TMBA spreads its wings (or should that be Fenders)

[TrueBlue]

I received my copy of Waterways World this morning (note it's Waterways and not canals - articles about the Lee and Weaver rivers this month).

On its news page there is a banner headline

TMBA joins River Thames Alliance

"The Thames Motor Boaters Association announced in October that they have joined the River Thames Alliance, the partnership of public and private sector organisations, set up to manage the future of the non-tidal Thames."

So somebody in the canal world has noticed B1's foray on to their patch and passed it to the Press.

Also in the edition is the comment on BW's last AGM where questions from the floor were no longer "why aren't you doing..." to " how can we make the waterways better together".

I think Thames Boaters are coming around to this approach to ensure the future of "our" hobby.


You never know - if canal and river folk work together to keep waterways active narrow boaters might take notice and not pinch all the best moorings??

 

[cereal tiller]

I received my copy of Waterways World this morning (note it's Waterways and not canals - articles about the Lee and Weaver rivers this month).

On its news page there is a banner headline

TMBA joins River Thames Alliance

"The Thames Motor Boaters Association announced in October that they have joined the River Thames Alliance, the partnership of public and private sector organisations, set up to manage the future of the non-tidal Thames."

So somebody in the canal world has noticed B1's foray on to their patch and passed it to the Press.

Also in the edition is the comment on BW's last AGM where questions from the floor were no longer "why aren't you doing..." to " how can we make the waterways better together".

I think Thames Boaters are coming around to this approach to ensure the future of "our" hobby.


You never know - if canal and river folk work together to keep waterways active narrow boaters might take notice and not pinch all the best moorings??

i think they will still continue to use the best moorings,on a first come first served basis.

maybe canal boaters get up earlier,and secure good moorings by the middle of the day?

that is what i do....

 

[ianc1200]

.......and stay there for the next three weeks?

 

[cereal tiller]

.......and stay there for the next three weeks?

No,never more than 24 hours,my boat averages 800 miles per annum.

is based on the thames,and has a home mooring.

visitor moorings have been in short supply on the thames,as far back as the 60's all the popular moorings have been crowded at the peak of the boating season.

solution?
we all allow ourselves to to be restricted to 20 foot max. boats.

when i consider myself to be to old to manage a 70 foot boat i may just buy a 23 foot freeman.

i would maintain it respecfully,but, i may just paint the hull with a bitumastic compound.

Just to protect the gelcoat...

 

[boatone]

Nvisitor moorings have been in short supply on the thames,as far back as the 60's all the popular moorings have been crowded at the peak of the boating season.

solution?
we all allow ourselves to to be restricted to 20 foot max. boats.

There is a much simpler solution than that staring everyone in the face - rafting/mooring alongside others.
There was a short lived EA campaign to encourage it with "Welcome to Moor Alongside" stickers and I had an avatar for many months that said something like "shove up - raft up" yet for some reason boaters on the Thames just will not do it unless the other boat(s) are friends or members of the club etc.
Down on the south coast, particularly the Solent in places like Yarmouth and Lymington its not just accepted, its essential and in my sailing boat days I made many friends because of being rafted with people I had never met before.
Narrowboats are virtually purpose made for rafting and two, three or even 4 deep take up no more river breadth than some of the larger cruisers. When I had the Pedro, I would often raft alongside a narrow boat 'cos it held me several feet off the bank where there was enough water for my rather deep draft.

Oh, and don't forget about closing up those gaps ! Not that long ago a boat flying a Rotary Club burgee refused to move one way or the other to close up space and told me to **** off - nice people

 

[TrueBlue]

It's a matter of what you get used to. NBs don't raft in their natural habitat because their natural habitat is umm - narrow and that doesn't leave much room for moving craft. The only time they raft up is when they are told to (!) at rallies and so on.

So the concept is alien. As most NBs on the Thames are visitors, they never get into the habit.

 

[Chris_d]

Rafting is common on the coast because there is a shared respect for the sea, if you have made your safe harbour no sailor will tell you to move off and go back out to sea it could be your life at stake.

On the river however people like their own space they use the river to escape so the concept of rafting is alien and there is no life threatening need, some people have probably never done it so worry about damage to their boats or don't even realise its possible. Boat clubs do it but they all know each other and their abilities.

I know I would certainly think twice before inviting a 40ft Carribean style hire boat to pull alongside

 

[boatone]

Rafting is common on the coast because there is a shared respect for the sea, if you have made your safe harbour no sailor will tell you to move off and go back out to sea it could be your life at stake

A somewhat romantic take on the reality , I am afraid! The fact is that they raft up because there just isn't enough mooring space for all the boats that want to stay the night - and the Harbourmaster wants to maximise income so the more the merrier.
Nevertheless, it is all very good natured and i rarely heard anyone complain, even when you had to turn out at 0600 to let an inner boat leave early !