C&RT winter moorings

[Mac of Cygnet]

What I'm concerned about is some 14 day moorings being reserved for official 'winter moorings'. This lowers the chance of genuine CCers finding a suitable temporary mooring.

 

In fact to me the list of VMs now offered as winter moorings seems extremely limited - far less than previously. Why? The new permits should be additional to what has worked so far if it is to be called more flexible. It has already been pointed out that the centre of Birmingham will be off-limits to winter moorers, so in fact there will be large empty stretches of VMs not bringing any revenue for CRT, here and elsewhere where the Winter Mooring designation has been withdrawn.

[Jim Batty]

We never paid for a winter mooring. We wanted to move around all the time and never found a winter mooring needed.

 

Us too.

 

I have to admit, it's sometimes annoying when nearly the full length of visitor moorings is given over to winter moorings, with only one or two boat-lengths available for CCers -- which are often full.

 

My one worry is that in some places these VM/Winter Moorings will be supplemented and extended even further down the towpath by those with General Towpath Winter Moorings spending the winter on the best 14-day spots.

 

It seems kind of weird to 'suspend CCing regulations' for five months a year ... for payment of a simple fee!? All you are paying for is that suspension, and nothing else.

 

I guess the thinking is that every bit of cash helps CRT.

[Mac of Cygnet]

 

.

 

 

 

My one worry is that in some places these VM/Winter Moorings will be supplemented and extended even further down the towpath by those with General Towpath Winter Moorings spending the winter on the best 14-day spots.

 

It seems kind of weird to 'suspend CCing regulations' for five months a year ... for payment of a simple fee!? All you are paying for is that suspension, and nothing else.

 

I guess the thinking is that every bit of cash helps CRT.

 

 

Well your one worry should disappear then - see my post above. The vast majority of VMs designated as Winter Moorings will no longer be so.

 

I think far from being 'weird', suspending CCing regulations for the winter is eminently sensible especially if is going to create revenue for CRT.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Mac of Cygnet

[Jim Batty]

 

Well your one worry should disappear then - see my post above. The vast majority of VMs designated as Winter Moorings will no longer be so.

 

 

 

If the vast majority of winter moorings did disappear ... shifted to General Towpath ones ... then that WOULD be sensible!

[sassan]

 

If the vast majority of winter moorings did disappear ... shifted to General Towpath ones ... then that WOULD be sensible!

That IS what has been done.

[Doorman]

Equally the boaters who have worked so hard to get CRT to do something sensible should get a lot of the credit.

 

I know, having just had a conversation with John (Cotswoldman), that this was a hard won battle, and they had to fight hard to stop CRT slipping in little changes that would have given boaters a less favourable outcome.

 

So a big thumbs up to John, and indeed anybody else who worked with CRT in coming up with this.

 

 

Yes, he deserves credit for dedicating so much of his time for the benefit of others!

[sueb]

Can we have credit for all the other volunteers in various organisations that have tirelessly worked for years for the benefit of other boaters?

[matty40s]

Can we have credit for all the other volunteers in various organisations that have tirelessly worked for years for the benefit of other boaters?

find or start a thread where their achievements are listed and then, yes.

[Grace and Favour]

Can we have credit for all the other volunteers in various organisations that have tirelessly worked for years for the benefit of other boaters?

IWA?

 

 

 

 

 

( )

[sueb]

IWA?

 

 

 

 

 

( )

We wouldn't have a canal system without the IWA

[Allan(nb Albert)]

We wouldn't have a canal system without the IWA

We would not have CaRT without the IWA.

[sueb]

We would not have CaRT without the IWA.

I recommend you for a credit. You achieve a lot for boaters

[Doorman]

Can we have credit for all the other volunteers in various organisations that have tirelessly worked for years for the benefit of other boaters?

Why not!

 

I'll begin with credit due to all the folk who volunteer in the Shropshire Union Canal Society. Their work can be seen all along our canal.

[LindaKanbe]

I am caught up in this winter mooring fiasco. Last year I chose to have a WM in Braunston. I moored opposite the Boathouse pub on 14 days moorings. Although I live aboard all year round I feel it is relatively safe to leave the boat when I visit friends and family for weekends or Christmas/New Year. This is a long stretch of 14 day moorings and CCers come and go frequently - also I have a 'Welcome moor alongside' sticker should they not find a place - which was never needed - and I did offer it to passing boats. It is ideal here for access to the village, facilities, bus stops and car parking. Last year there was only 1 other boat WM'ing here - and that was a boat that had been dumped since at least the previous June and had been persuaded to purchase a WM to appease the CCers - he never visited his boat, as far as I know, during the winter.

 

This year this stretch of available WM's has been withdrawn.

 

The only options are: on the Puddlebanks where it is isolated and you wouldn't want to leave a boat. Also boats have to moor 2 feet from the bank. Only a few CC'ers moored here last year and just one chose to have a WM - someone younger and fitter than me!.

 

The other option is further on between bridges 89 and 90. Here the moorings are really nice BUT when it rains or snows the water comes off the farmer's field and you can't walk along the towpath as it is sloping and thick mud - lethal and even more impossible when you are carrying shopping or suitcases. You can walk up the footpath to the church from br 89 - but the water flows down the path when it rains and it is lethal again!

 

To make matters worse I have a 16 year old dog - with a tumour which could burst at any time, according to the vet who is surprised she is still alive, also extremely weak hind legs which mean that she cannot walk far - so I now have to get a pram for her.

 

To make matters worse I was recently told that the Llangollen moorings were to be withdrawn but a boater who WM's here was on the mooring committee and asked the local parish council to appeal for him - and they were added to the list! He told me this himself!

 

CRT tell me that I have to wait until the end of October before they can even look into my request for a mooring opposite the Boathouse. They did suggest that I go into Braunston marina - but the pontoons are too narrow for a wobbly dog to jump off the boat without falling off the opposite side, the facilities are appalling and the water is turned off on 1 Nov - AND I do not want to spend the winter in a 'car' park!

 

I rang the RBOA Continuous Cruisers' rep - he suggested Crick WM's - but they too are withdrawn!

 

Is anyone else in this dilemma where their moorings are withdrawn and just waiting to see what happens?

Why not!

I'll begin with credit due to all the folk who volunteer in the Shropshire Union Canal Society. Their work can be seen all along our canal.

Yes it is a joy to cruise along and enjoy all the moorings and facilities they provide - very well done - and I am still a member of SUCS although I don't moor there anymore!

[Arthur Marshall]

If the visitor moorings are no longer designated as WMs, but the general towpath is, then surely you can use the towpath one as your winter mooring but pootle gently along to your otiginal VM to do the shopping etc. And, obviously stay there for 14 days if thats the nature of it. If the CC rules are lifted for the winter, and you've got a technical WM somewhere then I presume you can go back to the VM as often as you like, same as someone with a permaments mooring somewhere. Or have I (yet again) misunderstood what's happening?

[Ex- Member]

It seems we've been completely wasting our time debating weather to utilse winter moorings.

 

On trying to register It seems that only CC'rs licenced before 1st June 2013 will be considered.

 

Not sure why this is or indeed any reasonable reason why.

 

Still it's sorted the decision problem, and we won't be parting with over £400 quid as a result LOL

 

I'm not sure if we're happy or annoyed though

[LindaKanbe]

But I want to leave the boat where there are other boats, not isolated and unsafe, and the other nearest moorings which are also VM/WM's are either 2' away from the bank - can't get wobbly dog off, also too far for the vet to come and do her worst, and the other thick with mud. Besides which - why do CRT have to discontinue WM's that were used last year - and popular with CC'ers who come and go - and yes there is plenty of space for us all. The whole idea of me originally taking WM's is that they are handy for the village - CRT have decided to discontinue them.

 

Also I choose to have a WM so I don't have to keep moving the boat - just every 3 weeks for water top ups. If the canal freezes I don't have too far from opp the Boathouse to take cassettes or get water.

[Alan Saunders]

I think this is a well thought out scheme though I do not understand some of the reasoning; e.g. >1km from permanent moorings and boaters in the enforcement process cannot purchase a one month towpath WM.

 

I believe that CCs registered after June (Julynian?) will be able to purchase WMs - those registered earlier have priority.

 

Importantly, there will be no excuse for overstaying in the winter; come flood, rain, snow, storm or stoppage, a mooring permit can be purchased for a reasonable sum. Call it a charge or a fine I expect this scheme, if successful, to be extended beyond the Winter season.

 

I am seriously considering a towpath WM permit (1 Dec to 28 Feb) as I found it difficult to move in some previous winters but far too expensive for a prime mooring.

 

A few years back I was stuck in Newbury, the river was running high and paddles were opened both ends of Greenham Lock. Eventually the flow decreased and I went down Greenham Lock to wind, only to almost founder across the river (many thanks to the guy who lives in a nearby caravan for his help in winching the bow upstream - I hope he appreciated the Christmas bottle of whisky). No other boat, includng a BW work boat, had managed to get through the town bridge; I was counting the bricks to ensure that I was making progress. Back on the canal section to the West I could only make a few hundred yards, repeatedly reversing and ramming the ice, in an hour and could, possibly, damage the fibreglass boat moored there. Mooring was difficult in the flow and only achieved by lassooing a post. A few days later I was joined by a boat who had been 'moved on' by BW.

 

That was when I was a youth, only 60 years old; five years on I would rather pay a few hundred pounds than have CaRT force me into dangerous situations.

 

Alan

[alan_fincher]

Long term moorings are marked with posts, arrows and signs stating 'long term moorings'

Except where they aren't, and you have to guess!!

[alan_fincher]

It seems we've been completely wasting our time debating weather to utilse winter moorings.

 

On trying to register It seems that only CC'rs licenced before 1st June 2013 will be considered.

 

Not sure why this is or indeed any reasonable reason why.

 

The person most likely to know the answer to that has indicated they have left the forum.

 

My guess is it is to stop people declaring themselves a CCer at the start of winter, and hence able to get a mooring, buy then revoking it at the end of winter so they don't have to comply with CC terms and conditions in the summer.

 

Hence to provide protection to those selling permanent moorings, who fear it will cost them revenue.

[Tuscan]

The person most likely to know the answer to that has indicated they have left the forum.

My guess is it is to stop people declaring themselves a CCer at the start of winter, and hence able to get a mooring, buy then revoking it at the end of winter so they don't have to comply with CC terms and conditions in the summer.

Hence to provide protection to those selling permanent moorings, who fear it will cost them revenue.

This is all linked to CRTs support of the marina sector, hence the encouragement to take a marina mooring and not moor within a 1km.

The reason June was introduced as the cut of date I was advised when we were discussing this was to stop people coming out of marinas just for the winter and getting a cheap mooring right outside and then going back in again.

 

The original proposal was just for towpath moorings (at the reduced rate) but after further review it was agreed that previous visitor moorings that were popular for winter moorings last year would also be included providing that CRT had the means of patrolling the area to ensure only those with a mooring permit were moored there.

 

The delayed November application I understand was to cover the few boaters that were genuinely seek to move their boat accross the country and wanted to moor en route. To be fair to CRT I believe they will also consider applications from those who have purchased a boat and opted to CC after June on an individual basis.

 

Whilst this might not be perfect (removing winter moorings at Crick for example) it is an improvement on the original proposals.

[Ex- Member]

I believe that CCs registered after June (Julynian?) will be able to purchase WMs - those registered earlier have priority.

 

 

 

Ah well we might be in with a chance then if we do decide. We have registered for winter moorings and CART have confirmed that. I'll also ask john/cotswoldsman about it as Alan suggests as we're now confirmed as fully paid up members of the ACC

[LindaKanbe]

Has anyoned notice that the winter moorings at Ellesmere are just around the corner from Ellesmere Marina? Also I have been informed that the Crick moorings ARE available (despite not being on the list) and are opposite Crick marina - who monitor them! So when does the 1km rule apply?