Dreadnaught

Best advice I'd give is to avoid leaving your boat at Preston - get the bus. Take a temporary mooring at Garstang Marina (270 berths) 01524 791 417 speak to Andrew. The site has several temp moorings available: free showers washing machine/dryer. Diesel can be supplied in 20L containers by contacting the site owners. Pumpout at Barton Grange and Garstang A half hourly bus service runs along the A6 10 min walk from the marina. You can either go to Preston or Lancaster 12 miles either way. Change at Lancaster for the 555 for the Lake District bus.

What is there stopping you from making your own decision kris?; the letter is polite, reasonable and to the point.

I fully agree. You do realise of course you will be accused of being unreasonably reasonable with middle class tendencies, which is perceived as an 'offence against the people' by some PTs afloat on these waters.

Arlen Boat Hire at the Preston end of the Lancaster or Waterbabies just north of Garstang may be worth a poke.

Try reading the thread from the start of the OP then you can make an even better smart-arsed remark all of your own

So, there Roman Abramovich sinking a few Verve Cliquot on his super boat/luxury yacht and Plod in his size 14s just randomly wanders in across the white shagpile and shakes him down? I don't think so.

Frankly my Dear - I don't give a damn!

The most sensible and reasonable post I've read on this topic. I am sure the majority of boaters find no great issue with the terms and conditions. It is the Cartophobes amongst us who don't really give a toss so long as their mooring-blocking goes unchallenged.

Surely the most effective solution to curb the speedsters would be to integrate the equivalent of sped-humps, half-pipe channels or rumble strips or is that too cheap and easy?

You can put you own prissy interpretation on the use of the word screw but using the word 'rape' is unworthy. Have you seen a CT demand addressed to you that has been paid by BWML? You should ask them to see a copy receipt.

You do not need 'residential' status to live on your boat on a marina. If the owner is amenable that is enough. The council will want to inspect a leisure operators records that should show all moorers home addresses which is all the information the operator is compelled to provide to prove his leisure status. Councils then go after anyone they happen across or on suspicion or on 'information received', who they suspect of living aboard with no main residence elsewhere. But - if the operator is in the habit of subletting a mooring on the marina (while registered user is cruising) to a visiting boat who's residential status can not be verified - and - the marina owner does this on a regular basis then only one mooring based council tax levy is charged to the marina owner. What happens (informally) is that the cost is recouped from all liveaboards on an equal share basis sometime for as little as £50 or so depending on the numbers. BWML like to give the impression they pay council tax for each residential boater - but they don't - they use that excuse for their high mooring fees. Some 'residential moorings' however, don't even have residents on board , but to wealthier owners they offer a greater degree security. Getting back to evictions - that is always the right of the owners and the conditions in the agreement signed by the moorer.

The is no universal standard applied anywhere on the System. My first point is you don't live on a mooring you live on your boat. You rent by mutual agreement with the mooring owner permission to tie up on his/her 'land'. Fortunately not many marina owners act along similar lines as BWML who's only interest is screwing as much money out of the punter as he is prepared to put up with by applying for planning permission to operate a 'residential' business subject to business rates. If a private operator is happy to allow liveaboards alongside weekenders appreciate him and keep in his good-books. If he wants you to leave the berth at a specified time in order to satisfy his leisure status - go on holiday or whatever. Think of yourself as a continuous cruiser with a home mooring. This is not North Korea - who's business do you think it is to monitor your daily comings and goings. Just use your commonsense and reveal only as little as your are required to anyone. If you have an awkward relationship - shove off and find a more accommodating one.

Be glad to see you Terry - whenever. ATB

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