Mr Grumpy

Hi All/Bearboating/Robbo much appreciate the picture. The trees were last cleared a few years ago - completely cut back to zero - to allow work on the buildings adjacent to the canal. The precedent has therefore been set?. Given that they seem to grow back if anyone does object then they'll soon grow back!. Robbo, with these additonal moorings you can have your pints at Fanny's Ale House and stay the night! As I've offered - First couple on me.

Hello All as I write C&RT seem to be working on the moorings! I think additonal mooring rings are being concreted in. Maybe these are the the ones mentioned in earlier posts?

Hi Bearboating the new moorings are an extension to the existing visitor moorings but on the grass bank - they are just before the apartments when travelling from Shipley into Saltaire. There seems to be room for 4 boats - new rings have been added. The mooring area was dredged late Spring and the rings added to the grass bank.

Hi All Names/pictures of boats that ran engines and/or made excessive smoke were often passed on by many residents impacted by the inconsiderate behaviours of just a few. C&RT seem powerless to do anything and being penniless seem to have very little funds available anyway. I'd love it if they could take action against the few who spoiled if for all. Especially as we're not trying to inflict inconvenience on all boaters, far from it - but can you suggest how this is done and for it to be effective? The solution to move a mere 30metres ( ie 4 boat lengths) further along the towpath would in this case appear to be OK and cause little real inconvenience..... all that residents wanted resolved was the inconsiderate behaviours - the implemented solutions were devised/suggested/agreed by others as the best way of ensuring peaceful co-existence. You mention a red herring...... we generally heat our homes with electric storage heaters which are not the most controllable source of heat especially in Spring and Autumn and there are often times when a window needs to be opened or a bedroom/bathroom aired. For those that work this means that it can be left open all day or in an evening upon return from work. This seems to coincide when a log burner or stove is being used on a boat. If not sure why are you at a loss on the type of noise? The constant drone of an engine running for hours on end is extremely bothersome. Completely different to speach or bird noise. I know this is an opinion shared by many neighbours and not necessarily all people but it is so easily avoided - is there any need to run an engine for hours on end directly outside around 50 living rooms and 75 bedrooms? Clearly there are many diverse views and perhaps sometimes a working compromise is best all round? - if we all agreed on everything then life would be extremely dull. Perhaps we're never going to completely agree but I'm hoping that the consultative rather than combatative approach taken would mean that we could go for a glass or two at the Boathouse/Fannys/Dont Tell Titus and have a good natured debate? maybe end up have a smile?

Hello All yes - we'd all like it if the minority had respected nearby homes, sadly a few did/have not and made it harder to co-exist. I suspect that we see this in all areas of life? The original tow path was relatively narrow between the mills and was all stone so was difficult to moor - especially without making trip hazards and bicycle hazard. Flat owners did do due diligence and mooring was not an issue as rarely anyone moored in this location!. However, the canal started to leak and, with money short, British Waterways used the funds it was going to use to create visitor moorings, in a better location, for this position. They needed to fix the leak urgently and suggested that this (not ideal location) would be OK and assured us boaters were typically very considerate people and would not cause any issues - which to a very large extent was correct! The newly created moorings, adjacent to the visitor moorings, seem to be able to take 4 boats so is a similar size to the visitor moorings we're talking about. So with the visitor moorings as well this means that overall capacity has been increased. The "canyon" effect means that noise really does travel. Quiet unexpectedly you'd be amazed. The geese for example can be especially noisy, even with double glazed windows closed - but none of this proves to be an issue really, in fact it is part of the “character” that comes with living by water as has been pointed out - however over 4 hours of a diesel engine running to charge batteries is really something else – surely we can all agree on this? BTW should I assume that there advances in the engines used/sound emissions allowed? Some boats seem far more noisy than others? I'm trying not to be a nimby..... “some of my “best friends” are boaters, some even from different ethnicities, sexual orientation and physical abilities!”….. :-)

Hi All not a troll, and not trying to be a nimby really. The newly created moorings have been dredged and thanks for the pictures of the rings..... Hopefully this resolves the issues, makes the boaters feel welcome albeit 30metres further along the tow path and if C&RT could also do the same opposite the Church to create even more space, we can all enjoy our village. The upcoming Festival does have some more historical facts about our village and the Mill is ever expanding and maybe will contain more historical facts and displays. Just a couple of points from recent posts/replies;- The excellent visitor moorings were not there when the flats were built - they were added later. If we wanted to start a "who was there first" conversation then get your horses out to tow your boat rather than fossil fuel......!!! :-) this would solve the engine noise issue but probably create a problem with smelly manure! (Yes I am trying to inject some humour) The residents in the converted Mill (not a converted hospital as has been suggested) really welcome boaters and if it was not for the experience of boaters charging batteries for hours on end or having log burners pollute our living rooms/bedrooms or indeed starting a portable generator on the canal tow path to at gone 11pm to effect night time repairs..... some of the real experiences over the years .... of course the VAST majority don't behave this way and therefore spoil the enjoyment for all of us. The acoustics of the "canyon" between the two mill buildings, unfortunately just at the point of the visitor moorings, mean that you can often hear a normal conversation from the towpath from within the apartments - unfortunately engines seem to be exactly at the correct frequency to cause walls to resonate. Given the experiences outlined above, signs asking that engines are not run and no log burners would probably be ignored by that same small minority.

Hello All As a resident in the flats the case is simple. The moorings are new and built since the flats were built. Due to the "canyon" nature of the moorings those that run their engines for hours to charge batteries not only cause noise but pollute appartments. Not to mention the smoke from wood burners entering through an open window. Or those that talk happily into the small hours when some of us still have to work! Residents welcome boats as it enhances our village - just the occasional boater on holiday that disturb the 97 bedrooms and living rooms in very close proximity to the canal. This is a pity for all. C&RT have worked with Residents and new moorings have been created just a few metres further along the canal. This is not a case of who came first or money talking, after all if we did not live here there would be nothing to visit, this is a case of adapting and living together - both making adjustments for the benefit of all.