Boaters v Anglers

[kleinboet]

Interesting post. I used to fish rivers and canals regularly and never had a problem with BOATERS!!

 

The problem arises when the family decide to take a canalboat holiday! The take a narrowboat and seem to think that, as they have paid for a narrowboat holiday, they OWN the rivers and canals! Many of them cannot understand that as they don't need a licence to drive the boat, they have some rules that they MUST obey!

 

I would like to see those who want to hire a boat, sit some sort of exam and get a certificate of competence.

 

The boaters will retaliate with "well so should the anglers!"

 

I have seen many anglers go over to other anglers and set them right about boaters, but I have never seen seasoned boaters having a word with the visitors.

[gozzer]

You're right. You don't need a licence to hire a pleasure craft.

 

Thanks for all your input lads. It's causing a lot of discussion on our forum, and many of them are now a lot more understanding of what anglers need.

 

I knew you lot wouldn't let me down!

 

Janet

 

Hi Janet. I've read the whole thread on your forum, (even Steves post ).

 

It seems I was right, there are grumpy sods on both sides. You and Bazza are doing a good job of putting the anglers case, and most think it's a good idea to find out how the other side thinks.

I spent much of my youth helping my mates Uncle, (who was a lock keeper), and have seen both sides of the argument. Some anglers don't understand how a boat handles, and that you shouldn't fish at mooring bollards. So I think that an exchange of ideas, (instead of insults ) would benefit both sides.

 

John

[Janet]

As a matter of interest to us dual interest types to what forum do you refer to?

 

Canal World

 

Only a small site compared to this, but full of very nice, friendly people.

 

Many of us have had issues with anglers, mainly because we don't know what to do when we find you lurking behind bushes, or horror of horrors, fishing a match! I remember on our last cruise being faced with miles upon miles of anglers, most of whom just glared at us. I'm not exaggerrating. They seemed to go on forever! It went on for over two miles! It was very intimidating. We didn't want to interrupt their sport, but on the other hand, we had a schedule to keep to, and couldn't spare the time to moor up until they'd finished. If we could have, we would have, as there was a nice pub beckoning!

 

We slowed down to just tickover, not much over a mile an hour, and kept to the middle of the channel, (we couldn't really do much else as we would have gone aground if we'd tried to keep to the near or offside bank) and it felt like a lifetime until we got past them. They scared us witless by not lifting their poles until the very last minute, or even acknowledging that they were aware we were there. One or two were considerate, and let us know that they'd seen us, and we had an occasional nod and wave, but the majority just glared. It was most uncomfortable.

 

Now I'm a fledgling angler myself, I can see things from both sides. An indication from anglers would be good, telling us which side they'd prefer us to pass on. An ackowledgement that they'd actually seen us would also be good! And please, please, don't leave it untill the very last minute to lift your poles etc. A narrowboat doesn't steer well in tickover. We need some speed over the rudder to give us control, which is why you may sometimes feel we're going too fast, particularly on bends. If we didn't, we'd end up grounded.

 

So guys, please keep your posts on this subject coming in. We really do appreciate it, and hopefully a lot of us will gain better understanding of each others needs.

 

Janet

 

 

 

 

 

I'm glad

[Peter Waller]

Match anglers are really the anti-christ dressed in hideous colours and perched up on high rise scaffolding. But underneath they are just big teddy bears! Don't worry about the glares, its nothing personal. Stick to the centre of the canal, rest assured that they will lift their poles, even at the last moment. Waterskiing is frowned upon though.

[Newt]

A question here - since it does seem that boaters can have problems spotting anglers, would it make sense for canal anglers to do similar to what divers do and put up some sort of flag to mark their position?

[corydoras]

A narrowboat doesn't steer well in tickover. We need some speed over the rudder to give us control, which is why you may sometimes feel we're going too fast, particularly on bends. If we didn't, we'd end up grounded.

What you are referring to is "steerage way". This is the minimum speed that any vessel must make through the water in order for the rudder to be effective, or quoting from Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine 'STEERAGE-WAY, is that degree of progressive motion communicated to a ship, by which she becomes susceptible to the effects of the helm to govern her course.'

 

Anglers need to be aware of this. There is a limit to how slow any vessel can go and still be manageable. It's a bit like riding a bicycle, the slower you go the harder it is to steer, go too slow and you'll fall off your bike. Go too slow in a boat and you lose the ability to steer, and believe me it is not a nice feeling.

Edited January 12, 2007 by corydoras

[Peter Waller]

Janet, there is slow, then there is really slow! And really slow might mean having to kick the stern around with hard ahead surges on the engine. That can really disturb the water, indeed even kick up the silt, not appreciated.

 

Speed is a bit of a catch 22, go too slow and you loose steerage, go slowly and you take longer to get past the anglers, and since most canal boats proper make next to no wash I would have thought a couple or three miles an hour would be no problem.

[Peter Waller]

A question here - since it does seem that boaters can have problems spotting anglers, would it make sense for canal anglers to do similar to what divers do and put up some sort of flag to mark their position?

 

There is a proposal on the Broads that a flag on a buoy will be laid at each end of a match length.

 

Yes, Newt, it makes sense, and is just one more stick for anglers to carry, hardly a problem.

[BoozleBear]

My general experience is that as a fisherman I put more effort in that I get back from boaters and conoeists.

 

I leave space if they need to moor their boat. If a boat is coming I reel in and let them go past. I understand that it is their right to use the canal as much as mine.

 

Most times it is fine.

 

However...

 

People in canoes are by far the worst, they sploosh into the canal right next to the rods and don't care about the disturbance.

 

I have also seen people let their dogs of barges to go for a plop on the tow path and call them back in as if they have just been sniffing around.

 

When I put an effort in to leave room and accommodate for other canal users, especially when I anglers are probably the only ones paying for the prevelidge, it makes me sick the way other people treat it.

 

I know this is only the rare few, but it bugs me anyway.

 

Simon

[bluerinse]

Not quite the same point but I was fishing for bass in north wales last summer when to jet skis decided that out of the massive amount of water that is called the irish sea the bit that I was fishing was the place for them.

they just kept hrashing through the area I was fishing just of the rocks.

 

there were bass in the area until they decided to spend 1/2 an hour blasing past me.

 

I shouted at them , waved my fists etc.. but they just laughed.

 

if i was able to get to them there would have been an incident.

 

I was really **** off as I only get to go sea fishing once a year and as its normally on my famliy holiday its limited time (maybe twice during a weeks holiday)

 

now canel boats , narrow boats etc.. are not a problem, I fish the Avon in Stratford and through the summer its like the M25 but It never really bothers me, most boated are freindly and considerate.

I have even had a few glasses of wine of a boater who moored up next to me one evening and started chating.