Posted by Laurence Monkhouse on October 24, 2003 at 11:17:17 from 213.104.85.116 user Laurence_.
In Reply to: Re: Broads Tragedies; was Re: Dangers to children posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett on October 24, 2003 at 09:15:38:
The Eastern TARS summer weeks at the foot of Coniston have the use of a big (about 22 foot) 4 oared skiff, presumably very similar to the Beckfoot war canoe. This boat is an eye opener to those of us who normally use boats on the sea - it is extremely stable, a good load carrier, and remarkably easy to row, even with oars that obviously were not the originals and don't balance properly.
I still admire the way in which the Amazons and Captain Flint could row the length of the Lake, have a busy day, and then row back without giving the matter another thought. Nevertheless I think that Peggy as an experienced rower, even though not yet in her teens, could have rowed this boat, and am sure the boat would be perfectly safe with seven adults on board, let alone children.
Having a fortnight ago been instructed to wear a life jacket in a hired (real)canoe on the Dordogne in France, my opinion that in normal circumstances the beastly things increase the chance of an accident by making you clumsier has been reinforced.
I do agree that overloaded pram dinghies are by far the most dangerous thing in sailing, but the Beckfoot war canoe was a very different sort of vessel.