catcouk Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 My apologies if I've posted this in the wrong place. I've read this forum for quite a while, years before I joined. There's always seemed to be a tone from some members that hire boats are the devil incarnate! I totally get this - any numpty can turn up and take out a boat. But we're not all numpties - I treat each hire boat I have as my own personal pride and joy (whenever I see Contessa, I always call her 'my' boat and get very excited - like today on the lower Bure!). Having said that, I'm falling out of love with our current hire - see my holiday post. So today, imagine my surprise, as I sat moored up (on my hire boat) as a private boat swapped roles. They came screaming into the mooring, collided quite loudly with the quay heading, and helped themselves to our fenders and bow to stabilise themselves. The current was quite strong and the weather was very wet. Now, I'm not trying to stir up some sort of rivalry, but I do want to defend us 'mere' hirers. We ALL make the occasional mistake (which today's bumper boats may well have been) - particularly when the weather is particularly rough. I totally understand why private owners feel defensive over their very expensive boats - at the end of the week, I hand my boat back, and don't have to worry about repairs if someone did hit me. But I'm just asking for some patience and understanding - not to mention not being tarred with the same brush. And I hand over the floor... 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyMorgan Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Dear Cat, the point that you are making has a history of support on this and the 'other' forum. Personally I despair at the lack of ability shown by far too many privateers. You would think that as a matter of pride that they would make some effort to master this boating lark, if only to protect their investment. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catcouk Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 Yes, I was quite bemused. As you say, I'm not sure I could treat my investment like that. But, as I also said, maybe this was just their bad day. I remember an incident involving a very senior and long serving sailing instructor (not to mention ex-Royal Navy). He was always happy to point out our various mistakes - in a friendly and helpful way of couse. So imagine our great surprise when we saw him land his dinghy ON TOP of the pontoon. He had completely misjudged the wind and just couldn't stop. He was lucky not to cause damage! Fortunately, the pontoon was empty. I'm not sure I've seen anything funnier. We all have bad days. Needless to say, he was a tad less critical after this one - we ALL had some words of advice for him (well, after we'd finished laughing...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyMorgan Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 22 minutes ago, catcouk said: I remember an incident involving a very senior and long serving sailing instructor (not to mention ex-Royal Navy). Ex Naval officers on small boats are often thought of as being as useless as billiard tables, spirit levels, lawn mowers and numerous other similarly useless on small boat thingumabobs. The gentleman to which you refer, not a resident of Cantley by any chance? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catcouk Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 Just now, JennyMorgan said: The gentleman to which you refer, not a resident of Cantley by any chance? Your comment did make me chuckle. My Dad is ex-RN and I would have to agree... No, we're southerners I'm afraid. He's been in Portsmouth his whole life (when he's not been at sea). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YnysMon Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Did they forget to approach the mooring against the tide perchance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catcouk Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 1 minute ago, YnysMon said: Did they forget to approach the mooring against the tide perchance? No, I meant to say that - they'd come in against tide correctly. I suspect they rushed their approach or misjudged the strength of tide. They hadn't aimed far enough up tide from us and got pushed onto us. They tried to correct this with speed rather than go around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Who owns a boat hasn't necessarily anything to do with how well it's helmed, hire or private, someone owns it. We all have good days which nobody sees and bad days which everyone sees. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyMorgan Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 25 minutes ago, catcouk said: No, we're southerners I'm afraid. No need to apologise, there are worse places . . . . . . . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floydraser Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Good point. We private owners never have a hand over. No we don't need to introduce tests; we have them for cars some people can't "moor" their cars properly either. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea14Ian Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 I think the point is the care you take wither hire or private. Over the years I've seen,both hire and private give a good whack to other boats.Alot of it can be as I said the care you give.Practice helps,and not going to fast when close to other boats 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CambridgeCabby Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 There isn’t a privateer amongst us that hasn’t made a pigs ear of mooring on more than one occasion , similar for hirers . Many a mistake can be made from complacency. In my case why is it that when you make the perfect difficult mooring no one sees , but if you make a cock up ??? 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea14Ian Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Sods law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gracie Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 It should never be about privateers v hirers, we're all in it together as they say. I've seen some brilliant helms in both camps but also terrible ones too. We can all make mistakes, even me It's how you put those mistakes right that matters I guess Oh I have pulled off the perfect mooring too and not one person to witness it. I pulled into the Pilots station at Wroxham once, made a right hash of it and guess what, loads of people sat outside having a drink 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 I've seen appalling helming... in my own boat... when I was the only one onboard! 😁 3 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 8 hours ago, floydraser said: Good point. We private owners never have a hand over. No we don't need to introduce tests; we have them for cars some people can't "moor" their cars properly either. I have to disagree with you on that point. Paul at Swancraft spent ages showing me as much as he could. Floor hatches were lifted, he showed me the fuses, trips, explained the inverter and showed me where it and the batteries were, he even pulled the gas cooker out and checked the connections etc. etc. Then he took me out onto the river and showed me how to moor up. Perhaps it would have been different if we had bought from one of the larger boatyards, I can only tell you how it was for me. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyMorgan Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 As has been said, privateers don't generally get a handover when they pick up their new boat. Granted that many are ex-hirers and if so they should have an advantage, In the old days we had the 'thupenny bit' test. I'm told that it also applied to chauffeurs driving Rollers. A three penny bit was stood on its edge, and a boat should be moored, or the Roller parked, without the coin falling over! This is a thrupenny bit: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyMorgan Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 4 minutes ago, Sam said: Perhaps it would have been different if we had bought from one of the larger boatyard, I can only tell you how it was for me. Perhaps he took a shine to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 5 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said: Perhaps he took a shine to you! More likely he treated me like his Mum or Grandma!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floydraser Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 50 minutes ago, Sam said: I have to disagree with you on that point. Paul at Swancraft spent ages showing me as much as he could. Floor hatches were lifted, he showed me the fuses, trips, explained the inverter and showed me where it and the batteries were, he even pulled the gas cooker out and checked the connections etc. etc. Then he took me out onto the river and showed me how to moor up. Perhaps it would have been different if we had bought from one of the larger boatyards, I can only tell you how it was for me. Quite right Sam, I didn't put it very well. I guess I was trying to point out that it's very easy for anyone to buy any size boat and take to the water without previous experience. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floydraser Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 50 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said: As has been said, privateers don't generally get a handover when they pick up their new boat. Granted that many are ex-hirers and if so they should have an advantage, In the old days we had the 'thupenny bit' test. I'm told that it also applied to chauffeurs driving Rollers. A three penny bit was stood on its edge, and a boat should be moored, or the Roller parked, without the coin falling over! This is a thrupenny bit: And where did you get that much money from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroadAmbition Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Point of order Sixty years on the Broads, hirer, owner. Twenty Four years RN, fast boat coxswain, RYA level 5 etc etc When I’m on the helm I never make a mistake. That is until we cast off and are underway of course The infamous Ludham Bridge episode February this year being a fine example Griff 8 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea14Ian Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Let's not talk about Ludham bridge. 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclemike Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 8 minutes ago, Chelsea14Ian said: Let's not talk about Ludham bridge. can we have a heads up on that ian? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea14Ian Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 If in doubt keep your head down 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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