"Official looking" man recording boats.

[alan_fincher]

A guy came around the marina today, whilst we were working on the boat.

 

He seemed to walk down each pontoon, and call off the BW boat number into a dictaphone, (but not to check licences, only the BW 'plates').

 

When we asked him what he was doing, (I consider it reasonable to do that for anybody who steps over me whilst painting!), he said only that he was "checking boats". He didn't seem to want to say more, or identify himself.

 

Curiously he was dressed more like a customs officer, (or airline steward ) than a BW man, having a shirt with dark blue "flashes" with two gold bars on each shoulder.

 

I guess I should have challenged him more for ID, but didn't.

 

It seemed a strange time to check, on a Sunday, with maximum chance of boats NOT being at their mooring. (A weekday check would have found lots more boats, and presumably cost less in terms of this guys wages ?).

 

I'll ask the marina owners about it tomorrow, but has anybody else seen checking by someone "uniformed", but not obviously "badged" as BW ?

[Liam]

Hi Alan,

 

Was it definately BW who were checking the boats, or the marina itself doing the checking up?

 

Surely, if it was BW, they'd contact the marina directly and ask them to email/fax a comprehensive list of all the boats on their books at present. Sending a guy out to do that seems like a waste of time, money and resources.

 

But to answer your original question... nope, I've never seen anybody like you describe doing check ups.

[alan_fincher]

Hi Alan,

 

Was it definately BW who were checking the boats, or the marina itself doing the checking up?

 

Surely, if it was BW, they'd contact the marina directly and ask them to email/fax a comprehensive list of all the boats on their books at present. Sending a guy out to do that seems like a waste of time, money and resources.

 

But to answer your original question... nope, I've never seen anybody like you describe doing check ups.

I'm absolutely certain the Marina know exactly what boats are there, and that this had nowt to do with them.

 

But I will ask them what they know about it, (probably tomorrow).

[carlt]

I'm absolutely certain the Marina know exactly what boats are there, and that this had nowt to do with them.

 

But I will ask them what they know about it, (probably tomorrow).

Definitely a bw whitecap. They check the marinas for unlicensed boats, the same as the towpath. It isn't the marina's responsibility to ensure the boats are licensed. They check the number rather than the licence because they have to input the data and any licence/bsc/insurance problems will show up then.

 

Of course they also have to check up on the marinas to make sure they are not lying about boat numbers.

 

What is wrong, of course, is their unwillingness to identify themselves. When asked, they should tell you who they are and produce their id card. I've never been refused although the whitecap at fradley did object when I photographed him.

 

I'm not sure why they're called whitecaps because, despite having been boating for 23 years, Ive never seen one in a hat??

Our local p.o. though, does dress like admiral nelson.

[alan_fincher]

Definitely a bw whitecap. They check the marinas for unlicensed boats, the same as the towpath. It isn't the marina's responsibility to ensure the boats are licensed. They check the number rather than the licence because they have to input the data and any licence/bsc/insurance problems will show up then.

 

Of course they also have to check up on the marinas to make sure they are not lying about boat numbers.

 

What is wrong, of course, is their unwillingness to identify themselves. When asked, they should tell you who they are and produce their id card. I've never been refused although the whitecap at fradley did object when I photographed him.

 

I'm not sure why they're called whitecaps because, despite having been boating for 23 years, Ive never seen one in a hat??

Our local p.o. though, does dress like admiral nelson.

OK thanks, Carl.....

 

Definitely no cap, just the shirt with insignia, but which didn't identify him.

 

I've never seen one 'uniformed' before.....

 

I still think Sunday was both an odd, and an expensive, (in terms of wages) time for BW to check.

[Cris P]

Might I suggest that BW have hired a private security guard to do their work for them ?

[David Schweizer]

Might I suggest that BW have hired a private security guard to do their work for them ?

No, probobly not. I have known three different Licence Wardens on the K&A and they all wore a uniform identical to the one described by Alan. I think the term "White Cap" is historical. I can remember BW staff wearing this uniform including a whiite cap in the 1960's. This also included some Lock Keepers - some where I have a photo of Jack James the lock Keeper at stoke Btrruerne wearing the full outfit.

Edited June 5, 2006 by David Schweizer

[Jotheboat]

Might I suggest that BW have hired a private security guard to do their work for them ?

 

We have a BW employee (official looking dress) come round and check on boats in our private marina periodically. He's a well known guy up and down the Llangollen but I've never asked him exactly what he is looking for.

As it's a private marina (where I understand you don't require a licence unless you venture out onto 'BW' water) I presume he's either looking at BW plates or just counting boats.

[alan_fincher]

I checked with the marina operators.

 

They say it's unusual for such checks to be carried out on a Sunday, but are sure its a BW patrol officer.

 

Apparently he can do so when he likes, but will generally tell the office staff he is about to go round, when he arrives.

 

They say they have no idea why it's done as regularly as it is, (several times a year apparently), other than them "trying to justify their own existance".

 

Apparently there is ambiguity at this location as to whether boats that NEVER leave the marina actually need a BW licence, and it seems at least one doesn't have one, with BW accepting the situation..... Strange or what ?

[khaffra]

I checked with the marina operators.

 

They say it's unusual for such checks to be carried out on a Sunday, but are sure its a BW patrol officer.

 

Apparently he can do so when he likes, but will generally tell the office staff he is about to go round, when he arrives.

 

They say they have no idea why it's done as regularly as it is, (several times a year apparently), other than them "trying to justify their own existance".

 

Apparently there is ambiguity at this location as to whether boats that NEVER leave the marina actually need a BW licence, and it seems at least one doesn't have one, with BW accepting the situation..... Strange or what ?

As I have been led to believe there are only a handfull of marina's where you can legally stay in with no licence, these are nearly all old marina's and it is to do with contracts they were given years ago when they were built, Whilton I believe is one. BW picked up on this years ago and now make it mandatory for boats to have a licence in any marina connected to there system.

whether they actually enforce this is a different matter of course.

[Richard Fairhurst]

You're generally right, but it's a lot more than a handful (I've seen the list!).

[frangar]

We have just had a Warden at our Marina checking Licence's etc. Just for everybodys info she was wearing a Blue BW polo shirt!! She said she had 65 miles of canal to patrol as well!! Think I would get a bike if it was me!!

[Cafnod]

There are licence free navigations, not just marinas. The middle levels, and the Wye, to name two.

I do not think that these people have the right to step over you, or start walking round your property, many boats have the plates in windows. You walk up to someones house and start looking in and you will probably be arrested. I can think of several extremely serious offences that could be commited probably inadvertantly, but commited nontheless under these circumstances.

I challenged someone at a lock keepers cottage a few years back, it turned out the woman was NOT even a BW employee but that the man was inside and not able to come out. They refused to give a name and I contacted BW, who said it should not have happened and apologised.

We pay BW a lot of money to use the canals and as customers we deserve the respect of their employees and agents.

 

Times dates and places and contact BW....................

Edited June 13, 2006 by Cafnod