Setting up a register of available temporary boat moorings? What do you think?

[lizziejeanskipper]

I first shared this idea with Daniel (site owner) and he suggested that I post it here to see what other people think, so please respond with short or lengthy comments or additional related ideas:

 

 

My boat is currently stuck on the Leeds & Liverpool (near Wigan) due to a stoppage at Rishton which may take over 8 weeks to be sorted by CRT. This experience has made me wonder whether there is any way to contact other boaters who may be in a similar position and who might have a mooring on the Wigan side of the stoppage that they could swap with my permanent mooring near Skipton in North Yorkshire?

I have tried to find a forum set up to deal with this issue but have failed so far. I suggested that CRT might help set something up but received a message from Sally Ash (Head of Boating at CRT) as follows:

Using the internet to broker moorings swaps is an attractive idea which we have pondered in the past periodically. The conclusion today is that this would be a venture much better developed independently of the Trust and which didn’t limit itself to occasions when boats are stranded because of bad weather or emergency navigation restrictions. E.g. I have friends with a nice end of garden mooring on the GU in Hertfordshire and they’d love to spend a summer exploring northern waterways.

For the Trust to investing its resources in such a venture would be hard to reconcile with our charitable objects which are about providing public, rather than personal benefit from navigation. Nevertheless, it’d be something that we’d be happy to help promote if a suitable scheme was developed.

Having just found (and joined) the Canalworld website it seems to me that this would be an ideal place to host such a helpful new service and so I'm making this suggestion to you in the hope that you might be interested in taking it up. If so, I would suggest establishing a new section of the website where people with suitable and available moorings can advertise their availability to either boaters who are either a ) needing help in an unexpected situation (such as mine), or b ) who would like to stay awhile in a different part of the country. On reflection, the idea of "doing a swap" is rather restrictive and may not meet as many people's needs.

Mooring "adverts" could perhaps be structured in a way to include some or all of the following:

• Canal
• Address
• Dates available
• Security
• Facilities available (electicity, water, rubbish disposal, toilets, toilet cassette emptying, parking, public transport links, distance from shops etc.)
• Fee payable (either to individual boater, or "site landlord")
• Comments on using the individual mooring (e.g. I'd put: friendly live-aboard neighbours, lovely farm setting etc)
• Contact details

I hope that this idea will be greeted positively by other Canalworld Forum members, and at this moment my permanent mooring is currently vacant and I'd be happy to use it as a trial for this new service.

[Rebotco]

It might work for CRT controlled moorings if they supported the principle of mooring swaps.
But I would anticipate that marinas run by commercial operators may well not be disposed to co-operate.
As their only mooring contract is with you and you've signed their terms and conditions, what protection would the owner have if a third party was allowed to take over the space you have agreed to? In theory they could abuse the mooring facilities and the owner be almost powerless to act, as they have no contract with the visiting moorer.
Another point would be the length of mooring available - the moorers swapping would have to have the same length of boat to fit in many instances.
So, at first sight, it may be possible with CRT moorings, but unlikely with others.

[Guest]

I understand that as long as CRT are contacted by a boater affected by a stoppage they will ensure nobody will have enforcement action taken against them.

 

The stoppage notice they issued regards this particular stoppage was quite clear.

[DHutch]

I think its an interesting idea, CRT appear to be in support, most small/private moorings should not be an issue, and while I agree about some marina's other may well be quite amenable. Marinas look better full (in my eyes at least) and theres a half decent chance of a gas/diesel/elec sale out of it maybe?

 

As said, thoughts and comments welcome, as I think it could be made to work quite will as part of the current forum layout.

 

 

Daniel

[BlueStringPudding]

I think it's a great idea. Important to agree maximum boat length and width and in the case of some boats the depth too. Just need a mutually agreed way to evidence landlord/owner's permission has been granted. It would be frustrating to schlep across the country to find there's been a miscommunication and you're hoofed off the mooring you thought you could use.