ALTHOUGH Mike Bonathan (Not able to wait) suggests it is not always possible to plan your trip I do no agree and there is no excuse for moving in very bad conditions, especially in winter, writes Keith Gudgin.
I know hire and share boats when I see them and the one that hit me most definitely did not fall into either category.
Shouldn't be travelling
In any case even hire or share boaters shouldn't be travelling in bad weather conditions, especially as they would, in the norm, be the least experienced to handle boats in inclement weather conditions.
Also, if a hire/share boater has to stay put because of an unplanned stoppage, do they then have the right to travel at speed and in all conditions to catch up with their schedule? Do boaters have the right to ignore the rules and courtesies of the water just to get back in time to hand over? Of course not, no more than anyone else has. Hire companies would just have to go and fetch the boat from where it is, as and when they could get through.
Check the weather
Share boaters should check the weather before setting out as seven days weather forecasts are freely available online so there is no excuse for not knowing. They should plan for at least a 30% delay in their time afloat in the winter, then the odd day staying put would not be a problem.
I just travelled in one day a planned two day distance in order to avoid being frozen in where I did not want to be. I checked the weather forecast and it said that it was reasonable to expect that the canal would be frozen this morning. As I did not want to get stuck half way I travelled for twice my normal day's distance to get somewhere I wanted to be. As it turned out the water was not frozen despite the overnight temperature reaching -3.5 degrees
No, there is no excuse for travelling in those conditions and causing damage to other boats etc. no matter who you are.