I did this here because the off side is shallow and I did not want to be grounded as he passed.
I expected him to pass at about 2 mph as there was a moored boat ahead. He held back! Maybe this place, convenient to me, was not convenient to him! I turned back and said "Do you expect me to moor?" Eventually nb Greenham Mist did come by but at a lot more than 2mph. The wash created by the speed of this boat pulled mine out from behind the moored boat and into his! I wear hearing aids but, with the engine noise from my quarter deck, I could not hear the tirade of abuse that was now filling the peacefull Oxford Canal Warwickshire air. Any problem was ALL of his making, I didn't steer my boat toward him at all! Speed, water displacement and lack of patience did the work.
We arrived at Fenny Compton Wharf Bridge 136A exactly 2.1/2 hours after we had left Marston Doles lock No 16, an average speed of 3 mph over 7.1/2 miles. On the shallow Oxford Canal that is not really dawdling is it?
When we moored, 2 boat lengths past the nb Greenham Mist, he was sitting on the tow-path reading a paperback. He was still there an hour later, when we returned from dinner at The Wharf, and at 4.00 pm when we left to catch a lift home.
So what was the hurry? Why spoil MY afternoon.
Canal Junction has advice for canal holidays. The "Rules" for overtaking are:
Overtake Only If You Are Waved On By A Slower Boat.
There isn't always much space for overtaking, but if you do want to pass another boat, make sure you let the skipper of that boat know your intention well in advance so that he can slow down and wait until he or she is ready. You usually overtake on the left, but agree this with the other skipper beforehand. And remember - its your responsibility to steer clear of the other boat. If you both end up on the mud there isn't much point!Like I said: IT WAS ALL HIS FAULT
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