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Well old boaters don’t die they just get stuck in the reeds! lol

The third law is Thou shalt Git Gap 😄

You definitely wouldn't be saying that if you had a 55-60 ft boat!

If EVERY licence holder's fee was increased by a sizeable amount, not singling out individuals for whatever arbitrary reason, wouldn't that have raised more dosh, and avoided any 'divide and rule' allegations ? Pay the licence and then use the infrastructure as you please ... or stay in your marina. Of course you and I would have to pay more but as you rightly point out, it's for the 'greater good'. Rog

It was shot down in flames because most adults did not pay CT, and they objected to pay for the services they previously enjoyed for nothing.

That's all nonsense. You choose and pay for a mooring and all the services the mooring provides, because like everyone else, you've looked around and chosen based on cost, accessibility, services etc. You wanted a mooring and you took one for your own reasons. That the mooring provider's business arrangement requires them to make a contribution to C&RT played no part in your choices, it was an accidental consequence. You've paid the required fee for your mooring and attendant services and nothing extra. Some folks don't need or want a mooring as they choose to travel and consequentially they pay for the services they receive via their licence fee. Rog

I moved a dumpster to make room for another boat on a full visitor mooring. Many will say it's a no no, but if you can live with it ...

I moored at Market Drayton between the bridge and the first moored boat. The chap behind said "Your lucky, there was a small boat behind me who left, so I pulled back otherwise every passing NB would say, look he's left two git gaps, my conscience wouldn't allow it".

To give the calorifier extra rigidity.

Yes, widebeams should stay on the large rivers, yes, they are best on the Thames.... But not when we need a pumpout and they think the sanitary station is the best place for breakfast...

The rates were based on the rateable value of the property (which was a crude proxy for property value). Rates were payable by owner occupiers, but the rates on rented property were payable by the landlord (so effectively included in the rent). The poll tax (officially the Community Charge) introduced two significant changes. Firstly it was paid by all adults, so for the first time those who rented their homes, and adult children living at home with their parents, were required to contribute directly to local authority costs (and of course rents didn't come down to reflect the fact landlords were no longer paying rates). And secondly it was a flat rate per head (on the basis that the services provided by local authorities cost broadly the same whether delivered to those in cheap or expensive, rented or owned homes). Inevitably it was unpopular with those newly caught in the net, and there was a widespread feeling that the flat rate was unfair, compared with the rates which had to some extent reflected the payers means. After protests the government was forced to back down and introduce the current Council Tax. CT is something of a middle way between the Rates and the Poll Tax in that it is payable by both owner occupiers and renters, but is (crudely) graded by property value, and there is a discount for single adult households, but no extra cost for households with 3 or more adults.

Plenty of space around Birmingham and much better to stop there than Kings Norton. I would head to above Curdworth locks, maybe stopping just after the tunnel and then set off early the next morning to arrive in Birmingham mid afternoon.

Thank you I am privileged to have her and am trying to look after her as best I can. just in the process of a repaint in a more ‘Pullman’ style of colours.

the density has definitely increased, Ive seen it increase in the short time I’ve been on the water, Just imagine how annoyed you’d be if you’d put a fortune into having a boat built to find its only a ditchcrawling tube where you have to take your chances mooring up just like all the other poor sods. Annoyed enough to have the paupers driven off the waterways by pricing them out and actively encouraging animosity towards them. Nah, no one’d do that would they? 🤔

The extra service is not from CRT so a home moorer is paying more for CRT services than a CC with a boat the same size.

All this "more use of the system" thing is likely a big red herring and used by CRT because there is some logic and simplicity to it. CRT need to raise more money and CCers are the logical target, and here we really mean liveaboards rather than CCers but there is not a separate liveaboard licence group. When I used to write proposals for engineering work they were based on the cost of our labour and facilities etc, but "how much can the customer afford" was always a factor. Liveaboards have much more invested in the canals as without them they would be homeless, and its a rapidly increasing sector. Liveaboard boating is still relatively cheap (though not this year for me 😀). Leisure boating is a very expensive hobby and if the cost goes up too much people will simply give it up. CRT would have got even more stick if they had been honest about this so the "more use of the system" is just a conenient spin. Rubbish disposal is a genuine factor. CRT could also have pointed out that many expensive evictions are for CCing boats, and sorting out the fly tipping from bottom of the market towpath refits is a cost, but again these would just get them into even more trouble.

We came across one ,spilled over on to lock landing, towpath blocked with gazebo and banners. Organisers looked chaotic , keep nets slung on the bank , idiot poles across into the hedge. Do they really think trying to get a new generation interested in the slow torture of a species for some vicarious pleasure is justifiable? Itll be hare coursing and fox hunting experience days next.

And the torque setting I have seen suggests that tight should be proceeded by something like extremely tight or similar.

I meant on the canals, since that's what the complaints are about. Area-based charging is logical and makes sense from most points of view (except widebeam owners who have been having it cheap...) but CART were unwilling to go that far, maybe because they couldn't face the wails of protest from all the (mostly recent) widebeam owners who would end up paying up to a 100% surcharge, as opposed to the 50% that they'll pay in 2028 (was 25%, increasing at 5% per year). And no this is nothing to do with "encouraging divisions between boaters", it's having a fair system of charging where people pay for what they get (living space). Almost everywhere else in the world on land and water (including many UK marinas) does this, why should the UK canals be any different?

I had a phone call earlier from a friend of Mary’s. Swan was meant to be at Audlem for the gathering this weekend. As a mark of respect, the organisers are leaving a vacant berth where she would have tied. A lovely gesture.