ATYC and Rugs

TrueBlue

TrueBlue

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Following on the Pageant thread, I pooped over to the ATYC site and I saw a couple of banner items:-
Letter to Lord Smith.
On behalf of TUGn Mr. Shefras claims to represent 25,000 boaters on the River.
Firstly is a TUG something to do with a RUG; does TUGn then mean that it's a RUG from 1 to 9 in turn - as needs be? or hasn't it got around to deciding what number it is?

Secondly who are the 25,000 boaters with some 8,000 boats registered that's three for each boat. Well there's only two on mine....

More importantly how does he represent me (us)? I've never met him or asked to be represented by a number 1-9.

It seems that the unnumbered TUG is overall in charge of the RUGs. (See the end of the letter) Is that so??





Meeting with EA (ATYC notice board)

headline
USERS MEETING WITH SE REGION DIRECTOR INCONCLUSIVE!

I assume this means the ATYC. I know of it (them), but I'm not a member of any Thames Yacht Club - I don't think I'd be exactly welcome....

I note that their list of clubs is not exactly - umm - up to date, so I'm wondering exactly who they are and how many boaters they really represent.

Confused, I am.
Anyone kind enough to put me right with some real figures and names??
 
Sour grapes?

Do I detect some sour grapes - why? Who are you? Write under a name.

At least Michael and the TUGn committee are known by and represent boaters. We get substantial feedback from people who are happy to be identified.

Not everybody needs to see their name in print and are happy to work for the common good. Some even get Honours in respect of "work for Thames boating".

The Waterways Minister and Defra recognise TUGn as acknowledged consultative representatives of the River Thames users.

If you have nothing constructive to add then "HUSH".

Louis Jankel of narrowboat MADAM. member TUGn - RYA - IWA - NABO - RBOA - DBA - TSCC - RFERAC - RUG8 - WWG as well as the ones I have forgotten. Michael Shefras is with us on most of these and a lot of others on his own.
 
rooster.jpg
 
Louis Jankel said:
Do I detect some sour grapes - why? Who are you? Write under a name.

At least Michael and the TUGn committee are known by and represent boaters. We get substantial feedback from people who are happy to be identified.

Not everybody needs to see their name in print and are happy to work for the common good. Some even get Honours in respect of "work for Thames boating".

The Waterways Minister and Defra recognise TUGn as acknowledged consultative representatives of the River Thames users.

If you have nothing constructive to add then "HUSH".

Louis Jankel of narrowboat MADAM. member TUGn - RYA - IWA - NABO - RBOA - DBA - TSCC - RFERAC - RUG8 - WWG as well as the ones I have forgotten. Michael Shefras is with us on most of these and a lot of others on his own.
Click to expand...

I think you may have more in common than you think ....
 
Glorfindel said:
Seem to be missing TMBA & The Sea Scouts
Click to expand...

TMBA and the Sea Scouts were represented at RUG8.

Paul Lonsdale
District Explorer Scout Commissioner, Richmond Upon Thames District Scouts,
member of Thames Scout Cruising Club, committee member Bray Cruiser Club and owner of an ATYC burgee. Also a member of TMBA, RYA and BCU.

Gets tedious if we put up this kind of info doesn't it.... zzzz
 
Louis Jankel said:
Do I detect some sour grapes - why? Who are you? Write under a name.

.....

If you have nothing constructive to add then "HUSH".

Louis Jankel of narrowboat MADAM. member TUGn - RYA - IWA - NABO - RBOA - DBA - TSCC - RFERAC - RUG8 - WWG as well as the ones I have forgotten. Michael Shefras is with us on most of these and a lot of others on his own.
Click to expand...


TrueBlue has been a forumite since 2004, and contributed over 2400 worthwhile posts.

You, on the other hand, appear to have wafted in with a rather unenviable reputation for gobbing off , and have posted, ooh, at least six posts.

Yet you use the word 'HUSH' to try to demean him? :confused:

Get a grip, and come back when you have learnt a few more manners. ;)


The last ATYC bully boy who posted on here did so anonymously, I would like to point out, which doesn't actually do Shefras any favours...
 
Thank you Gentlemen,

particularly No Regrets, Chris_D and anyone else who supports a moderate view. I am humbled by your kind words.

The challenge is that there a re plethora of bodies claiming to represent users of the River, possibly on the basis of divide and conquer. As far as I am concerned it's not a matter of conquering, more one of working with EA to make the best of current conditions. If folks are always in attack mode then they run the risk of the "enemy" going underground and fighting from behind...

If EA are presented with a disorganised rabble, they will either ignore them as such or as an argumentative jumble of hotheads not worthy of an ear.

Whichever way it will waste a lot of management time that could be better spent on dealing with the declining funding problems.

I have had a boat on the Thames for some 12 years now and have been impressed by the continual improvements to facilities or attempts thereat. In the last 2-3 years EA has opened up somewhat and at least 3 managers are showing an interest in talking to users and acting on some of their suggestions.

My reason for starting this thread is back to the plethora issue. Some of the associations appear clear in their title - Sea Scouts, ATYC (perhaps), TMBA, but then, back to RUGs, TUG ?s? River Thames Society and others.

A better understanding of who they all genuinely represent would be very helpful. No fudging figures, mind.

MY object all sublime,
I shall achieve in time,
to make

  • More users on the river
  • more boats out of their marinas using the locks and navigation
  • Fair payment for the facilities that they use,
  • More fee paying users
  • better public awareness of the special feature of this magnificent waterway
  • More cooperation between users
  • Perhaps more volunteers working alongside (NOT replacing) existing EA staff.


A long post (sorry, Chris-D) and a bit heavy, perhaps.

Does anyone have anything constructive to say??
 
Sorry I didn't also spring to your defence yesterday, TrueBlue - had a hectic day selling stickers :D

Being serious, I can help answer some of your questions.

Lets start with RUGS - River User Groups
There are notionally 8 of these but 1&2 and 4&5 are effectively one each which makes 6.
They each operate on a specific stretch of the river - RUG !/2 Inglesham to Sandford, RUG 3 is Sandford to Cleeve, RUG 4/5 Cleeve to Marsh, RUG 6 is Marsh to Boulters, RUG 7 Boulters to Bell Weir RUG 8 Bell Weir to Teddington - the RUG WEBSITE is down at the moment but you can see for yourself later and also read some of the minutes of meetings - although many are woefully out of date.

The primary purpose of the RUG's as I understand it is to provide local forums for users in particular stretches of the river - boaters, anglers, walkers, riparian owners etc etc - where they can discuss issues primarily local to their stretch. They are supposed to meet 3 times a year and the EA usually send a rep to each meeting.
Although not exactly 'open house' I believe I am right in saying anyone with a legitimate interest in the river can join and most of the boat clubs send a rep to their local RUG.

I have attended 2 RUG meetings in recent weeks on behalf of the TMBA - 7 and 8

Watch for the next instalment :D
 
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Episode 2

You don't need me to explain what/who the River Thames Society is - they have their own excellent website HERE

Their interest encompasses the whole length of the river - both tidal and non tidal and they aim to cater for all classes of river users.

Perhaps, IMHO, the most 'gentlemanly' organisation of its type !
 
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Independent.

TrueBlue et al;
I notice that Brayman has refrained from commenting on this thread. He certainly was, if not still is, an active ATYC (Association of Thames Yacht Clubs) member. I suspect he is feeling rather hurt at the potential inference that ATYC does not represent Thames boaters?
ATYC has a very specific role - an association of affiliated Thames boat clubs (tidal and non-tidal) and like any Trade Association is authorized by those clubs to represent them at various Thames related meetings, be they EA or any other body that might affect the interests of their member clubs.
The first Chairperson that I can remember was Knobby Pierce back in the 60's, succeeded by Mark Warner, Mike Shefras, Chris Turner and possibly others. They and their fellow committee members put in an inordinate amount of time attending inumerable meetings, most of which I suspect are incredibly boring and will benefit them personally very little.
They have been in the past, and probably still are, very actively involved in restraining EA from increasing licence fees way in excess of what has actually been achieved, amongst a miriad of other less tangible things.

As they represent Thames Clubs, they clearly don't specifically represent those that are not members of a club. However, last time I heard, we all had similar requirements of boating on the river, so it is likely that the large number of boaters that are members of clubs have similar wishes of the EA and others to those who are not members of clubs.

There are other bodies representing other specific areas of Thames related activities and I am sure if someone wants to organise it, they would welcome an umbarella group to represent them all, but where do you stop?

So let's all put our toys back in the pram and say thank you to all those including Boatone, ATYC, NABO, IWA, RTS, etc, who are prepared to attend all those boring meetings on our behalf, to ensure we continue to have access to the most beautiful river in England.

OK, Oldgit, the Medway ain't bad but there's not much of it!!!!
 
boatone said:
You don't need me to explain what/who the River Thames Society is - they have their own excellent website HERE

Their interest encompasses the whole length of the river - both tidal and non tidal and they aim to cater for all classes of river users.

Perhaps, IMHO, the most 'gentlemanly' organisation of its type !
Click to expand...

Totally agree and as such can exert more measured influence where it's needed rather than antics of the table thumpers.
 
Trueblue, thanks for your original questions and Boatone many thanks for your answers! As a newbie to the river this year it has been a most informative thread and I have learnt something :)

I do think telling someone to hush is rather rude though, I wouldn't do that and I have over 200 posts :o
 
"The first Chairperson that I can remember was Knobby Pierce back in the 60's,"

Wasn't his name Nobby Pearce? He had a wooden boat called "Dorothy Maureen" and then later a steel cruiser "Dorothy Maureen II". I've seen his daughter and her husband on the Thames and up and down the East Coast for many years, and this year moved my sailing boat to Titchmarsh Marina at Walton on The Naze. I arrived in March, and DM2 was on the hard with a winter cover, and I looked forward to renewing my acquaintance, but the boat was never launched this season and the winter cover was left on, a bit worrying. Nobby's daughter (who was Maurice Griffiths secretary at Yachting Monthly) confirmed that Nobby had taken a lot on cine film of early ATYC rallies, and she still had these I wonder if somebody in the ATYC, particularly if they have an historian, should be interested in these films.
 
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