No 'freeby' winter moorings at Atherstone

NICE one about the 'continuous moorers' having their freeby winter mooring removed at Atherstone. Oh dear, my heart bleeds for them, writes Keith Gudgin.

If the stoppages are are still as published they will have a long way to go to find another long stoppage in a town as an excuse to over-stay. Most of the local ones are short term.

Should cruise continuously

If they're continuous cruisers then they should cruise continuously, if they want to stay in one place for the winter then they should pay for a winter mooring or, better still, pay to stop in a marina, most are reasonably priced and have all the facilities required.

At least when I get to Atherstone later I'll be able to find somewhere to moor up to do some shopping etc.

There is after all no excuse for it as all the stoppages are published well in advance so boaters have no excuse for not being able to avoid them. But then they know this, as how else would they know where to head for to 'get stuck behind a stoppage'? As Sid Haworth states: 'They were (deliberately) moving up to Atherstone to moor for a couple of months by the town,...'.

CaRT should charge

It's about time CaRT started to charge boaters who use stoppages as an excuse to over-stay. It should charge them pro rata for an un-booked winter mooring at the top rate. I feel CaRT would be justified in levying a top-rate charge as most of the time these 'continuous moorers' find the most popular visitor moorings in towns etc. to tie up to.

I always avoid getting stuck by planned stoppages as I don't want to sit in one place long term so I've worked out how to spend the winter with the minimum of movement but still stay within the rules and also the spirit of those rules as well. The biggest problem I have is finding somewhere to moor in towns with a stoppage close by, to do some shopping.

Winding hole blocked for nearly two months

Last year I had to get two boats to move to allow me to wind my boat in front of a stoppage so I could get out of the town after doing my shopping. I had to breast up on another boat in order to go to the shops and the winding hole was blocked by moored boats that had been there for nearly two months.

I will be travelling for an average of only one hour per week during this winter, (Nov-March) hardly onerous is it. I will also be passing services regularly so will not have to make special trips for water etc.

A little pre-planning makes a big difference and I will not be at one place for more than 14 days, weather permitting of course.