CRT Commission

[magnetman]

Maybe the CRT could do a canal citizenship test. 

 

What is a breast iron? 

 

and similar questions. 

 

If you can answer them all you get carte blanche if not you get carted off. 

 

 

[Russ T]

5 minutes ago, magnetman said:

What is a breast iron? 

No comment.

[Alan de Enfield]

15 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Maybe the CRT could do a canal citizenship test. 

 

What is a breast iron? 

 

and similar questions. 

 

If you can answer them all you get carte blanche if not you get carted off. 

 

 

 

That one should be quite easy - there have been a lot of news reports and documentaries - even online videos about breast ironing.

It is happening in the UK!

[magnetman]

A breast iron is an arrrticle spiked or screwed to a lock gate.

 

 

[PeterF]

4 hours ago, MrsM said:

Bit of a diversion, but on the theme of raising more money for the waterways - which I presume is the intended outcome of the commission - I seem to recall it being discussed on here the concept of designating the inlands waterways network as a linear National Park? As we frequently comment, the waterways are so much more than just something to float a boat on, would it be simpler to manage, police and fundraise if they were granted National Park status? 

This has been proposed several times and there was even a GOV.UK petition running. There was a letter in Waterways World from someone knowledgeable on National Parks stating that when granted, the ecosystem protection takes on a whole extra level of importance and that it always dominates, so if the canals were to become a national.park ecosystem would always trump navigation. Not the desired outcome, I am not saying that the ecosystem should be ignored, but the canals are there for navigation primarily.

[ditchcrawler]

33 minutes ago, PeterF said:

This has been proposed several times and there was even a GOV.UK petition running. There was a letter in Waterways World from someone knowledgeable on National Parks stating that when granted, the ecosystem protection takes on a whole extra level of importance and that it always dominates, so if the canals were to become a national.park ecosystem would always trump navigation. Not the desired outcome, I am not saying that the ecosystem should be ignored, but the canals are there for navigation primarily.

That is why, although they refuse to admit it, the Norfolk Broads is not a true National Park 

[Tony1]

4 hours ago, magnetman said:

Maybe the CRT could do a canal citizenship test. 

 

What is a breast iron? 

 

 

I dont know what a breast iron is -  it sounds like a rather niche Victorian sexual appliance. 

But where are these people with their breast irons? 

All I see are boaters with drab clothes, bad hair, and bad tempers.  

What are these freaks up to when I'm not around?  

 

Edited February 4 by Tony1

[MtB]

3 hours ago, Tony1 said:

I dont know what a breast iron is -  it sounds like a rather niche Victorian sexual appliance. 

 

It sounded to me like an even more dangerous version of the sport of "Extreme Ironing"...

 

 

[magnetman]

Rather boringly a breast iron is the vertical D section rubbing strake protecting the downstream side of the gate edge/mitre. If a Boat is used to breast the gates open by cracking open the mitre these strakes go a certain way to protecting the lock gate wood. 

 

No, one is not supposed to breast gates in this way. Yes people do it .

 

In the working Boat days a motor could breast the gates against several inches of water. Damaging to the lock hardware which belongs to the Company but it saves time. If you could save a minute at the bottom end of the lock and passing 50 locks a day thats nearly an hour saved. Worth doing. 

 

 

Grand Union breast irons were originally 3 inch iron but now they are smaller and in steel.  Originally spiked on but now screwed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Towpath Talk take on the Commission 

 

https://www.towpathtalk.co.uk/the-end-for-itinerant-boaters/

 

 

Slightly curious text there ! Almost seems like a statement. 

 

I don't think anyone genuinely believes it is 'the end' just that things are likely to change. 

 

Edited February 5 by magnetman

[Pluto]

The L&LC had much more effective wooden strips, called strikers, fenders or bumpers. They had the added advantage of keeping boats away from the hollow quoin and thus reduce the risk of leakage.

[magnetman]

Interesting to see the wording the NBTA are using as a way to attract funds. 

 

So which document is this? 

 

Unless I missed something the CRT have not written down anywhere that their intention is to 'get rid of' anyone. It is a review of licensing procedures and legal frameworks. 

 

Or is there more to it ? 

 

 

 

 

 

It seems like the NBTA are turning speculation into fact which is a very dodgy thing to be doing. 

 

People might read that and think the CRT has expressed an intention. 

 

 

 

 

[MtB]

 

I suspect yes it is. 

 

You yourself IIRC even put forward the concept a while back that The Powers That Be see the canal system as a leisure facility not an accommodation service, and liveaboards using the public leisure facility for their main accommodation is an abuse which is holding the back general public from using the canals more for leisure. 

 

So the 'helicopter view' by TPTB could well be that the review will look for ways to make the canals more attractive for leisure use and more difficult for liveaboards as their proliferation is perhaps seen as holding back leisure use.

 

The OP says "The Commission is expected to consider potential legislative reforms as well as operational changes to the Trust’s boat licensing activities. The Terms of Reference can be found here and will be ratified at the Commission’s first meeting in January." but I'm not clear on where those terms of reference can be found. 

[Paul C]

The problem with crying wolf all the time, is that if/when it does actually happen, nobody will support them. "Keep your powder dry", I think, is the appropriate saying here.

[magnetman]

Yes I do personally think it is about alterations to the law regarding people living on towpaths but that is just speculation. To me it seems obvious as a way to get more government money in the medium term. 

 

 

However the NBTA are claiming it is an intention written in a document and they use this as a way to acquire funding from supporters. 

 

I know they are pretty organised so they may have seen a document which explicitly says this. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Paul C said:

The problem with crying wolf all the time, is that if/when it does actually happen, nobody will support them. "Keep your powder dry", I think, is the appropriate saying here.

 

No idea how well regulated these things are but if someone does make a donation (bank details are on the fb page) what do they get for it? 

 

10 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

The Terms of Reference can be found here and will be ratified at the Commission’s first meeting in January." but I'm not clear on where those terms of reference can be found. 

 

Ah. Maybe this is what the NBTA are referring to. Perhaps these 'terms of reference' are specific in nature. If so where are they published? 

 

I am not allowed to post on LB with any of my 3 facebook accounts. All blocked despite never posting a single comment on the group. 

[IanD]

35 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Yes I do personally think it is about alterations to the law regarding people living on towpaths but that is just speculation. To me it seems obvious as a way to get more government money in the medium term. 

 

However the NBTA are claiming it is an intention written in a document and they use this as a way to acquire funding from supporters. 

 

I know they are pretty organised so they may have seen a document which explicitly says this. 

 

No idea how well regulated these things are but if someone does make a donation (bank details are on the fb page) what do they get for it? 

 

Ah. Maybe this is what the NBTA are referring to. Perhaps these 'terms of reference' are specific in nature. If so where are they published? 

 

I am not allowed to post on LB with any of my 3 facebook accounts. All blocked despite never posting a single comment on the group. 

 

The fact that the NBTA refuse to support Fund Britain's Waterways "because it's against the interests of our members" tells you everything you need to know about them... 😉 

[MtB]

47 minutes ago, magnetman said:

I am not allowed to post on LB with any of my 3 facebook accounts.

 

What's LB?

 

 

[magnetman]

9 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

The fact that the NBTA refuse to support Fund Britain's Waterways "because it's against the interests of our members" tells you everything you need to know about them... 😉 

Maybe they have worked out the canals are going to go derelict but it is still land worth occupying. 

 

The 'what happens after' question. 

 

Attempt to obtain rights, pay as little as possible and watch it fall apart. 

 

Understandable approach for people who have no interest in Boats or canals. 

 

 

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

What's LB?

 

 

London Boaters facebook page. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, magnetman said:

Yes I do personally think it is about alterations to the law regarding people living on towpaths but that is just speculation. To me it seems obvious as a way to get more government money in the medium term. 

 

 

However the NBTA are claiming it is an intention written in a document and they use this as a way to acquire funding from supporters. 

 

I know they are pretty organised so they may have seen a document which explicitly says this. 

 

 

 

No idea how well regulated these things are but if someone does make a donation (bank details are on the fb page) what do they get for it? 

 

 

Ah. Maybe this is what the NBTA are referring to. Perhaps these 'terms of reference' are specific in nature. If so where are they published? 

 

I am not allowed to post on LB with any of my 3 facebook accounts. All blocked despite never posting a single comment on the group. 

I post on there all the time

[magnetman]

14 minutes ago, peterboat said:

I post on there all the time

 

Yes so does @JimRiley

 

I have been critical of the NBTA on here and also was on ThunderBoat because I think they are doing a disservice to people who will still be living on Boats off grid in 2040. I am one of those people. 

 

I also occasionally mention my name so have therefore been blocked from posting on there. I can read but not post comments. 

 

I never actually did post anything on there but obviously someone took offence at what I put on here or TB because I am a vocal critic of the NBTA from the position of being one of those people they are supposedly looking after. 

[TheBiscuits]

4 hours ago, MtB said:

What's LB?

 

454 grams ...

[magnetman]

21 hours ago, Tony1 said:

 

All I see are boaters with drab clothes, bad hair, and bad tempers.  

 

Have we met? 

 

 

[DandV]

I have this posted on another thread, but a NZ council has confirmed that the cost of providing toilet facilities is the ball park of 40c NZ, 20p UK per flush. So the cost to CART would be fairly similar. Not an inconsiderable amount to be allocated to the boaters benifit subdivision of their accounts.

But with the continuing demise of council public toilets, because of the cost of provision, a considerable benifit to boaters, indulging in the  practice of maximising the leaving their personal discharges ashore. 

 

Given that more money needs to be found to keep the navigability of the network up, and expecting that the Government, will/ should provide is a non useful cop-out.

I think it is extremly important that those with an interest in the waterways up their engagement level, with both the CRT Commission and the general public.

The NBTA, realises this, and is actively representing the interests of those who are exploiting the advantages of free casual mooring to park their homes in high housing cost areas. That is their function, and they are doing it. 

 

But other boaters need to identify what their interests  are, and similarity organise themselves, to advocate for the provisions to meet  these interests.

For most I would think maintaining the navigability of the system should be their top priority.

If you effectivly advocate for this, you might even make the provision of more public funding politically advantageous.

Like those who advocated for the canal restorations before you achieved. 

But doing nothing, or not much, will achieve nothing, or not much. 

 

I fear the navigability of the system is yours, collectively to lose unless there is more organised, and targeted boater involvement in advocacy. 

 

Edited February 5 by DandV

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Public toilets in New Zealand?

Thought you all had woods to go do your business in? 
 

 

[LadyG]

I think a lot of peole use the CRT facilties.

Van people particular should be asked to donate if using Elsan.

 

 

 

[Peanut]

Using a swipe card to open the facilities, only licensed boats could use them, and collect their travel data at the same time, at no additional cost.