Not go unchallenged
YOUR correspondent, Pam Pickett, whilst defending Timothy West makes many assumptions about me which cannot go unchallenged, writes John Wallace.
In doing so I will not make assumptions about her and her boat or experience but will qualify my views with personal facts.
Boating since 1984
I am a trainee-geriatric being 68 years of age. I am a genuine continuous cruiser having been boating since 1984. My 'expensive' boat is a 25 year old Liverpool, owned by me for 15 years, which is painted and maintained by myself.
I take great care to respect other boaters and the infrastructure of the system. I do not indulge in the Wests' contact sport—I can only remember nudging one boat in the last 15 years when negotiating Braunston Turn. (Why do idiots moor opposite the sanitary station there where the cut is narrow and has a blind bend?)
No defence
As for crashing head-on into other boats and hitting bridges I cannot see any defence for the Wests. Hitting other boats is more serious than 'scratches' but can result in items being thrown off shelves or stoves or boat crews being in danger of falls or scalds from kettles etc.
Pam Pickett obviously trusts insurance companies to be understanding when their terms and conditions are broken. Hire boats are not insured to travel after dark no matter where or whoever is abetting that stupidity. Non- boaters considering hiring for the first time are given a dangerous impression of what boating is about.
What hire companies think
Finally, I would be interested to know what Black Prince and Napton Narrowboats (aka Minervois Cruisers in France) think about their expensive Timothy West Dodgem Cars being treated in cavalier fashion regarding 'contact sport' and cruising in darkness.
Given that television programme makers have the ability to edit out Timothy West's mistakes one can only assume that they are not interested in showing boating skill but prefer to glorify the incompetent bits.
Returning to Pam Pickett I can assure her that I do seek tranquillity and a stress-free time on the cut but boaters like the Wests and their ilk spoil our enjoyment.