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.