'Got you'—twice!
WITH regard to the the speed of Grace of Napton Narrowboats, last month I was passed not once but twice by an ABC Leisure boat, out of Gayton doing exactly the same level of speed, writes John Howard.
The first time it was heading south through Grafton Regis, where I was horrified at the previously unseen amount of wash rapidly gathering speed as it passed our clutch of moored boats.
Break-neck speed
The following morning I was heading South, and as I approached that nice blind bend/bridge hole combination just before Yardley Wharf. The very same boat was now heading back northwards, at the same break-neck speed—appearing from the bridge like a bullet out of a gun.
Fortunately I was far enough away to avoid contact as they literally threw the boat across to starboard to avoid hitting the port side bank, and then finally pulled her straight (without slowing down) to pass me.
No avail
Surprise surprise! A bunch of lads with 'tinnies' in hand, some still in bed in the fore cabin, as it was before 9am. I shouted a suggestion regarding what they were doing to the bank sides, and that it wasn't a speed boat, but of course to no avail.
I passed several moored boats after this where their owners were still recovering from the thrashing their boats had received from the waves of these uncaring hirers.
I was prompted to call ABC Leisure at Gayton, where I left a detailed message, with the boat name, suggesting a call to the hirers might prevent further damage to ABC's reputation.
Regular protests?
The following day, a friend of mine, who knows the Gayton Manager, and had experienced the initial 'contact' whilst working on my boat, called Gayton to support the complaint. Whereupon we were told that no complaints had been received, and therefore, now 24 hours later, nothing could be done anyway. So either the answer-phone failed, or someone deleted the message and failed to pass the message up the chain. Perhaps this might be due to the regularity of such protests? I guess we'll never know.
On the EA waters you tend to see, albeit occasionally, enforcement officers on boats, checking licences and the general behaviour of boaters. I suspect with the dwindling CaRT Enforcement Team that may be just a pipe dream?