The mooring issue

If anyone said to me "I've found mooring difficult this year," my first response would to be to ask where, then at what time of year and perhaps, what time of day. Without that data the first statement is pretty much meaningless, writes Ralph Freeman.

Regular readers will know my travels last year took me along the Trent & Mersey, Staffs & Worcs, various parts of the BCN, plus the Coventry and Caldon canals. In other words a reasonable selection of canals centred around the Midlands.

Over that area I found the amount of boating traffic to be less than at it's peak in say 2005 to 2009, so mooring in general has been easier and definitely not a problem as has been claimed. For instance on the Staffs & Worcs, the mooring at Coven by Br71 (near the Fox and Anchor restaurant) has always tended to be busy, but last year I went past three times and found it almost empty. On one occasion I moored up with a good choice of specific mooring; so no problem there.

Not the way to proceed

There is also the very unpredictability of trying to find a mooring. I've been past popular moorings which, to my surprise, were deserted, but on my return trip just a few days later I found them 'rammed'. How come? In my opinion attempting to introduce draconian rules on a system-wide basis is not the way to proceed. Over large stretches of the system the rules do not need to be changed as there isn't a (serious) problem?

The problem as I see it is a small number of boat owners refuse (and have probably always refused) to 'play the game' and obey the rules. BW/CaRT have allowed this 'sore' to fester over the years which is unacceptable. Yes I know some of these people are abusive, maybe even violent, but if that behaviour is rewarded, in effect, with a 'free mooring pass' then is it surprising they continue their anti-boater behaviour? They have a winning formula!

Security 'heavies'

To deal with these 'serial offenders' will need either Police intervention or CaRT officials backed by security 'heavies', but turning a blind eye cannot continue. Furthermore, suggesting anyone with coal or logs on the roof of their boat is of the same ilk is clearly ridiculous, but that seems to be what has happened thanks to certain CaRT employees/committee members.

Surely with respect to mooring problems, (real and imaginary), the first step should be to identify which 48hr (or shorter) moorings are 'clogged' and for what period, noting too at what time of year it occurs. Secondly clearly identify those boats guilty of habitually overstaying on 48hr moorings. To do this, busy 48hr moorings will need to be patrolled much more frequently than they are at present. Some are visited only twice a month I suspect, which is next to useless. If there is a problem they should be visited every other day during the busy period from mid-July to mid-September.

Resources

Some may say CaRT doesn't have the resources to do this in which case I challenge senior managers to produce a list of job titles occupied in their jurisdiction and let boaters suggest where 'non-jobs' could be replaced by the necessary patrol staff.

Lets face it, if you turn up with a boat at 7.30pm at a honey-pot site, say Fradley Junction, during the 'silly season' you are very unlikely to find a mooring. That's the way it's been since I began cruising over ten years ago. Of course CaRT never suggests more/better moorings would help. Why? (The Caldon and Macc spring immediately to mind.)

Not a single boat

By contrast last week I cruised through Weston (near Stone) on the Trent & Mersey, which has two good pubs and a shop locally, to find not a single boat moored there. This just goes to show that suggesting the need for a system wide solution in place all year round is just plain daft. Are these 'one size fits all' proposals being put forward because of ignorance or plain laziness I ask?

Some moorings are busy for only a small percentage of the year and it's only a small percentage of boaters that cause problems. Just dealing with these issues first would be a far more sensible approach in my view. It seems to me all this discussion over moorings is just 'Jobsworth's' in Ivory Towers looking for something to do that doesn't involve them in getting their hands dirty, i.e. sorting out the localised, minor, but REAL problems associated with mooring on the canals.

Addendum

I have just received information that Paul Griffin has personally intervened in a mooring dispute which, with the application of tact and common sense, has now been resolved without the need for any legal action whatsoever. At least someone in CaRT understands how a 'Charity' should work! More please.