Monitoring cruising patterns

[Col_T]

Evenin' all,

 

I have read, in a number of other threads, that C&RT monitor cruising patterns of boats on the canals. Is there a page on the C&RT web-site that will let me see where, when, and if I've been spotted, or is this something that requires an e-mail to them?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

 

Colin T

[Arthur Marshall]

I don't think we want all our whereabouts plastered all over the internet - that really would be the end of privacy. You have to ask 'em for your own details. But why do you want them? Don't you know where you've been??

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Evenin' all,

 

I have read, in a number of other threads, that C&RT monitor cruising patterns of boats on the canals. Is there a page on the C&RT web-site that will let me see where, when, and if I've been spotted, or is this something that requires an e-mail to them?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

 

Colin T

No - you need to request the trust to provide your sighting details.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Allan(nb Albert)

[b0atman]

in 2014 when I asked I was spotted in the marina 3 times

[GoodGurl]

When i asked for mine i had done roughly 600 miles, they only ever logged me on the T&M as far as bridge 72, Strange that seeing as i went through Harecastle tunnel (twice) and had to book frankton locks (twice) and Anderton lift (twice).

[Sabcat]

When i asked for mine i had done roughly 600 miles, they only ever logged me on the T&M as far as bridge 72, Strange that seeing as i went through Harecastle tunnel (twice) and had to book frankton locks (twice) and Anderton lift (twice).

 

you can't mean that their data is an arbitrary set of haphazardly collected none sense?

[GoodGurl]

 

you can't mean that their data is an arbitrary set of haphazardly collected none sense?

would i insinuate that never.

[Tony Brooks]

 

you can't mean that their data is an arbitrary set of haphazardly collected none sense?

 

I have got mine two year's running now and it is clear that they do not record the sightings written down by the vollycheckers and the frequency is not sufficient to enforce mooring rules (although the vollycheckers data may then be used).

 

It is also clear that the data from 2015 showed that they could not show if you were in a marina or on the canal beside it. My 2014 data showed I was in Ventnor Farm when the boat was in Calcutt.

[Col_T]

I don't think we want all our whereabouts plastered all over the internet - that really would be the end of privacy. You have to ask 'em for your own details. But why do you want them? Don't you know where you've been??

Why I would want them is simple curiosity about how much CaRT know about where I've been. As for knowing where I've been of course I knew, at the time, I just might have forgotten now!

 

That's all from me on this one, so thanks for the info and the replies.

 

Colin T

[alan_fincher]

 

I have got mine two year's running now and it is clear that they do not record the sightings written down by the vollycheckers and the frequency is not sufficient to enforce mooring rules (although the vollycheckers data may then be used).

 

Not so in the one case where I requested by data, Tony.

 

If it is a genuine CRT volunteer "mooring ranger", they do not write it down - it is entered directly into an App and uploaded, so should appera alongside CRT staff sightings.

 

In my case, despite having travelled far and wide over the system that year, virtually sightings of either of our boats were either on their home moorings, (CRT staff recorded - frequent for one - very infrequent for the other, despite claim of fortnightly check), or at Stoke Bruerne, (at least daily checks by volunteer rangers, which largely flooded out everything else!).

 

Very little of the data indicated the thousand plus miles we actually travelled.

[Sabcat]

Why I would want them is simple curiosity about how much CaRT know about where I've been. As for knowing where I've been of course I knew, at the time, I just might have forgotten now!

 

That's all from me on this one, so thanks for the info and the replies.

 

Colin T

I think what Arthur means is that you want to know where CRT have logged as being but that doesn't mean that you want me/any Tom, Dick or Harry to know where CRT have logged you.

[Arthur Marshall]

I think what Arthur means is that you want to know where CRT have logged as being but that doesn't mean that you want me/any Tom, Dick or Harry to know where CRT have logged you.

That's what I meant - the suggestion the OP didn't know where he'd been was supposed to be vaguely humourous.. You'll find that logged sightings are inconsistent. They'd only be of use to CRt if you were noted as being in the same place consistently (when you'd get picked on), of if they had only ever spotted you in the same place although you'd been all over the system in between - when you'd get picked on in error. I wonder, if more and more people start requesting this info, in the end they will just automatically email the data annually to everyone who is registered online with them. It's irrelevant to most of us, but essential to some.

[tillergirl]

We were spotted at Hopwood on 5 November last year and the not logged again until early December. The question was asked and I was told if you haven't been seen then they assume you are moving. Leastways that is the case in the West Midlands according the Enforcement Manager.

Edited February 2, 2016 by tillergirl

[Ex Brummie]

The only time I've encountered sighting was an email asking where I was on a certain date when it was noted I was not on my mooring. I replied that if I had been seen somewhere I should not have been, I would explain it to them.

I heard nothing further. Several other people on the moorings had similar communications.

I get logged every two weeks as it enables the logger to tick the required number of boxes with little effort. It is easier than noting overstayers at Wheaton Aston, Gnosall or Norbury.

[Jerra]

They'd only be of use to CRt if you were noted as being in the same place consistently (when you'd get picked on),

Would they be being picked on? The definition as I understand it is along the lines of repeatedly single out for unfair treatment. Would the treatment be unfair if they were consistently in one place (assuming it isn't their mooring)?

[Arthur Marshall]

Would they be being picked on? The definition as I understand it is along the lines of repeatedly single out for unfair treatment. Would the treatment be unfair if they were consistently in one place (assuming it isn't their mooring)?

I was being careful to use non-judgemental language. You have to be careful on here, you know...

[NilesMI]

I recently asked CaRT for details of their last two calendar years' moitoring of my boat.

 

The reply I got said that my query had been passed to the enforcement officer for the area in which my boat was last sighted and that he would respond. Subsequent to that I have heard nothing.

 

How do I officially request a copy of the sightings information which CRT have collected for my boat?

[GreenDuck]

I recently asked CaRT for details of their last two calendar years' moitoring of my boat.

 

The reply I got said that my query had been passed to the enforcement officer for the area in which my boat was last sighted and that he would respond. Subsequent to that I have heard nothing.

 

How do I officially request a copy of the sightings information which CRT have collected for my boat?

A friend of mine recently had to make a formal request under the data protection act to get recorded info as like yourself the enforcement officer ignored him.

The IT department then supplied all info in 30 days.

[GoodGurl]

We were spotted at Hopwood on 5 November last year and the not logged again until early December. The question was asked and I was told if you haven't been seen then they assume you are moving. Leastways that is the case in the West Midlands according the Enforcement Manager.

as you know that can't be correct because they log you when you're moving.

[waterworks]

I've seen mine, I just asked the enforcement office for it by email.

 

It was significantly wrong as well.

 

So they are threatening boaters with refusal of their licence renewal if they haven't moved enough, but the sightings records are obviously not accurate enough, and there's no oversight, making them wide open to abuse by the trust.

[Tony Brooks]

I've seen mine, I just asked the enforcement office for it by email.

 

It was significantly wrong as well.

 

So they are threatening boaters with refusal of their licence renewal if they haven't moved enough, but the sightings records are obviously not accurate enough, and there's no oversight, making them wide open to abuse by the trust.

 

That is my experience as well.

 

Despite what Alan-F says about volly-checkers putting the data direct into a hand held device I had my boat's name & number taken by an old boy in a blue sweatshirt, sporting a CaRT ID badge who wrote it on a folded scrap of paper. This was while waiting to enter Banbury Town lock. before going straight through Banbury because we had "used up" our Banbury mooring allowance on the way down to Oxford. This sighting did not appear on the CaRT record and CaRT were unable/unwilling to explain what was going on.

 

I suspect that if your boat "comes to the attention" of CaRT they will make a lot more checks at more frequent intervals before any action is taken but the situation is far from ideal.

[alan_fincher]

Despite what Alan-F says about volly-checkers putting the data direct into a hand held device I had my boat's name & number taken by an old boy in a blue sweatshirt, sporting a CaRT ID badge who wrote it on a folded scrap of paper. This was while waiting to enter Banbury Town lock. before going straight through Banbury because we had "used up" our Banbury mooring allowance on the way down to Oxford. This sighting did not appear on the CaRT record and CaRT were unable/unwilling to explain what was going on.

 

How long ago was this, please Tony?

 

Perhaps some of the volunteer checkers are writing it down and entering it later, but that's not what they should do, I'm sure.

 

If that were the case, he might have lost the piece of paper, written it down wrong in the first place, or transposed it wrongly later, I suppose.

 

Of course failure to appear in any data should not be used by CRT to conclude anything. What is more important is that there are no actual records showing you somewhere when you were not.

[Arthur Marshall]

As has been said many times on here, it's impossible for CRT to log every boat accurately every day, and I doubt we'd really want them to anyway. At best, their sightings record is a guideline to flag up boats that might be flouting the guidelines/rules and then, presumably, they ask the spotters to check those regularly. But I've never understood why the tunnel keepers and the office at the Anderton don't feed their info back to CRT - presumably the ZX81s that CRT use as the basis of the IT system still don't link up...

[MtB]

Seeing your data is only one half of the story. To make any sense of how CRT interpret it, you'd also need to be aware of (as CRT are) the towpath surveys carried out where your boat was not recorded, and therefore absent.

 

I'm sure CRT use both these bits of info together when deciding who to 'pick on'...

[NilesMI]

I'm sure CRT use both these bits of info together when deciding who to 'pick on'...

 

Why are you sure?