Naval architects at Darley H2NA have been working to make inland waterways - and those who work on them - safe.
“We seem to have cornered the inland waterway market,” says Ian Darley of naval architects Darley H2NA, a long-term Seawork exhibitor.
However, this wasn’t a game plan: it’s come from an overarching concern for safety, especially around civil works.
“The issue is that – so far – there’s no regulation for working craft. So if you ask ‘what’s a good enough standard?’ there’s actually nothing that you can apply directly,” says Darley’s colleague, Phil Henderson.
It’s a problem because there are a lot of people working on inland waterways with no consistent guidance – and there have been accidents.
“Some construction engineers assume they can do the same on water as on land,” says Darley. “While a crane might physically fit a barge we have to point out that stability demands a pontoon that’s an awful lot larger.”
Hopefully this loophole is about to close, but the transition isn’t happening merely because it’s a good idea.
“We’ve done a lot of work for the Environment Agency, the Canal and River Trust as well as other inland waterway operators,” says Henderson. “We’ve applied what we think are decent standards… and these seem to have taken root.”
In short, the team has made its presence felt: so much so that this year Henderson will join a British Standards working panel that should put these standards on a more formal footing. “That will help us – and everyone else,” he says.
At the other end of the spectrum has been involvement with Seas Your Future, a charity that aims to get a tall ship up and running. The idea is to bring 49 cadets onboard the Fridtjof Nansen to help them develop their confidence and resilience. However, this sizeable ex-schooner is 52m to the end of its bowsprit and requires a lot of effort to make it safe and fit for purpose.
“Tall ships like these are among the most interesting projects,” says Darley, “though honestly, not usually the most lucrative.”
There are more reasons to celebrate this year in particular: Darley, the most senior of the venture, has now reached a half century as a naval architect.
“Fifty years… but I can’t seem to put it down,” he says.
A lot of people are rather happy he hasn’t.
