Crap on the day-sailer

[Lakesailor]

The headline on the top of the forum about Day Sailor's Outrage is very indicitive of the way things are going to go for all sailing as access to water becomes more regulated.
The Lake Wardens are run by the South Lakes District Council, so the possibility of them leaving the slip open when they are not there is nil. Frightened to death of getting sued.
The concept that there is access for all to bodies of water is pie in the sky. Someone somewhere wants to make a buck or regulate what you are doing.

Now that the MOBOs have been persuaded not to day-sail (motor?) it looks like the very people that are supposed to benefit are being <font color="black">sh</font><font color="black">it</font> upon.
Of course the council want them to take moorings, to fill up the bank account so depleted after the speed ban. But there are only about 160 or so mooring places left available unless the council can persuade the LDNPA to approve more moorings.

It is wonderful to ghost around the lake at dusk in the warm summer evenings. Just a pity so many trailer-sailors won't be able to.

 

[tcm]

lake district boating holiday

on of my bicycling hols in the lake district cost £6 quid i seem to remember, and i am fairly sure that we borrowed a rowing boat late in the eveing, slung the bikes on an eventuyally found some where and turned two smaller boats over on the shore and went to sleep. Waking up under an upturned boat is a bit weird, cos as you rise you knock yerself out, and still think it's dark. Eventually having smashed my head on seat a few times i remebered where i was, lifted the boat up to find lots of cows all mooing around us. These days, i am not very particular about where i sleep, but haven't slept under a boat ever since.

Do they still have those signs on the hotels, each slagging off the neighbouring hotel a few hundred yards away? I thort that very funny.

 

[Stemar]

Re: lake district boating holiday

Has there been a general availability in the past? If so, it may be possible to challenge their insistance on closing the slipway in court. There was a judgement recently that the London Borough of Nanny couldn't ban swimming on the bathing pond at Hampstead because there was no lifeguard (they'd withdrawn them), because people should be allowed to make therir own judgement of risk. It may well be a precedent.

 

[Lakesailor]

Day Sailing

The problem is that although some lakes are available to sailors, canoeists, rowers and fishermen the access is normally over private land. Some of the land is National Trust owned and access is, whilst not easy, available. But anything larger than a dinghy, that needs a car to launch, is rather more restricted.
As the slip at Ferry Nab which is owned by the council is the best facility on Windermere that means that closing it at 5.00pm is inconvenient to say the least. There is a slip at Fell Foot Park and others at caravan parks, but they have their own problems, or cost considerations.

All in all, not a good decision for the trailer-sailor.
I'm OK Jack. I'm on a mooring, but I feel for the guy who wants to come and go in a day.

 

[Sybarite]

Re: Day Sailing

Apparently the restaurants close for lunch too...

John

 

[Lakesailor]

Re: Day Sailing

Yes. Many do, but others don't. Getting food isn't a problem.

 

[claymore]

Re: Day Sailing

There are - as you rightly point out - a number of places with slipways. Seems to me that if I was the warden again of Tower Wood Outdoor Centre I'd be sensing a business opportunity and letting people in and out for a few bob. YMCA could do this as could YHA - Ghyll Head is not so good as its fairly steep but the best of all must be Shepherds et al with a wonderful opportunity to recoup some lost income?

 

[Lakesailor]

Re: Day Sailing

You are quite right. However the old greenback hunger will take over and those that do offer long hours access will want their wedge. I hope not.

The YMCA are, by the way, moving away from outdoor adventure activities as a result of the ludicrous safety and duty of care regulations that are deluging such operators.