Welcome

[boatone]

Thanks to Keith and the ybw team for setting up a forum dedicated to the views and concerns of those of us that do our boating on the tidal(Port of London Authority) and non-tidal (Envornment Agency) River Thames.

There are many issues affecting our use of the river including licence fees, moorings, navigation and interactions with each other. Until now there has been no single point of communication where we can debate and inform each other.
So I asked that nice Mr Keith if he would be kind enough to give us a forum and here we are!

If you are a Thames user, someone who has left the Thames and would like to tell us why or perhaps a new boater looking to join us on the river please join in and help to make this a wide ranging forum of knowledge and concerns about this great river.

I hope it may be possible to encourage the PLA, EA and BW representatives to contribute as well as river based commercial concerns with something important to say.

The River Thames Forum is open for business

 

[imported_DaveBig]

This looks like a good idea, well done. I might even join in!!

 

[Captain Coochie]

Our very own forum , great idea !
I hope the EA do have a look in as ive seen some very nice moorings of thiers that have been empty for years but get no where when i ask about them .

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Good call Tony.

Now, what shall we moan about? Failing that, how about suggesting a waterside pub for a few wets one weekend?

Moan from the BH weekend, Molesey Lock is getting to be an almost Boveney style bottleneck and could really do with more waiitng moorings. Actually that's SWMBO's moan more than mine but its still valid.

 

[1peejay2]

At face value it sounds like a very good idea, especially if the big 3 care to contribute - PLA,EA & BW. Apart from the contacting of fellow users, the socialising and technical bits and pieces I would like to think that the Forum will have teeth!

As is well known there are hefty increases in licence fees in the offing which might (just) be palatable if the EA et al would maintain the river banks by clearing out the many dead trees that are becoming a hazard to river users.

In the short time we have been using the Thams (from Feb 2006) we have become very much aware of banksides which are shown to be capable of mooring but in practice wont take a 1.1 metre draft.

I know that the locks are maintained and staffed but it appears to be at the expense of providing a 'clean' river for those who pay their salaries - licence payers.

 

[alistairedw]

Thames forum is great news. I am sure it will be very popular and informative.

I agree with your comment about trees. PLA are supposed to be carrying out a major programme of tree pruning between Teddington and Isleworth but there is no evidence of this happening.

Overhanging trees are a real problem around Eel Pie island and on the Middlesex bank between Twickenham and Richmond.

 

[pheran]

Great idea Tony. I assume I qualify for 'membership' as I still have a mooring on the Thames even if I don't have a boat here. By way of a contribution I have started a 'Why I left.....' thread.

 

[boatone]

Aha, another Pedro owner.....and a bigger one than mine /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

What do you mean....MIGHT join in !!!

 

[boatone]

[ QUOTE ]
At face value it sounds like a very good idea, especially if the big 3 care to contribute - PLA,EA & BW. Apart from the contacting of fellow users, the socialising and technical bits and pieces I would like to think that the Forum will have teeth!

[/ QUOTE ]

Much of my motivation in asking for this forum has come from a feeling of frustration that there has been no way to voice collective concerns about river issues. I know there is the ATYC but my understanding is that they only represent about 10% of the cruisers on the river.

I would hope that we can 'have teeth' but we do need to motivate others to join in and, hopefully, this forum could be an easy way to get many more boaters involved and adding their views on such issues as licence fees, moorings, the massive increase in narrowboats using the river and their impact on 'traditional' Thames boaters, dredging (or the lack thereof), the total inadequacy of the locks at Boveney and Bray and many other things that affect our enjoyment of the river.

Please encourage other river users to join us. If you are marina based think about leafleting the boats around you or a notice on a notice board? Mention the forum to boaters you share locks with.

I was told today that the EA have only received about 50 letters of complaint about the proposed licence fee increases! Apathy is the greatest ally of bureaucracy - we need to make our views known in a responsible and well informed way, hopefully this forum could help achieve that.

 

[Kilter]

Me and my 462 mates would all like to raft our narrowboats in here, oh and can you pay us to be here? thanking you in advance /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[chuckaduck]

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif What ?
Narrow boats rafting up in mass now thats a first !!!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[chuckaduck]

[ QUOTE ]


Failing that, how about suggesting a waterside pub for a few wets one weekend?



[/ QUOTE ]

Now thats what I like to hear any suggestions for venues ??

my nominations are ...............

Boaters inn kingston

Ye old swan thames ditton

 

[nickcred]

Hi All

I think this is a great idea - and now I have my forum bungee you'll be able to see me coming. Well when the boat yard call (please today) and tell me my nice shiney new diesel engine is in the boat and ready to go. Then I can validly claim to be a Thames user again after what seems like months but is only weeks off the river.

The increases do seem out of line when the claim is the EA want more river users and if many more leave becuase of it the increase in revenue will be out stripped by the loss in revenue from our departing friends.

Nick

 

[Gavi]

NiceOne /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Mike_Gates]

Well done Tony. This is just what is needed to air the issues we are facing.

All the best

 

[bradtarga34]

Good one Tony, good to see someone being pro-active and good of YBW to obligise as well!

 

[apollo]

Tony

On the subject of EA letters of complaint:-

The chairman of the Association of Thames Yacht Clubs commented at the recent ATYC Rally that both he and the Environment Agency were disappointed at the low number of letters that had been written in opposition to the proposed 14% per annum increase in registration fees for the next three years.

If you have not already written I urge you to write now to:

John Harman, Chairman, Environment Agency, Millbank Tower, 25th Floor, 21-24 Millbank, London SW1P 4XL

stating what you feel about the proposed increase and how it may affect your boating plans in the coming years

Cheers

Mike

 

[BSSOffice]

[ QUOTE ]
At face value it sounds like a very good idea, especially if the big 3 care to contribute - PLA,EA & BW. Apart from the contacting of fellow users, the socialising and technical bits and pieces I would like to think that the Forum will have teeth!

[/ QUOTE ]
I shall try to drop in from time to time. However, my suggestions for technical queries would start with 1st) have a look at the second edition of the BSS Guide (www.boatsafetyscheme.com), 2nd) ask your examiner, 3) phone(01923 201278) or email [bss(point)enquiries(at)boatsafetyscheme(point)com] the BSS office.

Any questions about the conduct of examiners or the accuracy of examinations should be raised, in confidence, with either Graham Watts (BSS manager), Phil Rickett (quality and technical manager) or me (comms manager).

I will not discuss such individual matters on this forum, but I can offer general advice.

Thanks to YBW for the forum and a warm welcome to you all.
Rob

 

[Kristal]

Fantastic, a Thames forum! I only just noticed this. I'm a confirmed Thames fan, and hopefully my boat will be back on London River in spring 2007. Now, how about getting some more mooring buoys outside the Cutty Sark public house, Greenwich, eh?

/<

 

[Clive_Rigden]

Erm. Excuse me, I'm looking for the Lounge - am I in the wrong place?