Post by JohnV on May 15, 2020 6:48:38 GMT
judging by the antics of the twats on the river yesterday, I would think Rog's well considered post probably the correct one.
There is a launching ramp a few hundred feet up the river from me and at one point yesterday there were 6 vehicles and 12 or 15 people launching boats ( a Dory, a Shetland, a Microplus, a GRP "thing" a speedboat and a large RIB plus a couple of canoes earlier) Social distancing? don't make me laugh. From what I could see, none could be classed as "boaters" (apart from the canoeists and the Dory) The rest all looked as if they had just bought them, most were clutching cans or bottles most of the time and the stream of empties could be seen drifting down stream.
However in spite of the annoyance at seeing such a bunch of thoughtless morons flouting everything to do with disease prevention at least it gave me a few laughs. The speedboat after screaming off up the river at high speed returned a couple of minutes later to pick up his mates, came flying back down the river towards the slip …… but the outboard hadn't been locked down so as he tried to stop
I don't think you are meant to put them back on the trailer over the side rail (1 down 5 to go) The Shetland (powered by something more sensible in size) proceeded slowly upstream …… but judging by the banging noises, the gear selector cable wasn't adjusted properly and every time he engaged astern it was jumping in and out of gear ( I hate hearing machinery being abused like that ) When it returned an hour or so later it was still making 'orrible noises but the gearbox hadn't exploded ….. next time with luck
The GRP "thing" gave me the most amusement about 6 lads in a group, obviously mates, shouting loudly instructions at one another managed to launch successfully and two got in, let go and pushed off ….. before starting the engine .... of course it didn't ..... off they set, on the ebb that was running quite strongly by then trying to slow their descent of the River Hull by clutching at grass and brambles to try and slow down while desperately trying to make the engine work (30 or 40 horse by the look of it ... Possibly one of the later 2 cyl 2 strokes with oil injection) Needless to say, they didn't have any rope nor paddles/oars/boathook etc ...... oh how we laughed !!! Their "mates" eventually pushed off and left them to it. By that time they had drifted to the bridge and one of them was holding on to it while the other one tried to get the engine going. In the end I took pity and walked down to the bridge, dropped the end of a tatty bit of rope from the quay to them and pulled them to the bank, tied it off on the bridge base and left it so they could tow it back up the river to the ramp. (not easy because there is no tow path and the footpath is on the sea wall and a fair way back) they eventually managed it. When they tried to get the boat back on the trailer, I got a few more chuckles. They started merrily dragging the trailer up the ramp ..... without lifting the outboard. When it jammed one of them jumped in the boat to try and release the lock but of course it wouldn't undo because there was too much weight on it, so the other lad jumped into the boat as well to help (by this time I was nearly wetting myself) They struggled for a while and then instead of pushing it into deeper water and releasing it they obviously decided to loosen the clamps .... of course instantly the back of the boat went down..... the outboard went up and how the hell they didn't all land in the river I don't know ..... One of them managed to hang onto the outboard and they dragged it back. To be honest by this time I was beginning to feel quite sorry for them (when I dropped the rope to them I noticed that they were working like mad pulling the recoil start cord but had no battery and weren't using the electric start (to be honest I can't remember if those 2 cylinder 2 stroke Suzukis and Yamahas have flywheel mag ignition or coil) whichever, I didn't have the heart to tell them it was an electric start unit.
I didn't see the Microplus again and the tow vehicle disappeared fairly quickly so I suspect that it was going up to the moorings up river. and the RIB went off down stream but the trailer was sat there till dark but no sign or sound of a returning boat ..... however the car and trailer was gone this morning.
Well if that was a day of people showing restraint then all I can say is that we are doomed to another peak and a lot more deaths and suffering
There is a launching ramp a few hundred feet up the river from me and at one point yesterday there were 6 vehicles and 12 or 15 people launching boats ( a Dory, a Shetland, a Microplus, a GRP "thing" a speedboat and a large RIB plus a couple of canoes earlier) Social distancing? don't make me laugh. From what I could see, none could be classed as "boaters" (apart from the canoeists and the Dory) The rest all looked as if they had just bought them, most were clutching cans or bottles most of the time and the stream of empties could be seen drifting down stream.
However in spite of the annoyance at seeing such a bunch of thoughtless morons flouting everything to do with disease prevention at least it gave me a few laughs. The speedboat after screaming off up the river at high speed returned a couple of minutes later to pick up his mates, came flying back down the river towards the slip …… but the outboard hadn't been locked down so as he tried to stop
I don't think you are meant to put them back on the trailer over the side rail (1 down 5 to go) The Shetland (powered by something more sensible in size) proceeded slowly upstream …… but judging by the banging noises, the gear selector cable wasn't adjusted properly and every time he engaged astern it was jumping in and out of gear ( I hate hearing machinery being abused like that ) When it returned an hour or so later it was still making 'orrible noises but the gearbox hadn't exploded ….. next time with luck
The GRP "thing" gave me the most amusement about 6 lads in a group, obviously mates, shouting loudly instructions at one another managed to launch successfully and two got in, let go and pushed off ….. before starting the engine .... of course it didn't ..... off they set, on the ebb that was running quite strongly by then trying to slow their descent of the River Hull by clutching at grass and brambles to try and slow down while desperately trying to make the engine work (30 or 40 horse by the look of it ... Possibly one of the later 2 cyl 2 strokes with oil injection) Needless to say, they didn't have any rope nor paddles/oars/boathook etc ...... oh how we laughed !!! Their "mates" eventually pushed off and left them to it. By that time they had drifted to the bridge and one of them was holding on to it while the other one tried to get the engine going. In the end I took pity and walked down to the bridge, dropped the end of a tatty bit of rope from the quay to them and pulled them to the bank, tied it off on the bridge base and left it so they could tow it back up the river to the ramp. (not easy because there is no tow path and the footpath is on the sea wall and a fair way back) they eventually managed it. When they tried to get the boat back on the trailer, I got a few more chuckles. They started merrily dragging the trailer up the ramp ..... without lifting the outboard. When it jammed one of them jumped in the boat to try and release the lock but of course it wouldn't undo because there was too much weight on it, so the other lad jumped into the boat as well to help (by this time I was nearly wetting myself) They struggled for a while and then instead of pushing it into deeper water and releasing it they obviously decided to loosen the clamps .... of course instantly the back of the boat went down..... the outboard went up and how the hell they didn't all land in the river I don't know ..... One of them managed to hang onto the outboard and they dragged it back. To be honest by this time I was beginning to feel quite sorry for them (when I dropped the rope to them I noticed that they were working like mad pulling the recoil start cord but had no battery and weren't using the electric start (to be honest I can't remember if those 2 cylinder 2 stroke Suzukis and Yamahas have flywheel mag ignition or coil) whichever, I didn't have the heart to tell them it was an electric start unit.
I didn't see the Microplus again and the tow vehicle disappeared fairly quickly so I suspect that it was going up to the moorings up river. and the RIB went off down stream but the trailer was sat there till dark but no sign or sound of a returning boat ..... however the car and trailer was gone this morning.
Well if that was a day of people showing restraint then all I can say is that we are doomed to another peak and a lot more deaths and suffering