3 month minimum licence period

[kevinl]

I've just seen in Narrowboatworld (Home page>Pam the season of goodwill?) that the minimum period you can licence a boat for is going up from one week to 3 months, thanks C&RT. I'm moored on the Bridgewater about a mile from Preston Brook tunnel so currently if I want a 2 week holiday the first week is free second week I buy a one week licence (about £28 for me). Likewise BW boats get a week free on the Bridgewater, enough time to cruise it, have a day or 2 in Manchester then back onto BW water at Plank Lane, Leigh. There doesn't seem to be any limit on how many one week stays you can do or how long in between them so if you go off to Liverpool, the Lancaster, Leeds Liverpool to Yorkshire then come back down the Bridgewater no fee, after one week it costs about the same as C&RT charge me. But a 3 month minimum licence!!!

This must affect others who go onto C&RT waters but are licenced elsewhere so thanks guys, makes me wonder why I put my hand in my pocket to help fix the recent breaches.

[Ray T]

Be aware of the "Power of The Dark side".

[Wild Is The Wind]

It would be nice if CRT advised licence payers well in advance of changes such as this

[jenlyn]

I've just seen in Narrowboatworld (Home page>Pam the season of goodwill?) that the minimum period you can licence a boat for is going up from one week to 3 months, thanks C&RT. I'm moored on the Bridgewater about a mile from Preston Brook tunnel so currently if I want a 2 week holiday the first week is free second week I buy a one week licence (about £28 for me). Likewise BW boats get a week free on the Bridgewater, enough time to cruise it, have a day or 2 in Manchester then back onto BW water at Plank Lane, Leigh. There doesn't seem to be any limit on how many one week stays you can do or how long in between them so if you go off to Liverpool, the Lancaster, Leeds Liverpool to Yorkshire then come back down the Bridgewater no fee, after one week it costs about the same as C&RT charge me. But a 3 month minimum licence!!!

This must affect others who go onto C&RT waters but are licenced elsewhere so thanks guys, makes me wonder why I put my hand in my pocket to help fix the recent breaches.

It's not a wise decision by CART, another ill thought out move.

[cotswoldsman]

I've just seen in Narrowboatworld (Home page>Pam the season of goodwill?) that the minimum period you can licence a boat for is going up from one week to 3 months, thanks C&RT. I'm moored on the Bridgewater about a mile from Preston Brook tunnel so currently if I want a 2 week holiday the first week is free second week I buy a one week licence (about £28 for me). Likewise BW boats get a week free on the Bridgewater, enough time to cruise it, have a day or 2 in Manchester then back onto BW water at Plank Lane, Leigh. There doesn't seem to be any limit on how many one week stays you can do or how long in between them so if you go off to Liverpool, the Lancaster, Leeds Liverpool to Yorkshire then come back down the Bridgewater no fee, after one week it costs about the same as C&RT charge me. But a 3 month minimum licence!!!

This must affect others who go onto C&RT waters but are licenced elsewhere so thanks guys, makes me wonder why I put my hand in my pocket to help fix the recent breaches.

 

Maybe you need to attend The Northern Boaters meeting on 11 January 2013 and as CaRT direct

[mayalld]

I've just seen in Narrowboatworld (Home page>Pam the season of goodwill?) that the minimum period you can licence a boat for is going up from one week to 3 months, thanks C&RT. I'm moored on the Bridgewater about a mile from Preston Brook tunnel so currently if I want a 2 week holiday the first week is free second week I buy a one week licence (about £28 for me). Likewise BW boats get a week free on the Bridgewater, enough time to cruise it, have a day or 2 in Manchester then back onto BW water at Plank Lane, Leigh. There doesn't seem to be any limit on how many one week stays you can do or how long in between them so if you go off to Liverpool, the Lancaster, Leeds Liverpool to Yorkshire then come back down the Bridgewater no fee, after one week it costs about the same as C&RT charge me. But a 3 month minimum licence!!!

This must affect others who go onto C&RT waters but are licenced elsewhere so thanks guys, makes me wonder why I put my hand in my pocket to help fix the recent breaches.

 

Ah, a typical NBW "news" story.

 

In other words not news, and not accurate.

 

It has long been the case that BW would not issue short term licences to boats floating in those marinas where (for historic reasons) they could remain in the water unlicenced.

 

The current text on the CRT site says;

 

These licences are for small, unpowered or trailed boats and larger vessels visiting Canal & River Trust waterways for short periods from other navigations or coastal waters. They are not available for boats floating in marinas or moorings connected to Canal & River Trust managed waters

 

It seems quite clear to me that there is no change in policy.

 

If you arrive onto CRT water from another navigation authorities water, you can have a short term licence. If you arrive from a marina or mooring in a private arm that you need no licence on you can't.

 

 

[Idunhoe]

My first reaction on reading the Narrowboatworld 'news' story was one of outrage but then.........after a period of calming down I re-read it. Such a fundamental change to the licencing requirements can only follow a period of consultation. Members of our boat club are checking the accuracy of the story with C&RT mooring and licencing team.....Watch this space

[Ally]

As I understand it, the minimum 3 month licence is just for people on connected C&RT waters. Those coming from other non C&RT navigations, using trailer boats that are only launched short term, or who's boats are not on waters needing a full C&RT licence, eg private marinas without a C&RT agreememnt, will still be able to purchase the short licences as before. I believe they are trying to avoid people who should have full licences, who are say moored in a C&RT agreed marina, from not licencing, and relying on short fortnight licences for their one break out to the cut each year.

[Richard Fairhurst]

It has long been the case that BW would not issue short term licences to boats floating in those marinas where (for historic reasons) they could remain in the water unlicenced.

I don't think that's the case in practice, though. Until earlier this year I moored in such a marina and lots of the boats used short-term or Explorer licences.

[mayalld]

I don't think that's the case in practice, though. Until earlier this year I moored in such a marina and lots of the boats used short-term or Explorer licences.

 

I suspect it rather depended on whether BW actually knew where they moored.

[Pie Eater]

I've just seen in Narrowboatworld (Home page>Pam the season of goodwill?) that the minimum period you can licence a boat for is going up from one week to 3 months, thanks C&RT. I'm moored on the Bridgewater about a mile from Preston Brook tunnel so currently if I want a 2 week holiday the first week is free second week I buy a one week licence (about £28 for me). Likewise BW boats get a week free on the Bridgewater, enough time to cruise it, have a day or 2 in Manchester then back onto BW water at Plank Lane, Leigh. There doesn't seem to be any limit on how many one week stays you can do or how long in between them so if you go off to Liverpool, the Lancaster, Leeds Liverpool to Yorkshire then come back down the Bridgewater no fee, after one week it costs about the same as C&RT charge me. But a 3 month minimum licence!!!

This must affect others who go onto C&RT waters but are licenced elsewhere so thanks guys, makes me wonder why I put my hand in my pocket to help fix the recent breaches.

I am also based on the Bridgewater and sent an email to CaRT customer services for clarification. Here is the reply:-

I can confirm that we do not have any plans to stop Short Term Licences as they are useful to boaters like yourself. You will still be able to purchase a Short Term Licence in the future.

 

Steve

[kevinl]

I am also based on the Bridgewater and sent an email to CaRT customer services for clarification. Here is the reply:-

I can confirm that we do not have any plans to stop Short Term Licences as they are useful to boaters like yourself. You will still be able to purchase a Short Term Licence in the future.

 

Steve

Good news, I should have thought about doing that too. So then what is the story, C&RT are doing what exactly? There does seem to be a line of thinking that if you moor in a licence free marina you can't go out without buying a 3 month licence. Licence free marinas are a new one on me though.

[Donald Gilchrist]

Good news, I should have thought about doing that too. So then what is the story, C&RT are doing what exactly? There does seem to be a line of thinking that if you moor in a licence free marina you can't go out without buying a 3 month licence. Licence free marinas are a new one on me though.

I live on a 'licence free marina',outside of C£RT waters. We were going to do 2 or 3 short trips out, next year, on short licence but if its 3 month only then we will go find something else to do and save C£RT the bother of having my money.

[Ally]

I live on a 'licence free marina',outside of C£RT waters. We were going to do 2 or 3 short trips out, next year, on short licence but if its 3 month only then we will go find something else to do and save C£RT the bother of having my money.

Again, if your boat is moored where you do not need a full licence, you CAN still purchase short term, ie a couple of weeks, licences.

[Donald Gilchrist]

Again, if your boat is moored where you do not need a full licence, you CAN still purchase short term, ie a couple of weeks, licences.

Great, I would miss going out on the boat but we could not afford a 3 month licence next year.

[mayalld]

Again, if your boat is moored where you do not need a full licence, you CAN still purchase short term, ie a couple of weeks, licences.

 

That isn't the case (although in practice it may be that they will let you have a short term licence)

 

If you moor on another navigation authorities water, or your boat is trailable, you can have a short term licence.

 

If you moor in a marine where you don't need a licence to be afloat, and that marina connects directly to BW waters such that you join BW waters from the "licence free marina", you can't have a short term licence.

[kevinl]

That isn't the case (although in practice it may be that they will let you have a short term licence)

 

If you moor on another navigation authorities water, or your boat is trailable, you can have a short term licence.

 

If you moor in a marine where you don't need a licence to be afloat, and that marina connects directly to BW waters such that you join BW waters from the "licence free marina", you can't have a short term licence.

Having read it again that's what I now understand the article to say too: if you have a licence from another canal or river authority you can still buy a short term licence, if you have no other licence it costs too much to administer a short term licence so you have to buy a quarter's licence so it looks like I'm OK but Donald Gilchrist will get a kick in the C&RTS.

[Black Ibis]

What about the Middle Level? It's another navigation authority's water, but boaters don't pay a licence to be there...

[sociable_hermit]

If you moor in a marine where you don't need a licence to be afloat, and that marina connects directly to BW waters such that you join BW waters from the "licence free marina", you can't have a short term licence.

It may or may not be deliberate, but that really smacks of "sour grapes".

 

What's the situation if you have a River licence but wish to go onto the canals for a week? Is a short term licence still available in those circumstances?

[benfordboy]

It may or may not be deliberate, but that really smacks of "sour grapes".

 

What's the situation if you have a River licence but wish to go onto the canals for a week? Is a short term licence still available in those circumstances?

 

Well , actual legalities aside that is exactly what we have been doing for the past few years - If it's against regulations then the BW (Now C&RT) enforcement guys are unaware as we have been checked on numerous occasions with no problems.

 

Bizarrely we crossed the Pennines this year only displaying a River only licence (I didnt display the short term top up as we were suffering condensation due to the cold nights) we traversed the Stainforth & Keadby , S&SYN , Aire & Calder (Only really covered by a River Licence if we continued to Goole) , Calder & Hebble , Rochdale , Ashton , Peak Forest , Macc , T&M without even a question, we did have many many encounters with BW staff (Including enforcement officers!)

 

Just checked the Licence pages - Its still fine for a short term 'top up' for canal travel if you own a River licence so thats all good for us in the future !

 

However we have also in the past years used short term licences for an early or late cruise (When licence expired) & been checked I now suspect this has been a non conformance over the years & not a new legislation? - I also know of other forum members on the Soar that have reguarly used short term licences (Some without BSC certs as it is (Was?)not a requirement!

 

IMO a short term licenced boat out from a historic licence free connected marina is far better than a completely unlicenced boat & may either force very occasional users either not to bother or sneak out to the pub unlicenced (Either way a loss of revenue). Also it will be a loss of income to local marinas that issue said licences.

[kevinl]

It may or may not be deliberate, but that really smacks of "sour grapes".

 

What's the situation if you have a River licence but wish to go onto the canals for a week? Is a short term licence still available in those circumstances?

How is it "sour grapes"? It was a straight question. Nothing I can see implied anything in the way of an opinion. Mayalid didn't say "good" or make them "pay their way" or even"I'm alright Jack" or anything that might imply he was against these guys, good luck to them I wish I could get a place in a marina like that. It is in fact a quite valid question he asked now that we've cleared up that licence holders from other canal and river networks can still get a week/s licence then is this just C&RT taking a pop at non-licence marinas because if not them who does it apply to?

[Tim Lewis]

What about the Middle Level? It's another navigation authority's water, but boaters don't pay a licence to be there...

 

As Middle Levels do not connect to a C & RT waterway, you will assuumably have an EA River Nene license if you wish to cruise to C & RT waterways.

 

Tim

Edited December 11, 2012 by Tim Lewis