boaters evicted

[LisaG1]

I have lived on an online mooring for 21 years and in no way would I want to go into a sterile marina with no views except your neighbours boat, regarding were the canals built for people to live on, they were build for the transportation of goods and the people that worked them also lived on them, Jack and Rose Skinner, now in their 80' live by us, they were born on boats and so were their parents, so living onboard is not a new thing at all, where as holiday boating is comparitivly new

 

 

I agree we also don't want to live in a marina where everybody seems to know your business etc, but BW don't seem to acknowledge people like us do live on our boats. BW is becoming the boaters enemy.

 

Lisa

Edited October 9, 2007 by LisaG1

[John Orentas]

I agree we also don't want to live in a marina where everybody seems to know your business etc, but BW don't seem to acknowledge people like us do live on our boats. BW is becoming the boaters enemy.

 

Lisa

 

 

 

Much as I hate to leap to the defence of BW, but they and certainly myself do not see you as boaters, any more that (to borrow Mavericks example) I or they would regard an encampment on a motorway hard shoulder as a group of motorists.

[denboy]

myself do not see you as boaters

 

 

So from that statement i gather that your only a boater if you keep your boat in a marina for 50 weeks of the year and only come out on the system when its nice and warm and you just want to stick the throtle on full and go as far as you can and god forbid anybody should be moored up in your path

[moggyjo]

Hi Moggy

 

I think is is a question of scale, there was an understanding that a few the working boat people could remain on the canals during their retirement but surely no one would make a comparison with that situation and what is happening today.

 

Had you or anyone else attempted to do what you are doing now during the working days of the canals it would have been regarded as a simple case of criminal trespass and eventually you would have been tying to set up home in New South Wales.

Not sure what you mean, Ive paid thousands of pounds in mooring fees through the years to BW

[LisaG1]

myself do not see you as boaters

So from that statement i gather that your only a boater if you keep your boat in a marina for 50 weeks of the year and only come out on the system when its nice and warm and you just want to stick the throtle on full and go as far as you can and god forbid anybody should be moored up in your path

 

 

or he could be one of these status symbol people who brag about having a boat but actually never moves off their mooring.

[moggyjo]

Much as I hate to leap to the defence of BW, but they and certainly myself do not see you as boaters, any more that (to borrow Mavericks example) I or they would regard an encampment on a motorway hard shoulder as a group of motorists.

Just because we live on our boats doesn't mean to say we don't travel around the system, while I'm off my mooring, people are quite welcome to stay on it, which they do.

[John Orentas]

Not sure what you mean, Ive paid thousands of pounds in mooring fees through the years to BW

 

 

 

I don't think I mentioned 'money'.. BW have belatedly decided that linear moorings will not be the thing of the future and I suspect that attempting to live on your boat will within a few years not be socially acceptable.

 

The major problem that everyone keeps dodging around is that there are just too damed many of you, as with so many things in life, certain numbers can be accommodated but a point will be reached when someone will shout 'Enough'.

[moggyjo]

or he could be one of these status symbol people who brag about having a boat but actually never moves off their mooring.

Are the canals going to be ruined in the same way as our villages have been!

[carlt]

Had you or anyone else attempted to do what you are doing now during the working days of the canals it would have been regarded as a simple case of criminal trespass and eventually you would have been tying to set up home in New South Wales.

John, you really need to either do a spot of reading before making statements of historical 'fact' or leave it to those that can be bothered to research their subject. There were many people living aboard during the 'working days' (whatever vague time period you mean by that) who weren't in the carrying trade. Let's see if we can pick a name out of the ether.....Tom Rolt! Ever heard of him? As far as I know, he never visited Australia, either by his choice or HMG's

Edited October 9, 2007 by carlt

[moggyjo]

I don't think I mentioned 'money'.. BW have belatedly decided that linear moorings will not be the thing of the future and I suspect that attempting to live on your boat will within a few years not be socially acceptable.The major problem that everyone keeps dodging around is that there are just too damed many of you, as with so many things in life, certain numbers can be accommodated but a point will be reached when someone will shout 'Enough'.

Why are BW allowing 1000 new boats to come onto the system each year if there is nowhere to put them. At that rate they would need to build about 6 LARGE marinas to cope with the increace. They also say in the tendering advert now that (you don't even have to own a boat to get a mooring) making the problem even worse. Will all the online cruising clubs have to go into marinas as well?

John, you really need to either do a spot of reading before making statements of historical 'fact' or leave it to those that can be bothered to research their subject. There were many people living aboard during the 'working days' (whatever vague time period you mean by that) who weren't in the carrying trade. Let's see if we can pick a name out of the ether.....Tom Rolt! Ever heard of him? As far as I know, he never visited Australia, either by his choice or HMG's

Perfectly put, nice one

[carlt]

Why are BW allowing 1000 new boats to come onto the system each year if there is nowhere to put them. At that rate they would need to build about 6 LARGE marinas to cope with the increace. They also say in the tendering advert now that (you don't even have to own a boat to get a mooring) making the problem even worse. Will all the online cruising clubs have to go into marinas as well?Perfectly put, nice one

Thing is moggyjo, John only wants to restrict the sector of boaters that he isn't a part of.

[Chertsey]

Sorry if I've missed something here, been reading it backwards ...

 

But surely if there are too many boats (and there probably are) then it doesn't make a blind bit of difference whether people are living on them or not; it's the boats that take up the space. Some boats are inhabited and don't move, but all boats that are uninhabited don't move and hence take up a mooring.

 

The reason there are too many boats (and hundreds if not thousands of them are on the market at any one time, every one taking up a mooring) is because people want to buy new rather than reusing/recycling, and ever more suppliers are going to ever greater lengths to meet and encourage that demand.

 

Surely best to get rid of the ones that are used least first, before worrying about the ones that are used most...

[carlt]

Surely best to get rid of the ones that are used least first, before worrying about the ones that are used most...

Or just place a moratorium on new-builds.

[moggyjo]

Or just place a moratorium on new-builds.

We signed the houseboat moratorium back in around 1990 but nothing came of it

[carlt]

The funny thing is, whenever anything like this comes up, attacking one sector of the boating community, another sector pops up and says "well I don't like you lot anyway, so good riddance"

 

Ironically I recall a discussion, on this forum, in which John criticised the 'factionalisation' of the boating community. I'll try to search it out.

 

Perhaps it would pay us to heed the words of Pastor Neimoller.

[Maverick]

Just to clarify my point on this. I didnt fully understand the implications behind this story and was merely trying to make sense of the uproar.

 

Someone mentioned they have lived on the same mooring for over 20yrs and if BW gave you thay mooring over 20yrs ago and gave permission for you to live on it then I agree it is unfair of them now to move the goal posts.

 

However times change and there are many more boats on the system and boaters who now take up moorings along the line who dont have that permission and never have had. These make the sittuation look a lot worse than it probably is and dont help matters and dont help the cause of the genuine livaboards who pay their way and do have permission to be where they are.

 

BW do at last appear to be listning and are cracking down on licence evaders etc I have seen this with my own eyes so they are acting on what we have been asking them to do.

 

I can well understand how upset you all must be but cannot see BW stepping down from their desicion regardless of how many names a petition may have. And yes as a pleasure boater who also has the added costs of a house and all that go with it I'm not going to be to upset if there are a few less lines of boats that I need to slow down as I pass on my stress free cruise am I?

[carlt]

I can well understand how upset you all must be but cannot see BW stepping down from their desicion regardless of how many names a petition may have. And yes as a pleasure boater who also has the added costs of a house and all that go with it I'm not going to be to upset if there are a few less lines of boats that I need to slow down as I pass on my stress free cruise am I?

As a pleasure boater who also has the added costs of a house and all that go with it I:

 

1) am not the least bit stressed at passing moored boats and don't mind slowing down one bit.

2) Don't understand what being a houseowner has to do with any of this, apart from some having the "I'm alright Jack and couldn't give a stuff if you lose your home, so I don't have to boat past it" attitude.

Edited October 9, 2007 by carlt

[Maverick]

As a pleasure boater who also has the added costs of a house and all that go with it I:

 

1) am not the least bit stressed at passing moored boats and don't mind slowing down one bit.

2) Don't understand what being a houseowner has to do with any of this, apart from some having the "I'm alright Jack and couldn't give a stuff if you lose your home, so I don't have to boat past it" attitude.

 

How did I know youd be first??? Wind em up and watch him go.

 

Option No 2 please. See yr not the sacastic patronising numpty you pretend to be are you?

[fuzzyduck]

I can well understand how upset you all must be but cannot see BW stepping down from their desicion regardless of how many names a petition may have. And yes as a pleasure boater who also has the added costs of a house and all that go with it I'm not going to be to upset if there are a few less lines of boats that I need to slow down as I pass on my stress free cruise am I?

 

For me, I would be upset if I passed an empty space where someone used to live, and didn't anymore, because of this decision. I'd rather have to slow down a bit than watch this.

 

and if a few thousand signatures on a petition won't cut it, what will?

[tidal]

I'm not going to be to upset if there are a few less lines of boats that I need to slow down as I pass on my stress free cruise am I?

 

What is stressful aboout slowing down?

 

Does it REALLY matter if you don't get from A-C in one day?

 

Won't getting to B be enough?

 

 

I thought that cruising, especially on the canals, was about the journey not the destination.

 

Anyone want a watery motorway?

[Maverick]

For me, I would be upset if I passed an empty space where someone used to live, and didn't anymore, because of this decision. I'd rather have to slow down a bit than watch this.and if a few thousand signatures on a petition won't cut it, what will?

Yes agree with you really fuzzy, just like winding the village idiot up. Not sure petitions do any good once authorities make their mind up. Just that to many of us those are just faceless boats and we dont know the people in them. Of course they are real homes and lives to many and if a petition would help I would sign it with pleasure.

What is stressful aboout slowing down?Does it REALLY matter if you don't get from A-C in one day?Won't getting to B be enough?I thought that cruising, especially on the canals, was about the journey not the destination.Anyone want a watery motorway?

Think you need to re-read that one. I actually said my stress free cruising not that slowing down past boats was stressful. I've got the hang of it now I dont bother slowing down at all. Learned some brilliant new swear words

[tidal]

I hadn't realised this was a private fight...........You two carry on. I will get some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the show

[Djuwenda]

Yes agree with you really fuzzy, just like winding the village idiot up. Not sure petitions do any good once authorities make their mind up. Just that to many of us those are just faceless boats and we dont know the people in them. Of course they are real homes and lives to many and if a petition would help I would sign it with pleasure.Think you need to re-read that one. I actually said my stress free cruising not that slowing down past boats was stressful. I've got the hang of it now I dont bother slowing down at all. Learned some brilliant new swear words

 

Play that trick on me and you wont learn any swear words. You might on the other hand, end up learning a lot about the contents of my elsan at the next bridge..

[carlt]

just like winding the village idiot up.

Offensive comments like this really don't add any substance to your already flimsy argument. If you want to look like an ignorant, selfish oaf, just because you think it will wind me up, you really must have a low opinion of yourself.

How did I know youd be first??? Wind em up and watch him go.Option No 2 please. See yr not the sacastic patronising numpty you pretend to be are you?

I don't pretend to be sarcastic or patronising but if your inferiority complex makes you feel you're being patronised, I really can't help you.

[chris w]

Play that trick on me and you wont learn any swear words. You might on the other hand, end up learning a lot about the contents of my elsan at the next bridge..

 

 

I'd like to point out that Section C, Sub-Section g, paragraph 13 of the Waterways bye-laws strictly prohibits disposing of your loo in the canal.