Mike on the Wey

And currently covered in Canada goose poo - and I mean literally covered. As is the entire Dorchester bank to a point level with the lakes. The upstream part was a pleasant place to moor for free, but it was unmoorable last week ... unless you're into goose poo.

https://kanda.boatingcommunity.org.uk And some Facebook groups as attached.

Thames Lock on the Wey is definitely open because I passed through it this afternoon. A licence must be purchased at Thames Lock - cash is currently not being accepted but cards are fine. And the Wey is now open all the way to Godalming following the restoration of the collapsed weir above Millmead Lock.

Thank you - I didn't think of zooming. You're right - the jail loop is still controlled by DE as is Christchurch Meadows. Interestingly the CM page definitely contains "Reading". I wonder why the search engine doesn't find it. ? So if nothing else, this thread will serve as a timely reminder to be careful when mooring in Reading - particularly the Tesco and Christchurch moorings which have very few if any signs.

Some good news. I cruised through Reading today, and noticed only two random DE signs at Christchurch Meadows and the north bank behind Fry's Island. I have just checked DE's website https://where2moor.co.uk and Reading town centre is no longer listed as one of their mooring sites. Nor is Sonning (near George and Uri, below the lock) but Hampton Court is still listed as are a few other sites around Kingston. In fact the only listing for Reading is "Dreadnaught", which is the bit of bank downstream of the K & A entrance opposite Thames & Kennet Marina (and it's really shallow there anyway). So is Reading Borough Council once again welcoming boaters? Good news if so - it's quite pleasant for a town centre mooring.

Not the cut, but the Thames is quieter than normal. I have cruised from Pyrford to above Henley ... seen a few narrowboats and day boats, some hirers from Kris (Datchet) and one or two Le Boats. The big white shiny boats are conspicuous by their absence. Plenty of mooring space in most places.

In London the actual composting often takes place in normal rubbish bins then landfill. Because many London boaters' "composting toilets" are merely separation devices. Liquid goes into hedgerows if you're lucky, or the cut if not. Solids ... not nice. But then I suppose "disposable" nappies end up in landfill too.

So it turns on the word "unnecesarily". If the situation involved another boat having to untie then retie the OP's boat for a sensible reason, then all is well. But the title of the OP "someone untied my ropes" is a little misleading. Perhaps the title should be "someone untied my ropes and didn't retie them in the same way but my boat is safe so there's nothing to worry about"?

Which particular piece of legislation applies here?

I agree, that makes sense. The second home guidance was because travel to/from a second home was classed as a non-essential journey - as were vehicular trips to the beach, open countryside and national parks etc. The remaining restriction is also based, to an extent, on villagers thinking that their rural communities will be infected - based on the premise that cities are virus hotspots. Which is ironic, given today's news about the very low number of cases in London.

It is interesting how leisure boats have been categorised as second homes and treated in the same way as second home country cottages/city apartments etc. Boats are far more similar to caravans or motorhomes, which could already be used sensibly and safely. The suggestion that emergency services access would be challenging if a remotely moored boater required Covid-19 related assistance doesn't really work for me - the chances of contracting the virus are actually very very low.

The EA guidance is unhelpfully silent regarding staying overnight on a boat. But at least they have stopped their silly suggestion that handwinding a lock lessens the risk of virus transfer.

Tracey knows more.

Taken from MtB's link, this supports the OP being able to travel from Sussex to Cropredy. People are making it far more complicated than it is, and creating "infection scenarios" where the actual risk of infection is minimal. "The Regulations allow people to move house. This means that individuals can move between households. But this should be a genuine move (ie,measured in days, not hours)."

"Residence" is determined on the facts, not on a piece of paper which happens to match a name with an address. The OP could draw on several supporting cases which have been through the courts involving capital gains tax and private residence relief. So I disagree that the OP would be travelling from a primary residence (Sussex) to a holiday home (Cropredy). A single relocation journey would surely be acceptable? A parallel is people returning to Heathrow on repatriation flights. Are they expected to hole-up in the nearest hotel for several weeks, or are they permitted to make a single journey to go home? I agree that the more important question - and nothing to do with curtain-twitching - is whether they would be able to access Cropredy Marina to retrieve their boat.

I use a "drill pump". They are cheap and efficient - I can empty 400 litres in about 10 minutes. Cost £13 in Halfords - similar available from Screwfix, Toolstation etc.

No.

And to genuinely "continuously cruise" as defined by doing the minimum required to keep CRT happy, it won't just be the Regents Canal. Add the Grand Union either down to Brentford or up to Cowley Peachey, plus at the other end the River Lee to Tottenham. This boat will not provide cheap accommodation - it will be a money pit. And it doesn't currently have an engine.

Your setup is typical. Some engine/calorifier circuits also heat a bathroom towel rail, but if linked to the full heating circuit there is a risk of over-cooling the engine.

It varies, I think. Someone estimated that up to 80% of "continuously cruising" London boats are not lived on, but that probably depends on the time of year and the weather. A couple of years ago a boat buyer/seller operated in London, and "continuously cruised" his entire stock of 10-12 boats, moving them 1 mile every fortnight (if not sold).

... and the narrowboat went down whilst trying to lift the sunken GRP boat. That was never going to work.

The centre cockpit Viking 32 is quite popular.

Apart from drastic unexpected water loss, they are able to give sufficient notice to allow visiting boats to leave. They monitor water levels diligently, and with the experience they have are able to predict (fairly accurately and with several days' notice) the day on which - in the absence of significant rain - they will have to close the Deepcut and Brookwood flights. (The Woodham flight has back-pumping, possibly the St John's flight too.)

The Basy is lovely. Spring would be best I think - more water, and fewer leaves around the prop. The first part up to Woking is like boating through porridge in some pounds, but the reward is the upper section. Mytchett and above is the best part, with only one lock, one manual bridge and one electric bridge in 15 miles. Last time we were there the ranger set all the locks for us, and let us leave locks full with exit gates open - very easy. (They caulk the gates after passage to prevent water loss.) We did it in a week, but two weeks would be really nice.

Sorry, but I have to do this. *grammar ?