Nyx

Whilst the subject of the CRT licence is being discussed, I have noted that there is no mention of CRT's plans to restructure the licence fees next year. Should we be worried?

I pay by DD over 12 months and have the hassle of having to write to CRT every year stating this fact as the renewal sent defaults on a 9 month period. I can't see why they can't check their records and automatically renew me on the 12 month as I have done for years. This is no problem for my insurance company.

If you do a Google search for "canalworld" there is a warning: "This site may be hacked" https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/190597?p=ws_hacked&rd=1 Does anyone know anything about this and should we be worried?

I also have an old Heron Villager stove, and I can confirm the baffle plate is welded and therefore cannot be removed. I have just ran out of last years Stove Glow, but my marina were out of it so I had to buy a more expensive brand. I will check it out when they have some in stock, but finances may dictate that I have to keep on using it. Thanks for the warning!

Do you mind if I ask if you were residential as I have contacted them many times and they have always said that they only provide 6 month contracts, are strictly non residential and also that they have a long waiting list. The last time I spoke to them was about 18 months ago.

I started a site a couple of years ago, the idea being to find friendship, maybe a cruising partner, or even romance! I had over 70 members but only about 4 ever contributed to the forum. I also recognised some of the male members names from this site and found in their postings they spoke of "we", the "we" being the missus! No name, no pack drill, you know who you are! Surfice to say, I gave it up as a bad job, which is a shame, as a solo boater myself, I would have liked to find companionship.

Thanks for your reply Alan. I am referring to one of the 8 areas that CRT designate as a "hot spot". And one reason I'm concerned as I've just noticed also covered in another thread is that a couple of neighbours in my marina, (fully paid up bona fide home mooring marina users) have been ordered by CRT to return to the marina or be classified as ccers and be subject to the cc rules. This is because they like to go out on the cut in the summer and enjoy the scenery. One is elderly, retired and likes to potter up and down the canal, he doesn't moor on any visitor moorings, choosing a quiet out of the way spot and always moves every 2 weeks. He spoke to a Jeff at MK office who said that once out on the canal, having a home mooring is irrelevant. I still think that CRT want to discourage residential boaters as the numbers are increasing I think that they are concerned that there will be pressure on them to ackowlegde the fact that they are in fact a "land lord" and all the red tape that will bring, both legally and morrally.

Sorry if I'm being thick! But I really don't understand the proposals in that it still doesn't define a "visitor mooring" in the final consultation document. I would like to know if I moor either attaching to pilings if there are any or knocking in pins somewhere on the cut where there are no rings or any other facilities to tie off to, then will I still be fined if I overstay more than 48 hours? And will the "no return" rule apply anywhere on the cut? The way the document reads is that if you go out on the canal, you have to keep going, not moor anywhere any length of time to enjoy any one place or favourite spot and not visit that spot again for a year. I am not alone in this interpretation and wish someone would clarify please. By the way, the stretch of water I usually cruise been dubbed as a hot spot for non compliant ccers by CRT has been vitually empty since the weather improved, this has been the pattern for a few years, with them only returning for a while during the winter. All the visitor moorings are free and the hire boats passing through are only stopping off for a few hours at the water point and a meal at the pub. I personally, along with others think that there has never been a big problem and the whole consultation has been a thinly disguised rue to rid the system of "continuous moorers".

I agree with Ally. I think that there needs to be some middle ground, as when the waterways act was made, there were very few live aboard boaters compared to now. I think they cobbled together an afterthought for the emerging boaters who wanted to cruise the waterways back in the nineties. The act is out of date and is so vague. There is no definative distance one has to travel and is open to interpretation on both sides. I think residential boaters needs should be recognised and anyone with genuine requirements of staying within a particular area should be addressed. As an aside, I have no idea about distances in kilometers, all our road signs and canal signs are in miles!!

Welcome!

Welcome Sade Everyone I am sure will have a different view (how long is a piece of string syndrome!). I love living aboard my narrow boat, but for me it's far from the relaxing option I had imagined. My biggest gripe is the way live aboard boaters are unrecognised, don't have the same protection in law, discriminated against in many instances, etc. I won't bore you with all the details, as I don't want to turn your wecome into a rant!! I would say it is all down to what you intend to do once aboard i.e. cruise or stay in a marina, if you have to work, how fit you both are and how much financial security you have. Best wishes.

Do mean the baffle sometimes called a throat plate? I ask because mine is part of the stove and cannot be removed. It's a pain when I sweep the chimney because all the soot etc accumulates on the plate and there is only space for me to get one finger above the plate to poke as much muck as I can out. Does anyone know if there is a brush designed to reach under?

I use a Morphy Richards Voyager 800w travel steamm iron, whether on mains or inverter, it's brilliant, I wouldn't go back to one of those big clumsy irons now!

Never had any problem with cyclists, but there is an idiot on a quad bike tearing up and down the tow path. CaRT are so keen on catching out boaters, yet they don't want to know about any one not only damaging the tow path, but causing a public danger.

Have tried many times to sign, but keep getting "There was an error submitting your form. Please try again later."