Define 'live aboard'

[romarni123]

Sorry to be asking..newbie question.

 

A visitor mooring is one of those 24/48hr moorings in a town.

A marina mooring is where I would arrange to moor the boat over winter, with elec, with the aim of staying on the boat through the winter period.

 

What exactly is a leisure mooring?. I know I'm meant to know by now..but I dont know all the terms.

I think all moorings except residential are leisure moorings but i think it means a mooring where you dont live on the boat but just put it there and use it when you want to.

[Guest]

Sorry to be asking..newbie question.

 

A visitor mooring is one of those 24/48hr moorings in a town.

A marina mooring is where I would arrange to moor the boat over winter, with elec, with the aim of staying on the boat through the winter period.

 

What exactly is a leisure mooring?. I know I'm meant to know by now..but I dont know all the terms.

 

-Not all 24/48 hour visitor moorings are in towns

 

-some marina moorings are not just for winter (ours isn't)

 

-My understanding is a leisure mooring is one not designated as being residential..(talking here Marina moorings not those on the cut) generally most moorings in marina's are designated leisure, some moorers do treat them as effectively residential though.

Edited January 4, 2011 by MJG

[floatingphil]

I think all moorings except residential are leisure moorings but i think it means a mooring where you dont live on the boat but just put it there and use it when you want to.

 

 

I would agree with that, so if I want to use it 2 or 3 times a week, cant see the problem.

 

Phil

[Albion]

...so are you a live-aboard, or a continuous holiday cruiser?

 

Six months per year and a place to return to makes me a long term holidayer I guess.

Roger

[Natalie Graham]

(talking here Marina moorings not those on the cut) generally most moorings in marina's are designated leisure, some moorers do treat them as effectively residential though.

BW's auction site lists all their moorings as either residential or leisure.

[Lady Muck]

Yes i asked the owners of the mooring, seems a bit unreasonable when I know there are liverboards on liesure moorings

 

Phil

 

So by those terms, the couple who moor next to me and spend most weekends (at least two nights) on their boat at our marina (then drive back to Essex where they live), would be liveaboards. Does seem very unreasonable.

 

What exactly is a leisure mooring?. I know I'm meant to know by now..but I dont know all the terms.

 

In the case of BW it means a mooring where the local authority has not granted permission for residential use. AFAIK BW permanent mooring contracts are the same whether they are for residential moorings or not. There is nothing on them about how long you can stay aboard, you have to contact the Local Authority to find out what the terms are for the site. Get the idea that Bw don't want to get involved?

Edited January 4, 2011 by Lady Muck

[ditchcrawler]

I would agree with that, so if I want to use it 2 or 3 times a week, cant see the problem.

 

Phil

Surly that is up to the mooring owner and if he doesn't want you sleeping on board for 3 nights its up to him and your only option would to be moor somewhere else.

[Albion]

Surly that is up to the mooring owner and if he doesn't want you sleeping on board for 3 nights its up to him and your only option would to be moor somewhere else.

 

Moving moorings is easier said than done up here on the central L&L Brian, as there are relatively few moorings available and most are on-line rather than marina. I had to go on a 5 year waiting list to get into the moorings where Floatingphil is. It's not quite like the Wigrams area, where there are more marinas than boats, up here you know.

Roger

[mayalld]

What exactly is a leisure mooring?. I know I'm meant to know by now..but I dont know all the terms.

 

It is a home mooring which doesn't have planning permission (from the local authority) for residential use.

 

Yes i asked the owners of the mooring, seems a bit unreasonable when I know there are liverboards on liesure moorings

 

Phil

 

Well, that is their right.

 

They are a private concern, in the business of letting moorings, and they are at liberty to set any rules they wish. If their rules don't suit, you must moor elsewhere.

[Alan Saunders]

Correct me if I am wrong, BW do not use the term "live aboard"; they attempt to use their power to regulate 'houseboats'.

From the online dictionaries - Houseboat:

Oxford: "

a boat which is or can be moored for use as a dwelling

".

Cambridge: "

a boat which people use as their home, often kept in one place on a river or canal

".

So, most of us here own, share or hire "houseboats" and sometimes use them as a dwelling, possibly our home and, maybe keep them in one place. If you intend to challenge BW's interpretation of their rights to regulate your use of the waterways I believe Dave Mayall's advice is excellent. If you want to enjoy the waterways without being hounded by BW Enforcement Officers it is not difficult to comply with their interpretation and guidance. We are all "Water Gypsies", a minority with even less rights than the land-based gypsies, caravanners, campers etc.

 

If BW did not deny that they are a "Housing Authority" they might become responsible, like local authorities, to rehouse those that they make homeless. If you fall on hard times, especially if you have children, there will be a protracted legal process before you are finally evicted. If you are single, male, <60, with no disability the local authority will not help you. If you have a problem that prevents you from reasonably complying with BWs rules talk to them! As most BW employees have no boating experience you may have to explain why boating on fast-flowing rivers or with ice on the gunwales is dangerous or, occasionally, impossible.

 

Alan

[Albion]

They are a private concern, in the business of letting moorings, and they are at liberty to set any rules they wish. If their rules don't suit, you must moor elsewhere.

 

You are right Dave but what has caused the slight upset on the particular moorings in question is that a different generation of owners has taken over and are applying less tolerant rules to the question of live-aboard moorings (that are really leisure, in fact). I think it is the sudden step change in attitude that is ruffling feathers somewhat. As a private business though it is, of course, their right to set what rules they like and they may be taking the opportunity of being a new broom to sweep clean. Perhaps they have come under some attention from BW or the local council and that is what has caused the hardening of attitude or perhaps it is simply that they don't agree with the attitude of the previous generation....who knows.

Roger

[Alan Saunders]

Let's admit the reality! If you keep your head down and appear to conform to "the rules" BW and other mooring owners will be happy to take your money for a leisure mooring. Unlike "holiday homes" which are restricted by planning permission to 11/12 months or, more usually, specific months, e.g. Jan - Nov., leisure moorings usually have no restriction on residency but neither do they encourage or confer any rights to residency.

 

If we insist on demanding rights to live on a mooring it is likely that we will lose more than we gain. The existing situation is the best that the representative bodies were able to obtain.

 

BTW, Existing "residential mooring rights" command huge rental, transfer and/or purchase fees and have long waiting lists. BW are pleased to allow existing permissions for residential moorings to lapse. e.g. four residential moorings justified as "security" for offside moorings at Gt. Bedwyn on the K&A lapsed after BW took back management.

 

This neither made good business sense nor served the public - BW in a nutshell. A QUANGO unable to profit from their valuable assets but enjoying their persecution of the General Public who employ them. Real Policemen, enforcing real law are much more reasonable!

 

Alan

[carlt]

I think I'll go with Paul Young's definition.

[Sunset Rising]

Surely this whole discussion is about something that we ( as boaters) have made up ourselves. On boats its 'liveaboard' ( our word ). In motorhomes its 'fulltimers' ( their word ) We may stop in 'marinas', they may stop in 'camp sites'. We may park 'on the towpath', they may park in 'laybyes'.

 

Pretty much the same rules apply only BW 'let' us stay on the towpath for 14 days whereas most councils say shorter periods for laybyes.

 

These terms are ones we make up to describe ourselves and IMHO the last thing we should want is for the powers that be to adopt them and 'clarify' them.

[RLWP]

Correct me if I am wrong, BW do not use the term "live aboard"; they attempt to use their power to regulate 'houseboats'.

From the online dictionaries - Houseboat:

Oxford: "

a boat which is or can be moored for use as a dwelling

".

Cambridge: "

a boat which people use as their home, often kept in one place on a river or canal

".

So, most of us here own, share or hire "houseboats"

 

<snip>

Alan

 

I think, technically, that is wrong. A houseboat has it's own definition beyond the dictionary one. Something to with being unpowered if I recall correctly.

 

Richard

[Allan(nb Albert)]

I think, technically, that is wrong. A houseboat has it's own definition beyond the dictionary one. Something to with being unpowered if I recall correctly.

 

Richard

 

BW have had to change the definition of a houseboat following a complaint which was upheld by the waterways ombudsman.

 

It can be used for navigation (from time to time) and does not always require planning permission for the site where it is moored.

 

If you are a BW residential moorings customer the word is apply for a houseboat certificate now.

[sueb]

Have fun, there are only 84 houseboat licences at present.

Sue

[Peter Underwood]

I cc and live on my boat. I recently needed a bus pass and the local council nearest to where we were at the time insisted we had to declare ourselves homeless on their electoral register before issuing the pass.

[magpie patrick]

I cc and live on my boat. I recently needed a bus pass and the local council nearest to where we were at the time insisted we had to declare ourselves homeless on their electoral register before issuing the pass.

 

That's because the correct terminology for Homeless is "No Fixed Abode"