Continuous cruiser is incensed

AS A continuous cruiser who abides by the rules I am incensed by the two people who complain they move three miles there and back once every six months, but stopped by 'no mooring' signs, writes Barry Fowkes.

Stayed six months in each place

Continuous cruisers Amelia and Tyrone complain they have lived on a boat for seven years staying six months on the Lee Navigation in Tottenham then travelling just three miles to Stratford for another six months, complaining that 'no mooring' signs have gone up so has stopped them doing this.

Amelia complains that her son attends a nursery and they are registered with doctors, dentists and built a life within this area and not being able to moor here truly feels as if they are being forced out. But they should not be there anyway, as they are getting away with breaking the rules of continuous cruising.

Fail on both counts

All they have to do is get a permanent home mooring like the thousands of other boaters who wish to remain in one place, but of course they will have to pay for it, so prefer to buy just a continuous cruiser licence, though they are certainly not continuous cruisers, as the rules plainly state they have to move every 14 days and 'be engaged in genuine navigation throughout the period of the licence' and not shuttle in a small area. They fail on both counts.

They are admitting they are not following the rules but are fiddling the system to suit there own ends, but instead of complaining should act legally and get a home mooring if they wish to stay in one place. How they have managed to get away with it for seven years beats me.  Someone has turned a blind eye it would seem.

Incidentally, the National Bargees Travellers Association who promoted this should be held to task for encouraging people to break the rules.  I have copied the rules and hope Mr, Editor they can be included.

The continuous cruiser rules

Boats without a home mooring must be engaged in genuine navigation throughout the period of the licence. Basically, make the effort, 'in good faith', to navigate around our waterways. You’ll need to continually move from place to place on a journey, rather than just shuttling back and forth between places and remaining in a small area. If you can't do this easily, especially where you rely on access to local places such as schools or work, you should find a home mooring.
You must not stay moored in the same neighbourhood or locality for more than 14 days.