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mooring on the towpath

Rebsy

By Rebsy
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Rebsy Engager

Rebsy

Posted
Posted

Hi,

new to this, so please bear with me.

 

I understand that there are visitors moorings, 7 /14 days and 24 hours.

 

I also am aware that there there are residential moorings.

 

However I have been told that one can moor, as long as its safe anywhere along the canal (of course not on a residential mooring).

 

Is this correct? and if so, how long can you stay?

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Tim Lewis Veteran

Tim Lewis

Posted
Posted
Hi,

new to this, so please bear with me.

 

I understand that there are visitors moorings, 7 /14 days and 24 hours.

 

I also am aware that there there are residential moorings.

 

However I have been told that one can moor, as long as its safe anywhere along the canal (of course not on a residential mooring).

 

Is this correct? and if so, how long can you stay?

 

It is 14 days unless it says otherwise.

 

Tim

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted
Hi,

new to this, so please bear with me.

 

I understand that there are visitors moorings, 7 /14 days and 24 hours.

 

I also am aware that there there are residential moorings.

 

However I have been told that one can moor, as long as its safe anywhere along the canal (of course not on a residential mooring).

 

Is this correct? and if so, how long can you stay?

Generally if a piece of towpath is suitable, and is not somebody's permanent mooring, (residential or otherwise), and is not marked with any other kind of restriction, it is OK to moor there for up to 14 days.

 

There will always be exceptions to this, though.

 

Common sense always needs to prevail, and you should not moor where you obstruct approaches to locks or bridges, or where you can cause navigational probelms to other boats, such as on the outsides of bends on otherwise narrow stretches.

 

Sometimes you can moor on a non-towpath side, but it is often private land, and discouraged, (apart from the fact you may be stranded if you do!).

 

Often it may be impossible to moor, even if there are no apparent restrictions.

 

For example....

 

Can't get close enough to bank.

Bank to soft to hold mooring stakes.

Towpath is concrete, or slab, and no way of driving in stakes.

 

Not exhaustive, but should give the general idea.

 

Oh, and if the towpath is in a tunnel, that's usually out too! :lol:

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Teakbank12 Collaborator

Teakbank12

Posted
Posted
Damn! It seems so peaceful and cool out of the hot summer sun! :lol:

 

Also with these long summer nights its so much easier to sleep with the extra darkness in the tunnels :lol:

 

I would add the fact that just because there's some metalled edge its sometimes a trap for you to come alongside then find its silted up & the boat runs aground.

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David Schweizer Veteran II

David Schweizer

Posted
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Also with these long summer nights its so much easier to sleep with the extra darkness in the tunnels :lol:

 

I would add the fact that just because there's some metalled edge its sometimes a trap for you to come alongside then find its silted up & the boat runs aground.

Yes I agree, being used to the Oxford and Grand Union, where Armcote piling is usually also dredged to a reasonable depth, it came a bit of a shock to discover that this is not normal practice on the Trent and Mersey or Macclesfield Canals where the bankside standard almost everywhere, except designated visitor moorings, is about 18" We found it quite difficult to get in anywhere with our deep draughted boat, and be able to leap the distance between bank and boat with a line to moor up.

 

I guess that boaters familiar with the T & M and Macc. will know where the deep spots are, but on some other canals Armcote and reasonable depth are synonomous.

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churchward Veteran II

churchward

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Good lord!!! so we've found out what the chuckle brothers are up to these days... 'to me... to you'!!! :lol::lol::lol:

It was pretty bad but on the other hand it was an awkward spot and no crane could be used. I would have been tempted to think about try to get it into a position for a side ways launch into the cut rather like they used to launch some working boats. I guess you could have put some boards on the concrete edge and perhaps with ropes and winches from the other side of the canal pulled it in.

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DHutch Veteran II

DHutchDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Farr kin'ell! Glad it wasnt my boat.

 

But yes, to get back to the topic, the simple answer is that, unless otherwise signed, you can moor anywhere for upto a fortnight in with the cost of your waterways fee's. Like parking a car on the side of the road as part of the road tax except for resticted parking and double yellows etc.

 

Some areas make better moorings than others, but with some long pins and a 6ft plank most are possable. We often moor emilyanne 2/3ft out which if left for a a week or two can act as a securty improvment anyway. But obvioously common sence prevailes, you are not to obstuct the waterway, you wouldnt park a car anywhere and leave it,a nd if you do somthing stupid they will notice. Ditto, and im sure i should say it, if you pick a quite spot, its very likely you will get away with three weeks or so if you so choose.

 

 

Daniel

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WotEver Veteran II

WotEverDonate to Canal World

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I thought it was quite humorous last week when on a spot of canal local to me that's notorious for boats mooring for months on end when they shouldn't that as the BW bod slowly walked up the towpath with computer in hand half a dozen boats suddenly started their engines and set off in convoy down the cut. Two hours later and they were all back again :lol:

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carlt Veteran II

carlt

Posted
Posted
I thought it was quite humorous last week when on a spot of canal local to me that's notorious for boats mooring for months on end when they shouldn't that as the BW bod slowly walked up the towpath with computer in hand half a dozen boats suddenly started their engines and set off in convoy down the cut. Two hours later and they were all back again :lol:

Which is why the law needs clarification.

 

If the patrol officer walks that spot, in 2 weeks time, he has no powers to act because the boats may well have been cruising, for 13 days.

 

If the law was amended to include a "no return within (for example) 3 months" clause then all the boats that returned are breaking an enforcible law.

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