Ware Festival Boaters Handbook

2013

BOATERS HANDBOOK

Ware July 2013

Programme

Friday 5th 1830+

Barbecue for Boaters (on towpath)

Saturday 6th

0900 - 1000 Please, no running of engines today; if you need to then enter Boat Parade instead 1000 – 1700 Art Exhibition at Age Concern Hall. Free. Refreshments Available 1200 – 1230 Boats assemble for Boat Parade downstream of Ware Town Bridge (use low power VHF Ch 6) 1245 Boats depart upstream with Best Decorated boat judged from the Saracens Head 1320 Carnival Procession sets off from Broadmeads 1200 – 1800 IWA Information available in IWA Marquee (in our “Gazebo Village”) 1200 – 1800 IWA Merchandising available in IWA Middlesex Marquee (“Gazebo Village”) 1400 Town Fair opens in the Priory grounds 1400 – 1600 Ware Bowls Club Open Day. Free 1415 – 1500 Tasty Tales at Ware Library. For age 7 and under – sign up at Ware Library 1430 – 1800 Boat Jumble on Towpath – bring, sell, buy!

1500 Boat handling competition (confirm your time with Dave, nb Lucy) 1500 – 1600 Aqualina Synchronised Swimming Display. Ware Priory Lido 1930 In the Drill Hall: Quiz, with your Quizmaster, Craig Haslam Raffle Draw Winners of the Competitions

Sunday 7th 0900 - 1000 Engines: but only if you must 0900 Rubbish collection from boats (bagged domestic rubbish only) 1030 Open air service on Car Park wharf . Hosted by the Boaters Christian Fellowship, with help from the Salvation Army Band 1200 Teddy Bears Picnic in Priory grounds (Teddy Bears obligatory) 1500 – 1700 Ware Brass on Priory Island (free) 1700 Tesco closes as does the Ware Boat Festival

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Age Concern Hall

Entrance to Priory Gardens

Tesco Supermarket

Rendezvous Points

Water Point (Victoria Pub)

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Waterspace Office & Barbecue

“Gazebo Village”

Water Point (Fletchers Lea)

Drill Hall (for Quiz)

HARBOURMASTER Our Harbourmaster this year is Bob Dunkley, with his Team of assistants, who will be on site from Wednesday July 3rd, see below for mooring details.

MOORINGS Mooring at the Ware Festival is only allowed from the evening of Wednesday July 3rd until noon Monday. On Friday, unless otherwise requested, please wait on the Visitor Moorings until the Harbourmaster asks you to move.

Please note that all moorings are allocated at the discretion of the Harbourmaster and unauthorised changes will disrupt other moored craft. The Harbourmaster has details of boats that have asked to be moored together and will comply with the request where space permits.

We would like you to stay throughout the whole of the festival. If you need to leave early, you should be aware that there is considerable activity in the river which may restrict movements between approximately 1000 and 1600 BST, please confirm your requirements with the Waterspace team as soon as possible.

As we are in the middle of a residential area, remember to avoid excessive noise, especially late at night. We do thank you in advance for your cooperation.

BOATERS FACILITIES With so many boats attending the festival the local facilities will be restricted, particularly for waste pump out. Please check your cruising guides or contact one of the team for details of nearby facilities at Stanstead Abbotts Marina.

Temporary water points are available at The Victoria pub (do pop in and thank them, and buy a drink or two); if there is a boat a already on their moorings feel free to ask to moor alongside, and at the end of Fletchers Lea, alongside The Priory.

RUBBISH DISPOSAL Rubbish will be collected on Sunday morning between 0900 & 1000 from the bows of (outside) boats. Please avoid using the waste bins on site as they fill up quickly enough as it is.

RECYCLING There are limited recycling facilities available in the Library car park offering just paper recycling. So I’m afraid that you will have to take bottles, cans etc home with you 4

SECURITY During the evenings entry to the Priory will be restricted to only bone-fide visitors. There may also be night-time security patrols who may check on the security of the boats, please co-operate fully and courteously with their requests; again they are there for all our benefit and best of all volunteer to be one. It would help us if we could all keep a watch on the craft and report any suspicious behaviour.

WATERSPACE OFFICE The Waterspace Office will be located on the towpath opposite Ware Priory, which will be manned at various times over the weekend, from where you can collect your Barbecue Tickets, Plaque, etc, as well as booking your place in the Parade of Boats and the Boat Handling Competition Hopefully, we will also be able to answer any other queries from there.

VOLUNTEERS Many of our visiting boaters lend a hand during the course of the weekend and in setting up and closing down of the site. Even a couple of hours are very welcome to the team. Please let us know, at the Waterspace Office, what you are able to do and when, so that we can plan a programme of assistance throughout the weekend. Every little helps to ensure a pleasant weekend for all of us.

ENGINES AND GENERATORS I would ask that you all take note of your neighbour’s activities and do try to create as little inconvenience as possible i.e. smoke and noise. Please ensure that you run your engines or generators ONLY WHEN NECESSARY and between 0900 to 1000 or 1700 to 1800 daily to avoid inconvenience to our visitors and other boats. Please do not run your boat in gear within the moorings to avoid damage to the riverside.

BOAT LICENCES AND INSURANCE It is outside the remit of the Inland Waterways Association at festivals to check boat licences, but it is a condition of entry to the event that you have a current licence and that insurance of at least ÂŁ1.26M is held (Merchant Shipping Act 1995 as amended May 2004).

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FIRST AID On Saturday afternoon please feel free to contact Herts Boat Rescue (VHF Channel 16) or go to the St John Ambulance facilities in the Priory grounds.

At other times, contact the emergency services or phone Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow which has a twenty four seven Accident and Emergency Department on 01279 44 44 55 Alternatively call NHS Direct on 08 45 46 47 The following emergency numbers will direct you to Veterinary services: 0127 941 8614

the local vet

0207 387 8134

Beaumont Animal Hospital

0207 730 9102

55 Elizabeth St, Victoria (24 hour surgery)

For other emergencies, please go to the Waterspace Office. Emergency messages for visitors on site may be directed to Craig Haslam or Les Hunt and every effort will then be made to contact you as soon as possible. Other information may be obtainable from the Waterspace Office.

WATER EMERGENCIES The team from Herts Boat Rescue will be patrolling the river on Saturday 7th; they can be contacted in emergency on VHF Channel 16, or telephone 07870 113336.

Of course as a charity they welcome your support—why not visit their web site at http://www.hertsboatrescue.org.uk EMERGENCY RENDEZVOUS POINT In the unlikely event of an emergency: the main emergency rendezvous point one (RVP1) will be at the bottom of the steps of the footbridge (FB), which leads, from the towpath, to the High Street Library Car Park. RVP2 will be opposite the Saracens Head pub.

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GAZEBO VILLAGE There will be a range of stands in our Gazebo Village: Inland Waterways Association (IWA) - here you can find out about the work of the IWA and for what we are fighting. Information, advice and help with every aspect of YOUR waterways. There is also information on restoring disused canals and previously navigable rivers carried out by our working arm - the Waterway Recovery Group. Working Holidays and Dirty Week Ends - enjoy yourself by putting something back into your favourite pastime.

IWA Middlesex Branch - Waterway Maps, Guides, Books and Souvenirs of the Festival all available from our friendly volunteers Herts Boat Rescue - here you can get more information on what they do and how you can get involved. Watch out for their boat on the water throughout the Festival.

Canalability will be on hand and can provide any information, leaflets etc about this invaluable charity.

BOAT INFORMATION The commentary team likes to have information about each boat entered in the Festival, especially if they are taking part in one of the events during the weekend. Details such as age of the boat, builder, engine and the reason for the name are of interest, or indeed anything unusual you may wish to make public. If you are a ‘first-timer’, or wish to update details we already hold, please hand them to any member of the Waterspace Team or at the Waterspace Office when you arrive. The data can be displayed on your boat using the last page of this handbook.

HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WEIL’S DISEASE Unlike tap water, the water in canals, rivers, navigations and reservoirs is untreated and microorganisms are naturally present. Although the risk of contracting illness, including the much publicised, but rare, condition Weil’s Disease (leptospirosis), is extremely small, sensible precautions should be taken as follows:•

Avoid full immersion in the water

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Cover all cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressings before river contact

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Wash all exposed skin after contact with the untreated water and before eating

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Do not put wet ropes, fishing lines or other wet objects in your mouth

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Should any illness occur within two weeks of contact you should see your doctor and inform them that you have been in contact with untreated water.

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BARBECUE There will be a barbecue on the towpath on Friday evening and your requested tickets (as per the Boat Entry Form), can be collected when you receive your Boaters Pack. On Saturday night there will be a quiz in the Drill Hall (see map on p 3). Please note that there will be NO BAR, so please bring your own refreshments. Much of the weekend’s entertainment will be familiar to our old friends (welcome back) and we do welcome any new faces.

SATURDAY Please do join the flotilla of boats for the Parade Of Decorated Boats (see page 10) The Parade of Boats with the ”Food, Glorious Food” theme will set off and pass under the Town Bridge starting at 1245.

This will then be followed by the Carnival Procession, which will set off at 1320 from Broadmeads (near Ware Station), proceed through the High Street, before finishing at The Priory.

BOAT JUMBLE Following the success of last year, we will again be hosting a Boat Jumble on the towpath on Saturday afternoon from 1430 until 1700. If you have any unwanted items for sale bring them along to the Waterspace Office on Saturday afternoon and try to sell them. The Branch requests 10% of the sale price as a donation to our funds.

COMPETITIONS The best decorated boat and boat handling competitions are free to enter and are open to any boater attending the festival. These will be viewed by a judging teams comprising members of the public and the IWA. The Best Decorated Boat Competition will again be judged by independent judges taking into account the theme of ”Food, Glorious Food” The Boat Handling Competition will take place at 3:00 p.m. Saturday and will be judged

by Dave Harris, who can be found aboard nb Lucy.

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QUIZ EVENING Don’t forget our annual Quiz Evening. Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in The Drill Hall, Amwell End (see map on page 3). A fun evening, so come along, enjoy the atmosphere, and your team may even win! Your Quizmaster will be Craig – those of you acquainted with Craig will know what silliness and singing can develop.

There is no bar, but feel free to bring along your own refreshments, snacks etc. At the end of the evening please take all your rubbish with you.

BOATERS SUNDAY SERVICE Once again we are indebted to the Boaters Christian Fellowship for hosting our Sunday Service. This will be at 10:30 on the Visitor Wharf at the end of the Library Car Park (opposite our Waterspace Office), and this year the Salvation Army Band have promised to provide the music. An informal multi-denominational service at which everyone is welcome.

TEDDY BEARS PICNIC Why not spend a convivial Sunday lunchtime in company with your favourite Teddy, and some of your boating friends. 12:00 in the Priory Grounds – bring a picnic, bring a Teddy and relax.

NOTE – Teddy Bears are obligatory!

OTHER ATTRACTIONS There are lots of activities happening in the region and in the immediately surrounding areas. See the Boater’s Pack for more information.

FINALLY And mostly, of course, HAVE Fun!!

WARE BOAT FESTIVAL 2014 Next years Festival will be held over the weekend of July 4th to 6th. Boat Entry Forms for Early Birds will be available at the Waterspace Office.

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Parade Of Decorated Boats

Please make sure Craig Haslam has information on your boat for his commentary.

Please assemble downstream of Ware Town Bridge by 12:30, and try to station yourselves in the parade order (we plan to have this available by 10:00) which will be posted at the Waterspace Office. o Please go all the way downstream to Tumbling Bay (by the weir) to turn, then come back upstream to moor and hold station until the 12:45 start.

(This should avoid the problem of boats turning and getting in the way of boats coming down to join the parade). o The head of the parade (the Sea Cadets) will be just downstream of Ware Town Bridge so please assemble in parade order in a fairly tight formation.

The parade will set off at 12:45 PROMPTLY led by the Sea Cadets.

The Herts Boat Rescue Launch will be bringing up the rear of the Parade.

Please try to keep the formation as tight as possible, and try to remain close to the boat in front (but obviously not dangerously so); we want to avoid big gaps to make the parade as interesting as possible for the spectators.

Craig will be stationed on nb Nimrod moored by The Saracens Head providing a running commentary to the assembled masses.

Communication Please use VHF Channel 6 (ship to ship channel on low power level) or PMR radio Channel 3 for any communications.

If you don’t have a radio please let someone with a radio know so that they can keep you updated.

If there are any problems please telephone Les on 07801 260579 Judging The best decorated boat will be judged by a panel of judges on the Terrace of the Saracens Head.

Last, but by no means least, enjoy it, have fun, make plenty of noise, and keep the good burghers of Ware entertained.

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Your Host Town’s Shield Below is the Ware Armorial bearings. Ware was granted their “shield” in 1956 by the College of Arms which was later transferred to Ware Town Council by Her Majesty the Queen.

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The blue field alludes to the River Lea.

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With barge rudders top and bottom.

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The rudders are striped red in the livery of the City of London as Ware bargemen were granted freedom of the Port of London, in recognition of their efforts to bring food to the City, during the Great Plague.

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The golden sheaves of barley reflect the long tradition of malting in the Town.

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The crossed post horns (also gold) refer to the Town’s many coaching inns.

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The motto Cave (Latin for beware) was intended as a pun and is within a pale yellow and red obverse scroll.

This Years Plaque This year’s plaque features the 2013 Festival Theme, “Food Glorious Food” with the addition of the IWA initials across the central band. The design encapsulates the ever successful Friday highlight, the BBQ .

“Cave” at the bottom of the plaque is a heraldic pun on the Town’s name.

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