StevieN

Am I missing something? You called them 'dumpers' and clearly that isn't what I have been referring to! It's not illegal just because a single judge made that interpretation otherwise hundreds of boaters would have been removed or had their licence changed. And no, I'm no troll, just someone who will be buying a boat this year to liveaboard and WFH. Friendly boaters I've spoken to over the 20+ years we've hired and owned a share haven't said any of this is illegal.

If you read my post you'll see I'm referring to those who work from their boat - not traders - those who have a WFH role, work in IT, media, customer service who live and work on their boat, they don't 'dump it.' As for it being illegal, explain how CRT have not fined those who you claim are doing so illegally?

Yes. There are literally hundreds who already do this. They live aboard and continually cruise - how could you not cruise continuously if you weren't on your boat full time? You go from A-B-C and so on.

You rely on a solid Internet connection and if you work online from your boat obviously you can't move every day, you move at the weekend. And tell me how the hundreds who already do this find a marina mooring? Many are already full as are linear moorings. If you comply with the mooring signs and only stay for the alloted time, why is that an issue for some people? If CRT implemented that, they would need to cope with a significant number of people who would instantly become homeless. You can legitimately work on your boat and continually cruise.

And those who work from their boat who need to be in one location for wifi etc and obviously can't move every day and can only move on a weekend?

All very well having bylaws, but if the Canal and River Trust are not going to uphold them (as the FOI in this article alleges) then, as the "perp" in this instance is running a genny during the times permitted, who is to say he can't, irrespective of what a bylaw states? https://narrowboatworld.com/13592-the-general-canal-guidelines

Looks like it's been confirmed that it's a 6% increase in license fees next year. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/boat-licence-fees-for-2024-25

Great advice! We've been hiring for years so have a good understanding of what it's like at various times of the year. The other thing that can't be over emphasised (and I'm sure backed up by the massed knowledge on here) is to get a survey done before you buy. I saw a video on YouTube recently where a young couple had spent money doing up the interior only to eventually have the boat taken out of the water to be blacked and have a survey done. Surveyor found holes below the waterline! Some extra costs that could have been negotiated against when purchased.

I see those old style 'twin tubs' seem to be popular rather than a huge power hungry and space hogging washing machine and if there's only one person on board probably a handy thing to have.

But is that true of *all* waterways? Whenever I've been out travelling I've noticed the canals in the south seem rather more populated than those in the north. Is that to do with work or just that people prefer to be nearer to the capital?

For the people with money who want to buy! If you've something to sell no matter what it is, it is *you* that should be making the effort to bring the customers to you.

If a sales event was set up in a few locations on the network - Coventry Basin/Llangollen Basin, those kinds of places, it would be fairly easy to cruise to those locations. I'm thinking of people that don't want to pay brokerage costs but rather sell direct. Costs of mooring and some cost to advertise. It's not against the will of man for someone with a bit of nous to organise.

Like I said, the alternative is travelling and making several journeys. The point I'm trying to make is asking why there's no second hand dedicated boat show with everything in one place.

As someone looking to buy a 2nd hand narrowboat (maybe widebeam, the jury's out atm) there seems precious few boat shows where one can view several second hand boats in one location. The main boat shows seem to concentrate on new builds or those with very, very deep pockets. The only alternative is, of course, to go traipsing round the country. Surely it would be more convenient to have a dedicated show where several could be showcased together? Or does such an event already take place and I'm not aware of it?