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Post by kris on Aug 22, 2016 10:17:15 GMT
Now that a few of our more fractious members are away for a few days. I'd like to ask a sincere question. How does everybody feel about the future of the waterways? Me personally I feel somewhat worried about the future of living aboard a boat. To discuss this kind of issue is the reason I participate in forums such as this. So looking forward to good discussion.
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Post by Delta9 on Aug 22, 2016 10:32:59 GMT
I foresee increasing regulation and cost until it becomes a pain in the arse and too expensive to live aboard for people like me.
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Post by peterboat on Aug 22, 2016 10:44:31 GMT
I have seen loads of constant moorers these last few weeks and I can tell you they know the noose is tightning. They are getting emails about their cruising patterns being not good enough. As usual they complain rather than do something about the problem. These arnt your normal sort they have money some have moorings in shit places but on the whole they want to cherry pick the best spots [shops, water, sunny, toilet emptying etc] and dont care if genuine cruisers cant moor!! I watched a heated exchange the other day and surprise surprise the CMr was adrift in the morning did make me smile especially as someone had moored in his space. Their is lots more to this story but we have all seen it heard it before. I if I am honest dont have anymore problems than I did 12 years ago when I started boating
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2016 11:11:01 GMT
I have seen loads of constant moorers these last few weeks and I can tell you they know the noose is tightning. They are getting emails about their cruising patterns being not good enough. As usual they complain rather than do something about the problem. These arnt your normal sort they have money some have moorings in shit places but on the whole they want to cherry pick the best spots [shops, water, sunny, toilet emptying etc] and dont care if genuine cruisers cant moor!! I watched a heated exchange the other day and surprise surprise the CMr was adrift in the morning did make me smile especially as someone had moored in his space. Their is lots more to this story but we have all seen it heard it before. I if I am honest dont have anymore problems than I did 12 years ago when I started boating I suspect it will end up in a few test court cases. If the law is not the ass some portray, those directing CRT will then get exposed for making up rules, harassing and charging boaters where there is no legal basis for it. The only way I can see things improving is to run the system more like a voluntary organisation rather than a financially obsessed corporation. The canals were restored by volunteers and shold be run predominately by volunteers. I'm sure heath and safety and bean counting are just excuses to run it as a business sometimes. Mind you, whether we will find enough volunteers in this day and age, who knows?
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Post by loafer on Aug 22, 2016 11:11:21 GMT
It seems ok to me at the moment. I'm not getting any hassle from CRT at all!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2016 11:32:42 GMT
It seems ok to me at the moment. I'm not getting any hassle from CRT at all! Yes, that's the nature of the beast. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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Post by JohnV on Aug 22, 2016 11:35:30 GMT
I am rather out of touch as I have not been able to cruise widely for a few years. I did notice there was quite a few boats with notices glued to them on the Ouse. (obviously they were having a purge)
On the other hand there were also a heck of a lot what can only be described as total wrecks moored up along the smaller rivers. (and I mean wrecks, some sunken, many open to the elements and judging by the reeds growing around them, or sometimes in them, there for a long time)
There was also an inconsiderate bastard moored across the waterpoint opposite the Swan on the water with no one onboard for the night (with plenty of room elsewhere) and another one moored and locked up across the waterpoint at Prickwillow (when there was a totally empty mooring just the other side of the bridge and room to move up a bit.)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2016 11:43:05 GMT
I am rather out of touch as I have not been able to cruise widely for a few years. I did notice there was quite a few boats with notices glued to them on the Ouse. (obviously they were having a purge) On the other hand there were also a heck of a lot what can only be described as total wrecks moored up along the smaller rivers. (and I mean wrecks, some sunken, many open to the elements and judging by the reeds growing around them, or sometimes in them, there for a long time) There was also an inconsiderate bastard moored across the waterpoint opposite the Swan on the water with no one onboard for the night (with plenty of room elsewhere) and another one moored and locked up across the waterpoint at Prickwillow (when there was a totally empty mooring just the other side of the bridge and room to move up a bit.) Yes, some people don't help our cause.
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Post by Clinton Cool on Aug 22, 2016 13:30:06 GMT
I'm a bit concerned that the cost of licences will soar. Government funding is stopping soon I believe, and the network certainly isn't going to get cheaper to maintain. How many boats would be left on the system if the licence fee say, doubled? On the other hand, if there's no government funding and all the costs are paid by boaters there's a case for all works to be exclusively for the benefit of boaters. No more 'cycle friendly' spending, for example.
I suspect that the upshot will be that the government will feel forced to contribute for what is after all a national asset, available for use by all.
As regards enforcement I can see the noose tightening further. This may deter some but I suspect most, as they already do, compromise their movements so that their lifestyle isn't too badly affected, whilst doing a little more than the minimum expected.
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Post by Telemachus on Aug 22, 2016 13:49:35 GMT
On the enforcement thing, as far as I can tell the only people who have a problem / likely to have more of a problem in the future, are those who want to live on a boat but not actually boat much, and need to stay in one smallish area due to school, jobs etc. but don't want to get a mooring (or can't). I'm not sure what percentage of total boats these ones represent, but I think it will be a very small nmuber compared to the hordes of boats in marinas etc.
So if that is the slant of the OP, perhaps it would have been better phrased as "the future of live-aboard CCers with kids or a job". For them, I can see the continuing pressure to comply with the rules being maintained or increased. Especially with the problems in London being rather under the government's nose. If there are successful court cases to challenge CRT's interpretations of the rules such that London becomes even more of a free-for-all I can see that leading to new legislation. So be careful what you wish for!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2016 14:02:02 GMT
On the enforcement thing, as far as I can tell the only people who have a problem / likely to have more of a problem in the future, are those who want to live on a boat but not actually boat much, and need to stay in one smallish area due to school, jobs etc. but don't want to get a mooring (or can't). I'm not sure what percentage of total boats these ones represent, but I think it will be a very small nmuber compared to the hordes of boats in marinas etc. So if that is the slant of the OP, perhaps it would have been better phrased as "the future of live-aboard CCers with kids or a job". For them, I can see the continuing pressure to comply with the rules being maintained or increased. Especially with the problems in London being rather under the government's nose. If there are successful court cases to challenge CRT's interpretations of the rules such that London becomes even more of a free-for-all I can see that leading to new legislation. So be careful what you wish for! How do you feel about people wanting to bring up a family on a boat?
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Post by Stumpy on Aug 22, 2016 14:11:27 GMT
On the enforcement thing, as far as I can tell the only people who have a problem / likely to have more of a problem in the future, are those who want to live on a boat but not actually boat much, and need to stay in one smallish area due to school, jobs etc. but don't want to get a mooring (or can't). I'm not sure what percentage of total boats these ones represent, but I think it will be a very small nmuber compared to the hordes of boats in marinas etc. So if that is the slant of the OP, perhaps it would have been better phrased as "the future of live-aboard CCers with kids or a job". For them, I can see the continuing pressure to comply with the rules being maintained or increased. Especially with the problems in London being rather under the government's nose. If there are successful court cases to challenge CRT's interpretations of the rules such that London becomes even more of a free-for-all I can see that leading to new legislation. So be careful what you wish for! Like MtB?
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Post by naughtyfox on Aug 22, 2016 14:15:37 GMT
How do you feel about people wanting to bring up a family on a boat? I'd prefer that to a drunk bringing up his lunch on my bus thank you. (I think you can get whole families from 'Family Butchers') Vegetarians look away NOW! (Oops, too late!)
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Post by kris on Aug 22, 2016 14:38:14 GMT
I foresee increasing regulation and cost until it becomes a pain in the arse and too expensive to live aboard for people like me. This is the future that I see happening before my own eyes. The only solution I can see, involves boaters taking more of an active role In the running of the waterways. But I don't know how realistic that is?i don't think it could be run totally by volunteers but a slimed down canal enthusiast staff with minimal management.
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Post by JohnV on Aug 22, 2016 14:39:35 GMT
How do you feel about people wanting to bring up a family on a boat? I can't answer for Telemachus but as far as I am concerned ..... it depends what you mean. Do I think that bringing up children while living on a boat on a liveaboard mooring is a practical option? yes ......... certainlyDo I think that bringing up children on a boat is incompatible with continuous cruising ? yes ........... unless you are capable of home educating to an acceptable standard and can support yourself and your family without a fixed baseDo I think that if you can comply with the ability to educate adequately and keep within the limits of CRT requirements it can be good for the children? yes ........... I know of two families who home educated and brought up their children while living on boats (one, on inland waters, the other saltwater, during a 4 year round the world trip)
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