Canoeists causing mayhem

I AM a continuous cruiser narrowboater and at present I am moored on a 14 days visitor mooring at Linslade/Leighton Buzzard on the Grand Union Canal. writes Keith Gudgin.

Over the past three days I have been subjected to having my boat rocked and shoved into the bank by a continuous parade of canoeists paddling at full speed past a row of moored boats. They tend to pass so close to me that I have had my boat struck by their paddles on occasions.

Abuse

These people have been asked to slow down when going past moored boats but all we get is abuse from them, I also know that the police have been called in on more than one occasion but they say it is Canal & River Trust's problem.

I feel it is about time that CaRT ensured that these canoeists obeyed the rules as it is a requirement that all boats maintain a speed that does not cause waves or a wash to hit the bank, and in any case no more than 4mph, (as per Page 37 in the Boaters Handbook). The wash from these canoes is so bad that you can see the bank being washed away here as they pass.

Pins pulled out

Speeding canoes cause more movement to moored boats than speeding narrowboats do and as the mooring here is by using pins that are hammered into what is a relatively soft bank, this is a major problem for the moored boats with pins being loosened and pulled out especially if the owner has gone shopping etc.

As the Boaters Handbook also states, (Page 37), that you must 'Keep your speed down... when passing other boats', these canoeist, even after being advised of the rules, are just flouting them and causing excessive movement to moored boats. All this is doing is causing undue tension between them and other waterways users. Even the anglers here have expressed their anger and frustration with canoeists speeding up and down all day.

Engage all users

If CaRT is being serious and honest when it states it wishes to engage with all the users of the waterways then it should also ensure that all the users of the waterways obey the rules and not just one or two factions with the others being allowed to do as they please.

The rules apply not only to powered boaters but canoeists, cyclists, walkers etc. as well. If CaRT want harmony on the waterways then CaRT must be seen to be applying the same rules and conditions to all the users fairly.

Tell them to obey the rules

Could CaRT please contact the British Canoeists Union, all the canoe clubs and licenced canoeists and tell them that as users of the waterways they are expected to obey the rules of the waterway and proceed with due care and attention as they obviously expect us to do when we meet them on our journeys.

It is now 8 o'clock in the evening and it has been dark for over four hours. It's raining heavily and very cold outside and for well over two hours I have been subjected to severe rocking of my boat and have been violently banged into the bank many times due to the wash from canoeists passing at speed.

Revelling in causing mayhem

These people appear to be revelling in their desire to cause as much mayhem, distress and upset to as many people as they can whilst obtaining their own pleasure and gratification while flouting the rules. A fair description of a hooligan is it not?

If these 'hooligans' were doing this in the local shopping centre or a residential street then the police would be there dishing out ASBOs by the handful, but as they are only doing it on the canals and only upsetting live-aboard boaters, then no one wants to know.