Ohh gawd, might have to do one of my summers on the coast, will the EA give us a discount for the same period?
Actualy last time it was quite a spectacle with several hundred odd narrowboats all rafted up and various other boat clubs in attendance, just don't expect to able to moor anywhere for at least 2 weeks either side [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
They stack well though.... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]
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BCC's Boat handling Champions 2009
BCC's Top Family entrants 2009
BCC's Best Crew 2009
BCC's Top Newcomers 2009
YBW Forum Mouth'n Trousers award 2007-9
We have No Regrets!
I'll be watching out for ya! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]
__________________
BCC's Boat handling Champions 2009
BCC's Top Family entrants 2009
BCC's Best Crew 2009
BCC's Top Newcomers 2009
YBW Forum Mouth'n Trousers award 2007-9
We have No Regrets!
We have guests on board who want to see HC, but depending on the tide, we may pop 'em down to Richmond before nightfall, and show them a good time!
I hope you get the place cleaned up a bit first [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]
__________________
BCC's Boat handling Champions 2009
BCC's Top Family entrants 2009
BCC's Best Crew 2009
BCC's Top Newcomers 2009
YBW Forum Mouth'n Trousers award 2007-9
We have No Regrets!
We booked a mooring for the last festival and I have to say we had a great time. Part of the site was open in the evening for boaters only and the atmosphere was terrific.
It did seem to be almost entirely geared towards narrow boats though which was a bit odd because the publicity material had a photo of cruisers on it. We were stuck on a mooring at the very end of the site where there was barely enough depth. I recal though that the Seamaters owners club had several boats there all looking very shiny.
Perhaps we should put on a show of strength and book some moorings for the forum members to try and make it a proper river event rather than avoiding it like the plague.
I agree though that having so many NBs around for weeks before and after the event was a real pain
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We booked a mooring for the last festival and I have to say we had a great time. Part of the site was open in the evening for boaters only and the atmosphere was terrific.
It did seem to be almost entirely geared towards narrow boats though which was a bit odd because the publicity material had a photo of cruisers on it. We were stuck on a mooring at the very end of the site where there was barely enough depth. I recall though that the Seamaters owners club had several boats there all looking very shiny.
Perhaps we should put on a show of strength and book some moorings for the forum members to try and make it a proper river event rather than avoiding it like the plague.
I agree though that having so many NBs around for weeks before and after the event was a real pain
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Nice to see something positive regarding NBs for a change.
The IWA is focused principally on canals (both narrow and broad), and there are more NBs on them than any other type of craft; also NB owners are more active in long distance travel and other matters than the rest, and that is why you see such hordes of 'em.
IWA is aware of the Thames, and yes, it's worthwhile making an approach to it (www.Waterways.org.uk) and make a case for a group mooring. Having said that it's more difficult to do six abreast with a mix of craft than it is with NBs
Beale Park must be the best site for a large inland boaty non professional do. A mile or more of moorings, huge land site, good access by car, bus?, train?
Dear oh, dear, I'm seeming to be enthusiastic, but whatever your view of who should/should not be on the River, it's great to see the water being USED.
I wonder if it would be too much to expect the IWA to make a real effort to communicate to the NB fraternity the strains they will place on moooring space up and down the river for several weeks.
In return for the EA's generous gesture of a 33% discount on their visitors licence perhaps they would help the rest of us by rafting up as a matter of course?
I would actually support the idea of a Forum presence but they'd need to give us a spot with reasonable depth !
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Yet another gem from an old fart with attitude .........
'IWA is equally delighted to announce that to support the festival the Environment Agency have kindly agreed to discount the two week or monthly Thames Licence by 33% for boaters making the journey to the festival'.
I suspect there will be an awful lot of visiting boats 'travelling to the festival' during those two weeks ...
Giant Princesses / Fairlines / Sealines / Brooms from the coast
Dutch barges
Sailing boats
Etc
How will we deduce who is actually going to the festival ? will people have to have a letter confirming a mooring ?
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Without being too cynical ....
How will we deduce who is actually going to the festival ? will people have to have a letter confirming a mooring ?
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Usually you have to book your licence at the same time as your festival booking so you cant get one without the other.
Personally I would love to see many more Thames craft at the national, there is a feeling that you guys all ignore it because you feel that the IWA doesn't represent you, having a barge I sometimes feel the same however the IWA does claim to look after the interest of all waterways users not just narrow boats on narrow canals.
It is a good event and as said before the evenings can be very good, when we were there last as a club we were right at the end and it was just to far to walk so we made our own entertainment.................
Not all I'm afraid, not strictly owned by me, but we have the 'family sewer tube' based not far from you [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
Nene through the big onion and eventually we hit the Thames, just prefer not to mention it in case people start to think I've got money [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]
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