NABO News The Magazine of the National Association of Boat Owners Issue 3 – April 2011

THE SHOW’S IN TOWN The NABO Road Show in Yorkshire MOORING STRATEGIES An Olympian struggle on the Lee and Stort RICHLOW GUIDES A guide to publishing a guide IS IT COLD IN WINTER? This most common question is answered 2 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011

The NABO Council Regional Representatives:

Chairman North Western Waterways: David S. Fletcher Richard Carpenter (details left) 72 Main Road, Hackleton, Northants NN7 2AD North East, Yorkshire and Humber 01604 870107, 07719 276 659 Howard Anguish (details left) [email protected] London Waterways Vice Chairman, Share Owners Simon Robbins Howard Anguish (details left) 2 Broadley Croft, Welton, Brough, East Yorks Southern Waterways HU15 1TD 01482 669 876 Andy Colyer (details left) [email protected] Rivers General Sec, Promotion & Recruitment Stephen Peters (details left) Richard Carpenter Midlands Waterways Mill House End Farm, Grape Lane, Croston, David S. Fletcher (details left) Leyland, Lancashire PR26 9HB 07989 441674 or 01772 600886 East Midlands Waterways [email protected] Joan Jamieson Treasurer 60 Waddington Drive, Wilford Hill, Nottingham Stephen Peters NG2 7GX, 0115 981 2047 [email protected] 325 Alcester Road, Wythall, Birmingham B47 6JG 01564 824927 Anglian Waterways [email protected] vacant Legal Affairs [email protected] Geoffrey Rogerson The Thames c/o St Margaret’s Surgery, Bridge Street, Louis Jankel Bradford On Avon BA15 1BY 07831 193171 [email protected] 07768 736593 Graham Paterson [email protected] 0118 986 3959 [email protected] Minutes Secretary Sue Burchett Additional Contacts 152 Gt. Knollys Street, Reading RG1 7HB 07973 771196 News Editor Moorings Peter Fellows Simon Robbins [email protected] Nb Centurion, Kensal Green Moorings, Assistant For The Disabled Ladbroke Grove W10 4SR Philip Ogden 0208 9644 516 Wharf Cottage, Finwood Road CV35 7DH [email protected] 01564 782516 Continuous Cruising & Webmaster [email protected] John Slee Administration NB Epiphany c/o Oaklea, Manor Road, Great Melanie Darlington Bourton, Banbury OX17 1QP 111 Maas Rd, Northfield, Birmingham B31 2PP 07870 165 735 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Technical, BSS & MCA Representative Council Member Southwest Trevor Rogers Andy Colyer 12 Greenham Mill, Newbury, Berks RG14 5QW The PO, 21-23 Holcombe Lane, 07990 594221 Bathampton, Bath BA2 6OL [email protected] NABO News The magazine of the National Association of Boat Owners Issue 3 April 2011 Table of Contents Front Cover Photo Competition 4 Editorial Win yourself a year’s free membership by send- ing us an image for the front cover of the new 5 Cost of boating survey NABO News! In the first instance please send a 6 Chairman’s column low resolution JPEG by email. The photo should 9 Notes from Council Meeting ideally be portrait format with the main action in the centre so that we can print text at the top 10 NABO Road Show hits town and bottom, with a width of at least 1800 pixels. News This month’s cover photo is of Kesho, possible victim of this year’s licence increases (see letters 12 Petition on licence fee increases page)­—photo by Ern Lawrence. 14 Caption competition 15 Online forums Features 16 Writing a Richlow guide 18 Council member profile 20 Continuous cruiser’s winter boating experience Talking points 22 Fishermen on visitor moorings 24 Lee & Stort local moorings strategy 28 Bluff or double bluff? NABO Calendar 2011 29 Simon Robbins on Continuous Cruising 31 Robin Evans blogs about BW property Council Meetings in 2011 Saturday April 16th 34 Letters to the editor Saturday June 11th Contributions The Council has agreed a break in the middle of the summer as most members are cruising. Articles, letters, cartoons and photos are most Saturday September 3rd welcome. Images and photos in JPEG format Saturday October 15th please. [email protected] AGM November 12th (Venue to be arranged) Contributions to New Council meet Saturday November 26th NABO News Copy Dates 2011 The venue as usual is the Waggon and Horses at Oldbury. Remember that members are welcome Please email or post your contributions by: to attend meetings—just let the Secretary or 23rd April, 18th June, August 13th, Chairman know in advance, contact details December 3rd opposite. NABO News is published by the National Association of Boat Owners FREEPOST (BM8367), Birmingham B31 2BR Editor: Peter Fellows

Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the contents of this newsletter are factually correct, we accept no liability for any direct or consequential loss arising from any action taken by anyone as a result of reading anything contained in this publication. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Association. The products and services advertised in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by the Association. 4 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 The Editor’s Column Every little helps This month’s pot pouri of offerings, introcduced by Peter Fellows reminds us that NABO can only thrive with the input of its members and that its influence will increase in proportion to its membership

irst of all, thank you to everyone big a jump, spend a Saturday seeing who has written to comment fa- what happens at the next Council Fvourably on the new design and meeting. If this is too much of a my apologies for the small print size commitment, you could recruit the in the last issue—teething problems, next non-member boater who ties but no excuses and I hope this is up next to you. As some advertising easier to read. agency once said to a supermarket chain: ‘Every little helps’! NABO meets with Defra The membership form will not The big news continues to be the be included in every issue after new waterway charity (NWC) and this one, so please make use of it the progress by Defra reported in (it is of course also available on the the Chairman’s column. Although NABO website and I will include he is too modest to say so himself, it at intervals in future issues). I’ve Pseudonym reports David’s meeting heard that only a small percent- with Defra and his involvement age of boaters are actually aware of with the NWC advisory panel. the different boating organisations These are not only important for and most have only a vague idea of the future of the waterways but also what’s happening with the NWC. recognition of the importance that The more members that NABO has, the government attaches to NABO’s the greater the Association’s influ- views among the many water- ence over the forthcoming changes way groups. The NWC will need and a larger number of boaters will volunteers and so does NABO, and be better informed. there are many ways that you could Mooring consultations and help: you could think about offering continuous cruising (or continuous The River Lea in Hackney to join the Council, or if this is too mooring) are in the news again, but Photo by Matt Horgan this month the focus has shifted from the K & A to the River Lee. In addition to David’s update in the Chairman’s column and his article, Simon Robbins has contributed his personal view on issues around continuous cruising and John Slee describes his experiences as a con- tinuous cruiser frozen in for several weeks last winter.

Boater’s feedback Surprising as it may seem to some, Council members are actually hu- man and have their own life stories to tell: this month it is Howard Anguish’s turn and what a fasci- nating life afloat he has led, with a wealth of experience that NABO www.flickr.com/photos/matt_mwh/88206805/ NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 5 can really benefit from. Another is- as he equips it with inventions from sue that has raised its head over the the Industrial Revolution. No doubt last month is fishermen on visitor the programme’s focus on historical moorings and I have included cor- inventions is worthy, but the boat- respondence from member Geoff ing aspects are laughable: in the first Wood with BW. Is this a widespread episode he appears to be able to hop problem?—Let me know if you have from Worsley to the Black Country had similar experiences. Thank Living Museum, and then in no you also to those of you who have time at all he is on the T&M at the written in with comments on Simon Wedgewood factory in Stoke—all Greer’s views in the last issue; as by boat and without any apparent well as Mike Rodd for setting the effort! Lighting a fire on the roof to record straight following my article brew his tea and routinely crash- on the K & A, and Sue Burchett ing into moored boats also seem to for her somewhat controversial be part of normal boating on the proposal. programme. However, he seems to I am thinking of introducing a few portray boating as an enjoyable way new features to the newsletter, in- of getting around and I guess we cluding upcoming waterway group should welcome anything on TV or society events, reviews of books that promotes the waterways in a The Boat that Guy Built, is or DVDs that you think other read- favourable light. Guy safer on dry land? ers might like and a spot for meme- bers to advertise boating equip- ment for sale or wanted. Please let me have your contributions to any of these, and also let me know if there is something else you would like to see in the newsletter. My request for humorous contri- butions has yet to draw out your comic potential, but I needn’t worry because the BBC has beaten you to it! For those who have so far missed it, I recommend you tune in to ‘The Boat That Guy Built’ on BBC1 run- ning until April (or on BBC iplayer). It purports to show the renovation of neglected narrowboat ‘Reckless’ by TT champion racer Guy Martin

NABO annual cost of boating survey

n April, NABO will be inviting tial boat owners with a feel for the members and non-members to cost of owning a boat, as well as Itake part in our annual on-line informing Council so that we can Cost of Boating Survey. Please have speak knowledgeably when talking a look on our web page and click on to navigation bodies. If you haven’t the Survey link. It won’t take you done this before, please do it this as long as the Census to fill in and time. If you have done it in the past, it gives us an important view of the it would be very helpful if you could way that boating costs are rising. do it again this year. This enables us to provide poten- 6 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 The Chairman’s Column Interesting times As always, there is plenty happening on and surrounding our beautiful canals and rivers writes Chairman David Fletcher as he examines some of the live issues and challenges exercising boaters this spring.

he NWC story continues with NWC. I understand that the launch the Minister’s announcement date has slipped a bit, but hopefully Ton the last day of February that we will see it in April. The main is- EA waters will not immediately sues burning for me are around the join the charity, and even then after level of the grant, the period of the further review. I am relieved at this contract, the pension liability and decision, not because I don’t think the directors’ pay. But if we were it should ever happen, but because to concentrate on these alone, it now is the wrong time. A fledgling would be a disappointment. I have organisation needs time to get up no doubt the consultation will seek and running and have some solid views on the many aspects of the successes behind it before we can way the charity is set up and how deal with long-term ideals. We can the controlling bodies are chosen. now all get on and focus on the It is very important that we get immediate issues to support the set this right, and take up as much up of the new bodies and drive for experience as possible from similar success. Last month I reported that organisations. The bodies will be applications were to be invited for both national and local, so there is interim trustees. The application much to think about and contribute period was very short, but I under- to. The local bodies or partnerships stand that around 90 were received. trial started on the K and A last This is a good number and should year, and is to be extended this year, enable the appointments panel to with interim groups in the Midlands make up a team with a range of all and the North West. And those four the important skills, like helming, main issues? Well the time to roll getting off the bottom, clearing that out is when the interim trustees the prop, stopping at the pub and are in place. Then they will need all perhaps even fishing? We await the our active support to do the final outcome with interest. My applica- deal with the Treasury. tion has been politely declined. I don’t expect that those with user Local Moorings strategy experience will be able to supply the The local moorings strategies took a skills need to run this venture, but I leap forward in March with the roll- do not think that a bunch of experts out of a consultation for the Lee and with a dearth of towpath knowledge Stort area. There are many implica- can run it either. And the very good tions of this both locally and nation- news is that BW now has a ready- ally, and there is a separate article made list of 86 other people ready elsewhere in this issue. Ultimately to volunteer their skills to support I can see a similar neighbourhood the charity. What will they do to approach being taken elsewhere make sure they all get involved to where canalside moorings are in help? I wish we had new 86 volun- high demand and these are to some teers to help with NABO. degree blocked. Pricing is an effec- DEFRA now has to formally tive support to enforcement. You consult on the issues around the may not be on the Lee, but this is- NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 7 The Chairman’s Column sue does matter for all boaters, and we don’t respond to blog gossip be- I ask that you read the proposals, cause it can have the effect of mak- consider the implications and write ing things worse. However, on at to NABO and/or respond to the least one occasion in the last month BW consultation. The only way that we responded at length to put the this will work is when the majority record straight, and acknowledged of boaters agree to the spirit and the the valuable points that have been need for what is intended. raised. Also we have written to the Of course the ultimate idea is get individual forum members to un- boats moving, but this is to be done derstand the complaints and engage by setting the rules so that those in meaningful dialogue. None of who stay for longer than 7 days have them have responded. To avoid any to pay £20 a day for the privilege. doubt, I say again and again that I Now I don’t know any boater ready welcome any constructive criticism to part with a bunch of twenties for and suggestions, just as I welcome something they are used to getting offers of help. If you are not happy for free, much less pay over £7000 with what we do, please write and pounds for a mooring without se- tell us, or even better, come and curity or facilities. So there is going help fix it. There are many tasks that to be much wailing and gnashing we would like to undertake, both of teeth, but in the end, I think frontline and administrative, either that most boaters will comply and travelling or from home. Please give avoid payment. As always a few will us a few hours to make a contribu- object and ultimately fall foul of the tion. enforcement process. But the result will be movement in the areas to Feedback and publicity enable all to enjoy the waterway. I Your Council frequently talk about do fail to see how 7-day moorings how we get feedback from members help the true cruiser or hire boater and how our messages are justified who really wants 24 or 48 hours. I and presented to both members and am weary of hearing about the hu- the wider waterways public. Last man rights of one group or another, year we did a couple of surveys and when what I hear is ‘my rights’ a major overhaul of the website, before ‘your rights’. I much prefer and started regular news items to equal rights, and equal responsibil- keep you informed. Then we made ity. But then I always was a bit trust- changes to the style and format ing and naive. of NABO News to give it a fresh look, and also sought to publish a Watford observer wide range of views. You will see I am concerned about the outcome that we continue to experiment of the BW licence consultation and to make further improvements in the plan to revert to the historical style and presentation. One feature high pricing of the 3- and 6-month that we have not continued is the periods. I do think this is a mistake. irregular Chair’s e-mails. Only a The change was made a few years small number of members received ago to encourage new users, and these because it required members the reasons for stopping this I find to request it, and many addresses unconvincing and unsympathetic became inoperable. Also we were with user needs. unable to make a link between the distribution and those who were no Internal issues longer members. It requires consid- There has been a whole sequence erable extra effort to do this, when of negative comments on one of the we are concentrating on the website popular online forums about how and NABO News. If you miss the we operate, our inclusivity, and the emails and find it inconvenient to way we present ourselves. Generally access the website, it is quite pos- 8 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Chairman’s Column

sible to receive the content using a concerns reports of boaters refilling modern mobile phone via RSS feeds small LPG containers from larger or Facebook. We will continue to bottles to save money. As someone work to improve our communica- who has worked in the oil industry tions and public relations, and we for 40 years and seen many gas fires all welcome your comments and and explosions, I am horrified by suggestions. This next month will this. see a new venture in the road shows There are too many dangers to list at boat clubs, aimed at raising the here, to the individual and any- profile of the issues around the body or anything nearby. If you are NWC, and of course to get our tempted to do this, please don’t. If name out there to new members. you hear of or see somebody doing A report of the first one held at it, please report it to BW. It is not Thorne Cruising Club is in this edi- just like handling red diesel—it is tion. However, we still need to work dangerous to do and it is dangerous at getting new members to make to use canisters refilled in this way. NABO’s voice heard.. Finally LPG Safety and refilling bottles I wish you a happy Easter and look To close, I must mention something forward to seeing you on the canals that I heard from BSS sources. It and rivers.

Canal Lock Usage 2010 Down It’s official—boating is in decline Caldon -18% Reports Allan Richards in Narrowboat World Coventry & Ashby -8%, www.narrowboatworld.com March 29th Stratford -9% Chesterfield -26% Trent & Mersey -8%, ollowing the news of a fall & Stort that stand out in the report. Montgomery -8%, in visitor numbers to British With BW claiming that the number FWaterways’ canals and rivers in of boats on that waterway has risen Macclesfield -18% Peak Forest -4%, 2010, reports that there is now news by 40% over the last four years, one Rochdale -15% that boating is also in decline. would have expected the Lee & Lancaster -12% A leaked report, written by Stort figures for boat usage to buck Leeds & Liverpool -27%, BW’s Adam Comerford, Group the national downward trend and Lee & Stort -14% Hydrology Manager, states that show an increase. Regents Canal -14%, lock usage in 2010 fell by 7% against Not so! The new report shows that Grand Union -5% 2009 figures. BW’s 2010 annual lock lock usage on the Lee & Stort fell by Worcs & Birmingham -4% usage report blames the decline 14% in 2010 (and by a similar figure Fazeley -21% on restrictions and closures in the in the London area as a whole). BCN - 13%. summer and the cold weather con- ditions at both the start and end of Up the year, but ignores other possible Kennet & Avon +1% causes such as rising boating costs, Shropshire Union +1% stagnating licence numbers and the Oxford +2% high number of boats ‘for sale’. Llangollen +4% The only waterways showing Staffs & Worcs +1%. an increase in numbers were the The rivers Kennet and Avon and North Wales and Borders. Trent -17% Unsurprisingly, bearing in mind Ouse -19% BW’s inability to keep the Leeds & Fossdyke & Witham-22%, Liverpool Canal open, North West *The other canals and riv- waterways suffered a drop of 27%. ers are not recorded. However, it is the figures for the Lee NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 9 Council, March 12th 2011 Notes from Council Pseudonym gives the low down on last month’s NABO Council meeting

he Minutes Secretary knew she new charity) to the canals. The trip was in trouble when she found included a walk to a nearby reser- Tthat she had been given a dif- voir. With a captive audience, useful ferent agenda to the Chairman and discussions took place. the rest of Council. There were two David was also invited, at short guests at this meeting, more would notice, to Defra headquarters to be welcome. give his opinion on the consequenc- The first item for discussion was es of BW becoming a charity. Defra the problems on the Lee and Stort were told that the lack of a suitable and BW’s handling of them. NABO grant and the huge wages of some is advising the newly formed Upper employees were going to make the Lea User Group who are trying charity unviable. Also that NABO to get BW to work with them to has consistently opposed BW taking come to a solution agreeable to all. over the EA navigations. BW has established that you can The current legal case with a K&A CC in 27 miles but as some of the boater goes on and on. 31st March proposed 14-day moorings have is now the date for the judgement. concrete towpaths and no means of Adverse publicity was discussed mooring there are some problems as one boaters’ forum gave us a to be sorted. One concession BW lot of criticism. Luckily a few gave BW announces a new has made is to defer the deadline some constructive ideas, which have flexible mooring strategy? for the consultation until the 9th been taken onboard. More people May, making this now the statu- to help carry the load is the major tory 12 weeks! Two meetings have problem as Council is stretched been held with approximately 200 almost to breaking point. people attending at each. There is Stephen reported that financially talk of social cleansing because of NABO is healthy. the Olympics and it is believed BW It was reported that some people wants the moorings to make money were having problems with the web- out of this event. It also has been site and the membership form isn’t stated that there will be a three-mile displaying. This is being attended to exclusion zone, rumours abound. and in the meantime please request The K&A mooring consulta- a paper copy. tion also merited some discussion: The new editor is doing a grand Council was told that the commit- job including deciphering my wit- tees are now beginning to work bet- terings, but he won’t be including a Member’s small advert: ter, although there is concern about request for an itinerary of Council’s Mooring swap wanted from non-boaters making decisions that boating from all the members— Spring 2012 for will effect boaters, with ‘breathing some of us don’t know where we 6, 12 or 18 months. spaces’ being chosen that include will be boating or when, as Council We would like a 60' the best mooring spots. business has a habit of altering mooring somewhere in the Some interesting meetings have things. London area and can offer a been attended: Chairman David NABO is represented on the 70' mooring in Gnosall on was invited on a boat trip from Management, Technical and the Shropshire Union. Gas Street with three other user Advisory committees of the Boat group representatives. This was to Safety Scheme. The solid fuel stove Please contact: introduce the advisory panel for the issue hasn’t gone away, it is still Barry Witts, nb Hartwell NWC (the provisional name for the smouldering. [email protected] 10 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 News Nabo Road Show hits town! Howard Anguish reports on the first of the NABO Road Shows in 2011 from Thorne Cruising Club in Yorkshire.

and I hope that everyone who took part found it worthwhile. Ably chaired by the man with the mike, our General Secretary Richard Carpenter, the meeting considered a number of topical is- sues relevant to the future viability of the waterways. Richard steered the meeting through three key is- sues, which affect the waterways in the years to come.

Aspects of volunteering. The impact on regular BW staff with regard to job reductions, and safety and operational issues relevant to maintaining standards and operational viability. Issues of health and safety and the training Road show panel, left to n Sunday 20th March, the first right: Janet Richardson, of volunteers before being let loose of the NABO Road Shows on their section of the waterway, editor of Towpath Talk; Otook place at the Thorne Sean McGinley, BW and the need to remember that vol- Manager East Midlands; Cruising Club in the small town of unteering should not be restricted Trevor Roberts, National Stainforth, South Yorkshire. The to physical jobs. Not everyone is Community Boats club is ideally situated alongside the able (or willing) to wield a pick and Association and Howard Stainforth and Keadby Canal—part shovel, but there are many other Anguish, Vice Chairman of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire ways where volunteers can assist of NABO. Navigation, and is well known for BW or its successor to maintain and its eclectic mix of boats and boat- improve the waterway environment. ers, with members owning boats Brains as well as brawn are available from small GRP cruisers and even if needed! Aspects of volunteering the odd converted ship’s lifeboat, were not, however, limited to main- through the more conventional taining the waterway infrastructure, narrowboats, to the rather larger ex- as Trevor Roberts was keen to Yorkshire keels and wide vessels. mention: there are benefits to the It was understandable, I suppose, individual volunteers with particu- that because this was the first of lar regard to involvement of young these events and it was held away people and offenders in community from what could be described as the projects. heart of inland boating country, the attendance was small; but the qual- Licensing issues ity of interest and the exchange of With particular regard to evasion views between the audience and the and enforcement, this led to a lively panel certainly made up for this. In debate concerning so called contin- addition to members of the Thorne uous moorers, bridge hoppers and Cruising Club there was also a small those who wished to get the most contingent from Strawberry Island out of their use of the canal while NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 11 News not contributing their fair share to- ceptions that may have been held by wards the upkeep of the system. I’m those present at the meeting. sure that Sean noted some of the I think everyone who attended strong opinions expressed by those thought that it had been worthwhile boaters attending the meeting and and it has given Richard some ideas we are sure that he will pass these about how he will present the other on to his colleagues in BW. Road Shows that are planned. The next two at Byfleet and at Pewsey New Waterway Charity Vale will have been and gone when The change is now underway which this edition is published, but more should hopefully be in place by are planned for later this year. April 1st 2012, although it was men- Look out for news of one near you. tioned that perhaps the date should NABO is always anxious to hear be delayed until April 2nd to avoid the views of members and this is any sense ofan April Fools spoof! the best way that we can properly We were very fortunate to have represent you in national and local Sean on the panel in his capac- issues that may affect your favourite ity as a BW Manager and he gave waterway. an extremely lucid explanation Finally, many thanks to the other of exactly how the NWC will be members of the Panel—Janet, Sean structured, with a timetable of when and Trevor—for giving up a pre- each element should be in place. He cious Sunday afternoon; to Thorne explained the structure and aims of Cruising Club for their very kind the local management panels which hospitality and for making us feel will be set up for each of the eleven welcome; and especially to those BW regions and I am sure his expla- who made the effort to come and nations helped to clear up miscon- take part.

Government statement on transfer of waterways into new waterways charity

n 28th February, the be some who are disappointed Government announced its by the decision not to include all Opreference for a phased trans- waterways from the outset, he fer of state-owned waterways in appreciated the Government’s cau- England and Wales into the planned tion in ensuring the considerable new waterway charity, with British issues of financial sustainability for Waterways’ canals and rivers mov- the EA navigations are to be fully ing in 2012 and the EA navigations addressed. Consultation begins in 2015. The decision is intended to in April and Defra has started the ensure that sufficient funding can be process of appointing an Advisory found to enable the charity to take Panel on First Appointments on the liabilities associated with the and Transition to provide advice EA navigations from the start of the to Ministers and advertising for next Spending Review. ‘Transition Trustees’ who are due BW Chairman, Tony Hales wel- to be appointed in April. Setting comed the Government’s contin- up the new charity will be enabled ued commitment to the planned by the passage of the Public Bodies ‘national trust for the waterways’ Bill through Parliament later this and hoped the EA navigations may year and it is expected to be up and be able to benefit in the future. running by April 2012, subject to Although he thought there would Parliamentary time and consent. 12 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 News Petition on licence fee increases

Richard Carpenter explains NABO’s online petition to protest the short term licence increases introduced by British Waterways that threaten to drive yet another section of boaters from the canals

espite the fact that the results BW has implemented ‘proposals’ of a consultation process without following or listening to Dhave not been made known their legally obligated consultation and their press release on 25th process. NABO Council is very November talked about a ‘proposed’ concerned about this and we will be increase, BW have published the demanding answers. Meanwhile we new licence fees for April 2011. urge NABO members to add their The new figures include raising the support to this petition. three- and six-month licences from The petition reads in part: “The 35% and 60% of the 12 month rate, purpose of this petition is to chal- to 60% and 80%. This is a draconian lenge British Waterways recently increase of some 50%! BW’s excuse increased 6-month & 3-month for making this increase is to reduce river licence fees to circa 80% of licence evasion. It also states that the annual fee, and request they this is not a real price increase as return to the pro rata charging ‘it is now proposed to revert’ to the basis on the grounds the increases 60% and 80% ratios which were are both excessive, discriminatory decreased experimentally some & undemocratic because existing time ago. How long ago is disputed. licence holders were not consulted However there are many boat own- despite a BW mission statement to ers who genuinely and legally only the contrary when they could have need a 6-month licence (see letters been as BW hold existing customer page). Those who moor off BW contact details. This level of in- waters, trail boaters, and visitors crease is unprecedented across any from waterways owned by other UK business & is excessive, unfair authorities will all be hit by this in- and unacceptable & is likely to drive crease. George Cutting of the New many boaters off the waterways. Stort Boat Club has raised a petition Why should there be a difference to protest about these increases. between 1 x 12 month licence, 2 He says: “If your members wish to x 6 month licences & 4 x 3 month object to these crippling increases licences providing the full fee for I urge them to support the on-line the period required is paid? BW petition at www.petitions24.com/ Have seemingly made a mistake, british_waterways_licence_fee_ which they now wish to correct by petition heavily penalising those boaters Recent on-line petitions appear who genuinely want a short-term to be influencing the EU fisheries licence, to cover the financial short- policy in respect of the practice of fall in revenue from boaters they ‘discard’, and another influenced cannot collect the correct fees from the British Government enough because their systems are out of for them to drop the proposed sale date & they don’t have the resources of our forests.” He adds: “Signing to enforce licence evasion. up may not change this ludicrous BW say there was a consultation situation but will at least record on this subject although seem- the depth of feeling against these ingly neither explorative, open unrealistic fee increases.” or transparent resulting in some Once again it would seem that 35,000 licensed boat owners being NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 13 News both ill informed & not consulted to the pro rata basis of charging for before the release of the document short-term licences. We also call entitled Boat Licence Changes 2011. upon BW to address licence evasion Ever mindful of the Defra budget in a more pro-active manner rather cuts the customer cannot absorb all than adopting a ‘one size fits all’ ap- the financial shortfall so we the un- proach, which not only risks losing dersigned call upon BW to manage customers but unjustly penalises their business in a more cost effec- their existing customer base of tive manner and return immediately short term licence holders.”

Loch Lomond navigation chart withdrawn

he Loch Lomond and Trossachs landmarks have National Park has been forced been renamed Tto pulp a newly-issued naviga- after national park tion chart to the loch after a furious staff, including reaction by local people. Archibald Abyss The chart is the first re-issue since after the manager Victorian times and covers one of of the park rang- the most popular and heavily used ers, and another waterways in Scotland. The problem as Cameron’s has arisen over renaming of some of Shallows after the landmarks on the loch, many of another staff which were named after the original member. A local surveyors on board HMS Porcupine boat owner com- in 1861. While features such as mented: ‘Naming Otter Spit remain, named after the landmarks after staff is a bit megalo- ship’s captain, a sandy beach on maniac. Local people are actually Inchmoan Island has been renamed very annoyed about it’. Critics also Giro Bay—a slang term for unem- complain that the changes could ployment payment—after repeated cause confusion and delays to instances of youths littering the area rescue craft that could be fatal. The with rubbish after all-night parties. national park has now withdrawn A local councillor said: ‘Calling it 3000 copies of the chart for pulping Giro Bay is dreadfully offensive to and will amend and reprint it. people who are unemployed’. Other Reported in The Guardian, 10.3.11

Cruising Council Crick Boat Show Many Council members will be This year’s dates are Saturday 28th, afloat over the coming months and Sunday 29th and Monday 30th look forward to meeting you. Look May. NABO is attending and the out for Stephen Peters on the River stand will be manned by NABO Severn in Natterjack, John Slee in Councillors, but we are very keen to the South East aboard Epiphany, have a few volunteers to help out for Howard Anguish in the Midlands a couple of hours to give us a break. on either Inglewood or Winthorpe, We will have free entry tickets David Fletcher along the T&M for those that can commit to help. aboard Water Avens and Louis Please contact Richard Carpenter Jankel on Madam around Oxford [email protected]. and the Thames. 14 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 News Spring on the waterfront

ome of you may have read National Waterways Museum and that the Liverpool Boat Show the Steam Boat Association are Swas cancelled—it was—the joining forces to create an interac- commercial organisation employed tive celebration of inland waterways to set up and run it did pull out! during the period. Two separate However thanks to some sterling flotillas of some of the UK’s finest never-say-die work by Mike Carter examples of historic narrowboats and others at the Historic Boat and steamboats will grace the Owners Club and the IWA, he has Salthouse Dock. persuaded Liverpool City Council There will also be a display of Tall to help provide facilities for a Ships plus legendary yachts includ- marquee on the Quayside at Gower ing the Americas Cup Challenger Street, which will allow much of the ‘Sceptre’. The exhibitors in the mar- programme to go ahead. quee will include all the above and More Information; It takes place from 29th April to a display manned by the Leeds and 8th May in the magnificent sur- Liverpool Canal Society charting www.visitliverpool.com/site/ roundings of the Albert, Salthouse the history of the Canal. NABO will whats-on/search/spring-on- and Canning Docks—the largest also have a small presence although the-waterfront-p262801 collection of Grade I listed buildings the event is essentially for the gen- www.liverpoolonthewaterfront. in Britain. The IWA, the Historic eral public. Entry will be free to the co.uk/spring/ Narrow Boat Owners Club, the marquee.

Caption competition

Can you suggest a caption for this month’s photo? Thank you to those who sent in captions for the photo in the last issue. This month’s photo is by Peter Fellows. All printable entries please to NABO News at [email protected] by April 23rd and the best ones will be included in the next issue. Please let me have your photos to use in The three best from last future caption competitions. month; ‘I can reach the bottom, it must need dredging’. ‘If we all pull together, there’s a plug down here we can get out’ ‘I know where that mobile went’. NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 15 Talking Points Online Forums NABO took a bit of a battering in the last month on one of the internet forums dedicated to canals, Richard Carpenter examines the good and the bad of the issues raised.

he problem with online forums rivers or Broads of the UK.’ That is is, you can’t see the whites of not quite true according to our con- Tthe eyes’ is a well-known quota- stitution, which states 4.2.(a) that tion from an unknown quarter. membership is open to ‘a person However it is very true that what who owns a vessel capable of use is written in a forum, or even in an on Britain’s inland waterways’. Not email or letter for that matter, can quite the same thing. easily be misread, misunderstood and misquoted. Something said in Democracy and NABO Council jest can appear to be very hurtful. The accusation that NABO is not A chance flippant remark can be democratic and that the Council taken as gospel. An observation or is a clique was a little unfair. a joke can become a personal insult. The democratic process works Contributors can pretend or appear through our regional representa- to be what they are not. Worse, tives. However the point was taken statements can be made and read that maybe it should be easier for as if they were from informed par- individual members to reach their ties, yet they can be totally untrue. reps or Council members. Would a Often things are said from behind a members only forum that Council keyboard that would never be said and regional reps read regularly on face-to-face. They can result in a de- the NABO website be helpful in this mented defensive discourse or even respect? Let us know and we will set a diatribe of disbelief. However, if one up. said in a pub, perhaps over a pint, Despite the tone of the recent when facial expression, body lan- exchanges about NABO on ca- guage, context and atmosphere are nalworld.net, we have had a few all taken into account, they would more applications for membership. be greeted with just a friendly grin. Whether this is as a result of read- However, forums are not all bad: ing the forum, who knows, but in in a recent lengthy exchange dis- the world of publicity, even a bad cussing NABO in the canalworld. press can get good results some- net forum several useful sugges- times. tions were made by non-members. Online ongoing Some have already been implement- Have your say; a plethora ed. The NABO constitution is now NABO greatly appreciates the of internet forums are available on the website with access considerable work John Slee has put dedicated to boating for all readers and the NABO News into improving and upgrading our issues archives will also be made available website. The aim was to have a pres- to the general public. The site will ence in the modern environment, be updated more frequently. which meant a bigger input on the One small error was pointed out. web and embracing the various Under membership categories, it ways of communication—we will stated that NABO membership was be Facebooking and Tweeting too— open if ‘you are the owner of any watch out! Please log on regularly sort of boat on the inland canals, and contribute if you can. 16 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Cruising Guides Writing a Richlow Guide Fiona Slee goes boating with Christine Richardson and takes a masterclass in the writing and production of a canal guidebook

Other guides in the chance meeting on the to remember that I was writing for Richlow Series Chesterfield Canal in August boaters who needed information, Lincolnshire Waterways A2010 led me to a ‘winter who might be interested in stopping by John Lower and Christine project’ for when we cut down on off to sightsee and who would not Richardson our cruising to accommodate the want to read screeds about what Covering the Fossdyke, River weather. Christine and Malcolm interested me. Space in a guide is Witham, Witham Navigable Richardson had been following limited and the important things Drains, Sleaford Navigation, our blog www.nbepiphany.co.uk like navigation advice, moorings, the Horncastle Canal. And a and met up with us at Drakeholes boaters facilities, access to towns new addition, the Black Sluice Tunnel. Christine, a published for supplies and services must be Navigation (South Forty Foot author and expert on canal history, included. Cost of production is also Drain). Published 2008, but is one half of ‘Richlow’ who publish a consideration too and all this must kept up to date. guides to the North East waterways. add up to an affordable, informative Chesterfield Canal With her business partner John and interesting read. However I was by John Lower and Christine Lower, Richlow is proud to declare able to give it some ‘informality’ and Richardson that their guides are “written by add my own touches. A guide for all users of this people who go there”. So I set to, using our blog, photos, waterway. A new edition in Christine and Malcolm kindly maps, articles, research on the 2008, and kept up to date lock-wheeled for us down the canal Internet and local contacts, boaters Now with re-designed maps to Stockwith where we all had a and lock keepers to check my facts. to match our other guides. cuppa and a chat. Some time later The Internet has revolutionised a phone call came asking whether the editing process: my text was Narrowboat on the Trent I would be interested in writing a emailed to Chris, an experienced by John Lower. Richlow Guide covering the North editor, who made suggestions, Published August 2007, but Yorkshire Waterways. We were formatted it into Richlow style and kept up to date. classed as ‘people who go there’ as returned my words to me as they South Pennine Ring - Part 1 we had cruised the Rivers Ouse, would look in printed form. John by John Lower. Ure and Derwent. We had been created the maps using my text, Covers the entire right up to the most north east- our knowledge and various map Rochdale and Ashton erly point of the inland waterways sources available. Another meeting canals. Published January system—Ripon, at the end of the with Christine and Malcolm at draft 2010 and kept up to date. Ripon Canal—and cruised one of stage confirmed the layout and we South Pennine Ring - Part 2 the loveliest restored canals along discussed illustrations and edits. I by John Lower. Published the navigable four and a half miles was excited and a little emotional to January 2011. of the Pocklington Canal. hold a draft copy of ‘my guide’ and Covers the entire Huddersfield We met with John Lower and his to see my name on the front! Narrow and Broad canals, the wife Barbara while we were on the Further tweaks followed, with the connecting parts of the Calder Trent and Mersey Canal. I was ‘ap- guide really coming together with & Hebble and, for complete- proved’ and just hoped I would fulfil text, photos, information and maps. ness, the Halifax Canal Chris’ confidence in me. John is the Finally Chris suggested I might like (Hebble Trail). map expert and after creating maps to see the first copies printed and for all the guides he really knows produced. So I visited the Richlow More information his stuff! He has also written articles production office and had a great www.richlow.co.uk and some of the guides after cruis- day with the Richlow Team, even ing the waterways on his narrow- helping with the cutting and bind- boat. Writing a guide is very differ- ing of the guide. I have the first ent to writing a daily blog and I had copy of the first edition, like many NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 17 Cruising Guides authors, a copy to be treasured! The Guide was registered on the pub- lishing trade website and eventually will be picked up by Amazon. A copy goes to the British Library and can be requested by other national libraries. Richlow print short runs of their Guides so that they can really be kept up to date. The team, boaters who buy the Guides, and local contacts will note changes and these are incorporated in the new print runs. Updates are also avail- able online via the Richlow website so can be available almost as soon as they are known. You get a copy of the Richlow North Yorkshire Waterways (and other Richlow NE waterway guides) direct from them via www.richlow. co.uk or [email protected]. Post and package is included in the price, extremely good value at £7.50. I would really encourage you to include the North Yorkshire Waterways in your cruising itiner- ary, wherever you are based on the inland system. Arriving by water in York on the River Ouse, explor- ing the well-kept Ripon Canal, adventuring upstream on the River Derwent and revelling in the peace and tranquillity of the Pocklington Canal are experiences not to be missed. 18 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Council Profiles Howard Anguish A personal profile of NABO’s vice-chairman Howard gives us an insight into his work as a NABO council member and his earlier life in the lumpy stuff.

when living at Yeadon, a small town where the Leeds Bradford Airport is located. This also has a large lake know locally as Yeadon Dam, with a sailing club and rowing boats for hire and I spent most of my time either pestering the boaters to let me have a go or sailing model boats on the lake.

A life in the Mechant Navy Since an early age I had developed a hankering for the sea, so canal boat- ing was put on hold while I followed my dream: I enjoyed a varied and interesting career as a navigating of- ficer and then master in a variety of ships—cargo vessels, transatlantic passenger ships and roll-on-roll-off container ships—before eventually ontinuing our occasional transferring to specialist anchor series looking at the personal handling ships working in the off- Cstories of NABO Council shore oil exploration industry. members, this month it is the turn Continuing the canal theme, how- of Howard Anguish, NABO Vice ever, during my time at sea I was Chairman. In addition to keeping fortunate to travel along many of an eye on North East Waterways the worlds ship canals such as the St he also represents those members Lawrence Seaway, the Welland, the who, like him, share their boats with Cape Cod Canal, the Chesapeake others. and Delaware Canal, the Kiel I suppose it was inevitable that Canal and the Suez Canal; even the canals would feature prominently slightly less exotic Manchester Ship in my life at some point. I was born Canal. The one that escaped me was within walking distance of the Leeds the Panama Canal but there is still & Liverpool, not far from Skipton, time! Going to sea was good to me, and I am told that my earliest trips especially as it even allowed me to out in the pram were along the tow- meet my wife Hilary, who travelled path at East Marton and Gargrave. as a passenger on one voyage, and The canal theme continued when we have been happily married we moved to Sowerby Bridge and I since 1967. Once the family came can remember fishing for tiddlers at along it was time to swallow the Tuel Lane Bridge at age 5 or 6—long anchor, so I took up a shore-based before the present deep lock was position, firstly as marketing and even a pipe dream. The final input chartering executive for the same in my boating enthusiasm came offshore company, before becoming NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 19 Council Profiles

Operations Manager for a fleet of and I were hooked and we have Hilary on Winthorpe, South worldwide deep sea salvage tugs. A been involved with the waterways Oxford Canal number of similar posts followed ever since. Initially we hired once or including running my own marine twice a year, and then for the last 13 consultancy company for a few years we have owned shares in first years and then six years as Manager one and then two narrowboats. at Hull Marina, a coastal marina We did consider buying our own with nearly 300 berths and a large boat as I came up to retirement boatyard, which was then owned but with other interests and com- by Hull City Council but is now run mitments, we have found the two by BW. shares give us sufficient canal time to satisfy the urge while not tying Inland waters up all our cash. It was during the late 1970’s that It has been fascinating to get the inland waterways became a involved with NABO, especially prominent family interest. Hilary at this time of dramatic change in and I had chartered a variety of the waterways. Hilary and I are sailing yachts around the UK coast also committee members of the but when the children came along Pocklington Canal Amenity Society we thought that we would get where we are helping to bring this them used to being on boats by little known gem of a canal into Howard Anguish taking holidays on the canals. We more prominence; Hilary is secre- Vice Chairman started with a week on the Leeds tary and I help to man our trip boat Share Owners & Liverpool from Silsden in 1978. ‘New Horizons’. We both look for- North East Waterways Frankly, I wasn’t too keen on the ward to the future of the waterways idea, thinking that after a lifetime at in its new form with optimism but 2 Broadley Croft, Welton, sea the canals would be very boring I suspect that there will be many Brough, East Yorks HU15 1TD and a little bit dull. How wrong can trials and tribulations along the way 01482 669 876 you be! Within a week both Hilary before the dust finally settles. [email protected] 20 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Cruising Diaries “Is it cold in Winter?” A continuous cruisers’ winter boating experience John Slee tells the story of a typical boating experience in the winter months when “every gentleman has laid up his yacht” and only the very hardy are still cruising.

here’s ice on the cut”, I ex- charged. A couple of weeks or so claimed one morning last after being frozen in, we decided we TNovember. “We’ll just have to ought to top up with diesel. But how wait until it melts, before we move to do it? No imminent fuel boat, un- on. It’ll probably only be for a day able to move to a boatyard, no car— or two.” Five weeks later the ice and I doubt we could have ridden had melted sufficiently for a couple on a bus with our jerry can—what of hire boats to make a channel to do? Talking to fellow-boaters through. Much more importantly, they offered the loan of an extra it gave Mark Boardman, aka Dusty, four jerry cans and the use of a car the opportunity to slowly bring his to drive to a boatyard to fill up. That fuel boat up to supply diesel, coal kept us going till Dusty’s arrival. and gas to his patient customers. When I say slowly, he probably took Water water everywhere five times as long as usual, as he had But there was one more consumable to go forwards necessity: water. We were moored in order to break near a pub, the Jolly Boatman at the ice, then back Thrupp, and the landlord, Andy, is to take a run at it a boater. “You can fill up from our again, repeating outside tap, just ask so the staff this until he had know what’s happening.” Ideal—the passed the next first time—once we had thawed his customer’s boat, hose with a kettle and connected then reversing it to our hose (carefully kept safe back against the from too much cold)! Next time, intended’s side, so “Sorry, the tap is frozen. I’ll let as not to damage you know when it’s thawed.” He the boat’s paint- did. Incidentally, on one occasion work. towards the end of the freeze-in, the Getting provisions local liveaboard boaters used ten A matter of fuel hoses connected together to top up But during a cold spell such as we a series of boats. had this winter, liveaboards like us In the meanwhile, we surprised burned far more coal than usual. ourselves by how little water we Having used up our reserves during could manage with. For example, the freeze, unable to move, what instead of running the hot tap until were we to do? Using our mobile the hot came through, we ran it into phone we contacted Dusty, who said a jug, which was used in the kettle he would be looking after his usual as required. Washing-up was every customers by bringing some down other day instead of daily. Showers by car and would see if had room were replaced by body-washes. As a for some extra bags for us. He did. boater, you may be wondering how As liveaboards we run our engine we managed pumpouts. We didn’t! on a daily basis to keep our batteries We have a cassette toilet and three NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 21 Cruising Diaries cassettes, which is one of the best design features on Epiphany. A lift to the sanitary station was possible once, but on the final time I used our trolley to carry the cassettes to the customer facility, once it had thawed; not an easy walk over half a mile on an icy towpath, but a relief!

Keeping warm the traditional way There was an associated expense: most evenings we went to the pub to save coal and cassette space! However, the upside was some very pleasurable evenings with other similarly placed boaters. And there were lots of other positives too: instead of being by ourselves we became part of a ice, as well as hospital appointments Starting the engine to community. Walks with dogs; visits and other necessities of life, but charge batteries to church services; pub quizzes; Oxford was feasible. Going north even shopping trips by bus, and would have been interrupted by sometimes others’ cars, became de New Year stoppages, one of which rigueur and new friends were made. was eventually postponed, thus Existing friends acted as taxis and forcing further changes of plan. We as opponents to a weekly round of had already been to the city by bus, golf—something I hadn’t done for but it was lovely to visit by boat. years. Talking of buses, we had also taken advantage of them (and trains) to Winter cruising enjoy concerts, a film and museums. But, we are continuous cruisers and Yes, I did imply we don’t have a once the thaw arrived—and it took home mooring. Nor had we booked a couple of weeks to thaw even after a winter mooring. Although we the ice-breaking hire boaters—we spent several weeks on the same wanted to be off again. Our winter 14-day mooring, British Waterways plans had already been dictated to tells boats not to move when the by the winter stoppages; then the canal is frozen. And despite not moving as fast as during the spring, summer and autumn, The Jolly Boatman and there’s still plenty of frozen-in boats time for cruising, even in wet weather—after all “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing,” including boots for the muddy, slippery towpaths. There are also fewer boats on the move, no queues at locks, and plenty of time to enjoy a bit of uninterrupted bird-watching. Oh, and is it cold on a boat in winter? Far from it, it’s snug and cosy!! 22 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Talking Points You can’t park that there Fishermen on Visitor Moorings Geoff Wood relates his dialogue with British Waterways over this perennial issue that can be the cause of conflict between users of the canals.

he following correspondence previous occasions I was already is from NABO member Geoff moored before the match started. TWood, sent to John Ellis, BW’s I am a fisherman myself, but I do Fisheries Manager in February and object to having a fishing match March. The reply from BW basically take place on visitor moorings said that they have no control over that then prevent boats stopping. fishing on visitor moorings. If you I would therefore ask you to look have had similar experiences NABO into this incident. News would be pleased to hear of On another subject, when I go them. boating I sometimes like to fish for a couple of hours in the afternoon For the attention of John Ellis: but I will not necessary know if it We took our boat out over the is a club water with day tickets or weekend for a trip to Cosgrove. On not. Has any consideration been arriving at Cosgrove at about 10.00 given to a fishing permit that could am last Saturday, 5th February, be attached to the boat licence? we found all the visitors moorings This would be at an extra cost, but being used for a fishing match. maybe an extra income stream for There were about 60 anglers split BW. into two groups: the first was from Regards, Geoff Wood Bridge 65 to Lock 21 (Cosgrove lock). This stretch is designated Barbara Wilder, BW’s Fisheries as 48-hour visitors moorings. The Co-ordinator replied that visitor second group were from Lock 21 moorings are available on a ‘first to Wolverton Aqueduct, which come first served’ basis and there is designated as 14-day visitor are no restriction to the number of moorings. There was one spot boaters or anglers who can use the above the lock that was not being moorings at any one time. Under used, so we managed to moor there the Standard Angling Agreement, for the weekend. If another boat clubs are permitted to hold matches had wanted to stop, there was no for up to 100 anglers without prior room left either above or below the arrangement with BW (these are lock on the visitor moorings. normally held during the winter as I asked about four or five of the ‘there are too many boats during anglers which club was organising the summer months’). She ac- the match and they all said they knowledged that anglers occupying did not know. When I also asked virtually all visitor moorings cause who was in charge, all I got was problems for boaters and offered to ‘he’s somewhere down there mate’ contact the angling club to request pointing towards the lock and they leave some moorings available the other group. I got the distinct to boats during future matches. impression that I was being led With regard to the suggestion for up the garden path. This is not a combined boating licence/fish- the first time I have encountered a ing permit, she said this would not fishing match here, but on the two be practical as fishing permits are NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 23 Talking Points issued by the angling clubs that hold of the moorings were taken up by a licence for the fishing rights in a the fishermen and it presented the particular area. If it is club water, same problem as at Cosgrove (if boaters should pay the bailiff for a any other boats had arrived they day ticket when requested. On an would not get in). This is a very unlicensed waterway, boaters need popular place to moor but this a Waterway Wanderers permit at a problem is becoming a frequent cost of £20 per year, available from occurrence of late. If you cannot John Harding at j.harding048@ moor in this pound, it means that btinternet.com or by telephoning you have to go down five locks and 01829 732 748. hope to moor at the bottom. This is Geoff had cause to write again in very frustrating if you had planned March (noting ‘I think the fisher- to use either pub at the top for your man must wait until I go out boat- meal. There seems to be little point ing!). in having visitor moorings if they are not available for visiting boats. Dear Mr. Ellis, There are vast stretches of canal Yet again I have been faced with without visitor moorings where the problem of arriving at visitor fishing matches could take place, moorings only to find that they so why do they persist in using have been taken over by a fishing visitor moorings? The situation match; this time on 27th February certainly doesn’t make for the best in the long pound between Locks 15 relationship between boaters and and 16 at Stoke Bruerne. This is a fishermen as it usually ends in designated 24-hour visitor mooring arguments erupting. and is equipped with mooring Regards, Geoff Wood rings. This time it was 14 fishermen who told me which angling club At the time of going to print, they were from. There was space Geoff has had a reply from BW, say- for one boat near Lock 15, which ing it will investigate and respond we managed to get into. The rest fully in due course. 24 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Talking Points Lee and Stort local moorings strategy David Fletcher examines proposals to create zones along the River Lee to manage the availability of moorings for the benefit of all styles of usage’

may have seen the recent Guardian article alleging social cleansing. Nevertheless some believe that there is a problem with towpath overstaying, and there is a general admission from BW that the 14-day rule has not been properly enforced. As a consequence, it is reported that some areas of the towpath are congested by long stayers, and other users are not able to moor. A familiar story, of course, and without denying the problem, there is regrettably little data available to pinpoint the real issues. In BW’s own research only a small part of the sightings of boats without home moorings were on visitor moorings River Lee at Amwell ritish Waterways have recently and half of these were in one place. Photo Steve Chilton www.flickr.com/photos/steve_ commenced a consultation on There clearly needs to be some chilton/2104993923 Bthe ‘Management of Moorings research to pinpoint the facts and on the Lee and Stort..’. Following figures and estimate the affect that distribution of the consultation doc- the proposals will have. There are ument along the waterway and pub- other factors on the waterway, such lication on the website, there have as unauthorised offside moorings, been two very angry public meet- which BW is looking at ‘regularis- ings. There is a lot of discussion ing’ in the first instance. There are happening and ongoing preparation very few residential moorings in for the formal responses. I don’t local marinas, and notably only one want to give the full outline here, in the recently opened marina at the because it is all available on the BW north end—a collective failure for consultation web site. Suffice to say, the waterways and the local council. BW has concluded that the moor- ing usage has become ‘unbalanced BW’s proposals and detrimental to many users’ and The main proposal from BW is that ‘some 160 or so boaters reside based on management of the 27 on these waterways and depend miles of river by dividing it into six exclusively on towpath moorings for parts and requiring those without their stops; they tend to be con- a home mooring who do not want centrated in several locations.’ BW to leave the area to moor equally in has said that it is their intent to use each of the six parts (or neighbour- price as a tool to limit those without hoods) during the year. There will a home mooring in the area. There be some restrictions on immediate is also a clear link to the availability return to a previous part. Four out of moorings for the Olympics. You of the six neighbourhoods will be NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 25 Talking Points designated 7-days, said by BW to and with the suggested scheme, facilitate genuine cruising stop-offs. remain on the river without a home There is a commitment to enforce mooring. The effect of the proposed the plan with daily towpath obser- strategy is that a boater can moor vations, but no intention to intro- up, not move and pay a daily charge ducing Roving Mooring Permits. of £20 by phone and credit card, or There are specific local issues comply with the movement require- about availability of moorings and ments, and pay nothing. And of facilities in each neighbourhood, course, many options in between. It security, reliability of locks, water is not clear what the payment op- levels and so on. The main mooring tion is for people without a phone structure is to be based on 7-day or credit card. stays and this applies to two thirds of the waterway. There is no men- A different approach from the tion of other periods although I as- Kennet and Avon sume that 14-days remains in force The local mooring strategy on the everywhere else. Local boaters tell K & A has been moving towards a me that the proposed 7-day zones definition of neighbourhoods, zones appear to correspond with the areas and dreaded breathing spaces for where it is currently possible to some time, but up until now the moor and the rest is impractical for degree of movement in the SW has many reasons. Neighbourhoods been hard to spot. The Lee proposal do need to be defined to ensure makes an immediate jump to hard adequate moorings and facilities proposals, and I welcome this style. and appropriate consideration for We do need to get on with this. crime and flood levels. Clearly local So what are the implications for knowledge is key to getting this all boaters from this proposal? right. How would these factors ap- Most boaters agree that enforce- ply in your area? ment of the 14-day rule is a prime Waltham Forest Photo Alan Stanton Remember that a boater on the requirement and indeed in the www.flickr.com/photos/ Lee can buy a rivers-only licence, public meetings for the Lee this alanstanton/4895541640 26 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Talking Points: Mooring Strategy

me is not ‘good’ for everybody. Even ‘Good faith’ is subjective and needs some encouragement though enforcement, but I do think many of us can readily identify bad faith with regard to mooring and naviga- tion. But would a Judge agree? But the new proposals are differ- ent from the guidelines and we have something tangible on the table. We might not like some of the details, but we now have a proposal for con- tinuous cruising that we can all un- derstand and discuss, and without the distraction and legal arguments of subjective terms or new condi- tions like Roving Mooring Permits. And it is much better than the old lock-miles suggestion, though some might say this is pot and kettle. I still think there is an element of a solution looking for a problem. I conclude from the proposals that BW agrees for the Lee sec- tion, that it is possible to comply River Lee at Springfield was supported. In a perfect world it Photo Vivien Thorne with the Continuous Cruising www.flickr.com/photos/ would not be necessary, but we have guidelines without leaving the vivith/3235211338 to be practical. I think that there waterway. Previous discussion has is no excuse for not having good been around separated waterways enforcement in popular areas where like the Lancaster (42 miles, no we would all wish to have a share of locks) and the K & A (87 miles 107 use. Of course 14-day movement is locks). With the Lee section being only the first part: for those without 27 miles and 34 locks, this is a new home moorings who want to stay benchmark. Do we agree that this is in an area, immediately the ques- appropriate to manage the avail- tion comes how far to move, and ability of moorings for the benefit then how long before I can return? of all styles of usage? What would The 95 Act talks about using “bona it mean if this were applied in your fide for navigation throughout the area? Is it too short, or too long? period….”. There are many argu- For me, the term ‘significant part of ments about what is navigation, but the waterway’ is doomed and has setting this aside, we can all imagine no credibility with a benchmark of that ‘bona fide’ implies good faith 27 miles. in movement and ‘throughout the period’ is clear enough when added Progressive journey? to 14 days. The current moorings Then we come to ‘progressive guidelines state BW’s own invention journey’, which is really an attempt of ‘significant part of the waterway’ to interpret navigation in good faith. and ‘progressive journey’. We all Just how far to move has long been might have a view on what these an issue and I understand that BW, mean—answers on a postcard to as a policy, has refrained from tell- Sally Ash. But I instinctively dislike ing boaters how far to go because any term with an added adjective, of the accusations of inconsistency because this implies some unstated and misunderstanding. But it is qualification. What is ‘good’ to key for boaters, and that is why NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 27 Talking Points: Mooring Strategy

NABO has always supported the to the consultation, and this will XYZ rule in the guidelines and the take national matters as well as local use of neighbourhoods and some matters into account. degree of no return. Obviously the neighbourhood needs to be relevant Editor’s note for navigation and resources, and The Guardian article on social not just a Churchillian carve-up of cleansing is “House boaters being the countryside. There remains the ‘socially cleansed’ from Olympics hotly disputed issue of return to a area”, March 9th at www.guard- previous mooring and the inten- ian.co.uk/sport/2011/mar/09/ tions of the 1995 Waterways Act. houseboaters-socially-cleansed- Does the new proposal for the Lee olympics. You can find Sally Ash’s and six neighbourhoods meet a rea- reply and a letter from Simon sonable interpretation of navigation Richardson on March 12th at www. in good faith? guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/ mar/11/tales-of-the-olympic- Implications for other boaters towpath. The Guardian subse- This has all been about those quently issued a ‘clarification’ that without home moorings but there read ‘A story examining proposals are implications for others too. Of to change how long houseboat course the whole BW proposal residents can stay on a particular should be about managing moor- stretch of the river Lea in east ings so that they are available for all, London before paying increased and not just a few. A mix of moor- charges carried a subheading that ing periods and areas are needed, wrongly said “British Waterways to to ensure a turnover of overnight raise fees from £600 to £7,000”. The space that itinerant boaters, livea- fees are not due to increase. But the Further information is avail- boards, weekenders and hire boats old rules that let owners with a £600 able on the London Boaters’ need. 7-day blanket areas miss the a year ‘continuous cruising’ licence website at www.london- point. There will be implications move just a short distance every 14 boaters.org for those with a home mooring and days without extra charge would go. those who spend some time on the The new rules would split the length towpath, because the rules will also of the river into six zones; every 14 apply. days owners would have to move River Lee at Tottenham As boat numbers continue to zones to avoid daily charges that Hale, grow by some hundreds every year, could increase to £7,000 the cost of Photo Monkeywing something has to be done about staying very close to one part of the www.flickr.com/photos/ the popular sites, and mooring river’. colinsite/2927000531 strategies are absolutely needed. Liveaboards are very quick to talk of rights and wrongs, and it is true they have a lot at stake, arguably more than other users. Will we be happy to see families put ashore in circumstances where there are no residential moorings and continu- ous cruising is impractical? We are heading this way. There needs to be a balance of use, and finding that balance is what all this is about. For sure this kind of plan will be required in other areas, and there is a need to be both involved with the local issues and foresee the implica- tions for the rest of the waterways. NABO will be making a response 28 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Talking Points Bluff or Double Bluff? Some breathing space in your zone Sir? Howard Anguish looks at some of the definitions mooted by Sally Ash

has got a new editor, Peter Fellows, who has announced his intention to introduce some humour. I think he may have got off to a brilliant start. The latest edition is the nearest he can get to the first day of the fourth month. I have not seen any mention of BW ‘Breathing Spaces’ any- where else. So, well done Peter; the ‘con’ was brilliantly conceived and expertly produced. I must confess that you had me fooled—just for a while!” Marple Locks n the last edition of NABO It’s good to see that Peter has Photo Roger May News, Geoffrey Rogerson our been acknowledged for bringing his Ilegal affairs adviser, wrote about breath of fresh air attitude to NABO a concern that has been raised News and long may it continue. about so-called ‘Breathing Spaces’ However, I’m sorry to have to bring suggested by BW’s Head of Boating, out the wet blanket, but Geoffrey Sally Ash. This proposal is cur- was actually being serious! This rently being discussed as part of contentious idea of breathing spaces the consultation that is taking place was raised by Sally Ash, I under- on the K & A in the Local Mooring stand, as part of the discussions Strategy pilot scheme, which started that looked at how to manage those earlier this year. Geoffrey expressed boaters who might be reluctant to As an addendum to Howard’s the view that this could be part move too far, after their stay at a article, other definitions of a hidden agenda to exclude all mooring within a designated area agreed by the last K & A Local mooring in particular lengths along had expired. NABO Council has Mooring Strategy Steering a canal, which would certainly be asked for clarification of the term Group are: against the concept of freedom to from BW Towers, but so far all we moor in otherwise undesignated have to go on is the definition as Mooring Zone—an adminis- areas. noted at one of the strategy meet- trative classification of mooring Like many organisations with a ings as follows: restriction demarcated by common interest, NABO receives Breathing Space—a specific ‘no signage; it is associated with copies of newsletters and magazines mooring’ zone to be established for mooring restriction. (This is dif- from like-minded societies and clear navigational reasons, and po- ferent from the use of the term clubs, and this week I got the March tentially for ecological reasons on a ‘zone’ in BW’s ‘consultation’ edition of ‘Buoys Own’—the excel- pragmatic basis, but specifically not on mooring on the Rivers Lee lent house magazine of the Black for reducing long lines of moored and Stort). Buoy Cruising Club. I was intrigued boats or as an arbitrary restriction. Place—a geographic context to read the following (reproduced We still await clarification from that differentiates one location by kind permission of the editor, BW as to what it really means by from the next. For the time Allan Pickering) this. Maybe BW might consider being, the definition of the “The NABO News magazine is issuing it on 1.4.11 and then we can word ‘place’ in the Mooring not noted for its humorous content. congratulate them on a spoof well Guidance for Continuous Truth to tell it has always been done. Who knows? Happy April Cruisers was accepted. rather on the sombre side. But it Fool’s Day. NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 29 Talking Points Continuous Debate The argument simply won’t lie down and die A personal view by Simon Robbins

he Continuous Cruising issue Act contains a certain amount of just will not go away will it? The ambiguity. It was concluded that Tcorrespondence exchange with this was the least worst alternative. longstanding member Simon Greer Where I take some difference just confirms to me what a thorny with Simon is the contention that issue this remains and that what- NABO should leave such matters ever we do, we can’t make everyone alone. I can’t endorse that and think happy. I rather think that this is the we have to engage with the debate point that people should hold onto. wherever it arises. Take the issue Too many commentators try deter- of the money Council has elected minedly to settle the argument into to spend on legal advice over the right and wrong when the honest last eighteen months. I can assure reality is we live in world where too readers this did not start from the often the truth is a messy shade of perspective of ‘a plague on BW’. grey, sometimes lighter sometimes Rather it arose from a perspective of darker depending on the moment. Council wanting to feel confident— What I do not think helps any of us, as confident as possible—about is any attempt to polarise the argu- what the current legal framework ments. I am always suspicious of does and doesn’t allow. We receive having arguments which set boater many questions about what BW against boater and this is what most can and can’t do. The BW Acts and perturbs me about the Continuous other legislation have to remain the Cruising debate. There is real bile touchstone for whatever we say. and hatred apparent in many of the It is also pertinent to point out online forums and it concerns me that where we have found actions deeply that boaters will speak about that BW was trying to pursue which other boaters in such a thoughtless we feel are at odds with the legal and judgemental way. framework, we don’t simply say to BW, ‘You can’t change that’. Rather The ambiguities in the 1995 Act we have consistently said ‘you can There was much in Simon Greer’s change that or try that if you want, first letter that I personally take but here are the risks and problems’. no contention with. Simon is quite If you simply attempt to ‘outlaw’ this right to remind us that on the ques- or that, you will not always make tion of Continuous Cruising, the the problem better: instead you just House of Lords committee, albeit increase the number of outlaws and now nearly two decades ago, spent thereby make as many enemies as many hours and listened to much friends! evidence from all sides of the debate There is much heat and tension and yet made the recommenda- over attempts to create moorings tions that it did. I also think there is strategies on the western Kennet much truth where Simon suggests, and Avon and the River Lee at ‘Smoothing out idiosyncrasies and present. The one thing that seems consistencies is exactly what I was to consistently come to light is that talking about. Doing so just creates in reality it is about people locally more but of a different type.’ As I getting together and trying to focus recall this is precisely why the 95 on where there is common ground. 30 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Talking Points: Continuous Cruisers

Our experience is that when this is set of questions again. In private, done openly and honestly, solu- I have made much more specific tions do arise, notwithstanding the criticism of some officers in BW, to fact that there will always be some the effect that they seem to think things that people can’t come to that by asking the question enough a settled view over. What matters times somehow people will change then is whether we can be mature their view. enough to live with our differences I wish that this inability to agree or whether instead, as Simon says in on some things was more often seen his correspondence, someone has to as success rather than failure. If we insist on picking the sore. use the outcomes of such debates as If NABO has any major point of a reason to put time and energy into contention with BW, I feel that a lot those things we can agree on, rather of our criticism of them arises on than as an excuse to keep arguing this last point. There is an obses- about the things we don’t agree on, sion in the senior parts of BW with maybe there would be the chance of not letting go of the arguments they some progress and genuine mutual can’t win or resolve easily and that benefit? is persistently disappointing and Ultimately however BW sets the annoying. The current licence fees agenda on these things and I hope A line of bridges on the consultation is an issue that comes those setting the agenda in BW will Macclesfield Canal, just to mind: we consulted and debated think long and hard about whether outside Buglawton near much of this less than two years ago they are looking at the right things. Congleton, and yet because BW was not satis- The agenda at present seems to me Photo Irene Jameison, fied with the answers, it has come to be too often focussed on high- NB Free Spirit back and asked almost the same lighting difference and contention. NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 31 Talking Points The Family Silver Commercial property income and waterway maintenance An extract from BW Chief Executive Robin Evans’ blog of 10 March 2011

am aware that there has been what we receive each year by way of Further Reading a lot of comment about our rent) and the capital value of prop- Robins Evans blog can be Iproperty income and whether we erty (i.e. what we could sell it for). found on the Watrerscape are managing our investments well. website here, complete with Revenue I thought it would be helpful to set comments; down how I see it and why property Our annual gross revenue from our is so important for the future of the property estate is around £50m. But www.waterscape. new waterways charity. It is a com- we also incur significant costs in com/blog/authors/ plex subject so apologies if some of running and maintaining that estate robin/commercial- the detail is a little dry. (i.e. repairs, insurance, rates, staff property-income- time). If we take all these costs off and-the-waterways Property provides income the income the net result is around Robins Evans full list of posts The most important thing to point £40m, which is available to spend is here; out is that our property has been on the waterways. Generally speak- www.waterscape. and will remain a major source of ing our property income has held com/blog/authors/ incom e for the waterways. Last up well in the recession. robin/ year many thousands of people signed a petition for the Treasury Capital not to sell our property because The capital value of a commercial they realise how important the in- property depends most importantly come is to waterway funding. Every on the amount of rent payable, the time the Treasury has thought strength of the covenant of the ten- about selling our property they have ant (i.e. how likely they are to trade concluded that the estate is well well and afford to pay the rent) and managed, gives good value to the the potential for future growth. tax payer and, importantly, that it Over the past couple of years capital should remain with the waterways. values have fallen considerably In theory the government could because the weak economy has replace the income from property affected the strength of tenant’s with additional grant. However covenants and the prospects for even in better economic times there growth have dropped dramatically. has never been any indication that So the capital value of our property government would or could afford estate has fallen but this has not to completely replace our property significantly affected our revenue. income with sufficient grant or that Revenue is more important to us as grant would be as secure or would this is what we spend on waterways grow as property income does. One not capital. Generally we only sell a of the many benefits of becoming a property because we think we can charity is that government is gifting get more revenue from investing all our property to the charity so the receipts in other property. So that it will forever be owned by the we almost never use sale receipts to waterways for their benefit. That is fund works on our waterways but an extraordinary achievement for reinvest by buying another property the waterways in itself. and getting more rent. It is impor- When explaining our property tant to emphasise both these points performance it is important to dis- because often we are accused of tinguish between revenue (usually losing money that could otherwise 32 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 Talking Points: BW Property

be spent on the waterways. If capital equally impressive contribution in Too late for some: Hartshill Yard sold to developers values drop, as they have done the future. Their capital value has and lost to the the canals in recent years, it does not mean reduced in recent years alongside all as reported in NABO News that revenues drop. In effect it is a other property but we expect much last year ‘paper’ loss very similar to a drop of this will return in the medium to in the value of a house. You may be long term. poorer because you have less valu- able assets but it doesn’t affect the Some facts and figures to end with: amount of income you have. The average return from our property portfolio over the last 5 Joint Ventures years has been 8.3% pa compared These are different because their to the industry benchmark of 2.2%. purpose is to increase the capital The capital value of our property value of our property by getting portfolio (including JVs) was £295m planning permission and then sell- in 2001 and £465m in 2010. ing it on, or developing it and then Over the past 10 years JVs have selling. The difference is that some contributed £28m of revenue to of the receipts from these sales are BW. Most of the land along the treated as revenue. In recent years, waterways has always been in our joint ventures have been unable private ownership, and BW only to sell enough property at a high owns something like 3% of the land enough price to generate the in- alongside the network. Where there come we have been used to receiv- are third party developments, our ing. This has been the main cause planners work with the developers of the reduction in property income and local authorities to get the best and some of the pressures to reduce deal and design for the waterways. spend across all areas of BW. Joint Last year BW was a statutory ventures(JVs) are riskier than consultee to something like 2,500 straight property investment but third party planning applications the rewards are potentially much and obtained commitments to ap- higher. Over the last 10 years JVs proximately £1m in improvements have contributed £28m of revenue to the network from neighbouring to BW and are forecast to make an developers. 34 NABO News Issue 3 April 2011

Have Your Say Letters to the Editor Opinions expressed here are independent of NABO policy and statements made have not been verified as true.

waterways, sharing with BW how these could be addressed, and—where possible—helping to solve some of the problems. Based on our initial experience, together with feedback from a well-supported stakehold- ers meeting, we have recently re-shaped the Board to give it a better balance in membership expertise. At the same time, the Canal Trust has deliberately been working closely with BW’s local management—not, as is claimed in your report, as some part of BW, but as a (very) ‘critical friend’! And what else would one expect of us at this time—just to sit on the side-lines and criticise? Our members re-opened this waterway and we will not allow it to be closed again. The comments about the Trust not getting stuck in are also dread- fully misinformed. Our working boat ‘sitting on visitor moorings at Horton Bridge’ is out at least two days a week, with Trust volunteers cut- ting back vegetation, and The Kennet and Avon Canal down at Bradford there Trust replies are regular working par- ties tackling many impor- Thank you for your ‘Personal tant tasks. Don’t forget also that we have over observations on the K & A’ in the very excellent 400 volunteers—every week—running Crofton March 2011 NABO News. I fully realise that and Claverton Pumping Stations, the museum, you faithfully reported what some of the folk shop and archives in Devizes and our four trip you met on your trip had said, and I can only be boats. And who runs the Water Festivals in really saddened by some of the remarks about Reading and Newbury, among others? the K & A Canal Trust. These are difficult days for the Trust: like all We decided (with IWA’s support) not to just charities, we are battling financially, but we are sit back and throw bricks at BW, but rather to doing everything possible to ensure that we can show some initiative during these difficult times. continue to keep our lovely K & A in the shape We therefore offered to set up a pilot Local it deserves. Criticism is so easy—real work Waterways Board, built around our existing requires serious commitment. I’d ask anyone Partnership Board. This has not been easy, as who still feels that more could be being done, to there were no clear ground rules, but we wanted come and join with us in this vital work. to find a productive way forward. We have now Mike Rodd, Chair of the K&A Canal had a series of constructive Board meetings, Trustees and long-term NABO member aimed at understanding the key issues facing the NABO News Issue 3 April 2011 35 Letters to the Editor

Licence fee outrage it is becoming more prevalent. The report on the mooring strategy and the observations on Simon Greer’s comments might have a point. the K & A illustrate this. The K & A appears to I don’t know whether Council members feel be a canal to rigorously avoid, the Rochdale in they are getting bogged down with ‘nick- Manchester is more appealing. picking’ matters or not, but there does seem I object to Simon using the term ‘boaters’. to be an emphasis on those rather than, say, I am a boater of many years and he does not licence costs. I moor in the winter on non-BW represent my views. There would be no point waters from October to March, so only need to NABO if it took Simon’s position; it would a 6-month licence, April to September. BW do nothing except resist any change, regardless, has just charged me 80% of the yearly cost for and I would no longer be a member. Following a six-month licence. This is outrageous. How the subsequent missives of 12.1.2011, Richard can it be fair to charge me 80% when I only use had no choice but to hand the correspondence BW waters for 50%. This, surely, is what NABO to Council for a collective response. Simon was should be kicking up a huge fuss about and starting to get rather unpleasant, attempting to issues like this were one of the main reasons imply that council members work for their own I joined. I cancelled my membership of IWA ends. I am quite sure that the vast majority of because I felt they were not fighting enough. the ‘impecunious boater’ membership greatly Maybe the smaller matters do have to be dealt appreciates the hard work of NABO and is not with, but don’t forget the bigger picture. left ‘cold’. That is after all why we are members. Yours , David Kennedy, nb Liberty Bell I wholeheartedly support and agree with the response of Richard, Howard and David. There Re: 6-month licence going up by 50%. Our li- is a real chance to have some influence and it cence with prompt payment was £256.61 and is is indeed fortunate that NABO has a Council now £382.10—an increase of £125.49. With the with the vision and ability needed to grasp this increase in cost of fuel for the boat and the car, opportunity. a 300-mile round trip to the boatyard, from Rye Take your head out of the bucket Simon and in East Sussex to Fenny Compton, means that look around. Life and people, including boaters, our pension will not stretch that far; the bankers have changed and not always what we would have made sure of that. Our boat Kesho is now wish, but that’s reality. Perhaps it is time for you up for sale. to ‘catch the other bus’. Ern Lawrence Terry Loma, nb Break-Away, L&L Canal

Change is not always for the better One person’s solution to ‘overcrowding’ I have just read the exchange of correspond- A controversial suggestion: ence with Simon Greer regarding his distress, I would like to suggest that BW doesn’t stand resistance to change and apparent abhorrence a chance to control boat numbers and moor- at defining anything. Wake up Simon, the world ings with their present set up. Overcrowding has moved on and unfortunately, in some cases, is becoming a real problem in some areas and the attitude of our fellow man has not changed BW needs a way of managing this. My solution for the better. would be to sell separate licences for each wa- There now seems to be a self-centred view terway or even part of a waterway (e.g. east and among more of the community and boaters west K&A could be two licences). Boaters could who seek to gain personal advantage at minimal either buy a licence for their current waterway cost and don’t care about the effects or costs it or a visitor’s licence. BW could then fix the places on their contemporaries. One example number of permanent licences to be issued to of this are the people who ‘continuously moor’ avoid overcrowding, either using a licence auc- but call themselves ‘continuous cruisers’. It is a tion or a waiting list. Visitors would be permit- sad but necessary reflection on society that the ted by issuing either short-term visitor licences, unspecified terms of ‘additional period’, ‘reason- as happens on the Thames, or a multi-canal able’ and ‘circumstance’ now have to be specifi- licence, which would restrict the amount of time cally defined. It is this lack of definition that is spent on each canal. exploited by those amongst us who seek to gain Sue Burchett advantage and abuse the spirit of the rules, and