Constant cruising

[b00ke23]

1 hour ago, junior said:

Does anyone else find this recent cluster of new threads on contentious topics a bit suspicious?

 

Yes, that thought had occurred to me. Especially when such threads are started by newly joined members. I haven't mentioned it as it seems frowned upon to accuse new members of being AI bots. 

[Arthur Marshall]

1 hour ago, junior said:

Does anyone else find this recent cluster of new threads on contentious topics a bit suspicious?

Thunderboat's closed down, no doubt some of those just looking to stir things up for a laugh are back under various names, and it's winter. Always daft threads and arguments when there's not much cruising going on. It's all pretty harmless.

Edited January 5, 2025 by Arthur Marshall

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, booke23 said:

 

Yes, that thought had occurred to me. Especially when such threads are started by newly joined members. I haven't mentioned it as it seems frowned upon to accuse new members of being AI bots. 

 

My take is in service of the batten twirlers, or, possibly more likely, actual batten twirlers who feel their desires are now being threatened so are trying to get some support - if so they did really well, didn't they.

[Arthur Marshall]

2 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

My take is in service of the batten twirlers, or, possibly more likely, actual batten twirlers who feel their desires are now being threatened so are trying to get some support - if so they did really well, didn't they.

You no doubt remember the explosions of rage when EOG mooring fees came in - the vituperative nature of which resulted in the expulsion of several members and the tightening up of mod rules. This bodes well to be much the same.

[cheesegas]

Overstayed a couple of times due to breakdowns - once when my drive plate went, 3 weeks due to long lead times and again for a similar amount of time when I got a car tyre in the prop which tore two engine mounts. Didn't have a chance to replace them in the daylight due to work for 3 weeks.

 

CRT were fine both times, just told me to email when I was on the move again.

[IanD]

13 hours ago, cheesegas said:

Overstayed a couple of times due to breakdowns - once when my drive plate went, 3 weeks due to long lead times and again for a similar amount of time when I got a car tyre in the prop which tore two engine mounts. Didn't have a chance to replace them in the daylight due to work for 3 weeks.

 

CRT were fine both times, just told me to email when I was on the move again.

 

Everyone I've ever talked to who -- like you -- had a genuine excuse for overstaying said that CART had been helpful and understanding.

 

But of course such people are not the cause of this particular problem... 😞 

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

 

Everyone I've ever talked to who -- like you -- had a genuine excuse for overstaying said that CART had been helpful and understanding.

 

But of course such people are not the cause of this particular problem... 😞 

 

And I very much doubt they are the ones who are now making a lot of noise.

[Tam & Di]

I just keep thinking back to all the days we spent in the Lords Committee stage of the BW General Powers Bill, where BW originally had a clause to the effect that all craft must have a home mooring. Petitioners argued that there were people who moved steadily around the system, and that the clause would be unreasonable. The Noble Lords thought about this, and told BW to come back with some modification that would take this into account. BW Solicitor Jeremy Duffey was very worried that Parliamentary time was so limited that they could lose the whole Bill if they had to argue the point, and came back with an ill-considered off-the-cuff Clause allowing owners to cruise progressively - unfortunately they didn't define their terms, which has led to the current mess. We did point that out to him at the time, but he said he was sure BW could come up with some satisfactory Terms and Conditions. We can see where that got them though, can't we  😏

[Gybe Ho]

15 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

 - unfortunately they didn't define their terms, which has led to the current mess.

 

I thought the designed-in ambiguity of the present continuous cruiser regs is generally considered to be a rare example of bureaucratic brilliance.

Edited January 6, 2025 by Gybe Ho

[Tam & Di]

Unless you can convince me otherwise I think it is the view only of those whose idea of Bona Fide Navigation is to stay pretty much in one spot, free of charge.

[MrsM]

7 hours ago, Tam & Di said:

I just keep thinking back to all the days we spent in the Lords Committee stage of the BW General Powers Bill, where BW originally had a clause to the effect that all craft must have a home mooring. Petitioners argued that there were people who moved steadily around the system, and that the clause would be unreasonable. The Noble Lords thought about this, and told BW to come back with some modification that would take this into account. BW Solicitor Jeremy Duffey was very worried that Parliamentary time was so limited that they could lose the whole Bill if they had to argue the point, and came back with an ill-considered off-the-cuff Clause allowing owners to cruise progressively - unfortunately they didn't define their terms, which has led to the current mess. We did point that out to him at the time, but he said he was sure BW could come up with some satisfactory Terms and Conditions. We can see where that got them though, can't we  😏

It's quite something that you have this historical perspective on the situation. From what you have explained it is clear how we have got to the position we are in now. Let's hope some clear and rational decisions are taken to clarify the current loose Ts & Cs. 

[Mad Harold]

On 05/01/2025 at 07:45, Rod Stewart said:

It will be more Logans run meets the Maze runner. 

 

People over 40 will be in search of sanctuary, a place to hide to live out their remaning years. Retelling the stories of old. The glory days of the gold plated lock beams and silver side lock service where scantily clad girls progressed vessels through their pearly gates with seductive smiles will be fondly remembered. Gathered around illegal campfires, these stories will become the thing of legend. 

 

Persued  relentlessy by sandpeople determined to put their boats on the carousel, some will run. The mythical Ankh (ore) will be the key to the golden exit, allowing freedom to the silvery rivers of utopia.

 

 There shall be only one exit from the system, a rickety old boat lift, operated by a skeleton hand who requires the Ankh along with the answer to a set of fiendieshly difficult pythonesque questions prior to allowing passage. 

 

Marina and boat yards arround the realm will be under threat of death for assisting the runners.

Locks and pounds will be randomly drained, coraling more boats into an ever decreasing circle. Some special 'crusher' locks will be established, mangling and deforming, scraping and bending.

 

There will be teams of rogue vigilante 'lock keepers' armed with klingon style pain sticks.Armed with these high voltage deterants they will quickly become known as the Voltockies. These crusher lock events will be live broadcast on pay per view satallite uplink, the proceeds going to fund the evil empire. 

 

Groundings will become more common as 'pound runs' become the norm.Desperate attempts at escape after heavy rainfall will be a treacherous reminder to others that movement on so called wet days is illegal. 

 

Teams of drone operators with eyeball scanners will ruthlessly demand verification. Failure to comply will result in a small thermonuclear device deposited down flue pipes.

 

Bridges will collapse, aquaducts fall, banks will erode and trees tumble. 

 

Lockside landings will be greased in the night. 

 

The lucky phew who escape to the Thames will encourage the runners with words of wisdom and subtle wit to cheer their days. 

 

Welcome to You tow PIA.

Very droll Lad.

Here's a challenge for you, write a song with your post for the lyrics.

It may well sound like a Stockhausen er, tune.

[GUMPY]

On 05/01/2025 at 22:07, Arthur Marshall said:

You no doubt remember the explosions of rage when EOG mooring fees came in - the vituperative nature of which resulted in the expulsion of several members and the tightening up of mod rules. This bodes well to be much the same.

Was this forum in existsance when the EOG moorings came in? It was pre internet when that happened somewhere about 1993 IIRC

[Arthur Marshall]

1 hour ago, GUMPY said:

Was this forum in existsance when the EOG moorings came in? It was pre internet when that happened somewhere about 1993 IIRC

It was certainly one of the things Tony Dunkley got extremely irate about. Was 1993 really pre internet? I'm losing track of time...

ETA You're obviously right though. The net and the web seem to have been around forever. Be interesting when they stop working.

Edited further. Apparently the web went public in 1993, the net had obviously been around longer, I remember being on a canal bulletin board thing. But when this forum started I dunno...

Edited January 7, 2025 by Arthur Marshall

[Tam & Di]

I'd need to check, but I think payment for an EGM only came in at about the time of the 1995 Act. I remember attending a hearing where the Magistrate said the owner concerned who was moored at the end of his garden had to pay, as "BWB needed the money" - a fairly low-level and not exactly very legal determination of the issue. Unfortunately the IWA (which sponsored the case) had insufficient funds to go to Appeal, but Solicitor Nick Grazebrook who was the relevant legal expert at the time was sure the decision would have been thrown out. BWB used that as 'Case History' to make the charge from that point, and Tony was right to make a fuss. His way of expressing himself did make him unpopular on CWDF, and many members went along with the non-legal decision, again because they thought that BW's need of money should over-ride the legal position. 🤔

Edited January 7, 2025 by Tam & Di

[GUMPY]

3 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

I'd need to check, but I think payment for an EGM only came in at about the time of the 1995 Act.

I was making a payment to BW in 1994 when I moved to BEM on the GU.

One payment for the landowner and another for BW. Mind you it was easy to dodge then if you weren't on the morning for the summer😉

 

57 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Apparently the web went public in 1993, the net had obviously been around longer, I remember being on a canal bulletin board thing. But when this forum started I dunno...

Canals.com mailing list? It still exists but very little traffic

[Tam & Di]

I'm sure you're right - it ties in with the time BW were getting their Bill which introduced the 1995 Act together, which would have required all owners to have a home mooring. There was so much going on, and we were going to meetings almost non-stop. Our major objection to the Bill was that BW claimed that all the original C18 Enabling Acts under which the canals were built were 'time-expired', and that particular argument was firmly rejected by the Lords. That means that all the protections given to land owners whose land was compulsory-purchased by the canal companies remain extant.

Edited January 7, 2025 by Tam & Di

[Rob-M]

On 05/01/2025 at 09:11, Grassman said:

Theres a Nb that's been moored near Bridge 55 on the T&M just along from Kings Bromley Marina for over 3 years. It has a licence number so it's identifiable but appears to be getting away with it. They are liveaboards and were thrown out of the marina after a row with the then management, so they've so far saved a tidy sum of money, over £10,000 in mooring fees.

 

Whatever reason they've given to CRT surely shouldn't justify being there that length of time? She works locally doing cleaning jobs and when out walking or cruising past in my boat I've often seen her carrying things up and down the towpath, but I don't know about her partner as I never see him.

We pass them regularly, there were at Shade House for a while as well before taking up residence in the current spot.  Always have to put the power on just there as there is a badly silted patch.

[Laurie Booth]

On 05/01/2025 at 13:18, LadyG said:

When i was a newby. I suggested to someone that i might ask for an overstay.

It was so long ago i cant recall the problem. I was advised NOT raise a Red Flag. Ive managed to move for five years and only one notification when i was unable to move due to stoppage, this was rescinded 

if I can do it, i think most able folks can. 

 

Yep

[Ange]

We cc'd for seven years. The only time we needed to overstay was when I had to have an operation and needed to stay in the same place for post operative care. I contacted CRT, they said yes that's fine. A few weeks later we were off again.

The only other time we fell foul was our own fault. We'd decided to sell the boat and moored close to the brokers while we tidied and painted it. We did overstay, they contacted us, we apologised and explained. They said fine, just move on soon. We did and sold the boat.

I still miss it.

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

On 06/01/2025 at 13:20, Tony Brooks said:

 

And I very much doubt they are the ones who are now making a lot of noise.

 

 

On 05/01/2025 at 19:45, Tony Brooks said:

 

My take is in service of the batten twirlers, or, possibly more likely, actual batten twirlers who feel their desires are now being threatened so are trying to get some support - if so they did really well, didn't they.

 Getting a few posts like these popping up on my Facebook(see below)and I have to ask myself “would I support their cause” and my honest answer is “no”. They look like they are the cause of many of the problems caused by overstay, continuous moorers, fake breakdowns(awaiting spares). They just don’t look like they move on the canals, sorry if I’m stereotyping these young 20 something boaters, but they look so far away from the boating I do and the passion that I have for the life on and the history of the canals 

 

Edited January 9, 2025 by BoatingLifeUpNorth2

[magnetman]

London Politics.

 

It is a nuisance but also predictable. 

 

Its sad that this will destroy what was once a nice thing to be doing but never mind. Worse things happen at sea. 

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

7 minutes ago, BoatingLifeUpNorth2 said:

 

 

 Getting a few posts like these popping up on my Facebook(see below)and I have to ask myself “would I support their cause” and my honest answer is “no”. They look like they are the cause of many of the problems caused by overstay, continuous moorers. They just don’t look like they move on the canals, sorry if I’m stereotyping these young 20 something boaters, but they look so far away from the boating I do and the passion that I have for the life on and the history of the canals 

 

Ha, yes there’s none that look like Harold Shipman and none that wear a Cowboy/Tillyhat amongst them,

They can’t possibly be boaters,

 

 

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

16 minutes ago, 5239 said:

Ha, yes there’s none that look like Harold Shipman and none that wear a Cowboy/Tillyhat amongst them,

They can’t possibly be boaters,

 

 

So you have a stereotypical view of how boaters should look? I wouldn’t be seen dead in an Australian bush hat and cattle coat. But these protesters look like floaters that move around the same area very very slowly, maybe typical of the London boaters scene.

[cheesegas]

1 minute ago, BoatingLifeUpNorth2 said:

So you have a stereotypical view of how boaters should look? I wouldn’t be seen dead in an Australian bush hat and cattle coat. But these protesters look like floaters that move around the same area very very slowly, maybe typical of the London boaters scene.

I'm quite impressed how you can tell someone's cruising patterns from a photo alone! Perhaps some sort of telepathy is involved?

 

I'm in my early 30s but look younger. Unfortunately there are people around who have a stereotypical view of how boaters should look, and I've learned from a few people that it's not how I nor my boat look. Luckily, these people tend to stick to marinas and only emerge in summer however.

 

My cruising range is pretty wide, and I've tried living on a marina mooring when I first bought the boat and hated it.