Fairs Fair …….. isn’t it?

Naive of me I know but I would like to think that the provision of facilities across the system would be the same – you know, fair.  This, fellow boaters, does not, however, appear to be the case!

Over on The Nene and Great Ouse are, so far, the only places we have come across where boaters can do a FREE self-pump out.  Or at least you could two years ago!  And, it’s only over here in this neck-of-the-woods that we have come across the opportunity to get an electric hook-up (with the use of a pre-paid card) outside of a marina.  Then, of course, there’s those marvellous floating visitor pontoons on the Witham and, in places, on the Trent.

The shape of things to come? …………..

What is it?  What is it?  This, dear friends, is a new Smart Meter.  Gone, apparently, are the days of needing a pre-paid card in order to plug into the National Grid.  I read somewhere that the C&RT are installing 400 of these across the system but I suspect that most of them will be where there are permanent moorings – for instance they have already been installed at both Torksey and West Stockwith Basins.

This one could be very unusual because it has replaced an old conventional meter at an ordinary 24 hour visitor mooring spot at a place called Drakeholes on the Chesterfield.  Quite how you get to use it I haven’t managed to find out yet!  Obviously you key in a special number but we could see nowhere to put in a card so it can’t be anything to do with debit cards.  I’m guessing that you have to register to use them and then you will be allotted a user number?  Card reader maybe?  I must resist getting too excited as I’m not anticipating seeing too many around!

 

Wish List ……..

• These meters…   To be able to utilise a provision like this every so often when cruising around?  Civilized Boating!  Boating in the C21st!  Intelligent Boating!  Why can’t they be available in prominent places across the system – Braunston?  Fradley?  Banbury?  Bancroft Basin?  Yes, I can see that vandalism and abusive use by the ‘Linger-Longers’ could be a problem but if they were placed where there was at least some level of supervision?  Wouldn’t it be good though?
• C&RT pump-out facilities placed at regular intervals on all canals and rivers.  I don’t expect pump-outs to be free – that really is naive – but I do expect to be able to pump out when we need to rather than having to rely on marinas and, in some cases, be totally ‘ripped off’ by them.  Wouldn’t it be good though?
• Plenty of safe, pontoon visitor moorings on all rivers.  In terms of good old Health & Safety I would have thought this essential?    Our colleagues over on the Nene and Great Ouse these last few months should not have had to put up with wading and paddling ashore!  Wouldn’t it be good though?

All this of course means ££££££££££££!  So, UP would go the Licence Fees yet again!  And, of course, some boaters don’t want to go on rivers so why should they pay towards the installation of floating pontoons?  And some boaters don’t want to use hook-up points – they’re happy running their engines or using generators to charge their batteries.  And, not all boaters need pump-outs as they use cassettes so why should they worry about insufficient facilities?

We live in a society where fairness is of extreme importance and rightly so.  How about having a Grade 2 type of licence then?  You could opt to pay more in order to utilise certain facilities?  Mind you, if everyone paid their licence in the 1st place perhaps there would be enough money in the kitty to provide these things anyway! 

Oh gosh!  Digging big holes comes to mind!  I think I had just better STOP there and ………………….. carry on dreaming!!

We are in the basin at West Stockwith ready to leave tomorrow.

The bank is perfect, the weather is perfect, the mood is perfect.

The captain has been carrying around all the ‘stuff’ necessary to re-paint the back section of the roof so …… let’s J.D. I.    (Just Do It!)

                                            

By the way:–  on our way here we saw the ‘lost’ cygnet – still swimming in the wrong direction but alive and looking well.  I had visions of nets, pillow cases, large shopping bags, bicycle baskets and things but …………. decided, in the end, to leave well alone.

Still no new specs.