Somebody moved my boat !

[Water Rat.]

My boat has been off it's home mooring since April and I have been religiously moving her on in compliance with 'the rules'. I found a nice safe place, nice boats near by, cc'ers all around, nice folk next door introduced themselves and promised to look after her. I had a long discussion with a man re the mooring regs in the area who said there was a relaxed attitude to' a little overstaying', he had been on his spot for three weeks and was staying for a couple more and that was 'ok'. I returned to Jade at the week end to move her - and she had been moved. Not far, just a boat space to allow his boat to move up and let a couple more boats in front of him, one of which had been just below the lock for a year.

 

My point is not that my boat was in any way harmed and was well tied up and safe. But, should the 'local cc'ers feel this is ok? That is to move boats for their convenience? TBH I was not very pleased. I can see this is a great place to live, 5 minutes from a tube station in the countryside, a parade of shops, pizza shop and off licence and convenient parking. But, if I leave my boat on a spot should I not expect it to be on the same spot when I return? I have a smaller boat and when I left her she was snugly in a place between two boats that a bigger boat would not have squeezed into.

 

Is this normal practice? I stress no harm was done to Jade but I am just saying I was a bit surprised, there was loads of space further along am I unreasonable to expect them to move there rather than move me?

[RLWP]

It's not unusual.

 

Richard

[nicknorman]

Did it really matter? Obviously I don't know the exact circumstances but surely if, when boats came and went, you ended up in the middle of a large space it hurts no-one if your boat is moved along a bit, but helps others. Obviously not to such an extent that you can't find it/ think its been stolen. Looking at it from the other point of view, it can be frustrating when trying to moor at popular spots to find boats all spread out with just insufficient space between to get another boat in.

[cheshire~rose]

If I had been away from our boat for a while (and potentially overstayed) and the boaters nearby had shuffled her along a bit to make better use of the available space I would not have any problem with it so long as it was well tied up.

 

How many times do you arrive at a decent mooring spot to find gaps between boats that are not large enough to moor in and yet if you were to ask the people on board it may well turn out that other boats of differeing sizes had moved off and the resulting gaps were meaning that there was a chance somone wanting to moor could not find the space. It is just the sort of thing a helpful boating community will do

[Naughty Cal]

It isnt unusual.

 

Our boat has been shuffled about a few times in our absence to make better use of mooring space. Thats not saying we moor inconsiderately just that being a small boat we can be shoehorned into smaller gaps

[Boatingbiker]

IMO- I would not worry, why not move a boat a few feet to help others fit in a space. As other boats come and go your snug space may then have a 6ft gap that could be better used. I don't suggest the boat is moved 100 feet as that would IMO be unreasonable. If you don't want your boat moved why not use chains and padlock one end to stop it being moved.

 

Whilst looking for a mooring spot we often see a boat with large spaces each end, and have been moored up tightly between boats, only for them to leave and we remain in a long space, we would keep an eye out for anybody looking to tie up and would move our boat where possible. Often another boat arrives that is a similar size to the one just departed. We seldom stay in one place more than 1 night and never leave the boat unattended for more than a couple of hours.

[furnessvale]

Did it really matter? Obviously I don't know the exact circumstances but surely if, when boats came and went, you ended up in the middle of a large space it hurts no-one if your boat is moved along a bit, but helps others. Obviously not to such an extent that you can't find it/ think its been stolen. Looking at it from the other point of view, it can be frustrating when trying to moor at popular spots to find boats all spread out with just insufficient space between to get another boat in.

I agree with you with a couple of provisos (or is that provisi?). Having a full length boat, I would be less than happy if the move shifted me from a straight length onto some sort of knuckle on which the boat rocked. Equally, occasionally a move of just a few yards can significantly affect the safety of a boat either from other boats or possibly the attention of undesirables.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Water Rat.]

I did not really matter to me, as I said she was well tied up. It is just that I would not dream of touching someone else's boat. I rather got the feeling it was a 'local place for local people'. There was no need to move her if the other boats who arrived had gone further along where there was about a mile of free space.

[Boatingbiker]

I took toooooooo long in posting , my comments then only echoed earlier posts! I'll try and type quicker next time ! LOL

[BargeeSpud]

I can appreciate your annoyance, but take a step back & ask yourself "is it really that big a deal?". Did you leave them with a contact number whilst you were away? It's not as if some interfering official or householder moved it for some reason best known to themselves.

 

I'm sure that if you think about it, you'd offer to leave a contact number & let them know you won't mind them shuffling your boat about provided they call you first. I think most of us would do that &, conversely, appreciate the same thought if it was offered.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Spuds

[Señor Chris]

So it's OK for you to accept other boaters help by keeping an eye on your boat while at the same time objecting to helping others by allowing your boat to be moved ?

 

Can't have it both ways.

[furnessvale]

I did not really matter to me, as I said she was well tied up. It is just that I would not dream of touching someone else's boat. I rather got the feeling it was a 'local place for local people'. There was no need to move her if the other boats who arrived had gone further along where there was about a mile of free space.

On that basis, I too would be unhappy. Shuffling about to fit boats in is one thing. It is quite another thing to move you because you are occupying a preferred spot.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Water Rat.]

So it's OK for you to accept other boaters help by keeping an eye on your boat while at the same time objecting to helping others by allowing your boat to be moved ?

 

Can't have it both ways.

My point was there was no need to move it. There is at least a mile of free space a little further along. Of course I don't mind being helpful.

[Naughty Cal]

My point was there was no need to move it. There is at least a mile of free space a little further along. Of course I don't mind being helpful.

How do you know that it wasnt shuffled around to make better use of the moorings?

 

You were not there.......

[Water Rat.]

On that basis, I too would be unhappy. Shuffling about to fit boats in is one thing. It is quite another thing to move you because you are occupying a preferred spot.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

This, I feel, is my point exactly.

How do you know that it wasnt shuffled around to make better use of the moorings?

 

You were not there.......

The positioning of the boats makes the obvious.

[Naughty Cal]

This, I feel, is my point exactly.

The positioning of the boats makes the obvious.

Very rarely does the positioning of boats when you arrive tell the obvious.

 

Many a times we have come back to our boat and it looks like we have plonked it in the middle of a huge gap. In reality the two boats either side of us have left but passers by could easily assume we have been completely inconsiderate and taken up a large mooring spot.

[Señor Chris]

This, I feel, is my point exactly.

The positioning of the boats makes the obvious.

 

If you were moved from a preferred spot to a non-preferred spot, I'd agree with you but can't see why you'd object to being moved to accommodate others in the preferred area. There must be a reason why the free space you referred to is empty.

[DeanS]

I think I know your boat. We were cruising and with a widebeam, struggled to find a spot, and noticing your boat was ownerless for a few days, we just tied up alongside. Hope you dont mind....we only used your cratch area a few times to get to the bank. ;-)

[Water Rat.]

Very rarely does the positioning of boats when you arrive tell the obvious.

 

Many a times we have come back to our boat and it looks like we have plonked it in the middle of a huge gap. In reality the two boats either side of us have left but passers by could easily assume we have been completely inconsiderate and taken up a large mooring spot.

You are not there so you can't see this. Envisage: lock bollards, one very large narrow boat then me with about six or eight boats behind me and a mile of free space. Now there is: lock bollards, two narrow boats brested up, said very long narrow boat and now me. I was moved to move the big one to allow the other two in front of him. After the few moored boats is a good mile of free and available mooring. Essentially I do not mind. I have never experienced it before and would never touch someone else's boat.

 

So, does this mean essentially there is a free for all out on the tow path? If a boat is in your way - well - just move it for your own convenience? I do not think of behave like this. Especially, as I stress again there is loads of space further along. Perhaps the two boats need this spot for a very good reason, then should the longer boat not have moved down the towpath to let them in? Since I know he moved it, and if he had asked or mentioned the possibility of their need the space I would have had no compunction in saying please feel free. He has now been five weeks on a fourteen day mooring by his own admittance.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Water Rat.

[Señor Chris]

I think we need to know the full story of who moved your boat and why. Only then can we deliver our verdict.

[Chris Pink]

I did not really matter to me, as I said she was well tied up. It is just that I would not dream of touching someone else's boat. I rather got the feeling it was a 'local place for local people'. There was no need to move her if the other boats who arrived had gone further along where there was about a mile of free space.

 

I can't see the place you're talking about and it sounds like more than a bit of shuffling but your 'I would not dream of touching someone else's boat.' - I would. If it made life easier for me, or for someone else and did no harm, I would, and have certainly moved boats along a bit.

[Water Rat.]

I think I know your boat. We were cruising and with a widebeam, struggled to find a spot, and noticing your boat was ownerless for a few days, we just tied up alongside. Hope you dont mind....we only used your cratch area a few times to get to the bank. ;-)

Ahhh! That explains those footprints!!

[BargeeSpud]

I think we need to know the full story of who moved your boat and why. Only then can we deliver our verdict.

 

Thought we were here to deliver opinions, not verdicts.

 

 

[Water Rat.]

OMG. I do not want him hanged. I don't mind - please move my boat anyone, any where, any time you like.......................

[Kwacker]

On the rare occasions that I've left my boat unattended for a few days, I've chained and padlocked it to the Armco.

I'm not experienced in such matters, but it seemed a logical thing to do, I figured if it needed moving by C&RT for maintainance work etc, they have my contact details on file, and the reg. no. is visible. Is this wrong in any way?