Give it a rest!

OVER the past weeks narrowboatworld has been literally crammed with opinions about continuous cruisers and continuous moorers, and so it is time for a rest from the subject—for the foreseeable future—unless some decision comes from Canal & River Trust.

So to be completely fair, we shall give the last word to a continuous cruiser, Keith Gudgin, who replies to some of the comments by our contributors:

Why are we at each others throats again?

'What happened to personal choice, I ask. If you feel badly done by because you can't cruise and thus need to pay for a mooring, perhaps best not to buy a boat, but to buy a caravan you can park on your drive'. (Pam Pickett—narrowboatworld 23 December 2012.)

So far I have nothing fundamental against the people in CaRT or those on boats in marinas, I just wish they would look at their own actions and wishes before they try to impose them on others. As a continuous cruiser I pay my way, I pay all that is asked of me but I see no reason why I should be expected to pay for something I am not getting just so someone else can have it for free. I've used marinas and when I have, I've paid what has been asked even though I felt it was sometimes a bit much.

Hope fees will drop

I now read that some marina moorers want to put part of their mooring fees onto the licence fee of everybody in the hope that their marina fees will drop!

Some hope! Are these people so gullible that they think the marina operators will pass all this windfall onto them? If they don't want to pay the exorbitant fees that marinas charge then get out, it's their choice.

I'm fed up with being ripped off by marinas and their chandleries. I can say that out of all of those I've used so far only one was priced at what I would call fair, and I see no reason to subsidise any of them by other means. I only use them in emergencies now.

More to the issue

As Orph Mable wrote (narrowboatworld.com, 22 December 2012):

'There is more to the issue than you may think at first.'

Do these marina moorers think that with a general increase in licence fees of this nature they will get any more out of CaRT? Or that all the continuous moorers will disappear overnight or at least leave all the visitor moorings and water points etc. clear?

Do these people really think that by imposing a 10 to 20% plus increase in the licence fee it will make the continuous moorers toe the line any more than they do at the moment, I think it will just instil in them the attitude that I'll moor where I like for as long as I like, after all, I'm paying for it now.

Grounds of fairness

John Kerley wrote (narrowboatworld.com, 27 December 2012): 'On grounds of fairness and equity it is right that those who occupy CaRT long term moorings which provide services and/or the security of an off-side mooring should pay extra, just like those in marinas.'

I agree so far, but he then goes on to say: 'However if the increased licence fee also gave the right to an allocated towpath mooring spot, away from visitor moorings, for no extra charge, then this may encourage some 'continuous moorers' to take advantage of this, and not occupy visitor moorings'.

Yes—some 'continuous moorers' may take advantage of this. I wouldn't hold your breath though. He also suggests we should all pay this extra even when we don't want a mooring? Why?

An option

I say make it an option, just a small fee paid by those who want it. 50p per foot per calendar month sounds about right to me, to moor in an allocated spot on a towpath, without any facilities, which is what a vast majority of continuous moorers do now anyway. A 40 footer would then pay £240 per annum and a 70 footer £420. It seems to me to be reasonably affordable and not a bad bit of income for CaRT and it would also reduce the amount CaRT need to spend on enforcement etc.

It would also have an argument for making sure that no one moors on lock/bridge landings, water points, visitor moorings, sensitive areas etc. as there would be a feasible, affordable, controlled alternative. Those who want to work or go to college etc. from their boat will be able to do so, those who need to send children to school etc. will be able to do so without any worries or recriminations.