INLAND NAVIGATION ISSUES, NEWS, AND VIEWS • Safety - Refillable LPG Bottles • Moorings and comments on the BCN • Need You Pay Council Tax? Issue 5 August 2006 3 Chairman's Column The chairman 6 For Your Safety - Refillable gas bottles (BSS) 8 What you are entitled to know Stephen Peters 9 AINA Signs Stephen Peters 10 Are you Lost? Stuart Sampson 12 Mooring on the BCN Stuart Sampson 14 Discounts from River Canal Rescue RCR >>> 17 A G M Notice and Nomination form (pullout)<<<< 19 Notices 20 Rivers - Thames Drought notice (EA) 22 VHF Marine Band Latest Stephen Peters 23 Narrowboating in Ireland Steve Buss 24 Fly on the wall at Council Said insect 24 Daft or Not Daft? Various 25 Changes to the Boatmaster Licence Tony Haynes 26 Need you pay Council Tax Simon Robbins 27 Letters Yourselves 29 Counterpoints Drifter 30 NABO supplies 31 Council and contacts 2006 CALENDAR Council Copy meeting date Sept 16th Sept 23rd Nov 18th AGM Nov 25th Dec 7th 2 CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN As I write this, memories are fresh from Pledge just for a year or is our re-acquaintance with the nether it supposed to be regions of the BCN, but those are the ongoing?“ subject of later article in which I have tried to explain to the Doubting Then one hears, at Thomas's why it should be a destination least once a year, that rather than somewhere to dash through there is a breach or catastrophic failure as quickly as possible. I am pleased to somewhere on the system. This isn't say some are already converted – we confined to BW, the collapse of Osney met three private boats coming up Lock bullnose last year shows it Ryders Green Locks returning from happens to the EA too. Immediately it said nether regions, all NABO jumps to mind that if the waterways members. Good on you! were properly inspected, a 'stitch in time might save nine'. This latter case Thankfully, few ‘political’ issues are was particularly galling as EA had been adding much to the inescapable heat at told by its staff about it and seemingly present. HM Customs are still had ignored it. beavering away on the Red Diesel derogation. The EC is giving them BW has a handbook for lengthsmen. I problems but certainly rumours that all have seen it, albeit very briefly, as a is lost are unfounded. Government copy was passed round during a funding for the waterways, particularly Boating Issues Meeting, but I can't EA, is another battle being fought in the study something and follow a meeting. corridors of power. There isn’t a lot we What I can say is that I have never seen can do for now so we should recharge one in the hands of a lengthsman on the our batteries by getting on with what bank. That isn't surprising as I haven't we are really about, namely boating, seen a lengthsman, or recognised one, and enjoy a more down-to-earth anywhere other than with a mower on a perspective on things. lock flight. I did ask you to say hello when I tell a lie, just this morning a BW man encountering us on the waterways and came down the towpath wielding a you have. There are two issues with the machete. Asked why he was allowed in authorities at the top of your agendas, a public place with a weapon like that and maybe they are inter-related. he replied, “Licence evasion!“ Apparent neglect? I am not saying they aren't there, or that if they were, that they could divine a The item that appeared in Waterways culvert about to collapse while strolling World a year or two back bemoaning over it on the towpath. What I am the scarcity of ‘the lesser spotted saying is that, if BW could show more lengthsman’ typified this concern. presence, like having 'bobbies on the Why, when there are jobs to be done, beat', then much of this negative nobody appears to be doing them? perception would go away. Even better Vegetation management, clearing if this presence was seen to be actively underwater obstructions, and dredging engaged in something constructive. are on the tips of boaters’ tongues when the subject of BW’s care comes up. A classic case was the BW operative One member asked me, “Was the Veg painting Hungerford Lock last year 3 while guests from a hotel boat had to Wasted money struggle though dense vegetation to get The second thing that irks boaters is ashore just a few yards below the lock. seeing money, that they think comes His office had sent him to do that job out of their licences, being wasted, and but allowed him no initiative or time to as I said, it ties in with the do what needed doing in the vicinity undiminished bank staff that Robin while he was there. This is why boaters Evans says are still on BW's payroll despair of seeing bank staff in their and yet don't seem to be out there little rooms or cabins forever brewing working. Again the EA is also to blame up when there is work to be done – the for not giving return for the money: the jobs have to be prioritised in an ever funds it collected for enlarging locks more distant office before they are on the Thames has never been used for given the work. This is where the that. This was some years back, but NABO reporting forum can help. If a boaters have long memories and won't job needs doing, put it on public forgive or forget. display and remember it does get sent automatically to the local waterway Mutterings on the BW towpath tell of office. They can't ignore it then, or so I large sums ill spent too. Two examples am told. on the Titford, BW has spent hundreds of thousands on a pumping system that Meanwhile on the Titford Canal, cannot be used due to pollution, and volunteers from the BCN Society were along the Tat Branch, a line of out with their little work boat and expensive hook-up pillars has been grappling hooks looking for jobs to be installed for residential boats before it done. A short but intensive day's work was discovered the local council won't for three and ‘Phoenix’ came back let anybody live there. Then there are laden with waterlogged barrows, the moorings installed at Aston Science trolleys, bicycles, kiddies' scooters, a Park without, it seems, a binding Kawasaki motorbike and contractors' contract with the landowners. I don't metal mesh fencing bearing a notice mean to victimise West Midlands, I am apologising for any inconvenience sure it happens elsewhere, and there caused! And they are doing it for are probably mitigating circumstances, nothing! but this sort of thing doesn't help BW's image with boaters. Perhaps the images I paint are a bit unfair, but boaters' opinions are not fair. There are, thankfully, many letters also in the magazines praising waterway staff for pulling out the stops to help people in genuine need, so if it is not the staff themselves we should berate, it must be the system. Antisocial boaters Members have problems also with others on the cut. Running generators late into the evening is one, especially nasty little petrol ones that are 4 deliberately placed as far away from the cylinder walls cannot get hot the offending boat and hence as near enough to burn off the potential glaze. you as possible. However I was reminded after what I It is part of the licence conditions not said in the last magazine that, however to run engines and generators between well your boat is secured, it can still 2000 and 0800 hours where anybody heel over when passed at speed, in earshot could be disturbed, so especially on narrow shallow cuts. beware of leaving your generator This shouldn’t harm unoccupied boats unheeded, someone might sweeten but who knows who might be wielding your fuel with a little sugar! a chip pan – but then they choose to moor online as it is cheaper and Other Noise affords a better view than sandwiched Like anywhere in summer, blaring in a marina and so they must take radios on boats can annoy others when account of passing boats. windows are open, as can late night drunken laughter, shouting for errant Certainly on the S.U. we’ve crawled dogs and slamming hatches. As for past miles of moored boats and floating discos on the Thames, say no noticed two things. One - many were more! moored with lines at 90º to the bank, and so would bash other boats – even Speed on the outboard, however slow we This is still an issue and probably passed, and secondly, it is high never to be resolved while humans summer and yet very few are out. How control boats. The email column of can people afford a boat and not use narrowboatworld.com seems to have it? taken it up. With my internet connection being rather poor coming Finally down the Shroppie I haven’t been The suggestion about making bollards following it, but it seems one of my safer by giving them stainless steel colleagues has also been advocating ‘belts’ seems to have inspired one better use of spring lines for boats on member, who has passed it on to BW online permanent moorings. Tony West Midlands for Central Brooks, diesel guru, has also been Birmingham. We hear it may bear fruit warning of the detriment to engines – watch this space! through extended slow running while Enjoy the peace of the waterways! passing endless lines of moorings, as Stuart PS If you are wondering how I can afford a boat like this and to swan about on it in a kilt, then (1) the boat is a self fit-out and (2) My boating kilt is from the USA (www.sportkilt.com), cost under $60, is cotton, cooler than shorts, and repels biting flies better – not for the reasons you might think! 5 FOR YOUR SAFETY ..