Boating is mentioned at last

Time was, most people on hire boats were new to the boating scene. The relatively few private owners were delighted to pass on the knowledge that helped to make 'canalling' more enjoyable.
Now? It's the hirers, on average, who seem to know most about safe considerate boating. Too many owner-steerers act as if rules apply only to lesser mortals unable to finance private ownership. (I first put 'number ones' in that sentence, before recalling that the term strictly applied to owner-operators of carrying boats. They knew 'how to go on'.)