Extension of visitor mooring times in winter

[Tuscan]

The other reason why revenue for winter moorings is less this year is of course that they were only sold for 4 months rather than the usual 5, I understand this will change next year. Makes sense to me that CRT contact those that took winter moorings over the last 2 years and ask boaters where they would like winter moorings to be and look at changing the locations to suit.

[dogless]

With the stay times extended to 14 days virtually everywhere, and then coupled with a mild winter, I'm not surprised that few purchased a winter mooring.

Whay pay £200 a month or so to remain on one mooring when to stay on two is free !

The loss of revenue is one of the reasons I am particularly pleased about the extended stay times. C&RT will also have been aware they may lose income, and yet implemented it anyway.

They should be heartily praised in my view, by all that have made use of the policy.

 

As to the K&A, having only done it once, the limited number of 'good edge' moorings makes me think that having got one, some people may want to keep it.

It also struck me as a canal with a much higher percentage of live aboard boats than many others. This would offer a higher number of likely candidates to take up winter moorings.

 

Anyway, rain's finally stopped. Got to get up them Cheshire locks

 

Rog

[Mac of Cygnet]

The loss of revenue is one of the reasons I am particularly pleased about the extended stay times.

 

 

 

What a very peculiar statement! Do you think it a good thing for CRT to lose revenue then? Surely they need to maximise revenue (as long as it's used for the right purposes, of course).

[Jerra]

 

What a very peculiar statement! Do you think it a good thing for CRT to lose revenue then? Surely they need to maximise revenue (as long as it's used for the right purposes, of course).

I was thinking similar but then I decided what was meant was it was good that CRT went ahead with a popular move even though it would cost them income.

 

I may have picked it up wrongly and await a comment from dogless with interest.

[dogless]

I was thinking similar but then I decided what was meant was it was good that CRT went ahead with a popular move even though it would cost them income.

 

I may have picked it up wrongly and await a comment from dogless with interest.

How very intuitive of you. That's exactly what I meant. They are providing a service to their customers despite the provision negatively affecting their income.

What a very peculiar statement! Do you think it a good thing for CRT to lose revenue then? Surely they need to maximise revenue (as long as it's used for the right purposes, of course).

I would suggest they are not losing revenue.

They are allowing customer service to take priority over seeking additional income. I suggest our licence fee is quite enough to pay

 

Rog

Edited April 4, 2016 by dogless

[CDS]

The other reason why revenue for winter moorings is less this year is of course that they were only sold for 4 months rather than the usual 5, I understand this will change next year. Makes sense to me that CRT contact those that took winter moorings over the last 2 years and ask boaters where they would like winter moorings to be and look at changing the locations to suit.

Where did you hear that will change sir and what will actually change?

The duration or the sites? i.e. reverting back to roving permits

[MtB]

I think CRT have fairly clearly now accepted that it is a good option to relax the mooring times on the vast majority of short stay moorings during the "winter" months.

 

They have always said there will be some exceptions explicitly signed, where the stay times are not relaxed. Personally I have no issue with that if it can be demonstrated that demand would still outstrip supply at a location even in winter, if stay times were relaxed. This would certainly seem to be true at the most popular central London sites, and I have no doubt occasionally elsewhere.

 

However, as ever it can do no harm if boaters using short stay moorings in "Winter" actually feed back their views to CRT, and specifically let them know of places where if the stay times are relaxed, (and people actually stick to the relaxed stay times!), it may result in a lack of space for other visitors. (Nick's Star City example might well be such a case?)

 

------- Change of subject - because they are two completely different things! ----------

 

As far as the sale of Winter Mooring permits goes, there is no doubt that withdrawal of the "roving" general tow-path permit means CRT have reverted to selling far less Winter Moorings. Several of the GU locations that might have been popular have resulted in no sales at all, and at other places only one or two owners have taken them up, and often not for the maximum duration. Some of these locations have had large numbers of boats on them in the previous two years, but by virtue of the now discontinued "roving" permit.

 

If MTB is actually right about what the K&A situation is, then I suspect it is the only waterway where it applies. However even for the K&A, I would be surprised if you asked CRT if the take up had actually been that great. I might try asking for a breakdown of numbers!

 

 

What do you mean 'if'?!

 

I tried to buy a WM on the CRT winter mooring site a couple of weeks after they were released and there were NO 70ft spaces left anywhere east of Devizes. The odd 40ft or 50ft space here and there but nothing I could fit into.

 

Borne out by my actual cruising experience once I got here. I didn't find a space on a formal VM with mooring rings all winter.

[bassplayer]

 

 

What do you mean 'if'?!

 

I tried to buy a WM on the CRT winter mooring site a couple of weeks after they were released and there were NO 70ft spaces left anywhere east of Devizes. The odd 40ft or 50ft space here and there but nothing I could fit into.

 

Borne out by my actual cruising experience once I got here. I didn't find a space on a formal VM with mooring rings all winter.

You could always moor up on a formal (or informal) VM without mooring rings.

[dogless]

You could always moor up on a formal (or informal) VM without mooring rings.

I would suspect that's exactly what he's done all winter.

It's like scenes from The African Queen mooring down there.

Very limited number of designated visitor moorings with an edge, rings or piling, and what few there are, obviously occupied.

It was something of a culture shock to us when we did the K&A.

Having said that you quickly get into local habits, and create your own spots. We loved our summer on there even though it was 2012 and it rained......all the bagging time.

Rog

[bassplayer]

I would suspect that's exactly what he's done all winter.

It's like scenes from The African Queen mooring down there.

Very limited number of designated visitor moorings with an edge, rings or piling, and what few there are, obviously occupied.

It was something of a culture shock to us when we did the K&A.

Having said that you quickly get into local habits, and create your own spots. We loved our summer on there even though it was 2012 and it rained......all the bagging time.

Rog

We did the K&A in the Spring/Summer of 2013. No problems finding a mooring at all. Then again we weren't fussed about using a board or walking more than 100 yards to the pub...or having no mooring rings...or being on an official VM (whatever that is). It's all part of the fun.

 

Must be easier in the winter surely?

[MtB]

You could always moor up on a formal (or informal) VM without mooring rings.

 

 

Well yes that's what I've been doing all winter as that's been the only option.

 

I'm not complaining but the subject under discussion was people questioning my assertion that the winter moorings were all sold out on the K&A, hence my comment.

 

I'd happily have purchased a WM but there weren't any, they were all sold. Are you trying to say otherwise?

[kris88]

 

I'd happily have purchased a WM but there weren't any, they were all sold. Are you trying to say otherwise?

Only the 70ft ones where sold out, by the way it does sound like your complaining.

 

Regards kris

[bassplayer]

 

 

I'd happily have purchased a WM but there weren't any, they were all sold. Are you trying to say otherwise?

Well having looked at the CRT maps for official WM's there weren't a lot (in terms of total mooring space) for such a long stretch from Reading up to Devizes.

 

The K&A does sound unique, and if official WM's work there then maybe CRT should make the most out it financially and expand the WM's. As for the rest of the country, it seems it doesn't work very well.

 

Just one question, how many of those mooring up on WM's were official WM's? (as opposed to boaters moving through and only staying for up to 14 days)

[dogless]

We did the K&A in the Spring/Summer of 2013. No problems finding a mooring at all. Then again we weren't fussed about using a board or walking more than 100 yards to the pub...or having no mooring rings...or being on an official VM (whatever that is). It's all part of the fun.

Must be easier in the winter surely?

I would suggest you mean no problem finding somewhere to moor, rather finding a mooring.

 

I would agree with you, and we cut back reeds and grasses, and enjoyed some fantastic mooring spots, as clearly you did too.

 

But it was not what we were accustomed to from our travels elsewhere on the system. Off the top of my head, Devizes and Bath were places we actually found moorings.

 

Rog

 

(Hope you had good weather in 2013....everywhere was flooding in 2012. Struggled to actually leave, waiting for the Kennet and Thames to become passable. )

[bassplayer]

I would suggest you mean no problem finding somewhere to moor, rather finding a mooring.

 

 

Same thing in my mind.

 

Yep, we met a boater who said they couldn't get off due to the floods in 2012. They also said they couldn't get off in 2011 because of no water.

 

Lets hope 2016 is fine, we may be down that way if time permits. Got a wedding to do first! Help Me!

[oarfish]

Macclesfield was of course, 1 day / 3 days with no winter extension. I uncharitably assumed the reasons had little to do with contention and more with the neighbours.