Newbie Question for Narrow Boat and River Liveaboards

[AllenC]

Hi folks,

I've been looking at various liveaboard options, and have recently started to consider narrow boats and river boats. At this stage I have two questions.

First, mooring. I've noticed that, except for one occasion, all narrow boats and river boats moor via the towpath, presumably for practical reasons, but I had wondered if there is some kind of anal law that forbids people from mooring on the opposite bank? As I've suffered for years from noisy neighbours, part of the appeal of boating is finding a quiet country spot where I can enjoy peace and tranquility, and get some much need r and r, and quite frankly, being moored beside the towpath with the noise of joggers/walkers/cyclists et al going by all the time doesn't appeal. Stocking up on food and water, finding that quiet spot and mooring on the opposite bank for a few days is what I'm thinking about.

So, is doing that kind of thing actually possible on our canals and rivers, and second question: what have been your personal experiences living aboard in the UK, both good and bad?

 

[boatone]

You will probably find you get a more helpful response to this on the Liveaboard Link forum
http://www.ybw.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?22-Liveaboard-Link

 

[watson1959]

Hi Allen
On 'my' stretch of the Thames (between Reading and Henley) there are numerous liveaboards using the quieter 'opposite' bank. Some seem to stay for extended periods, others come and go and appear to either use a small tender to cross or have bikes aboard to use footpaths which are also along the quieter side.

Whatever you do.....enjoy your time on the river: I envy you having that option.

Simon

 

[ladyhamilton]

On canals the non towpath side of the canal is privately owned, mooring is normally only allowed on the CART owned towpath side unless signage says otherwise.

 

[AllenC]

On canals the non towpath side of the canal is privately owned, mooring is normally only allowed on the CART owned towpath side unless signage says otherwise.

Is it the same with rivers: one can't moor via the bank if there is a public path on the other side, and boaters have to moor on that side, and if there is no path at all, boats can't moor on either bank and have to instead find a suitable spot in which to anchor?

 

[AllenC]

Hi Allen
On 'my' stretch of the Thames (between Reading and Henley) there are numerous liveaboards using the quieter 'opposite' bank. Some seem to stay for extended periods, others come and go and appear to either use a small tender to cross or have bikes aboard to use footpaths which are also along the quieter side.

Whatever you do.....enjoy your time on the river: I envy you having that option.

Simon

Hi Simon,

Bearing in mind my question to ladyhamilton, I'm assuming then that the 'opposite' bank on the Thames is owned by the local council and thus okay for people to moor against, or is there some kind of rental agreement with local authorities? Ladyhamilton's reply made me wonder if, should I find that quiet spot and moor alongside a bank down a quiet stretch of river, that I might find an annoyed farmer/landowner rapping on my porthole and telling me to 'Get off their land.'

 

[boatone]

Bearing in mind my question to ladyhamilton, I'm assuming then that the 'opposite' bank on the Thames is owned by the local council and thus okay for people to moor against, or is there some kind of rental agreement with local authorities? Ladyhamilton's reply made me wonder if, should I find that quiet spot and moor alongside a bank down a quiet stretch of river, that I might find an annoyed farmer/landowner rapping on my porthole and telling me to 'Get off their land.'

Basically, there is no right of mooring anywhere on the non-tidal Thames other than in designated mooring areas or with the specific consent of the landowner which will usually incur a charge. There is no equivalent of the towpath mooring approach common on the canal network. Anchoring overnight is permitted but not for any prolonged length of time, I suspect.
There has been talk of introducing some sort of requirement that all boats must have a designated home base mooring, even if continuously travelling. Most overnight mooring spots are 24 hours only and more and more you will find this being enforced. The meeting I was at last night suggested that all the local authorities and the EA, as well as landowners. are getting their act together through the River Thames Alliance Moorings Group to enforce a common policy and the word "clamping" was used to indicate that non payment or overstaying might attract unpleasant consequences.

 

[AllenC]

Basically, there is no right of mooring anywhere on the non-tidal Thames other than in designated mooring areas or with the specific consent of the landowner which will usually incur a charge. There is no equivalent of the towpath mooring approach common on the canal network. Anchoring overnight is permitted but not for any prolonged length of time, I suspect.
There has been talk of introducing some sort of requirement that all boats must have a designated home base mooring, even if continuously travelling. Most overnight mooring spots are 24 hours only and more and more you will find this being enforced. The meeting I was at last night suggested that all the local authorities and the EA, as well as landowners. are getting their act together through the River Thames Alliance Moorings Group to enforce a common policy and the word "clamping" was used to indicate that non payment or overstaying might attract unpleasant consequences.

Thanks, boatone, that's very interesting and useful information, which I presume applies to other rivers throughout the UK, or will soon. My little daydream of tucking myself away for a few days, or even a week, in a quiet spot somewhere in the UK where I can knuckle down to some writing, then doing some touristy stuff later in the day, before moving on to the next quiet spot, seems to be just that: a dream.

 

[teddington_lock]

No , sounds quite reasonable to me .

As long as that is what you actually do , and don't just set yourself up somewhere for months / years at a time.

 

[mlines]

A few days, a week or even a month is not going to be a problem apart from paying for the mooring.

Its this sort of thing they want to control....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ttle-judge-rules-floating-home-permanent.html

(there are couple of contenders up near Reading!)

 

[Malabar]

Suggest you first find the mooring then start looking for the craft to suit. Nothing worse than finding the perfect mooring 45 ft long when the boat is 65 ft.

 

[dash300]

Not so idylic in winter.

 

[AllenC]

Thanks everyone. Given me food for thought.

@ mlines and teddington_lock. Hell no. The plan is to slowly make my way around the UK via the inland waterways, then around the coast when I can afford something with a CE class B rating. My budget will be (I'm still saving up) approx £25k for a boat and a further £5-7k to fix it up as a 'starter' liveaboard. That tug looks luxurious compared to what I'll be able to afford. As to mooring, I'm hoping to keep costs down by gravitating towards as many free anchorages/mooring spots as I possibly can, only going into marinas, or paying for moorings only when I absolutely need to.

@ Malabar. It's the boat which is the most important thing to me as I'll be on the move, albeit leisurely.

@ dash300. True. High winds, choppy water, cold temp, etc, etc. Will need to get decent heating, solar panels, and a wind genny. But would rather be bundled up in a small space, rocking back and forth in a river in Cornwall, for example, than renting a small terrace with an ever changing stream of noisy neighbours. It may be warm, comfortable and doesn't move around, but it ain't mine, and it ain't quiet. I think any liveabards reading this whose only choice - in order to buy their own place - was to get a secondhand boat, or even a motorhome, will understand. I'm fed up with renting (money down the drain for one thing) and I sure as hell don't want a mortgage.