Details of your Boat

[Beryl]

I am very upset because I have discovered that the details of my boat are published on the internet. It seems that if your boat is registered with either the EA or British waterways then they can give the details of your boat to anybody who applies under the Freedom of information act. A sad man who runs a website about boating has applied to EA and BW for this information and published it on his own site. What do people think?

 

[sarabande]

Welcome to the Forum.

Before you get overwhelmed with opinion, views, rants, obsessions, advice, counsel, recommendations, and anything between, it would be useful if you could give a few clues about yourself in the bio. Not everything, but enough to start a small mine of speculation would be a start.

The answers to the question you put may depend on several factors: the information has been provided under the FOI act, and EA and other contributors have presumably considered the Data Protection Act, European Human Rights, and similar legislation.

Are you concerned that personal details (i.e. of living person) are being given out ? Can we have the URL of the site to which you refer ? It would be germane to further comment.

 

[Beryl]

No I am not concerned about personal info as this is not listed. I don't feel it is necessary to give info about myself other than I am a boat owner and like a little privacy. The reason I am concerned is I feel it is wrong and unfair to publish details of my private property on the Internet without my consent. I am reluctant to give out the URL as I don't want to give free publicity to this idiot. I am sure other contributors will come up with the details.

 

[JKay]

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/jim.shead/boats.html

no opinion one way or the other worse things happen at sea!

no relations to site etc

cheers Joe

 

[sarabande]

I accept and support your wish for your boat's details to remain private knowledge. You may have a case under the Data Protection Act that you yourself can be identified as a human being and / or as the owner of a boat by virtue of the combination of data (boat name, location, type, etc). If that is so, then the RYA legal people might be able to offer specific advice or case history ?

Check with the Information Commissioner's Office also. They have a pretty quick turn round of questions.

Info Here

 

[sarabande]

Quick work !

There may be genuine reasons why a person may not wish to have details (possibly given in confidence ?) made available on the net by an individual.

We had a case at work where we had to remove an important person from an emergency callout list because she was a single mother living apart from a violent partner in the same company. Fortunately the case was resolved peacefully.

Difficult to make a decision about whether Beryl's rights have been breached or security threatened, based on the information we have at the moment.

 

[BrendanS]

there is nothing there to link any boat details back to an individual though. Just the name dimensions and power source, and it registration number. Any of which can be easily obtained

 

[Dave_Seager]

There is very little information on the web site that could not be deduced from seeing the boat itself. Only the engine size if not immediately apparent externally. If you had not seen the boat, you probably would not know the name to look up the details so I do not see any problem.

Personally, I found it interesting to see where boats that I previously owned are now being used.

 

[Brayman]

It's nothing to get excited about, it only states that a boat of a particular name exists in the registration region. It also mentions who made it and what type of engine etc.

It is apparently a useful website for some people, not least of which are those who are thinking of what to name their boat.

A load of emails went around last year about this very site and he agreed to take some information off of his listings. I don't think you can call him an idiot, it is interesting information.

Ian

 

[Steve Clayton]

See page 7 as to what they say they can do with your information.
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/2007_annual_form_1569292.pdf
Can't see how this guy's website constitutes a "public register". Makes an absolute bollocks of what the DP Act is for (IMHO)

 

[Beryl]

We can call him an idiot because he calls himself an idiot on his web site. If you have no objections to providing information about your property, then in your replies, please include information about your car, including the make, model, engine type, and registration number

 

[Captain Coochie]

For £4 you can find out who owns a property , where they are living and contact details . How do you think property developers get the run down houses , do you think they are just lucky ?

 

[Steve Clayton]

NCP and car park enforcement companies (clampers) get your personal details from DVLA.

Finance/insurance companies buy the electoral rolls to quickly validate your location/status if you apply for loans and car/house insurance.

All the more reason to keep your personal information as private as possible (IMHO)

 

[Steve Clayton]

[ QUOTE ]
please include information about your car, including the make, model, engine type, and registration number

[/ QUOTE ]
C'mon, I run a one man (and SWMBO) one boat charter co. I can't afford a car!!!
www.americas-cup2007.com

 

[TrueBlue]

This topic was the subject of a Shock Horror thread some year(s) ago. At that time Jim Shead's data was said to be about two years old.

Be that as it may, the EA is about to get clearance for its licensing "harmonisation" scheme which in effect will be like the Harmonisation of Red Diesel (I hope not...)

As a result of pressure from me (well I like to think that anybody like Li'l old Me could have influence on a gov't body) and probably a few others, the Transport and Works Order PartII S.10 has been amended to remove the obligation to keep a public register and substituting a requirement to release details only to a "responsible authority" (which is then further defined). This also includes current details.

The Order will possibly come int effect later this year.

So a win for me?

I have until 1st. February to reinforce or object again.

BTW when I created a stink on these Fora I was subjected to a wave of indifference (with I think two kind supporters), so you get what you deserve....

 

[ms1]

Beryl I understand your concern. I was a bit shocked the first time I saw this list, especially as at the time it also included my 'home port'. (which is now removed)
In the context of freedom of information .. I feel the info doesn't connect very much with me as a person. Having said that giving information en masse to someone to publish on their own website for worldwide viewing does stretch the principle of freedom of information IMHO. I would expect the EA to have an indicator in their database which could be activated if you complain so that your boat details cannot be distributed in this casual manner.
As Mr Shead is actually using the data to complement his own online sales activity then I believe this practice is not acceptable. As Trueblue says .. this cannot be regarded as a responsible authority. If he has brought pressure to bear on this isssue then my thanks to him.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

And last year someone with a grievance about a speeding boat was aided by the aboved mentioned list on tracking down the offender...

Doesn't worry me, and has its uses when us hapless members of the public try to challenge "official" gures about numbers or types/locations of boats. It also lets you check that officialdom has actually got your data right, a friend with a narrowboat was amused, but horrified about his 200hp engine, assuming that anything that daft meant people who had no idea what they were doing.

 

[pheran]

[ QUOTE ]
A sad man who runs a website about boating has applied to EA and BW for this information and published it on his own site. What do people think?

[/ QUOTE ] I think you are making far more of this than it really merits and thus upsetting yourself unnecessarily. As others have said, in the very limited information published on that site, there is absolutely nothing to link the boat back to an individual. It's very unlikely, therefore, that it falls foul of any privacy/protection rules. Rest easy!

(Ford Mondeo Ghia 155PS Diesel estate, White Grape metallic, self-leveling suspension, sat-nav. and heated seats /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)

 

[Brayman]

What no cup-holders?

(Two wheeler with stabilisers and a panier)

 

[pheran]

Yea, its got cup-holders but I didn't want peeps to think I was showing off /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
(hang on - if you admit to driving a Mondeo, surely no-one thinks you're showing off anyway!)

ps no ashtray on your two-wheeler then?