Update: Narrowboat Sinking in Barrow on Soar

[@FenFoxUwU]

Thanks

[@NarrowboatSuperB]

Thank you, glad you liked the content.

[@williamparker3765]

Many thanks for the update, sorry to hear that the rescue team seem to be blaming other people, for them not being able to do anything.

[@Oldguydosestuff]

Your so right on this one I had 12 years on RNLI and years of 4x4 off roading, that tow was attached too high above waterline causing the list to starboard and then taking on water They needed airbags to push the boat off the shelf it was resting on and allow it to return to upright That report appears to cover up the truth Rules of the sea is if you take on a tow your accepting responsibility for the vessel, unless pre agreed, not sure how that works on inland waters

[@suecharnock9369]

I suspect that the RCR has not spoken to anyone from the RNLI or the usual maritime recovery people.

[@TheByard]

I have worked in construction most of my working life, as soon as I saw the line attached, I though the same as you. Narrow boats only seem have working cleats and no emergency cleats. My thought are the bow should have been pulled across to the bank and the upriver, not sideways but I was not there to see properly. My wooden 1930s cruiser had more and an anchor winch, that was used to move the boat as a winch with lines. I feel sorry for anyone losing their boat especially if it's a live aboard and these recent floods look terrible and higher than anything I've experienced, so I will not preach. But detail the winter mooring measure I took on the weir run of Old Windsor Lock on the Thames 1995/7. I moored on a floating mooring that could rise 3m. above normal flow. There were mature trees o growing from the bank, normally I would attach bow. stern and a rear spring line. I increased the lines to heaver size and took then to the trees on the bank. An additional gangplank bypassed the landing stage so I could get ashore as I was live aboard. I was awoken in the night and with a bumping noise on the hull. The stage was at the top of the tubes and water lapping over it. The bumping sound turned out to be a gas bottle to Port and a two-burner hob to Starboard. A boat further up the cut had sunk, the owner did not want the bottle!!

[@trevorsbarkingmadchannel4501]

Sounds like someone’s trying to pass the buck at rcr but let’s hope people can work together and get this boat recovered. Informative vlog. Thank you. 🙏

[@br5380]

surely it's the responsibility of the boat owner?

[@lacyoflittlerobincottage1403]

@@br5380 It that case, all of the derelict boats up and down the waterways are the responsibility of the 'boat owner', but still no one and not one agency makes them remove any of them!

[@br5380]

@@lacyoflittlerobincottage1403don't disagree, and when one has sunk etc that whoever owns the canal are going have to shift it anyway - but at least bill the owners. No different on the roads.

[@raysmith6891]

We all saw the video and probably all shouted at the screen to stop what they were doing. I ve used tifrors for over 30 years and every single one had a shear pin in the load handle for safety to stop overload. Thanks for the update please keep us posted.

[@ricksoftmedia5825]

As per usual fantastic video coverage highlighting various problems well done, my heart does go out to the owners of the boat I would be devastated if that happened to my boat 🙏

[@ProserpinePomegranate]

Someone is just trying to pass the buck. Very sad that they cannot take responsibility for what was a terrible shambles. Hope the owners of the boat are coming to terms with their loss. Thank you for the update.

[@mikeboone4425]

Thanks for spreading the truth always good to here and see the truth once bureaucracy gets involved it's nothing but a song and dance to cover there rears damn shame but that is the way it is all over the world. thanks again we out here really appreciate your efforts . Happy Trails/

[@chox2001]

Looks like river and canal rescue are covering themselves if they aren’t qualified or insured to do this type of stuff then they should leave it to the boat owners insurance.

[@Narrowboat.and.offgrid.living]

I'm wondering what the go fund me is for and there are three of them on the go If they can claim on there insurance. Every narrowboat must be insured to qualify for there crt boat licence no insurance no licence no boat on the water with out a crt licence crt will section 8 the boat or any boat and take it of the water

[@nickevans1698]

Exactly the comment I was going to put. Blaming people for watching is just covering their arses for insurance reasons as they cocked up imo.

[@AndrewDennyGrannyButtons]

RCR are precisely the experts qualified to do this work. Indeed, they are the ones who'd be called out by the insurers! The real problem I have with this video is it says nothing about how the boat came to break free in the first place. These moorings look very insecure to me. It's a near-copy of a disaster that took place at the same location almost exactly 4 years before.

[@Aiden735.]

RCR are insured, and the boat insurnce companies would contact RCR to doit anyway, so try and get your facts straight

[@chox2001]

@@Aiden735. I don’t think they will contact them in the future after that fiasco. Thank you for your information .

[@BelfastBodger]

River Canal Rescue basically sunk the boat by the looks of it, then blamed the bystanders for watching. Blatant lies.

[@lynChip29]

Exactly what I thought!!

[@Piffaliff]

That rescue team(if thats what you want to call them) are just trying to pass blame as they know full well that boat capsized due to the actions of that poor rigging they done trying to get it free of the bridge

[@alien8r33d]

In my opinion, it's the fact that the boat was being pushed against the bridge that was preventing it from turning over. As soon as they winched it away from the bridge using lines attached to the upper part of the boat, the current pushed the bottom of the boat towards the bridge, which in turn assisted them in pulling the top of the boat away from the bridge, thus rolling it over. It was obvious that's what would happen. Their excuse is bullshit. They are responsible for what happened.

[@suecharnock9369]

I sometimes wonder if there is some 'manager' in charge who is too keen on 'books and theory' and not happy to defer to others - to the point the 'workers' are just happy to let them fail? Seems to be happening these days.

[@Aiden735.]

I believe they weren't pushing against the bridge, they were trying to get a line across to winch it

[@Wolfyjinny]

You may be the owner's saviour, it sounds like CART RCR or the EA are trying to pe-empt a claim. They are talking out of their posterior and as I said in your previous video, It was a poorly planned attempt at recovery.

[@Aiden735.]

Well they should employ you to do it then yeah

[@Wolfyjinny]

@Aiden735. If I had the kit to do it then yes, who knows, I could have a Maritime engineering degree or a C&G in fluid dynamics. What I do know is that, even if they had managed to pull the back end free of the bridge support, the tension on the winch system would have at minimum, quadrupled as the back end swung into the archway and destroyed the winch or snapped the cable and they would have lost the boat again.

[@KarrierBag]

I relly feel for the owners, sitting on my boat watching what happened makes me feel sad for the owners big time.

[@davidbarnfield9849]

Thanks for the update, the owner and family must be Devastated. Dave B Thailand

[@andrewwaldron3667]

Sounds like a textbook example of ACE protocol in action. Arse Covering Exercise

[@michellebyrom6551]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad you made the previous video. Pretty clear what happened doesn't match the subsequent statement. Better handling at the time, or just waiting for better access would have saved a lot of grief. A brief wetting can dry out. A prolonged soaking like this will have wrecked the interior fittings, even if the hull is salvageable.

[@franktuckwell196]

Sounds like the powers that be are scape goating, the out of danger crowd. Pity they are looking for excuses, cost me £3 extra, thats nothing, compared to the poor chap who has lost his home. Cannot imagine what his state of mind is at present, hope he is bearing up under such dire consequences. Ta for update.

[@TillerQueen]

We had one sinking near us and the fire service stepped in because it was going to sink another boat but otherwise they'd not have got involved. It's always shocking and sad to see sunken boats and I hope this one is recovered and salvaged!

[@RobinMuirhead]

You can also use 5 - 10 litre water containers attached to the cables we used to this in national trust tree surgery. If the cables broke the containers dampen the whipping action of the cable.

[@peterfitzpatrick7032]

Heavy canvas straps don't whip if they snap... why not use THOSE ??... 🙄

[@vincenttarling5902]

I would have thought the best way to pull the boat would have been from the other side of the canal, they would have been pulling up along the bank and not through the currant of the water ! the currant would have kept it against the bank as it was pulled.

[@bigKDL]

River and canal rescue cocked it up now need somebody to blame so bystanders will do it would have been better to leave it alone it may have stayed upright but trying to winch against the flow with the way the cables were attached there was golng to be only one outcome and thats what we got with or without bystanders

[@BevAMorris]

The CRT tried to assist with the boat after extraordinary weather unleashed the boat from its moorings. It's an owner problem. The CRT has to get it removed so it isn't blocking passage or doing damage to the bridge. Living on boats is $$$. Many of the owners of these boats can't afford to recover from these type of circumstances. Something to consider before you decide to buy a boat, especially if you intend to live aboard a boat on the cut. Best of luck to all, don't blame those who try to help and fail.

[@Narrowboat.and.offgrid.living]

Why don't they claim on there insurance every bost has it for the crt licence I'm wondering what the three go fund me,s are for ..possibly to buy another boat somthing not righ

[@chrisbennett7983]

​@Narrowboat.and.offgrid.living depends on if the insurance covers recovery and salvage some only cover 3rd party damage

[@Aiden735.]

Not all boats have insurnace, and some insurance companies only cover for salvage@@Narrowboat.and.offgrid.living

[@lenbtenor]

Great update, thanks.

[@NarrowboatSuperB]

Thanks for watching!

[@michaeln3125]

The gofundme site was very clear on charges, even with the option of not paying any. Seems the guy complaining can’t read !!

[@davidwhite5972]

Winching the boat from deck level against the strong current would have worsened the list. the attachment point on the boat for the tirfor was too high to be effective in these circumstances.

[@lisadefries6718]

Yes it didnt look like it was going to work given the angles involved . Very sad for boat owners. I hope they fully insured against this eventuality but maybe not. Dont know if this would be covered . Do we know if it is? If not I am sure public would donate a £10 each and enough of those might get a new boat.

[@henrytwigger2245]

It reminds me of the Nottingham Princess broadsideing Trent Bridge while it was being decorated in 2003.

[@BarrowladKingVichai]

Why am I not surprised at this attempt to cover up!!! In my opinion the whole operation start to finish appeared to be carried out by inexperienced personnel who totally misjudged the consequences of there rigging action, as far as the h&se concerns surely a simple roll of barrier tape could have prevented public ingress ( I didn’t notice any public causing problems) plenty of trees to attach it to as they would have been aware. Barrowgate beckons.

[@robwright2785]

I watched your original video and it was obvious what was going to happen it wasn't taking on water until they intervened. I feel so sorry for the owner and I hope rcr do the right thing here!! As fellow boaters we pay £27.00 a month to rcr and this doesn't fill me with any confidence!!

[@Jax240jk]

Sounds like they are passing the book. To be honest i tjought the boat would tip up with the angle they were winching it.

[@ciaranflanagan-g9q]

Really unfortunate incident placing the blame on any party seems unfair seeing the videos when the vessel pinned up against the bridge with flood water dropping leaving the boat resting on bridge buttresses listing over past its righting moment any effort or no effort move the boat would result in the same result, no matter how bad things are nobody injured or worse. Getting a proper salvage team to recover the boat the next phase or depending on the survey report if its a total right off.

[@Mt24855]

Dam that sucks thats someones home. Those people that tried to recover it seem very incompetent tbh they struggled to even get a rope on it

[@Studmuffin666]

Definitely a cowboy company not taking responsibility from their shoddy work. Failing to prepare is to prepare to fail🤠🤠

[@lukedaniel7669]

Once the winch lines are under tension, they need bystanders to be out of the way. If the wire had snapped and whipped across the crowd they would be in a world of trouble for failing to maintain a safe workspace. Sounds like it was unfortunate that the five minutes they had to spend moving people out of range of a potential whipping winch line was the five minutes that made or broke the operation. I was a firefighter once too, and when a tirfor was being used everyone in the vicinity had to have visors down or be behind hard cover.

[@kennymilsom]

Thanks for the update.

[@lesliepropheter5040]

Obviously the water just looks calm, but it’s not underneath. There’s got to be a pull sucking the boat to the bridge

[@cliveloosley8018]

The false accounts are a smokescreen to cover their incompetence. The reason for the damage is that they took the incomprehensible decision to lessen the stabilising effect of the current, by winching with a HIGH line fixed to the bow, way above centre of buoyancy, causing the boat to capsize due to the raised centre of gravity caused by the stern sitting on the buttress. Had they taken advantage of the fact that the stern was already high, and the peak flow was holding the bow vertical against the masonary, they could have anchored a LOW line at the stern where access was relatively easy and safe if performed properly, and winched directly upstream just a few inches, from the near bank, allowing her to slip off the buttress and into the river, without the likelihood of capsizing.

[@ciaranflanagan-g9q]

Having seen the videos showing the boat listing further and further to starboard as the flood water was dropping whilst being perched on the buttresses, even before the the cable was attached to the bow the boat had lost its righting lever the angle of heel was far too extreme for vessel to right itself regardless of technique used such as towing from the stern nothing at that stage would prevented this unfortunate incident, everybody of course is intitled to an opinion or to disagree having studied ship construction and stability it just my humble opinion.

[@cliveloosley8018]

@@ciaranflanagan-g9q I’ve handled many similar situations on both land and water. Including boats hung up far worse on lock gates, weirs, and crumbling tow paths etc. and the heel was so slight when they began that had the job been handled in a professional manner, by skilled people, that boat wouldn’t have suffered such severe damage. Their superiors and those to whom they turn for advice have obviously recognised how badly the situation was handled, which is why their statements don’t reflect the truth.

[@alexmorris9752]

I wonder if the rescue people realised it was being filmed . Perhaps reach out to the owner and let him know you have

[@michellebyrom6551]

My thoughts exactly. The owners insurance people will be glad to get a copy of the video, and this one with retired fire service commentary.

[@johncharley9791]

It demonstrates the ineffectual training and professional skill of the canal rescue service who clearly had no idea under these circumstances. They should now, based on this event upskill the level of training and expertise in vessel rescue and removal.

[@jimjoelliejack]

I commented on the video you showed of the original recovery attempt, it was carried out in the completely wrong method. You cannot pull a 12 tonne boat with water onboard with manual Tirfor winches, they also pulled it across the only clear arch which was carrying an awful lot of water. They looked like a bunch of amateurs. Our company clears river bridges of debris and would have used a more appropriate method to recover that obstruction.

[@TheChaplin434]

Yes you can with snach blocks

[@jimjoelliejack]

@@TheChaplin434 correct, that is a method we use with our hydraulic winches, it’s called mechanical advantage, tirfors are limited to the strength of their anchor points too. Looking at the footage of the attempted recovery there was no plan. The other bank was the better option, slack water and reduced flow, the reason why they didn’t opt for it was probably because of the waterlogged bank, we use track mats to put our machines on. I hope they have learnt some valuable lessons from their efforts. We probably would have pulled that boat backwards from the bridge deck with a 20 tonne tracked machine

[@TheChaplin434]

@@jimjoelliejack I’ve moved hundred tonne steam boilers with 4tirfors i built my own hydraulic tirfors From hydraulic jack hammer units sadly all were stolen by ex greedy staff

[@jimjoelliejack]

@@TheChaplin434 I’m sure you have, I am also aware of mechanical operated tirfors, we use tirfors occasionally in our job, but there are faster and safer ways of winch recovery, shame about yours being pilfered.

[@marvindebot3264]

When an Organisation feels the need to make an extensive statement about such matters there is buck-passing and excuse-making going on. If they had a leg to stand on, uyo would have received a cease and desist by now and you obviously have not. Please ensure you preserve all the raw footage from that day in case this ends up going legal as either the owner or his insurance takes action.

[@dh4521]

Insurance?

[@Dave-gi1eb]

The rescue team made a complete fuck up and should be made to pay. as soon as i started watching the rescue i was not surprised at the outcome

[@dorothygillstrap7549]

At least you and I’m sure many others can refute these claims and maybe your footage can help the owners of the boat when they have to deal with the repercussions of all this.

[@Narrowboat.and.offgrid.living]

Somone said the boat had no insurance but that's not possible because every narrowboat must have insurance to get there boating crt licence to be allowed on the water . Have the owners claimed on there insurance to cover damages as that's what it's for ?

[@Aiden735.]

Not all boaters have insurance, and some companies don't cover unless the boat has SANK

[@dinmorejunctionmodelrailway]

The photographer is always at fault when it floods. It's common knowledge.

[@mattydare]

0:35 original towpath granite setts/cobbles from when it used to be used to get to Leicester. Pink colour denoting Mountsorrel granite.

[@AndyDeiu]

If you want to help the person that owns the boat ⛴️ tell them to call a tow truck company using a hiab truck. Put a rope down the accelerator pole and lift from there on a side. All this while another rope keeps the boat attached to either side of the canal. Easy.

[@nobby3542]

Great update!👍👍👍

[@Drobium77]

We will have flooding issues again after the weekend, it need to be sorted now

[@Memar-X]

They are trying to pass the blame to others. Shame on them. 😢

[@fizzedupslade4082]

It's a pity that people don't feel confident to admit failure. The conditions were not favourable and these guys weren't the A team. What was great was that they tried. Blaming bystanders for failure seem a bit stupid. Fingers x they get that boat out of the river. Ta for update.

[@charles76666]

sadly sounds like river rescue passing the buck. I'm sure they do great work but don't spoil it by putting out such a crappy press release

[@sidewaysid]

They pulled it from the wrong place, Muppets, I could have done it on my own

[@jordharris]

In other words they failed in their mission and now trying to pass the blame onto the onlookers

[@niklar55]

Someone is just making excuses because the screwed up! .

[@royjacques5650]

Why didn't they just get a crane to lift it up.

[@dukwdriver2909]

Bridge may not be strong enough or wide enough to support a mobile crane with out riggers with the lifting capacity and reach for the boat + contents and now + water until the lift allows some water to drain out.

[@walkwithmeandkeeley1421]

Your vid showed the truth. So r c t are talking out there arse.. Excuses as normal

[@SuperAirwolf007]

It’s a cover-up, so they don’t have to pay insurance because they’re the ones that made it capsise and sink

[@lewisbale1]

There's a video on KZbin when another narrow boat sank during a flood in 2020 sitting up against a Barrow upon soar bridge.

[@Finglesham]

So total incompetency on the rescue team but blame the public. Just like you would expect of faceless individuals.

[@SimonPerry-cz4ke]

RCR pulled the Boat at the wrong angle they did just the same with another boat in Ely with the Same result.

[@leslierhodes5467]

Wouldn’t you use a boat to get near to attach a line instead of trying to float? One in absolutely looks amateurs

[@effkay3691]

Why didn’t anyone with another boat give it a quick tow…..as you do?

[@Aiden735.]

Cus people like to moan, and not help

[@lablackzed]

The word cock up comes to mind .😳😠

[@lisadefries6718]

Sounds bit odd that they are blaming onlookers when there only around 25/30 people a small crowd easily managed by anyone with any customer service type skills. All they need to do is explain WHY they need to move because of the cables and high tension risks.. Feel very sorry for people who own boat hope it fully insured and they can purchase a new boat now.

[@nigelking7537]

Im not sure they will set up a crane on that bridge think they will air bag it and try to get it up right then get it to a safer place for the crane to lift

[@NarrowboatSuperB]

They will crane from the road just before the bridge.

[@nigelking7537]

Maybe but the reach for a crane maybe to much the boat will have to be righted and pumped out unless you are getting a massive crane in if thats the case the road would have to be suyrveyed to check if it can hold the weight of a large crane

[@hi-tech55]

Does every organisation think it's mandatory to tell lies to cover their incompetence?

[@richrdlewis6278]

Yea, they sank it and don't want the liability.

[@goldieandblackie]

Very fishy, sounds like someone is trying to cover their backsides.

[@iainhunneybell]

I’m afraid this is just corporate smokescreen. The video clearly shows there was no water surge, people nearby were not an issue, time taken to get a line on wasn’t an issue. Sadly, what happened was the winching failed the pull the boat away, only to roll it. That was the reason for the whistle. But it was enough, probably with the water pressure, to then get the gunwales below the water and the end was inevitable. In their defence, it would be likely that as water levels continued to drop, the vessel would have done this itself as the water supporting the starboard side subsided and so the result is likely the same. It was worth the effort. It didn’t work … but let’s put up a smoke screen and claim it wasn’t us Guv, ‘onest. No one is fooled and the video _proves_ the same nets make to be false

[@DaleJames-d8j]

Sound like the recovery team did not have the relevant equipment and experience, I have used/ recovered items up to 650 tons, .It is a rule we have , if there is any doubt and cannot guarantee a100% success then we do not get involved for insurance reasons!

[@grahamlane1313]

Why can t they just put a ladder to the boat from brigde then someome could get on it to attach the ropes to get boat away from brigde and out the water

[@artd.1498]

RCR weren’t trying to sink the boat. Some comments here and in previous videos bash them for not getting it right, but good grief, they tried to help. I’m glad for them and for others who try to do a good job. We are just human…we don’t always get it right. Thanks for the updates, Jim. Appreciate your work in keeping viewers informed.

[@BelfastBodger]

Wrong. They blamed the onlookers for making things worse😂. They sunk the boat not the pedestrians. Unbelievable.

[@raysmith6891]

They should know their limits. What training have they had, how many times have they done a recovery like this etc etc. I don't want anyone trying to help if they are clueless with anything at all.

[@d.p.2680]

I don't think they did anything wrong, but it's not okay to change the story to try and get out of legal trouble, that will only make them look guilty

[@Aiden735.]

What legal trouble are they in?

[@d.p.2680]

@@Aiden735. Probably non, sounds more like they want to make sure

[@lioneldickerson1550]

A professional salvage team is required to upright and pump out the narrow boat. Then tow to a boat yard.

[@MickHodd]

Sounds like they could not do the job so they are blaming others for their incompetence.

[@cindygardener-collinsmimi531]

I think the buck stops with Councils & the government, over building & no updating on the important stuff like the drains & drainage. I am so sad to see this lovely boat in this situation which is a boaters worst nightmare. Hopefully it is a repairer & will be up & running again soon.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

sounds like they want to blame others because they messed up. now they need to put divers in, straps around the boat and either flotation and lift the boat out, or drag the boat ashore

[@RustyShackleford66]

Someone certainly is trying to pass the buck here, the owner, who should have secured it properly in advance of the well publicised storm.

[@NarrowboatSuperB]

And how do you know it wasn't in the first place

[@RustyShackleford66]

@@NarrowboatSuperB I think the main clue would be, it's on its side against a bridge 🤣

[@NarrowboatSuperB]

True

[@lorithorpe3502]

thanks for the update , you'll always get winging thomasas lol , it's a pity they could'nt have got some big magnets on rope & attached them to the side of the hull to stop it turning over .

[@cedarcam]

Thunderbirds are Go!

[@rjkism]

If they had no insurance then it’s will be the environment agency or Crt picking up The bill …… which will have to be payed for …… money dose not grow on tress I’d suggest everyone donating should ask the question why wasn’t it adequately insured

[@bigbearccoffin]

Find u some old carpet and old rubber mudflats an cut then down in to 5 inch straps for edge protection

[@buffplums]

Blimey a few operators who shouldn’t be allowed on boats lol 😂 “Jim’s On Weed” haha 😂

[@NarrowboatSuperB]

Steering into the hedge, I think he was.

[@ErichPhillips-jq7lv]

Well said about the troll.

[@NarrowboatSuperB]

Thank you.

[@EQINOX187]

Hopefully the owner has good insurance to cover the recovery / repair and refitting or the cost of a new one but i know a lot of insurance company's love to use " act of god" as a reason not to pay out. This situation does highlight why you should never choose a mooring on a river and shows the dangers if you choose to, as river water is not controlled and can change in depth and current speed in a matter of seconds. As for the authority it sounds like they are trying to shift responsibility / blame

[@sukiebowenenglandx312]

That at the end of the day is somebody’s home 😢

[@phil7301]

Right, they failed to sort the boat out with the cables ? They didn't have the brains to arrange the recovery while the road is closed? Just don't ask them to organize a #### up in that pub I could see !!! As for the person moaning that he failed to click the no thanks button on the donation page ,,,,,, 🤐🙄... 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿👍

[@truckergare]

No one wanted to take the initiative to take action. But instead, stand around and kick rocks and wait for someone else to do something.

[@raysmith6891]

Stand around and wait for someone to do something who knew what they were doing. There you go I corrected it for you 😂

[@vancguy9204]

Sadly lots of selfish dolts out there. All happy to sue if their hair gets messed.

[@massimilianoazzara9257]

Isn’t a narrow boat a property?

[@petersutherland2075]

insurance should cover them

[@lorrainekalmin9944]

Maybe parents should stop giving grownup toys to children just because they ask for them

[@Taz-yt4tj]

Authorities love the term all talk no action no wonder our country is gone too much paper work and no tools 🇬🇧🤮

[@alanfaulkner6329]

So if a truck hits a bridge, its closed and there is a big investigation to ensure all is safe, police, engineers and occasional the military with their heavy lift gear gets called out. A boat hits a bridge ,,,,,,,,,,

[@martin4787]

Health and Safety madness.

[@skf957]

They are "pointing out" CYA...

[@normanboyes4983]

I watched your video of the recovery attempt. To be frank, it was a forlorn, amateurish attempt that never could have succeeded. In my opinion (long time sailor both professional and leisure) the recovery should never have been attempted with that flow in the river as its effect is to multiply the load many times over and even if they got it moving it would have ended up ‘diving’ to the bottom (basic resolution of forces). Of course recovery at ‘slack water’ is very much easier and more importantly predictable (because there are no or minimal dynamic forces).

[@RichardAnderson-zt8mq]

Looks like the mother of all f up's to me. Really difficult situation of course, but it shouldn't have ended that way. CYA CYA and oh - CYA. Hope it was suitably insured.

[@TonyDunkley-ye2ov]

The owners of this boat had already suffered more than enough at the bumbling incompetent hands of the River Canal Rescue [RCR] clowns who sank it with their ill-conceived amateur attempts to winch it off Barrow Bridge, . . and their interests were NOT best served by then being placed in the similarly questionable hands of Commercial Boat Services[CBS], . . a company with a well deserved reputation for dishonestly exploiting private boat owners misfortunes. Whilst the vessel was successfully raised and removed by CBS, the operation was badly planned, badly executed, and far more costly than it needed to be, . . both in terms of CBS's labour charges, and further unnecessary damage to the vessel. CBS is owned and run by one Brian Clarke, . . a nasty little crook currently under investigation for theft and fraud, who, along with some equally dishonest Canal & River Trust [C&RT] senior management and retained lawyers, are the joint beneficiaries of a long running so-called "boat removal" scam under which CBS/Brian Clarke invoice C&RT huge sums of money for supposedly 'removing' sunk stranded or abandoned boats from the C&RT controlled waterways. Although the circumstances in this particular boat "removal" were different, CBS's so-called boat 'removals' are usually carried out under the fraudulent pretence of being lawful removals that are the subject of a bona fide Court Order. ​The sad truth is that the Court Orders are any thing but bona fide, and all are obtained by means of C&RT's crooked lawyers wilfully misleading the Courts as to the true extent of the statutory powers of boat removal that the C&RT inherited from British Waterways under Section 8 of the British Waterways Act 1983.

[@CaroleOwen-yu3gr]

So dad to see this