunday morning crowd of drunken yoof!

[Graham47]

We also had the same experience at Loddon several years ago. It was about half past midnight and every boat in the staithe had been untied and pushed out into the middle. Luckily someone raised the alarm and with a lot of team work all boats were retrieved and re tied. At that time none of us had a drop weight down. The police were called because it was seen in which direction the culprits ran off. However it was an hour before they attended and they were long gone.

[Guest]

It's always a good idea, to check your ropes, before settling in for the night. Often, when mooring up, it can be a bit of a 'rushed operation', especially with inexperienced crews. The 'knots' might not be quite as secure as you might think and retying the ropes when things have calmed down a bit, is a good idea. Being 'cast adrift' really is very rare on the broads, often more likely to be 'rushed' knots, during the original mooring coming undone, when the tide begins to run, or the wind gets up.

[Ray]

I understand a boat was also cast adrift at Irstead last night. Culprits believed to be same for both incidents, seen running off and using a silver colour car.

Wherever possible I bring our ropes back to the boat to tie off overnight, I'm a light sleeper and would feel anyone stepping aboard but I like the mudweight idea so I'll put that out overnight now as well!

[Meantime]

Never had it happen to us yet, but I have two long padlocks and when ever mooring in an area where there is previous I usually tie the boat and end up with the loose ends back on the boat, with the padlocks through the loop in the rope and then padlocked to a hand rail in full view. At Norwich with the loops very secure, at places with just posts I look for a safety chain or side of  a ladder to take a rope through first. Never been untied, but then never woken the next morning to find any of our neighbours have had problems either, so cannot really say whether our precautions have worked.

[vanessan]

Another little trick. If you are lucky enough to be moored next to steps or a sturdy fence, before you retire for the night run a rope through the steps/fence and bring back on board to secure, on an outside cleat if at all possible. You do need long ropes for this though.

[vanessan]

Great minds think alike EastCoastIPA!

[johnb]

Many years ago at Potter. Halloween night. We were moored opp. H woods. In the morning we were outside h woods in a space we could never have motored into. About 4 cruisers set adrift and day boats blocking the bridge. 

[Londonlad1985]

Happened to me my 1st time on the broads 1 May Bank holiday weekend in 2016 at Gayes Staithe. Us and another boat untied we noticed and chucked the mud weight over. The others realised at breakfast when they wanted to to get some water.  Almost put me off - but was a blip I hope. 

[ZimbiIV]

Last time we were at WRC saw the reverse, lots of noise and revs and a boat going nowhere, yes it was still tied up.

paul

[Meantime]

39 minutes ago, Londonlad1985 said:

Happened to me my 1st time on the broads 1 May Bank holiday weekend in 2016 at Gayes Staithe. Us and another boat untied we noticed and chucked the mud weight over. The others realised at breakfast when they wanted to to get some water.  Almost put me off - but was a blip I hope. 

To be honest I've been boating on The Broads in total for 17 years and never been untied, or heard of any neighbours being untied. You hear through forums that it does happen and it is that, that has made me take precautions in certain places, but then you only hear of the few per year that may get untied and you have to compare that to the hundreds of thousands of boats moored per year that are never interfered with. I guess sensible precautions in certain places are not to be discouraged, but it is so unlikely to happen, not worth loosing sleep over.

[Londonlad1985]

15 minutes ago, EastCoastIPA said:

To be honest I've been boating on The Broads in total for 17 years and never been untied, or heard of any neighbours being untied. You hear through forums that it does happen and it is that, that has made me take precautions in certain places, but then you only hear of the few per year that may get untied and you have to compare that to the hundreds of thousands of boats moored per year that are never interfered with. I guess sensible precautions in certain places are not to be discouraged, but it is so unlikely to happen, not worth loosing sleep over.

Yes my sentiments extactly. I felt aggrieved at the time but it was such a lovely holdiay it was soon forgotten. Had the mud weight been down we wouldn't have moved. Live and learn. 

[vanessan]

17 minutes ago, EastCoastIPA said:

To be honest I've been boating on The Broads in total for 17 years and never been untied, or heard of any neighbours being untied. You hear through forums that it does happen and it is that, that has made me take precautions in certain places, but then you only hear of the few per year that may get untied and you have to compare that to the hundreds of thousands of boats moored per year that are never interfered with. I guess sensible precautions in certain places are not to be discouraged, but it is so unlikely to happen, not worth loosing sleep over.

Absolutely right, these incidents are few and far between and most certainly shouldn’t put anybody off a Broads boating holiday. If you are a tad concerned, drop the mudweight as suggested and sleep soundly. 

[ranworthbreeze]

As others have said drop the mud weight and tr to tie off on the boat when in these potential black spots.

Another word of warning stow items such as spare fenders or boat-hooks etc away from the moored side, the physical act of getting onto a boat acts as a deterrent, sadly it did not deter the person that took our aerial and mast off of the boat a couple of seasons ago while moored at the New Inn at Horning. Our owner aboard at the time was totally unaware.

Regards

Alan

[vanessan]

10 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

As others have said drop the mud weight and tr to tie off on the boat when in these potential black spots.

Another word of warning stow items such as spare fenders or boat-hooks etc away from the moored side, the physical act of getting onto a boat acts as a deterrent, sadly it did not deter the person that took our aerial and mast off of the boat a couple of seasons ago while moored at the New Inn at Horning. Our owner aboard at the time was totally unaware.

Regards

Alan

Some tea leaf tried to detach our aerial when we were moored at Norwich YS last year. I was aware of strange noises during the night and got up to investigate, I guess I scared the chap off but he did take half of the fixing with him! The aerial is now fixed on the roof rail on the opposite side of the boat. Alan’s suggestion of storing things away from the quayside is a good one.

[High6]

The anchor watch app could help if you are released from your moorings.

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[Hylander]

15 hours ago, Ray said:

 

Wherever possible I bring our ropes back to the boat to tie off overnight, I'm a light sleeper and would feel anyone stepping aboard but I like the mudweight idea so I'll put that out overnight now as well!

That is how we tie up.       You can only do so much ,  if the brain dead are out to get you then they will.      One day they will come unstuck and get their come uppance.