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When the boat is moored in the marina and not on mains, there is a nifty little tab on the blue flap over the bollard socket which lines up with a tab on the socket.  The marina advocates that the flap be locked shut with a little padlock to avoid accidental use by someone  who is not buying the amps. Fine...  But when I leave the hookup lead actually plugged in, say over winter to power a backup heater, there is nothing to stop someone accidentally swapping their lead for mine.  However, I have seen a cable which has a tab on the plug end which matches up to the bollard tab when the cable is plugged in (but mine does not have one!!) which will take a mini-padlock and stop 'accidental' unplugging.  I've looked through Amazing and Fleapay but can't see one - can anyone point me in the direction of an on-line supplier??  cheers, folks.

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locking the flap closed when the socket is not in use is fine, but for safety I would think that locking something in the connected position would be frowned upon.

 

One of the rides we ran was powered by a 16A socket (same as boats & caravans), the socket we plugged into had the option to lock it in the on or off position, we locked it on because we had issues with children getting to it and turning the ride off.

about a week later we were threatened with being thrown off the pitch because our locking the switch was a major safety breach because it prevented the ride being disconnected (ignoring the Trip and switch at our meter inside their building, the trip and switch inside the pay kiosk for the ride or the 8 emergency stop buttons around the ride, emergency stops killed all mains power as soon as the ride was in a safe position (max of 0.75 seconds)

after a lot of explanations and arguments they replaced our socket with an unswitched one that needed a key to release the plug, this apparently was acceptable because they would held a copy of the key in the office, they never did realise the padlock we had used was a generic one used all over the site, that every member of staff (regardless of who they worked for) had a key for.

  • Greenie 1
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4 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Do you really think that such power theft is an issue in your .marina? I've never had such a problem - after all, it has to be a very near neighbour if your boat is moored or someone using your berth whilst you're away.  How likely is either?

It was a big issue at Hull Marina a few years ago on one or two berths and I can remember it coming to near blows at times. 

 

Howard

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6 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Do you really think that such power theft is an issue in your .marina? I've never had such a problem - after all, it has to be a very near neighbour if your boat is moored or someone using your berth whilst you're away.  How likely is either?

Most marina T&Cs reserve the right to utilise your mooring whilst you are away.

 

Whilst we were 'out' for a couple of months several 'visiting boats' (apparently) used our mooring. I had, fortunately, made a note of the credit on our meter when I left.

On our return over £20 had been used, the Marina Office refunded the difference.

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2 minutes ago, howardang said:

It was a big issue at Hull Marina a few years ago on one or two berths and I can remember it coming to near blows at times. 

 

Howard

Not only 'electricity' (in Hull) we were out for about 6 weeks (having left £48 on the 'meter.) we came back late at night in the dark to find a boat on our mooring, locked up and no-one on board.

Radio'd to the lock keeper who suggested we moor up in an available spot and they'd sort it out in the light the next morning.

 

Problem is with a 23 foot beam boat it fits into very few moorings in Hull, and searching in the dark for an empty one was not easy.

Next morning went up to the office to sort it out and found they had 'given' our mooring to another boat as his permanent mooring as they assumed we had left.

Removed the mooring chains and towed the other boat out and into an empty 'slot' and we moved back into our mooring.

The owner was not happy.

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9 hours ago, howardang said:

It was a big issue at Hull Marina a few years ago on one or two berths and I can remember it coming to near blows at times. 

 

Howard

 

8 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Not only 'electricity' (in Hull) we were out for about 6 weeks (having left £48 on the 'meter.) we came back late at night in the dark to find a boat on our mooring, locked up and no-one on board.

Radio'd to the lock keeper who suggested we moor up in an available spot and they'd sort it out in the light the next morning.

 

Problem is with a 23 foot beam boat it fits into very few moorings in Hull, and searching in the dark for an empty one was not easy.

Next morning went up to the office to sort it out and found they had 'given' our mooring to another boat as his permanent mooring as they assumed we had left.

Removed the mooring chains and towed the other boat out and into an empty 'slot' and we moved back into our mooring.

The owner was not happy.

 

Someone else using the berth is common practice in coastal marinas like Hull, I agree, but not so much in inland marinas. Clearly, where this is the case, there's an issue with leaving a "loaded" meter,  whether the visitor finds himself a bonus or the bloke on the next berth knows that's who'll take the blame if he sneaks a bit.

 

However, where your berth always remains unused by visitors (pretty common inland despite the reserved right clause), it's straight up theft by your neighbour who shares the same bollard (mostly that's probably your next door neighbour) as a lead running from further afield would stand out like a sore thumb. Somewhat unlikely, I'd hope. 

 

Anyway, I don't lock mine.  I do take a readings when I arrive and when I leave to keep an eye on consumption so I can ensure there's enough credit for my needs: it's never shown suspicious activity.

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6 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

 

 

Someone else using the berth is common practice in coastal marinas like Hull, I agree, but not so much in inland marinas. Clearly, where this is the case, there's an issue with leaving a "loaded" meter,  whether the visitor finds himself a bonus or the bloke on the next berth knows that's who'll take the blame if he sneaks a bit.

 

However, where your berth always remains unused by visitors (pretty common inland despite the reserved right clause), it's straight up theft by your neighbour who shares the same bollard (mostly that's probably your next door neighbour) as a lead running from further afield would stand out like a sore thumb. Somewhat unlikely, I'd hope. 

 

Anyway, I don't lock mine.  I do take a readings when I arrive and when I leave to keep an eye on consumption so I can ensure there's enough credit for my needs: it's never shown suspicious activity.

 

My Post (#7) was our "Inland" mooring on the river.

My Post (#8) was our 'other' boat and other mooring (coastal)

 

I guess it works both ways as when we decided to stop in Whixhall Marina (Llangollen) for a few days they said "they are away, just moor up over there" and we had both electricity credit and telephone on the mooring,

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5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

My Post (#7) was our "Inland" mooring on the river.

My Post (#8) was our 'other' boat and other mooring (coastal)

 

I guess it works both ways as when we decided to stop in Whixhall Marina (Llangollen) for a few days they said "they are away, just moor up over there" and we had both electricity credit and telephone on the mooring,

I can't speak for river marinas as I've never used one, but from what I've seen on the Severn they may be run pretty similarly to coastal marinas, which I have used.  I'm just posting my own experience from canal marinas which I assume is where the OP is, but that may not be the case of course.  As you point out from your Whixall experience, there is at least some empty berth renting on the canals.  I've not had a berth like that though, and I quite like that this problem is not one I've experienced - I think it comes down to shared berth marinas, doesn't it? And thieves, of course.

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10 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Do you really think that such power theft is an issue in your .marina? I've never had such a problem - after all, it has to be a very near neighbour if your boat is moored or someone using your berth whilst you're away.  How likely is either?

We had an issue with this a few years back when a boat behind ours ran out of electricity on their bollard and instead of going and buying some new cards for it they decided that as we were not there they would use ours instead.

 

Luckily for us some other neighbours photographed this so we were able to contact the marina and get a refund for the power "stolen"

32 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

 

 

Someone else using the berth is common practice in coastal marinas like Hull, I agree, but not so much in inland marinas. Clearly, where this is the case, there's an issue with leaving a "loaded" meter,  whether the visitor finds himself a bonus or the bloke on the next berth knows that's who'll take the blame if he sneaks a bit.

 

However, where your berth always remains unused by visitors (pretty common inland despite the reserved right clause), it's straight up theft by your neighbour who shares the same bollard (mostly that's probably your next door neighbour) as a lead running from further afield would stand out like a sore thumb. Somewhat unlikely, I'd hope. 

 

Anyway, I don't lock mine.  I do take a readings when I arrive and when I leave to keep an eye on consumption so I can ensure there's enough credit for my needs: it's never shown suspicious activity.

Ours is an inland marina and our T&C's do state that the marina can use our berth as a visitors berth if they choose.

 

Don't think it is that uncommon a clause.

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It all depends on your take on risk? Not only are some people worried about a few amps being nicked there are many worried about all manner of other thefts. I see plenty of narrow boats and others with bloomin great padlocks on their fuel caps. I bought one boat with big locks on the cruiser stern deck covers as the owner worried about his batteries. the list is endless. I have never had such a problem with any of these matters. Oh and I removed the great locks from the boat I had with locked decks as they were a dangerous trip hazard!! I have often wondered over the years why some people worry unduly over some matters unless of course ..............................

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11 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

I have often wondered over the years why some people worry unduly over some matters unless of course ..............................

A couple of years ago we were out for a few weeks cruising (T&M) with another boat.

We moored up one evening and the next morning, on dipping his tank, he said I've lost a load of diesel, there was no 'rainbow' following us and no fuel slopping about in the bilges - but having only done a couple of days since refuelling it 'wernt right'.

 

We had a padlock on our filler, he didn't. 

His diesel was unaccountably 'low', ours wasn't.

What conclusions can we suggest ?

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

A couple of years ago we were out for a few weeks cruising (T&M) with another boat.

We moored up one evening and the next morning, on dipping his tank, he said I've lost a load of diesel, there was no 'rainbow' following us and no fuel slopping about in the bilges - but having only done a couple of days since refuelling it 'wernt right'.

 

We had a padlock on our filler, he didn't. 

His diesel was unaccountably 'low', ours wasn't.

What conclusions can we suggest ?

I reckon it was nicked Alan ? The thing is how many boats didnt have any nicked that day in the UK?  I am not saying it doesnt happen just that some people worry about things throughout life more than others. I reckon someone was probably killed or seriously injured on the road yesterday but the other millions were not :D

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We spent a few nights in the Engine Arm a few years ago and were 'invited' other moorers there to use an unoccupied berth, the true owner being trapped on the wrong side of some flooding. There was some electric on the adjacent pillar and we plugged in and added to the amount shown by putting our own card in. When we left there was more on the pillar than when we arrived. Didn't stop us getting a phone call from BW claiming we had stolen someone's electricity, presumably reported by someone else on the moorings. I make things worse she claimed we weren't licenced and insisted on visiting us to confirm we were. 

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

A couple of years ago we were out for a few weeks cruising (T&M) with another boat.

We moored up one evening and the next morning, on dipping his tank, he said I've lost a load of diesel, there was no 'rainbow' following us and no fuel slopping about in the bilges - but having only done a couple of days since refuelling it 'wernt right'.

 

We had a padlock on our filler, he didn't. 

His diesel was unaccountably 'low', ours wasn't.

What conclusions can we suggest ?

His engine suddenly became very uneconomical 

Edited by Naughty Cal
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A few years ago when our batteries were getting really really tired we took a mooring for 24 hours in Yelvertoft marina. We said that we needed shore power and the reason. That's okay they said, we'll take a reading before and after. Which they did. Nice.

 

We were shore power for over 24 hours, charging the batteries, running the immersion heater and all sorts. The bill for the electric wasn't worth worrying bout. It was pence. 

 

So, what I'm saying is, if someone is mean enough to 'steel' your power in your absence then shame on them. I know principles are involved but hey! it's not the end of the world is it.

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Our mooring has been used a few times whilst we are out cruising but we have the ability to remove credit from our meter back on to our card so I always do this when going out for more than a weekend. We have returned from a holiday in the past to find credit on the meter even though we left it with no credit so a bonus for us.

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6 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

We had an issue with this a few years back when a boat behind ours ran out of electricity on their bollard and instead of going and buying some new cards for it they decided that as we were not there they would use ours instead.

 

Luckily for us some other neighbours photographed this so we were able to contact the marina and get a refund for the power "stolen"

Ours is an inland marina and our T&C's do state that the marina can use our berth as a visitors berth if they choose.

 

Don't think it is that uncommon a clause.

Well I did say "However, where your berth always remains unused by visitors (pretty common inland despite the reserved right clause)...",  didn't I.  When you say you're in an inland marina, it's hardly one that's representative of a typical inland marina if your own boat is moored there, is it.  Wherever you are, your boat isn't a typical "canal boat" and your experiences have much more in common with the coastal, estuary or tidal river user than the typical inland canal boat owner. That distinction is important here, because I quite understand the problem in a marine-type marina, but I don't think it's a widespread issue in a typical narrowboat environment.

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Thanks for all the responses, guys.  Just to clarify, this is a nb inland/canal mooring.  The marina suggests locking the bollard flap shut when out cruising and also highlighted the use of a locking cable on the mains hookup (although I take the point about Elf and Safety/inability to disconnect in an emergency - when I get this sorted I will leave a key with the office). 

 

We always left shore mains connected at our last marina - no lock and never had any problems although it was one bollard/socket per berth.  Following a marina move, there appear to be more boats than bollards/outlets and some boats are even connected to the bollard where they used to moor - all a bit confusing.  I started off leaving shore power connected to our allocated outlet and kept coming back to a disconnected lead/neighbouring boat connected (non-residential moorings so little personal contact) .  Not a major issue over the summer - I' not that precious over a few units - but I want to leave mains available over winter with a low power heater tube/thermostatic switch set up.  I don't want someone disconnecting just before the next hard frost and I'm a full day journey away so cant't just pop in to check things out.

 

Thanks for the link Alan #3 - that looks like just the plug.  Whilst I'm happy to wire up such a plug myself (not!) I'd be happier with a full cable, even if it is quite short - the boat/boat input is close to the shore bollard.

 

Cheers, guys

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In the UK you can't be charged over the cost of supply, so unless someone is powering his or her hydroponic cultivation you're unlikely to lose more than the cost of a fancy mains connector. In France electricity is usually included in the mooring fee. In Belgium, marinas commonly charge an arm and a leg for electricity and water (a € per kWh or less than 100 L typical) so, unless it's a coin in the slot, might just be worth taking precautions.

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On 31/10/2018 at 18:18, Opener said:

When the boat is moored in the marina and not on mains, there is a nifty little tab on the blue flap over the bollard socket which lines up with a tab on the socket.  The marina advocates that the flap be locked shut with a little padlock to avoid accidental use by someone  who is not buying the amps. 

You mean the blue plastic flap over the blue plastic socket? Yeah, the one I'm connected to has those - it even has a padlock attached to the tab on the socket, though there isn't a tab on the flap...

 

I'm guessing somebody accidentally broke it - as I commented to the marina manager when I plugged in, I'm not convinced just how much security such a padlock adds on plastic against somebody accident prone.

 

(in case anybody suggests I'm a bit accident prone, whilst it's not strictly my bollard there's a widebeam on the other socket so won't ever be a boat there while the wb is there, the meter on my bollard doesn't work and it's the next nearest socket - oh and it was like that when I arrived and there was no credit on the meter)

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I'm only a very occasional user of electric, when on my mooring in winter, and haven't got a dedicated socket, so I made up a cable splitter so I can share my neighbour Steve's supply.  How do I pay?  When I see him in the pub I buy him a pint of electricity!

But it has just occurred to me - are there any safety / galvanic considerations in two boats sharing a supply?

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