So, are there any visitor moorings for actual visitors left on London?

[MoominPapa]

Six years ago, at this time of year, just after we'd bought Melaleuca and whilst it was still moored on the Slough Arm, we had a long weekend in London. I remember turning up at Paddington Basin late-ish on a Friday and finding a space, and then again on Saturday, after we'd had a day around Camden.

 

I'm in Paddington this week for a conference and just had a wander around the canal, as you do.

 

There's absolutely no chance of doing what we did six years ago. Much of the basin is stanked off as a building site (but I think it was last time too) and there are no free moorings anywhere. It's not immediately obvious which moorings are actually the visitor moorings apart from a few on the way in and one pontoon which are signed as such, and full up. Some of the boats there have Winter mooring permits displayed, and all look like they are there long term. Little Venice VM are the same. If I arrived by boat today, I think my only choice would be mudweights off the island in the centre.

 

Is there something unusual going on, or is this standard now? Is all of London like this? Do I have to plan a very-very-long-day going from Bull's Bridge to Harlow non-stop if I want to get to the Lee and Stort?

 

I wonder is CRT should introduce online booking of overnight moorings in the hotspots, so that people at least have an assurance of somewhere to stop?

 

 

MP.

[b0atman]

The mooring permit system should not allow moorings on Visitor moorings with upto 48hours limits or on water points or pre lock moorings.

The boat fire at Hatton flight shows boats on pre lock moorings.

[Mike on the Wey]

snip< Is there something unusual going on, or is this standard now? Is all of London like this? Do I have to plan a very-very-long-day going from Bull's Bridge to Harlow non-stop if I want to get to the Lee and Stort? >snip

 

Last summer there was plenty of space on the Hertford Union around Victoria Park, but be aware that there have been recent reports of aggressive burglaries there. You don't have to go as far as Harlow for a suitable overnight spot - we stayed near Tottenham and then Cheshunt, both without any problems. Plenty of locals on the towpath - we were pleasant to them, and they were pleasant to us. Once you're north of Stonebridge Lock you will find miles and miles of good towpath moorings.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Mike on the Wey

[magnetman]

Limehouse basin is an option free for 24h then they clobber you for £20! Round corner in the 'refugee camp' (quote from marina resident) is variable sometimes full but often some space.

 

Always space on Ducketts cut too but a bit binny round there and asbo

[matty40s]

Junior managed to find a mooring in Paddington basin just before the weekend, and looking at the piccy there were other moorings available too.

[junior]

I rocked up in Paddington basin on thursday at about 4pm and bagged a space. I think there was probably space for about 1 other boat. All the pontoons are given over to winter moorings at the moment, so spaces for visitors will be at a premium for the next month. Once the winter moorers move on things will be a lot better. Obviously it's still not guaranteed you'll get a space, but Paddington Basin is not a favourite of the London CC'ers due to the fact it is only 7 days and there is no water point. This usually means those that are there are genuine visitors to London.

 

If you expect to find your own 70ft space on the towpath in the popular spots then you'll be disappointed and probably will end up in Harlow. If you are prepared to be creative, breast up to someone, or be breasted up to, then you will have no problem being able to stop on the Regents Canal. I went in and out of London all winter for a few days at a time and never had a problem finding somewhere to moor, but I was always breasted up.

 

Most of the stretch from the CRT office at Little Venice westward is winter moorings, but there has been rings installed at the western end and I noticed quite a few spaces as I was leaving on saturday morning.

 

My choices for mooring places on a trip through London to the Lea & Stort would be;

 

Cowley Lock

Paddington Basin/Little Venice

Limehouse Marina

Anywhere North of Tottenham Hale (check with Lady Muck for current crime rate in Stonebridge).

 

 

Edited to add:

Depending on how big your boat is, you might be able to squeeze into the pontoon behind Doodlebug of this parish. His boat is about the size of one of my shoes but he has a whole pontoon to himself!

Edited March 3, 2014 by junior

[WJM]

I have been in and out of London for six or seven years now and I agree that there are a lot less free spaces BUT I am only ever looking for one space and I have never failed to find one. Sometimes I have had to be a bit creative but I have never failed to find something. I am very averse to breasting up and have only ever breasted up once and that was on an empty boat.

[Mike Tee]

Last year we moored just north of Stonebridge lock for a few days and it was very quiet and pleasant.

Also, if you need moorings for one night around Kings Cross, arrange a visit to the London Canal Museum. For a fee you can overnight there (and prebook if you want). The museum isn't the most scintillating place, but worth a wander for an hour or two, and the mooring is 100% safe.

[jenlyn]

I rocked up in Paddington basin on thursday at about 4pm and bagged a space. I think there was probably space for about 1 other boat. All the pontoons are given over to winter moorings at the moment, so spaces for visitors will be at a premium for the next month. Once the winter moorers move on things will be a lot better. Obviously it's still not guaranteed you'll get a space, but Paddington Basin is not a favourite of the London CC'ers due to the fact it is only 7 days and there is no water point. This usually means those that are there are genuine visitors to London.

If you expect to find your own 70ft space on the towpath in the popular spots then you'll be disappointed and probably will end up in Harlow. If you are prepared to be creative, breast up to someone, or be breasted up to, then you will have no problem being able to stop on the Regents Canal. I went in and out of London all winter for a few days at a time and never had a problem finding somewhere to moor, but I was always breasted up.

Most of the stretch from the CRT office at Little Venice westward is winter moorings, but there has been rings installed at the western end and I noticed quite a few spaces as I was leaving on saturday morning.

My choices for mooring places on a trip through London to the Lea & Stort would be;

Cowley Lock

Paddington Basin/Little Venice

Limehouse Marina

Anywhere North of Tottenham Hale (check with Lady Muck for current crime rate in Stonebridge).

Edited to add:

Depending on how big your boat is, you might be able to squeeze into the pontoon behind Doodlebug of this parish. His boat is about the size of one of my shoes but he has a whole pontoon to himself!

There is a tap in the basin, if you have a long hose. It's hidden at the front of the M&S building. You will need a tap head for it though. Watch where the jet wash guy connects his hose ;-)

[PiRSqwared]

Duckett's tends to be too shallow in the middle pound but loads of room at Hackney Wick, so no need to do a 24hr stint to get onto the Stort from Bull's Bridge.

[Scholar Gypsy]

C&RT are proposing some changes to the moorings at Paddington.

 

Details are here, unfortunately the consultation closed yesterday morning ...

[saxplayer]

i have been visiting paddington basin all over the winter. yes some of the pontoons are winter moorings however there are 4 still visitor moorings. The problem is people overstaying. there are 3 boats on visitors moorings that have been there since before xmas

[Athy]

Well, you can't expect CART to enforce the rules in such an out of the way backwater.

[MoominPapa]

Thanks for the replies, people. Looks like it's possible to avoid being homeless in London, which is good.

 

MP.

[luctor et emergo]

How can you be homeless with a boat?

[cotswoldsman]

i have been visiting paddington basin all over the winter. yes some of the pontoons are winter moorings however there are 4 still visitor moorings. The problem is people overstaying. there are 3 boats on visitors moorings that have been there since before xmas

And you know they have not taken Winter moorings? Maybe like me they do not like to have bits of paper stuck all over their windows. I would have said paddington is one of the few places where it is difficult to overstay as the enforcement is done by local security company

[MoominPapa]

How can you be homeless with a boat?

If my boat is homeless, then I'm homeless too.

 

MP.

[Phoenix_V]

I would have said paddington is one of the few places where it is difficult to overstay as the enforcement is done by local security company

it was in 2012, but not currently hence the problems

Edited March 4, 2014 by Phoenix_V

[Captain Zim]

And you know they have not taken Winter moorings? Maybe like me they do not like to have bits of paper stuck all over their windows. I would have said paddington is one of the few places where it is difficult to overstay as the enforcement is done by local security company

With respect for all you have achieved, this sort of response is exactly the reason we're in such a mess. How do you know it's raining? Stick you're head out of the door and look up. All these shouts of prove it prove it! Sometimes, John, you just know alright. Especially if you are cruising in and out of the area. And it's obvious. And I am a ccer and I support all those who cc in whatever context that may be. But it's no good always jumping to the defence of a few who we all know are taking the piss. I regularly cruise through London and for what it worth to the original OP I actually think its a touch quiet in LV and Paddington at the moment compared to some occasions. On returning from a nice winter sojourn to the sticks my first impression was that Cart must have been a bit keen with the old white envelopes since people actually appeared to be moving. I've never had a problem with mooring here and there are plenty of other places to stop as pointed out by others. Not mentioned but often used are greenford, perivale, Kensal green.

 

Still, there are one or two who still can't quite get their heads around the idea of thinking of others. No amount of hypothetical arguments are going to change that. Time to come up with a real alternative solution or stop the endless debates. No wonder lawyers earn so much money...

[junior]

And you know they have not taken Winter moorings? Maybe like me they do not like to have bits of paper stuck all over their windows. I would have said paddington is one of the few places where it is difficult to overstay as the enforcement is done by local security company

Because they have only sold a limited number of winter mooring in Paddington Basin. I'm also pretty sure that enforcement is not carried out by a private company.

[tommytelford]

In september we tried to moor in Little Venice to no avail so we tried Paddington Basin also no go so we decidedmto go back to Kensal Green and try to join the township but as we passed Little Venice a boat pulled out so we pulled into the vacant space. About an hour later the sais boat returned and I was given a verbal tirade to the effect the "that was my mooring". I pointed out that I was on a visitor mooring to which he replied that he worked round the corner an he always moored there and it would really put him out. He seemed completely oblivious to the mooring restrictions. I suggested that he breast up but he declined saying that he liked his privacy. I said tata then he went off in a right old hump

[Keeping Up]

When we went there last summer there was absolutely nowhere to moor in the basin or on the main line. Luckily it was late enough in the evening that the trip boats weren't running and we knew we would be away early the next morning so we moored on their mooring. During the evening we had countless opportunities to take people for a boat trip but we declined them all.

[magnetman]

This reminds me of my 2013 thread about attaching mooring rings with a nail gun. There are loads of places in London which would be moorable if one could attach a fixture to concrete.

 

Maybe CRT need to put in more rings to accommodate increased traffic or just a stud and you screw your own eyenut onto it. For overnight visitors 2 M10 studs with eye nuts wound right down tight would probably hold most boats.

 

"Slow down for the sake of my nuts" signage etc and education

[RichardN]

And you know they have not taken Winter moorings? Maybe like me they do not like to have bits of paper stuck all over their windows. I would have said paddington is one of the few places where it is difficult to overstay as the enforcement is done by local security company

Has something changed in the last few weeks? As far as I know Security don't do enforcement in the Basin, what makes you think they have the power to carry out enforcement duties?

[Doodlebug]

We are on a winter mooring in paddington at the moment so yes I can confirm that most of the pontoons are winter moorings.

 

Your right that London is now a nightmare to moor in. Fortunately we are on a short boat so have never had a problem mooring anywhere on the canals but to bring a seventy foot boat to London is risky.

 

Your half right that security do go round and keep a note of who is where and send details to CRT if they overstay. But CRT don't do a good job at enforcing it.

 

I got the train to London a month before we bought the permit and there were a load of boats opposite the station. When we came in November they were still there. CRT eventually got rid of them in January. I spoke to security in the midst of their overstaying and they said they had reported it and it was up to CRT. I then phoned CRT who passed me to the enforcement officer for the area who didn't seem too bothered that I was paying a lot of money for a winter mooring whilst another boat less than fifty m away in a better spot than me is getting it for free

 

Unfortunately in London there are quite a few boaters who just don't care about anyone else but themselves and who can be quite rude. I joined the Facebook London boaters group and having asked an innocent question about the overstayers I got a torrent of abuse about how I should mind my own f-ing business and other threats to the same tune.

 

It's reminded me how pleasant boaters in the rest of the uk can be and how little I like visiting London on our boat.