EA Visiting Marinas

[thames cruiser]

Another 'reliable souce' told me last week that Racecourse Marina clocked up 20% evasion when the EA visited. That's rather a lot me thinks. Apparently other marinas averaging 10% evasion. It would be soooo interesting (even if utterly pointless) to have the official figures and league table of license evasion by marina/mooring location from the EA....

Our pontoon alone in Bray boasts at least 4 evasion notices. Though to be fair, two of them are on boats that have covers that go right over their windscreens ,so it could be that the owners do have a licence, but actually cannot make it visible. (maybe)

Amusingly, another chap has one notice from MDL displaying his full name, address, and amount of his unpaid account which they intend to recover by selling his boat(!), and an EA license evasion notice right alongside it! . At least the EA officer didn't have to look far to note the culprits name etc!

Hoping for more revenue collection success stories soon...

 

[No Regrets]

My neighbour had an evasion notice, which he told me about, whilst showing me the licence duly stuck on his screen, just not on the pontoon side!

Unlucky EA, Angry punter!!

 

[dash300]

Surely it can't be that costly to equip EA Inspectors with a Police ANPR type system linked to the Boat Reg Database. Might assist targeting known unregistered boats and save upsetting boat owners who have coughed up.

 

[No Regrets]

Just a printed list. Pennies....

 

[Mirror Painter]

A friend of mine is currently on maternity leave from work. Her boat is at Tadpole Bridge and licensed. But with the new baby and all she hadn't managed to get to the boat to put the 2012 sticker in the window. She's cross that the E.A. put a warning notice on the outside of the window with very sticky adhesive.

 

[dash300]

A friend of mine is currently on maternity leave from work. Her boat is at Tadpole Bridge and licensed. But with the new baby and all she hadn't managed to get to the boat to put the 2012 sticker in the window. She's cross that the E.A. put a warning notice on the outside of the window with very sticky adhesive.

Hence my point above; why not even a phone app/link to the boat database to prevent this anoyance to those who have paid up.
A paper list of boat names !!!!!!!!!!! come on EA. You've got nice boats, nice locks, nice uniforms (even saw a 4 ring EA Captain at Goring lock 3 or so weeks ago when the Minister of Transport was visiting) surely you can give your guys a mobile link to the database.

 

[Mirror Painter]

Hence my point above; why not even a phone app/link to the boat database to prevent this anoyance to those who have paid up.
A paper list of boat names !!!!!!!!!!! come on EA. You've got nice boats, nice locks, nice uniforms (even saw a 4 ring EA Captain at Goring lock 3 or so weeks ago when the Minister of Transport was visiting) surely you can give your guys a mobile link to the database.

Actually I have little sympathy for my friend. I'd rather a few 'innocents' got a sticky window than I paid for my annual license knowing that others thought it was an unnecessary expenditure.

 

[TrueBlue]

Hence my point above; why not even a phone app/link to the boat database to prevent this anoyance to those who have paid up.
A paper list of boat names !!!!!!!!!!! come on EA. You've got nice boats, nice locks, nice uniforms (even saw a 4 ring EA Captain at Goring lock 3 or so weeks ago when the Minister of Transport was visiting) surely you can give your guys a mobile link to the database.

The 4 ring was our very own Harbourmaster and the dapper gent in mufti was Innis Jones not a Minister but EA Senior Person. Far too important to talk to an ordinary boater like me - perhaps "we" are regarded as the enemy or an invader. Not surprising when one sees all the noise that ithe IWA, NABO and the like are making.

 

[thames cruiser]

I'd rather a few 'innocents' got a sticky window than I paid for my annual license knowing that others thought it was an unnecessary expenditure.

+1 for that

 

[boatone]

Enforcement Press Release received this morning:

*
Environment Agency officers sink unregistered boat owners
*
Environment Agency officers are out in force along the River Thames reminding boaters to ensure that they register their boats and display their registration plate appropriately.
*
The new legislation, the*Inland Waterways Order 2010 (IWO), was introduced in April 2011 and requires all boats 'kept' on the river Thames, *not just 'used', to display a valid annual*boat*registration plate. Owners of boats not displaying valid registration plates could face prosecution, so it is important that they are aware of and adhere to this requirement.
*
Environment Agency waterways officers have checked over 1000 boats in the last week alone, and aim to check every boat on the river by the end of December. Every reach of river will be checked at least once, including in all marinas and side channels, and officers will re-visit areas where there is a regular turnover or higher numbers of boats.
The Environment Agency also has a zero tolerance approach to speeding boats on the river, and will be carrying out a number of speed checks over the coming weeks.*The speed limit is 4 knots or 8kmh; ignorance of these regulations is not a valid excuse. If caught speeding boat owners will be prosecuted.
Environment Agency’s Thames Waterway Operations manager, Matt Carter said: "The income we raise from boat registration fees helps to pay for the upkeep of the entire non-tidal navigation between Teddington and Lechlade, a length of 144 miles, including 45 locks.* All boats kept on the river which*includes berths in marinas,*must display a valid annual registration plate."*
*
"The Thames is the oldest and most famous public navigation in the world, and we need every penny of registration income that we are due to keep it in the best condition possible.

Information and advice on how to purchase a boat registration can be found on our website at: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/129937.aspx
If you have any further questions about the application process, please contact us by phone on 03708 506 506 or by email at boatreg@environment-agency.gov.uk.

 

[Brayman]

Is the speed limit 4 knots or 8 km/h? There is a difference!

 

[dash300]

The 4 ring was our very own Harbourmaster and the dapper gent in mufti was Innis Jones not a Minister but EA Senior Person. Far too important to talk to an ordinary boater like me - perhaps "we" are regarded as the enemy or an invader. Not surprising when one sees all the noise that ithe IWA, NABO and the like are making.

It was the Lock Keeper that said they were the reception party for the visit of the Transport Minister. Maybe she was too busy to travel;perhaps got wind of the current cabinet re-shuffle.

 

[boatone]

Is the speed limit 4 knots or 8 km/h? There is a difference!

That was just waiting to be picked up. The limit is 8 km/h which is approx 4.3 knots. On the Mudway it's actually 5 knots.

 

[thames cruiser]

Is the speed limit 4 knots or 8 km/h? There is a difference!

Haha. Yes indeed.
And it always seems so strange to me that the EA mandate the speed limit in km/h (rather than knots, or even MPH), as this is possibly the least prevalent 'speedo' or log measure on boats. I know it's simple enough for skippers to 'know' the converted 8km/h equivalent measure, but it just seems a little bizarre.

 

[shades]

That was just waiting to be picked up. The limit is 8 km/h which is approx 4.3 knots. On the Mudway it's actually 5 knots.

The speed limit on the Non-tidal Thames had to be set in metric.

8kmh is 4.97MPH or 4.25knots (approximately)

 

[boatone]

The speed limit on the Non-tidal Thames had to be set in metric

Inevitable question - Why ?

 

[thames cruiser]

Inevitable question - Why ?

+1 for that.
After all: roads = MPH; Tidal Thames = Knots; River Mudway = Knots; Broads Navigation = Knots (I think), etc. etc....

 

[boatone]

It's a navigation and the internationally agreed maritime unit of speed is knots.

 

[apollo]

The speed limit on the Non-tidal Thames had to be set in metric.

8kmh is 4.97MPH or 4.25knots (approximately)

European laws. EA being politically correct but not actually living in the real world.

 

[boatone]

European laws. EA being politically correct but not actually living in the real world.

Load of gonads - PLA and Medway use knots, "knot" to mention others.

Be interesting to see where the norm settles with regard to prosecution for speeding, whatever the units of measurement.
Common sense has always recognised that real issue at river speeds is unacceptable wash - and no-one can agree on that either.