Generators!

Portland Billy

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I have owned a cruiser on the Thames for over 34 years-- I'm now on my sixth boat only one of which had a generator, which I never had cause to use. Battery power has always been adequate for my needs - through an inverter if A/C required.
I now find more and more boaters are using gennys of various types and my peaceful riverside evenings are being interrupted by running engines, some are fairly quiet, but sound travels on the still air!
If I can get by on battery power, for TV, lighting etc. why can't others? Or at least charge up during the day when it causes least disturbance.
Rant Over!
 
Yep, it is going to be more prevalent though, so many boats think they can operate on 240V with inverters, get them away from a marina and realise that they need 240V to feed it! OK if they have invested in a proper water cooled genset. But most seem to think that a noisy petrol Honda on the sugar scoop is OK..
 
I have owned a cruiser on the Thames for over 34 years-- I'm now on my sixth boat only one of which had a generator, which I never had cause to use. Battery power has always been adequate for my needs - through an inverter if A/C required.
I now find more and more boaters are using gennys of various types and my peaceful riverside evenings are being interrupted by running engines, some are fairly quiet, but sound travels on the still air!
If I can get by on battery power, for TV, lighting etc. why can't others? Or at least charge up during the day when it causes least disturbance.
Rant Over!

I have made comment about this in the past as I find the noise of a genny running very annoying. You are on a peaceful mooring sitting out the back in the cockpit and then some plonker then starts up his engine/genny, apart from the noise the smell of exhaust forces you back into the cabin. When you ask to have it turned off a string of abuse is hurled at you.
I
 
I do symphasize , but, you have to understand, that with the changing of society, things change.
The Me Me Me generation, cannot be away from their Geordie Shore & Jeremy Kyle etc, so they need to have power for their TVs & recharging their mobile phones , so they can keep up with all the "You Twit Face " rubbish !
Trying to get them to understand your point of view, could get you hospitalized or killed !
Sic Transit Gloria Mundae !
 
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Coughing up for a new set of decently sized batteries would almost certainly solve some of this .
However as this might cost nearly 50% of an annual EA registration license, not likely to often happen.

Does makes those licence fees a look a bit of a bargain ?
 
Had a NB behind us at Henley had his suitcase gennie running all day and didnt turn off till 22.30, walked past with the dogs at 0830 this morn and it was running again. Glad to say he left and is heading downstream to annoy one of you guys
 
Had a NB behind us at Henley had his suitcase gennie running all day and didnt turn off till 22.30, walked past with the dogs at 0830 this morn and it was running again. Glad to say he left and is heading downstream to annoy one of you guys

Did you make a compaint to the NB owner?

Can any one give us the correct legal way to approach the annoying boat owners who insist on running generators/engines to charge up their batteries? Are there any Bylaws that can be quoted and if they persist what is the action permitted to force them to turn off their gennerators/engines?

There must be some legal bevers on the Forum. There were enough when the right to be on the Thames in a marina with out a license was talk of the day.
 
Did you make a compaint to the NB owner?

Can any one give us the correct legal way to approach the annoying boat owners who insist on running generators/engines to charge up their batteries? Are there any Bylaws that can be quoted and if they persist what is the action permitted to force them to turn off their gennerators/engines?

There must be some legal bevers on the Forum. There were enough when the right to be on the Thames in a marina with out a license was talk of the day.

Hi John, I believe that byelaw 63(m) might cover it. 'No person shall while using or while in upon or about the river or the banks or the towpaths thereof or any land of the Authority:
(m) use any radio television record player tape recorder or any other electrical equipment or any musical instrument resulting in the broadcasting or transmission of any noise speech or sound in such a manner to give reasonable cause for annoyance to any person in upon or about the river or the banks or the towpaths thereof or adjacent land of the Authority.'

Quote that and prepare to fend off.
 
Problem is that times have changed since some of those byelaws and there are increasing numbers of boats with no gas and only means of cooking is by electrics and built in generators.
(I am not one of them by the way.)
There is quite a difference between a cheapo portable one off ebay that makes a racket and a properly fitted built in one with silenced exhaust.
EA is taking these customers money if they state this on the form so it would be a bit rich to then have a go if they are making a cup of tea the only way they can.
 
There are no bylaws preventing the running of generators on the Thames. Weekend marina sailors may find them a nuisance but a lot of boats on the Thames are actually on a journey and need to charge batteries either with engine or generator.
There is a generally accepted rule of thumb that engines and generators should only be run between 8 in the morning and 8 at night.
 
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