NB Pearl

[jenlyn]

Seems this boat has been removed by CRT.

[JC_Derby]

?

[Guest]

?

My guess is this will mean something to people who know the particular boat/owner and it's location....

[stagedamager]

Not knowing the politics, but 'Pearl' is a former Thomas Clayton wooden motor which has been removed from the water and taken away on a lorry, presumably to the CRT boat graveyard which welcomes all boats they remove and presumably sell on. Lets hope she's not out the water too long and dries out.

Dan

[jenlyn]

Several on here know the owner and boat.

[Naughty Cal]

I assume there is a story behind this removal.

 

Are those of us not familiar with the boat or owner allowed to know it?

[JC_Derby]

Ah ok. Thought it was a bit random sorry

[Liam]

I dont know the full details but have often chatted with Geoff the owner. He has been fighting BW and now CRT since approximately 2008 with regards to licensing and moorings. Its been a long and drawn out process which has resulted in Geoff being recently evicted.

 

The boat was towed to Wincham Wharf where it was removed from the water, placed on to road transport and shifted somewhere, as Dan says probably to Chester.

 

Geoff and his cat are currently staying temporarily with another boating friend until he can get things sorted one way or another.

[LoneWolf]

I assume there is a story behind this removal.

 

Are those of us not familiar with the boat or owner allowed to know it?

 

This is the wooden boat that got a patrol notice when it was iced in.

The story starts back in the days when the enforcement staff did what they wanted regardless of legalities

It got on the BW radar because the owner was helping another boater who was being harassed by BW

It's been discussed on here before

[carlt]

If the attitude towards BW/CRT that he expresses here is the same as how he approaches CRT in real life then I am not surprised that they have taken action though I would question the legality of the action they have taken.

 

He should be aware, however, that they have no right to cause damage to his property nor deny him access to it. They also have a responsibility to its well being, whilst in their "care" so I hope they are not allowing the bottoms to dry out.

[cotswoldsman]

The action has been going on for at least 7 years that is when I first met Geoff Yes he did speak his mind in a very forthright way and was very stubborn. I would imagine the removal of Legal Aid was the final straw. It is a shame that it came to this and that both parties could not have worked out a solution 7 years ago.

[Naughty Cal]

How has it taken 7 years to get to this stage?

 

Seems a very lengthy process!

[cotswoldsman]

How has it taken 7 years to get to this stage?

 

Seems a very lengthy process!

The legal system can work very slowly and CRT will only go to court once everything is in place not even sure if it ended in court I imagine as I said once Legal Aid was withdrawn and Geoff found himself without legal representation he accepted the end had arrived. Maybe Geoff will come on here and tell us. Whatever people might say Geoff fought for what he thought was right and I certainly enjoyed the conversations I had with him and in person found him very polite and I know he loved his boat and looked after it very well.

[Guest]

Naughty Cal, on 06 Apr 2014 - 3:16 PM, said:

 

How has it taken 7 years to get to this stage?

 

Seems a very lengthy process!

It is and it reinforces that CRT do take the whole thing seriously when some on here would lead you to believe they act on some sort of whim and pull boats out at the drop of a hat with no regard to the consequences.

Edited April 6, 2014 by The Dog House

[Speedwheel]

Where do section 8 boats get taken? And, where/when are they sold?

[Timleech]

I may be wrong, only had snippets of his side and nothing of the other side, but got the impression that Geoff was so sure that he was in the right that he didn't feel any need to discuss/negotiate with BW/CRT.

First came across him many moons ago when he was working as Night Watchman while Preston Brook tunnel was having major relining work. Yes he did look after his boat pretty well. Last time I saw him he was convinced that he was a target for the authorities because he had a wooden boat, but that seems a little unlikely - though I do remember (a long time ago) when the Bridgewater Department had a 'thing' against wooden boats, probably after being lumbered with several abandoned sunken ones.

 

Tim

[Paul C]

Is there a better thread than this one: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=59619&page=1 (which, its worth noting, is not about narrowboat pearl or its owner, but pearlygeoff posts snippets of his own personal situation on it) which gives a balanced view of both sides of this action by CRT?

[Naughty Cal]

How some peoples opinions change

[DHutch]

Not knowing the politics, but 'Pearl' is a former Thomas Clayton wooden motor which has been removed from the water and taken away on a lorry, presumably to the CRT boat graveyard which welcomes all boats they remove and presumably sell on. Lets hope she's not out the water too long and dries out.

I to do not know the politics but hope the best for the boat and owner.

 

For those that do no know the boat, it is indeed a wooden Thos' Claytons tar tanker, typically based around the Lion Saltworks near Northwich.

There is a short thread on the boat located in the history section of the forum here

 

The below photos is taken from the HNBOC website.

 

 

Daniel

[hughc]

Where I moor a boat was recently given a section 8 notice. In the past it has been possible to make an offer on such craft which would then be accepted or not by BW. Usually if an arrangement could be arrived at with the owner BW were happy to let the boat change hands as it would start to produce some income. In this case the boat had very little immediate value albeit on a sound hull. A friend of mine was willing to make a bid but was told that all sectioned craft had to be taken to somewhere near Chester I believe. CART then hired a crane and road transport to take the boat thence. It would of course need craning at the other end as well. On moving day there was quite a crowd of CART personnel and the crane operators and the lorry driver and Uncle Tom Cobley and all. The boat now at Chester is still only worth in the low hundreds. the cost of the removal must be approaching £2000. Where on earth is the sense in this? I do hope that the CART contingent didn't add to their mis-use of public funds by claiming expenses for their out of office jolly.Regards HughC.

[Timleech]

Where I moor a boat was recently given a section 8 notice. In the past it has been possible to make an offer on such craft which would then be accepted or not by BW. Usually if an arrangement could be arrived at with the owner BW were happy to let the boat change hands as it would start to produce some income. In this case the boat had very little immediate value albeit on a sound hull. A friend of mine was willing to make a bid but was told that all sectioned craft had to be taken to somewhere near Chester I believe. CART then hired a crane and road transport to take the boat thence. It would of course need craning at the other end as well. On moving day there was quite a crowd of CART personnel and the crane operators and the lorry driver and Uncle Tom Cobley and all. The boat now at Chester is still only worth in the low hundreds. the cost of the removal must be approaching £2000. Where on earth is the sense in this? I do hope that the CART contingent didn't add to their mis-use of public funds by claiming expenses for their out of office jolly.Regards HughC.

 

Possibly to do with ownership? Just because a boat is subject to section 8 process doesn't necessarily mean that it doesn't still belong to the 'owner'?

Not claiming great knowledge of the subject, asking rather than stating.

 

Tim

[RLWP]

Possibly to do with ownership? Just because a boat is subject to section 8 process doesn't necessarily mean that it doesn't still belong to the 'owner'?

Not claiming great knowledge of the subject, asking rather than stating.

 

Tim

Quite the opposite. The section 8 process happens as a series of communications between CRT and the owner.

 

Richard

[junior]

The boat now at Chester is still only worth in the low hundreds. the cost of the removal must be approaching £2000. Where on earth is the sense in this? .

 

The sense in it is that if CRT don't remove the piss takers and rule breakers then more and more people will be encouraged to become piss takers and rule breakers. More and more unlicensed boats = less and less money for network maintenance and CRT jollies.

[Timleech]

Quite the opposite. The section 8 process happens as a series of communications between CRT and the owner.

 

Richard

 

Sorry, that has not given me any enlightenment at all. What is opposite to what?

 

Tim

[stagedamager]

I think the point being made is that years gone by you could approach the then BW and make a sensible offer for a craft they were removing. Now they spend thousands of our money taking them on a jolly to Chester which could be spent on maintenance or the like. Once sold on there is an income stream from the boats renewed licence. Ownership is obviously an issue but many have given up on them and left them to the mercy of BW.

Dan