THE FLOATER February 2016 Page 1 INSIDE:

● Broads Authority make concessions - Page two Issue 5 February 2016 The only paper for boaters produced by boaters ● Two thirds of winter moorings empty - Page three Flood plan ● Batteries - are you doing it wrong - Page threat to four boat homes

ORE boat homes may Mnow be at risk – if one version of a new flood prevention scheme for Oxford goes ahead – and it looks as if the Environment Agency proposers of the scheme were not ini- tially aware that the 24 boat homes would be hit. The boats, which are moored on long-standing riverside moorings on Weirs Mill Stream in the Notice of the consultation posted on a fence on city, have become the Weirs Mill Stream potential victims of one and many other birds ties, the oldest in their part of a multi-million which would inevitably be eighties. pound flood relief scheme. affected, they argue. They have had one early Tim Wiseman, of the Weirs The group are also con- victory. In the first plans Orchard Moorings cerned that residents are the boat homes were not Residents' Association, already suffering 'planning indicated on the EA plans which represents 17 of the blight'. but that is now being recti- 24 boats moored on the “Our boats and mooring fied - albeit with a line of stream, said “Recent Residents of Weirs Mill Stream are trying to persuade the Environment rights are purchased as a dots. flooding has badly hit local Agency to pick a flood scheme that doesn’t remove their boat homes. package and are sold Tim added: “It is the homes and businesses together. As a result, sales unique nature of the envi- progress these instead. number of options to flowing across Iffley and it is clear that Oxford will be harder to make and ronment here that adds “It is important that the each, to develop much- Meadows from the main needs a new scheme to values will fall. For many, much to this community Environment Agency, city needed flood protection to river into the Weirs Mill help protect homes, busi- this represents our entire and we would be shat- and county council con- protect Oxford. Stream in order to enable ness and infrastructure. life-savings which are at tered if we were to see it sider the enormous human The the three options for greater discharge across “However, of the three risk,” said Tim Wiseman. reduced to a bleak artificial impact and environmental this Weirs Mill Stream are the area. options presented, one is Neither the second or third landscape. The area is not damage this option will cutting widening and The Environment Agency extremely concerning as it options have any direct only enjoyed by ourselves, have, together with addi- straightening the Weirs Mill claims each would be potentially leaves some impact on any other local our friends and family, but tional cost to the public Stream to enable faster equally effective, based on homeless and would shat- properties. the many other river users purse.” flow onto the flood plain; hydrological modelling but ter our community and the Weirs Orchard Moorings such as anglers and The formal public consul- or building additional the first would mean the unique natural environ- are long-established, canoeists, not forgetting tation on the Oxford Flood physical protection to the loss of permanent residen- ment here. private moorings located the residents of those Alleviation Scheme Abingdon Road area and tial moorings at Weirs "The alternative options on a back-stream which houses on Canning opened, for six weeks, in constructing new culverts Orchard which the will bring the same flood runs from Longbridges on Crescent whose gardens mid January. It sets out to enable faster flow onto boaters say represents a protection for the local the main river, down under come down to the river on seven areas of works the flood plain; or con- loss of scant affordable area, without this impact. Donnington Bridge, the opposite side. across the city with a structing a new channel housing and environmen- We urge the authorities to beyond the southern “We don't want to be tally-friendly living, At the bypass and then re-joining adversarial with the EA or very least it will bring the Thames downstream local authorities, but we about the displacement of of Iffley Lock. need them to see the 17 boats for up to six The moorings, owned by impacts of this option. months during construc- Mr John Burbank and his "I hope readers of The tion, and loss of around family, date back to the Floater will support us by 5m of bank, effectively 1960s and have been emailing removing all of boaters' granted a Certificate of oxfordscheme@environ- gardens and storage. Lawful Use. ment-agency.gov.uk and The boaters say the first The boats are home to urge them to protect pre- option would mean more than 30 people cious residential destruction of a mature (including visiting children), moorings." orchard, the removal of an including professional area of mature natural tradesmen and women, Inside: latest on broadleaf woodland, and journalist, artists, actor, turning a natural channel the battle of musicians, a local GP, a into a wide, straight canal. psychologist, other NHS Thorpe Island in The area is home to a and healthcare profes- Norwich were diverse ecology, including sions, and those in the IT otters, hedgehogs, slow- more boat homes or charitable sectors. The Some of the moorings on the Weirs Mill stream worms, kingfishers, owls youngest are in their twen- are threatended THE FLOATER Talks start after boaters take on fight for homes February 2016 Page 2 Broads Authority offer concessions to battling boaters

By Peter and social media campaign Underwood with thousands signing an online petition and others contributing to an online crowd-funding initiative to he battle to save pay for legal challenges, boat homes in have directed their fire at TNorwich, where the key officials within the Broads Authority were Broads Authority. threatening 41 boaters Rhetoric with eviction just before They defend the tactic, say- Christmas seems to be ing it has brought the taking a more conciliato- Authority to the table but ry route as the planners now say it is time to ' sus- found themselves faced pend the rhetoric and con- with determined and very centrate on the job in hand.' vocal opposition. Gary says he is 'cautiously The boaters living at the optimistic'. western end of Thorpe That optimism is reinforced Island, known as Jenner’s by the fact that planning Basin, had been threatened and development consult- with criminal proceedings if ants, Lanpro, have written to they did not comply with an The Broads Authority about injunction. This was despite Above and below: Boats on Thorpe Island in Jenner's Basin. In a letter liveaboards being present Norwich. dated 19th January 2016, Lanpro challenge The action.” Broads Authority version of Both parties have agreed to on this stretch of the River to further negotiations, were 'the facts' and confirm the consider appointing an inde- Yare since at least 1922 and open to the proposal to sus- boaters' view that the moor- pendent planner to come up the landowner having both a pend enforcement for a fur- ings have full legal standing. with a design for the basin. Covenant and full planning ther six months following a permission for residential meeting of the authority’s Alternative Cambridge Eviction moorings. John Packman, the Broads memebers in March. Meanwhile an attempt by Authority’s chief executive, Meeting Amicable Cambridge City Council to is quoted by the local At a meeting in the last Gary Barnes who attended forcibly evict Marinus evening newspaper saying: week of January between the meeting on behalf of the Venema and his wife from “There is an alternative way representatives of Thorpe boaters said: “The discus- their boat Moonbeam forward and that is to sub- Island and The Broads sion was amicable and we Shadow on Stourbridge mit a planning application. Authority, the Authority were in agreement about the Common and make them “An inspector did say it backed down on earlier need to work together to homeless, has fizzled out. would be suitable for 25 threats and confirmed that find a solution to the situa- With the assistance of boats. Is there a way of no action is planned, nor do tion at Jenner's Basin that other boaters the boat using your resources to they expect any action to be meets the hopes and was carefully moved a few develop a plan which we forthcoming against the expectations of all parties hundred yards and could share with the plan- moorings the other end of involved.“I am very confi- moored on land not con- ning authority?” Thorpe Island, an area dent that there is a willing- trolled by the City Council, called River Green. Gary Barnes told the meet- ness on all sides to work ing: “In order to do that we although he has posted They also do not anticipate together in the best interests recently on his Facebook taking any immediate would need some time. I of all concerned.”The cam- think it would be a good that he is now in conflict enforcement action at paigners, who have mount- gesture from the authority to with the River Jenner's Basin and, subject ed a highly effective media suspend any enforcement CamConservancy The Non transferable boat licences - but it Floater Written designed and published by News Afloat - a unique boat-based seems no-one told brokers selling boats publisher travelling on the British inland waterways. ome more of the informed of change of ownership of Check out The Floater unforeseen conse- boats – they are relying on people website at: Squences of Canal & being honest, and some, especially in www.TheFloater.org River Trust's changes to its private sales will just decide not to say The Editor is Peter terms and conditions in anything.” Underwood and all con- He is also puzzled by the charge for the Spring of 2015 are tributions, suggestions refunding a licence which, at £30, is and questions should be coming home to roost. even more than charged by the DVLA One of the changes, amongst for a vehicle licence. directed to him at: others designed to crack down The information about the change is [email protected] or on continuously cruising boats, buried on the C&RT website where [email protected] is that licences are no longer new owners are advised to check that m transferable with a boat. the previous owner has let the Trust The Floater is published Unfortunately it seems that know of the sale. “You can do this by at least once a month in nobody at C&RT made an effort using our online system to register .pdf format as well as on to tell boat brokers, who fre- yourself as the new keeper of the quently advertise a boat with a the Issuu platform and a boat, and update your contact web version on the web- licence valid for a further number details.” of months. David added: “We are not alone in not site at It was brought home to Norbury being aware of this. We have spoken www.TheFloater.org Wharf Ltd, a boatyard business to a number of other brokers and Like The Floater selling lots of vessels on the many of them didn't know about this Facebook Page here Shropshire Union Canal, when change. It would have been helpful if https://www.facebook.co the previous owner of a boat C&RT could have made brokers aware m/TheFloater/ they had sold came back to David Ray, Manager at Norbury Wharf Ltd of this change.” Join The Floater them to tell them he had been ownership, the original owner has had stands the boat as licensed. He will And it seems that C&RT is not above offered a refund on the licence by Facebook Group here: a letter to say they will get a license now have to shell out for a new making even more than £30 from the https://www.facebook.co C&RT. process with at least one case report- refund. licence which he originally understood m/groups/921938364522 Manager David Ray said: “This has “The boat still has both license disks, to be included in the sale. ed where the previous owner had his just arisen as we have sold a boat which apparently they don’t need to “I have to conclude this will lead to an licence terminated at the end of the 405/ advertised with a 12 month license. have returned for a license to be can- increase in the number of boats that month and the new owner had to pay Follow @TheFloater on After I notified CRT of the transfer of celled, but the new owner under- are unlicensed as C&RT won’t be from the start of the same month. Twitter THE FLOATER February 2016 Page 3 Two thirds of Volunteers’corner winter mooring Buckingham society sites stay empty wins C&RT shield

iles of empty winter moor- Winter moorings sold 2015-2016 Mings, some of them in the most Metres Total peculiar places, have Total % metres led lots of boaters to sold in metres Price band permits available question the success this price available of Canal & River sold purchased Trust's winter mooring band in band strategy. Some pessimists have been led to predict that £6.50 149 2159 5985 36% the countrywide reversion of all visitor moorings to 14 days over winter would £10.00 126 1814 8206 22% BCS volunteer leader, Athina Beckett, (second from be a casualty in the com- right) receiving the Volunteer Organisation Recognition ing year as the Trust links Award from the Canal and River Trust’s (L-R) Miriam the low take up with better Linforth, John Highmore and Lee King. availabilty of 14-day spots. £13.50 182 2526 6063 42% Despite that the Trust The Buckingham Canal Society (BCS) has won the seems to be upbeat about Canal and River Trust South East Region ‘Volunteer figures that show their Organisation Recognition Award’ for 2015. winter moorings were BCS has been hailed for its ‘outstanding contribution to around two thirds empty volunteering within the South East Waterways regions’ across the UK – much with particular recognition for its high output levels, emptier outside London ambitious restoration projects and successful range of and the western end of the achievements within a Community Adoption Agreement Kennet and Avon. at Cosgrove. The figures released show The Award includes a certificate and a shield, which the that a total of 437 boats society will keep for a year. bought a winter mooring Athina Beckett on behalf of the Society said: “This permit, when there was award is for all members and friends of the Society space available for 1,350 who have helped us achieve this award over the past 15 metre vessels. year. I feel everyone in the Society should be congratu- In total the 182 boaters lated and should share my excitement that all our who bought £13.50 winter efforts have been recognised by the Canal and River moorings booked 505 Trust.” months, an average of just The Buckingham Canal Society runs regular practical under three months each. ings – but it could have them along with 21 on the being able to revert to the task work parties on alternate Thursdays and on the On the basis of an average been £600,000 and more if Kennet & Avon. default 14-day mooring on second Sunday of each month and always welcome 15 metre boat this earned the total lengths available In total, according to visitor moorings from new volunteers. For more information visit www.buck- C&RT £102,262. had been occupied. C&RT figures, just 33 per November till the end of inghamcanal.org.uk or email information@buckingham- The 126 boaters who In the most expensive cent of the available winter March the take-up has canal.org.uk. bought £10 a metre winter price band - £13.50 per moorings were actually been predictably low. moorings also spent just metre per month – none bought by boaters. If the 14-day provision under three of the four were sold in the East Most boaters would also remains in place next win- Boating by trailer available months on those Midlands, South Wales say they overpriced them- ter – and it is part of pub- moorings and C&RT and Severn or North East, selves and formerly popu- lished C&RT policy – then earned £53,400. one in the West Midlands, lar sites, such as the Trust may well need to The cheapest, £6.50, win- just two in Central Shires, Cambrian Wharf in central both reduce the number of ter moorings attracted 149 three in Manchester and Birmingham have been vir- winter mooring sites, moorers again with an Pennine region. In the tually empty all winter as especially in more remote average stay of around North West 11 were sold boaters shunned the spots and cut price sub- three months bringing in and 14 in North Wales and £13.50 per metre per stantially to earn more £44,460 for the Trust. Borders. month cost of staying from winter moorings. A total of just over All London's winter moor- there. Demand is low and supply £200,000 in income from ings were prices at £13.50 Combined with the posi- is high, especially outside boaters for winter moor- and C&RT sold 112 of tive impact of boaters London. What a lot of work!

he Waterways Recovery Group is anxious about Twhether we are sticking Colin Ogden, a Lancaster Canal boater has been mak- to those New Year resolutions? ing waves of publicity on the Northern Reaches of the Naturally enough they reckon getting Lancaster Canal. outdoors and dirty on a WRG Canal The stretch from Tewitfield to Kendal was hacked into Camp is still the best way to kick start your fitness campaign, learn sections when the M6 was built in the 1960s and has new skills and make new friends. yet to be restored. This year WRG will run 35 canal Colin is now taking his Lakes motor launch Whimbrel up to Kendal canal head, following most of the in-filled camps at 16 different sites providing Last’s year’s BCN cleanup collected rather a lot. places for up to 580 volunteers to section from Stainton. She will, of course, be on the help restore some of the country’s lock and a 275m pound below the a return to an area not visited for trailer and travelling overload along the course of the neglected waterways. lock - in time for IWA’s Trailboat many years. cut. These are the Spring batch of Festival in May. Learn to blocklay on Based at Ocker Hill on the Walsall The unique journey is planned for Sunday June 19. camps, which can now be booked: this canal camp. Canal the teams of Volunteers will The following Sunday there is a national dinghy rally on 13th-20th February Chelmer & 2nd-9th April Uttoxeter Canal clean the lower Walsall, Tame Valley the Holme section, which was last held in 1975. Blackwater Navigation (Staffordshire) and 9th-16th April Canals and Ryders Green Locks.Day Colin says: “These events are aimed at raising the (Essex)Winter warming activities to Uttoxeter Canal (Staffordshire)Help Volunteers can sign on at Ocker Hill plight of this beautiful and badly neglected section of help maintain this beautiful waterway repair a historic canal bridge back to Depot from 10am, or at the the northern reaches. including vegetation clearance and its former glory. The work needs to Malthouse Stables in Tipton at 9am, towpath improvement work. be completed by May 2016 or the where you will be transported to “We have already made headlines in a local paper,and I Accommodation (and beds!) on the project will lose its HLF funding - so Ocker Hill.Safety foot wear should did a Live radio broadcast from the boat on BBC radio Haybay Barge. the Uttoxeter Canal needs your help be worn as well as water proof Cumbria. 25th March-2nd April Chesterfield now. clothing. Bring your lunch if you do Canal (Derbyshire)The race is on to Meanwhile, on the Birmingham not with to purchase the lunch pro- If you have any news that might interest a boating complete the redevelopment of the Canal navigations, this years BCN vided by Waterway Recovery Group. man email the details to [email protected] canal at Staveley – including a new clean up on April 16 and 17, will see THE FLOATER A look at what C&RT is doing across the canal system February 2016 Page 4 Shorter times Military Volunteers veterans in Liverpool to work aid towpath docks ‘better with C&RT repair work for boaters’ he UK’s canals and military veterans he Trust is praising boaters can now cruise straight are getting ‘Herculean’ effort to the end of the Leeds & T itself over it's deci- from volunteers £500,000 from People’s sion to change the Liverpool Canal at the Eldonian has helped to T Postcode Lottery’s A way boaters access Village without needing to book reopen the first stretches ‘Dream Fund’ for a Liverpool's docks – a passage from Aintree. This of flood damaged tow- means that during popular ‘Heritage Heroes’ although carefully avoid- path along the Rochdale times boaters have the alterna- project. ing the fact that it has Canal according to the tive of mooring on the main line Canal & River Trust and slashed the time boaters Canal & River Trust's of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Help for Heroes have come can spend there from two press office. to access the city centre . together for the first time There are 45 Liverpool It says volunteers supported weeks to one. with a plan to change the It claims more boaters are set Waterfront visitor berths avail- by staff from Canal & River lives of ex-servicemen and able in Salthouse Docks, and Trust have been out in all to enjoy the delights of they were rarely fully booked women through a pro- weather and have moved over Liverpool in the Leeds & before the changes but C&RT gramme of canal restora- 200 tonnes of stone and other Liverpool Canal’s bicentenary says the new system 'will mean tion, transforming water- materials – the weight of 15 year, thanks to the new Volunteers at work on the Rochdale’s towpath. many more boaters will be able ways across England in the double decker buses – to fill arrangements it’s introduced. the week local residents will There is also considerable to enjoy the city'. holes and long scours that The new procedures mean that process. once again be able to use the work to do on the canal Steve Bergquist, customer were left by flood waters up to six boats can travel each The project will train ex-ser- towpath all the way from between Hebden Bridge and operations manager with the along the popular towpath way along the Pier Head Canal vicemen or women to Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Todmorden where the flooded Canal & River Trust, claimed: through Sowerby Bridge, Link every day except achieve an accredited quali- Bridge. River Calder washed away an Tuesdays. This gives boaters “This new arrangement is a Hebden Bridge and fication as they recruit vol- Jon Stopp, a lead volunteer entire stretch of canal bank huge step forward.” Todmorden. more flexibility over arrival and with the Canal & River Trust, and where hundreds of tonnes Assistance from Liverpool’s unteers to help transform It does not mention when the departure days into Salthouse said: “The response from the of soil, trees and debris slid cheery volunteer lock keepers is the waterways. canal will be open again for Dock, compared with the old community has been fantastic. down the side of the hill and still available when travelling It is claimed 200,000 local boats, especially with the system which had designated The canal is such an impor- blocked the canal. down the Stanley Lock flight. people will be involved Leeds and Liverpool Canal ‘in’ and ‘out’ days. tant part of life around here The Trust has also launched Lee Cox is a volunteer team celebrating it's 200th anniver- The new Liverpool Canal Link through events, walks, edu- and getting the towpaths back an appeal to help rebuild leader. sary this year and many booking process, cutting back cation programmes and open is really important. canals. He started volunteering four boaters trying to plan circular on the time allowed, has been other activities. “So far volunteers on the David Baldacchino, waterway years ago and has even got his routes taking in the Aire and trialled since August 2015 and Clara Govier, head of chari- Rochdale Canal have con- manager for the Canal & River was C&RT says it has been stepson Mark McCumsekey Calder and the Rochdale ties at People’s Postcode tributed over 120 days-worth Trust said; “The Boxing Day involved, both pictured below. canals. 'voted a winner by boaters of hard work since the floods floods were the worst we’ve Mark said: “There are loads of Lottery, said: “The ‘Dream When asked, 'What about using the new service', wreaked havoc. Their work ever seen on our waterways letters from boaters comple- Fund’ gives organisations boats, can you give an esti- although it doesn’t provide any- fixing and repairing towpaths and have caused major dam- menting us and saying how the opportunity to work on mate of when the canals will thing to back this up. and clearing thick mud has age on both the Rochdale much they appreciate our help.” projects that they could only be navigable again?’ C&RT One of the undoubted advan- been Herculean. And it’s not Canal and Calder & Hebble said: “As you can imagine, it tages of the new system is that dream. Heritage Heroes will just been residents. We’ve Navigation. The waters was a scene of devastation up make such a difference to even had volunteers from the destroyed homes and busi- on the Rochdale and Calder & the lives of so many.” local branch of Lloyds and nesses, damaged historic Hebble. The team has been Richard Parry, chief execu- Halifax out helping.” canals and washed away beavering away ever since tive at Canal & River Trust, The work on the towpath of much loved stretches of tow- Boxing Day. More details to the Rochdale Canal continues. path. said: “Working with veter- follow in due course.” In the next week, the Trust “The Trust’s appeal will help ans who have done so But the towpath work is rac- hopes that work in and around rebuild and reopen historic much to serve their nation, ing ahead. In the past week a Todmorden will mean that the waterways helping waterside and with local volunteer mile and a half stretch of tow- canal towpath is once again communities, where life has path between locks 7 and 10 groups, we will be restoring open from there all the way to been turned upside down, to has been reopened and it is and renewing canals for the Manchester. recover.” expected that by the end of people and communities around them. “The project will teach the Boating Basics - this month - better battery connections ex-servicemen skills in land- based management and Taken from an article in Norbury News and research by Smart Guage Electronics construction. Inspiring and working with voluntee as they will be rebuilding locks, Have you got it wrong all along? restoring canal-side hedgerows, making repairs ost boaters will dence but, put simply, the ing with the first battery get- tive or the negative, whichev- side – and even the gurus to canal heritage and get- Mcomplain when their connections and cables ting much more than the rest er is easiest. admit that the gain in effi- ting thousands of local peo- batteries begin to falter between batteries drain some of the bank. According to Smart Guage ciency is only worth it if you ple to connect with their and fail much earlier power, whether it is going in Further research shows that this gives a much better bal- have very expensive batteries local waterway.” than they would have to the battery bank or being it is not necessarily the first ance with the first and last or eight or more in a bank. Susan Turnbull, head of taken out. battery working harder that batteries in the bank provid- There is another 'perfect' way career recovery at Help for hoped. Well, it seems In theory, if you are drawing fails as the others take up ing 26.7 amps out of 100 which first links the batteries that spending a bit more 100amps from a bank of four more of the load as it weak- amps and the ones in the in pairs with each pair then Heroes, said: “Leaving the in connecting the battery batteries, 25 amps should be ens, but the end result is a middle 23.2 amps. wired together. military and finding a new bank up in the right way coming from each but the battery bank going for recy- Better but not perfect. The last two may be a bit direction can be daunting could do a lot to improve research shows that simply cling much earlier than it Perfection depends on get- extreme for most boaters but especially for those who are battery life. isn't true. needs to. ting the links between batter- there is really no excuse for living with life-changing The reason for that is simple. In fact Smart Gauge esti- So what's the answer? ies as close to equal as pos- not using the second method injuries and illnesses. The 'standard' way of con- mates on it's website The simplest and easiest is sible. and being much nicer to your “This project has afforded necting batteries in a bank (www.smartgauge.co.uk) that to take the positive and neg- Perfection, according to the battery bank, and your pock- us the opportunity to help the first battery provides 35.9 ative cables feeding power to gurus at Smart Guage, et in the long run, despite the means that the first battery in rebuild the lives of count- amps, the next, 26.2 amps, the boat and taking a charge comes with two extra con- initial cost of new cables etc. a bank comes under more less wounded injured and pressure. the third 20.4 amps and the into the batteries from termi- necting leaders and terminal sick servicemen, women Some excellent research by last just 17.8 amps, half that nals on diagonally opposite posts. This system does First produced for Norbury Smart Gauge Electronics has of the first. corners of the whole battery require exactly equal connec- News, the magazine of and veterans who remain provided the technical evi- Exactly the same thing hap- bank. It doesn't matter tions between batteries – so Norbury Wharf Ltd highly skilled and motivated, pens in reverse when charg- whether you move the posi- they all have to sit side by whilst also restoring our for- gotten canals. “When an injury occurs to 17.8amps 26.7amps 25 amps 25 amps our servicemen and women, it can change their life instantly and, before they 20.4amps 25 amps know it, what they thought 23.2amps 25 amps would be a career for life has gone. “Suddenly they are left with 26.2amps 23.2amps 25 amps 25 amps the feeling of “What next?” This project will give them not only a sense of purpose, but will help develop new 25 amps 25 amps skills that will set them on 35.9amps 26.7amps the path for a new and pur- poseful career. “A recent study we commis- sioned revealed that at least The traditional way of wiring One simple change and the 66,090 service personnel up a battery bank - but the load is spread much more Both of these arrangements ,above, provide as near as possible a perfectly spread battery last battery provides half the evenly. load will need our support now power of the first. or in the future.”