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Which navigation authority are these rivers?


jetzi

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I was planning out some potential travels and I was dismayed to discover that the Warwickshire Avon has its own navigation authority (ANT) and so I assume a Gold license won't cover it. They charge 50 GBP for a 7 day through pass and a whopping 1238 for a year!

 

I'm trying to find out who the navigation authorities for all the connected network that I can reach with my 65' boat. Can anyone help me or provide a source for these?

 

  1. River Witham below Boston. The CaRT map stops at Boston, and it seems logical that the W4IDB would take over. I think that CaRT covers Sleaford and Black Sluice though so maybe it does?
  2. Apart from the bit of the Cam above (south of) Bottisham Lock, the Anglian waterways (Nene, Ouses, Wissey, Lark, New Bedford, Burwell/Reach/Swaffham Lodes) are all EA, correct?
  3. The Thames between Teddington and Brentford is apparently covered by the Port of London Authority - would an EA/Gold license cover this bit?
  4. The Wey = River Wey and Godalming Navigations - correct?
  5. Basingstoke Canal = Hampshire County Council - correct?
  6. Trent below (north of) Gainsborough - the CaRT map stops here but I'm pretty sure CaRT governs the Trent all the way to Trent Falls, doesn't it?

 

Everything else I think is covered by CaRT... I hope...

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3. Yes PLA but no licence is required all the way to the sea. You should monitor the VHF.

4. National Trust.

5. Basingstoke Canal Authority

6. I think another licence free navigation under Associated British Ports. Probably also requires monitoring VHF.

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7 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

3. Yes PLA but no licence is required all the way to the sea. You should monitor the VHF.

..

6. I think another licence free navigation under Associated British Ports. Probably also requires monitoring VHF.

Licence free for pleasure boats, but PLA and ABP bylaws nevertheless apply.

 

You missed out:

7. Bridgewater Canal - Bridgewater Canal Company - reciprocal arrangements apply for short term visits by CRT licenced craft.

8. Manchester Ship Canal - Manchester Ship Canal Company - a number of special requirements apply for passage by pleasure craft.

9. Middle Level Navigations - Middle Level Commissioners. Formerly licence free, but that has recently changed. Anglian Pass available for EA or Gold licenced craft, but arrangements seem a bit confused. @Scholar Gypsy is the one who knows most about this.

10. Bristol Floating Harbour and Feeder Canal - Bristol Harbour Commissioners. Separate licence payable below Netham Lock.

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34 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I think another licence free navigation under Associated British Ports. Probably also requires monitoring VHF.

 

VHF mandatory and no singlehanders allowed (must have a minimum number of crew)

 

 

 

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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River Hull - Hull City Council - no licence needed but they do ask for insurance.

Beverley Beck - East Riding Council. Not quite clear what licencing rules are.

 

There are loads of waterways where someone else is the navigation/harbour authority (eg Kings Lynn, Boston, Wisbech, Medway etc etc) but no licence is required. 

 

Chelmer and Blackwater - IWA run this. 

Check against this too:  https://aina.org.uk/members/

 

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The Warwickshire Avon is a lovely river, on it at the moment, yes it is £50 for a week, but that is cheaper than the EA for a week on the Thames.  Also 2 weeks is only £60, and it you want to go up and down it for a month it is only £70.  With a 65 foot boat take care in the “old” locks on the lower Avon, they are a bit short and you might want to consider going in the lock alone.

 

4. That is the National Trust, and is around the £70 mark for a week, but there is a discount if you are an NT member.

 

6. CRTs responsibility for the Trent stops at Gainsborough bridge, below that it is ABP, ie the port of Hull.  They require VHF and a minimum of 2 crew.

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I wonder what happens if you tell them there are two people on the boat when it's just you then you have an awful accident in which 3 innocent young children die painfully and two adults are dismembered by your propeller but not killed and they later come running at you with really big lawyers and then you get arrested. 

 

Could be quite unsettling in a way. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, jetzi said:

 

Trent below (north of) Gainsborough - the CaRT map stops here but I'm pretty sure CaRT governs the Trent all the way to Trent Falls, doesn't it?

 

As said its ABP water below the road bridge at Gainborough 

Edited by MartynG
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Thanks for all the responses! To collate:

  1. River Witham below Boston. A local harbour authority (no licence required, but probably need VHF).
  2. Anglian waterways (Nene, Ouses, Wissey, Lark, New Bedford, Burwell/Reach/Swaffham Lodes) - EA or Gold licence required.
  3. The Thames below Teddington - Port of London Authority (no licence required, but need VHF).
  4. The Wey - National Trust - Need licence from here (£91 / 7 days, £114 / 21 days)
  5. Basingstoke Canal - Basingstoke Canal Authority - Need licence from here (£45 / 1 week, £100 / 1 month)
  6. Trent below (north of) Gainsborough - Associated British Ports (no licence required, but need VHF and crew)
  7. Bridgewater Canal - Bridgewater Canal Company - reciprocal arrangements apply for short term visits by CRT licenced craft (7 days free)

  8. Manchester Ship Canal - Manchester Ship Canal Company - a number of special requirements apply for passage by pleasure craft.

  9. Middle Level Navigations - Middle Level Commissioners - Anglian Pass required for EA/Gold licence holders (£100 / 1 month)

  10. Bristol Floating Harbour and Feeder Canal - Bristol Harbour Commissioners. Separate licence payable below Netham Lock. (payable to whom?)

Edited by jetzi
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2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

VHF mandatory and no singlehanders allowed (must have a minimum number of crew)

 

 

 

 

Really, when was that introduced?

 

I took my widebeam from Limehouse to Teddington single-handed - at night! But that was about 13 years ago.

 

The lockkeepers never said anything when I went out.

 

For anyone who hasn't done it, the tideway at night is a great way to see London.

 

15 minutes ago, jetzi said:

 

  1. The Thames below Teddington - Port of London Authority (no licence required, but need VHF).

 

I thought it was only downstream of Brentford that VHF was required, unless they've changed that too?

Edited by blackrose
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2 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Really, when was that introduced?

 

I took my widebeam from Limehouse to Teddington single-handed - at night! But that was about 13 years ago.

 

The lockkeepers never said anything when I went out.

I think they are talking about No 6

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8 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Really, when was that introduced?

 

I took my widebeam from Limehouse to Teddington single-handed - at night! But that was about 13 years ago.

 

The lockkeepers never said anything when I went out.

 

For anyone who hasn't done it, the tideway at night is a great way to see London.

 

 

I thought it was only downstream of Brentford that VHF was required, unless they've changed that too?

 

There was, I think, a dispensation for narrowboats as you say but now the nee for VHF depends upon length and many NBs are too long.

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11 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Really, when was that introduced?

 

I took my widebeam from Limehouse to Teddington single-handed - at night! But that was about 13 years ago.

 

The lockkeepers never said anything when I went out.

 

For anyone who hasn't done it, the tideway at night is a great way to see London.

 

 

I thought it was only downstream of Brentford that VHF was required, unless they've changed that too?

2008

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50 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Really, when was that introduced?

 

 

 

Since the By-Laws were introduced in 1990

 

 

 

A small misunderstanding

 

It was in answer to Tony's post :

 

I think another licence free navigation under Associated British Ports. Probably also requires monitoring VHF.

 

Which was referring to the bottom end of the Trent and onto the Humber

 

 

 

 

Screenshot (419).png

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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3 hours ago, jetzi said:

I was planning out some potential travels and I was dismayed to discover that the Warwickshire Avon has its own navigation authority (ANT) and so I assume a Gold license won't cover it. They charge 50 GBP for a 7 day through pass and a whopping 1238 for a year!

 

I'm trying to find out who the navigation authorities for all the connected network that I can reach with my 65' boat. Can anyone help me or provide a source for these?

 

  1. River Witham below Boston. The CaRT map stops at Boston, and it seems logical that the W4IDB would take over. I think that CaRT covers Sleaford and Black Sluice though so maybe it does?
  2. Apart from the bit of the Cam above (south of) Bottisham Lock, the Anglian waterways (Nene, Ouses, Wissey, Lark, New Bedford, Burwell/Reach/Swaffham Lodes) are all EA, correct?
  3. The Thames between Teddington and Brentford is apparently covered by the Port of London Authority - would an EA/Gold license cover this bit?
  4. The Wey = River Wey and Godalming Navigations - correct?
  5. Basingstoke Canal = Hampshire County Council - correct?
  6. Trent below (north of) Gainsborough - the CaRT map stops here but I'm pretty sure CaRT governs the Trent all the way to Trent Falls, doesn't it?

 

Everything else I think is covered by CaRT... I hope...

 

Lots of info here:

 

Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA)

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45 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Really, when was that introduced?

 

I took my widebeam from Limehouse to Teddington single-handed - at night! But that was about 13 years ago.

 

The lockkeepers never said anything when I went out.

 

For anyone who hasn't done it, the tideway at night is a great way to see London.

 

 

I thought it was only downstream of Brentford that VHF was required, unless they've changed that too?

I believe Brentford to Teddington with a narrowboat has a special exemption from needing VHF.  If you have a widebeam (above the specified length) then you would need VHF for that passage.

 

I believe the single handed comment was about the Trent below Gainsborough where ABP require a crew of at least 2 and VHF.

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Since the By-Laws were introduced in 1990

 

 

 

A small misunderstanding

 

It was in answer to Tony's post :

 

I think another licence free navigation under Associated British Ports. Probably also requires monitoring VHF.

 

Which was referring to the bottom end of the Trent and onto the Humber

 

 

 

 

Screenshot (419).png

 

 

As far as VTS is concered 

 

image.png.024a6001e36ea0c7efab37a64cff512f.png

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Greenie 1
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When I did the Humber last week, with another boat:

 

* I couldn't raise VTS on Channel 15 - it's a low power only channel and I only had my handheld with me

* on approaching the Humber Bridge I did raise them on 12. They asked how many POB we had. After some debate with myself, I said three (which was the truth) rather than 4. There was no comeback. 

Annoyingly, we so no other boats moving at all.  https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2021/06/17/rivers-trent-humber-and-hull-1-keadby-to-old-harbour/

On the Thames, VHF is required below Brentford for boats over 45'.  It's just as useful for a 40' boat.  There are exemptions for boats travelling in groups as long as one boat has VHF. There is an exemption for narrowboats between Brentford and Teddington but I suspect PLA would take that to include wide beam narrowboats. In my experience handheld VHF sets are useless that far upstream anyway.  (My last tideway trip was on a Welsh gauge narrowboat - 9 foot!).

 

PS thanks for producing this list - it was a lockdown project of mine that never got done. It would be good to get it published somewhere eg IWA website and kept up to date.

PPS Gold licence holders do not need an Anglian Pass this year to access the ML. They do need one for the Cam. Who knows what will happen in 2022.

Edited by Scholar Gypsy
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45 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

In my experience handheld VHF sets are useless that far upstream anyway

 

You may find that changing the aerial has a pronounced effect, it is the aerial length / height that determines the range, more so than the power.

 

Many hand helds just have a 'rubber-duck' antenna, but better aerials are readily available from the likes of Ebay fr just £2 or £3. Just ensure that you get the correct aerial for the frequency other wise you could damage you radio with a high SWR (Standing wave ratio) being reflected back into your set.

 

Something like this is ideal (obviously make sure the fitting is compatible with your model hand-set, or fit it on a mag mount.

 

NA-771 High Gain SMA-F 2.15 dBi Radio Antenna for Baofeng UV-5R KG-UVD1 | eBay

 

Use a 1/4 wave as a minimum, This is what I had on the NB, but even better would be a 1/2 wave on the magmount.

 

SMA-F Female Magnet Gain CB Radio Car UHF VHF Ham Antenna for Baofeng UV-5R | eBay

 

You can cut off the co-ax connector and refit one suitable for your radio.

 

Never had a problem reaching Lockies with this.

IMG_20140428_124250.jpg

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11 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

You may find that changing the aerial has a pronounced effect, it is the aerial length / height that determines the range, more so than the power.

 

Many hand helds just have a 'rubber-duck' antenna, but better aerials are readily available from the likes of Ebay fr just £2 or £3. Just ensure that you get the correct aerial for the frequency other wise you could damage you radio with a high SWR (Standing wave ratio) being reflected back into your set.

 

Something like this is ideal (obviously make sure the fitting is compatible with your model hand-set, or fit it on a mag mount.

 

NA-771 High Gain SMA-F 2.15 dBi Radio Antenna for Baofeng UV-5R KG-UVD1 | eBay

 

Use a 1/4 wave as a minimum, This is what I had on the NB, but even better would be a 1/2 wave on the magmount.

 

SMA-F Female Magnet Gain CB Radio Car UHF VHF Ham Antenna for Baofeng UV-5R | eBay

 

You can cut off the co-ax connector and refit one suitable for your radio.

 

Never had a problem reaching Lockies with this.

IMG_20140428_124250.jpg

Thanks - interesting.  That is exactly the sort of aerial I use on my fixed (also portable!) set, and I've picked up London VTS from Sonning (near Reading), though they could not hear me.  I may investigate getting an external antenna for my portable set, although part of the point of a portable is that I carry it with me eg if I am walking on the bank.

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1 minute ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Thanks - interesting.  That is exactly the sort of aerial I use on my fixed (also portable!) set, and I've picked up London VTS from Sonning (near Reading), though they could not hear me.  I may investigate getting an external antenna for my portable set, although part of the point of a portable is that I carry it with me eg if I am walking on the bank.

 

For one of my portables I have a telescopic aerial and when retracted is about the same length as a 'rubber-duck' but when extended becomes a full 1/4 wave.

however, you MUST ensure that it is fully extended before keying TX  because of the high SWR (no problem for RX in the retracted state)

 

Universal VHF 136-174MHz Two Way Radio SMA Male Telescopic Antenna FP10120 | eBay

 

If you buy one ensure it is not for a 'scanner' as these will not carry TX power and are for receive only.

Check the one you look at has a maximum 'power' rating (the one in the above link is for up to 50 watts)

 

 

Image 21 - Universal VHF 136-174MHz Two Way Radio SMA Male Telescopic Antenna FP10120

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15 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

For one of my portables I have a telescopic aerial and when retracted is about the same length as a 'rubber-duck' but when extended becomes a full 1/4 wave.

however, you MUST ensure that it is fully extended before keying TX  because of the high SWR (no problem for RX in the retracted state)

 

Universal VHF 136-174MHz Two Way Radio SMA Male Telescopic Antenna FP10120 | eBay

 

If you buy one ensure it is not for a 'scanner' as these will not carry TX power and are for receive only.

Check the one you look at has a maximum 'power' rating (the one in the above link is for up to 50 watts)

 

 

Image 21 - Universal VHF 136-174MHz Two Way Radio SMA Male Telescopic Antenna FP10120

Thanks - I think I have found my next gadget. I now need to see if it will connect to my Icom or if I need to find an adaptor of some sort.

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