WITH winds now often reaching gale force, it is amazing that there are boaters cruising in such conditions, being a danger to both themselves and others.
We are receiving reports of boats crashing into others, with our own Keith Gudgin telling us his boat was crashed into by a boater who was cruising though his anemometer was showing the wind blowing at around 25 mph and gusting at up to 45 mph across the canal.
Crashed broadside
The boater crashed into his boat broadside and scraped its side, as he had slowed down to pass but lost control of his boat and was blown sideways into Keith by the wind, who complained that it was either that or he had to pass me at full speed, either of which is unacceptable, adding:
"We had some ice on the water a few days ago and there just had to be at least one boater who goes crashing through it slamming the ice into the moored boats as he passed, stripping the blacking off them in the process."
Keith tells us he keeps an eye on the weather forecasts to determine whether to move or not and stays put if the weather shows it is going to be bad or icy etc. It's not hard to plan a few days in advance so why do they move in bad weather?
A very good question...