Benefits grabbing pikeys

Winnie Wallace.... These people seem to want it all and even more. Most of them are a bunch of free loaders. Stick a camera in front of them and they'll moan for England. After watching this I decided that canal boat life wasn't at all like I'd imagined.. If you want a stressful life,? Get a boat.

It hurts me to hear how a free country, fought for by our country men in the past, is over ruled by an entity or entities. Let us stand up for all that is ours, embrace such ways of life and learn from a pandemic that the people own this land and water and entities are merely the peoples service not the holding us to ransom or pushing people away from what people want.

I'm so confused. I don't feel any sympathy for these people. At the end of the day they chose this life, and if they refuse to buy a permanent mooring why should anyone give a shit? The councils are the ones forking out to keep these canals looking great. They're not exactly giving much back!

I think me and the waterboard would not get on from day one I don't do authorities telling me what to do

Boat...bring out another thousand !

Oh dear all I am hearing is moaning, you lot chose your way of life and unfortunatly living on the cut means rules and regulations something we all have to abide to. But living on a boat looks much harder, having to dispose of your own shit must be a pain, not like us who are land dwellers who just flush. So where is the point of living afloat, there are so many obstacles to get over and a pretty price to pay, in all ways.....

If you have a fixed place of work, or children in school pay for a fully legal residential mooring! Don't abuse the licence and spoil it for other boaters by moving a few yards every two weeks on same short stretch of water. That's not "navigating" by any stretch of the imagination. This canal passes through some of the most expensive places to live in the country. Why do certain types think they have the right to live there for next to nothing?

Unfortunately you pay your money you take ya choice don't pay any money your options are slim couldn't they combine some sort of council tax for this privilege

Here's an idea, want to stay in one place, buy a mooring. Want to remain in an area where you work/take your kids to school? Buy a mooring. Can't afford a mooring and choose to continuously cruise? Then move. The issue is that these people want to be listed as a continuous cruiser while staying in one place so they don't have to pay council tax, mooring fees etc, then moan when British Waterways (Now CRT) pick up on it and send you a letter. CRT aren't picking on you, you are breaking the rules and turning the towpath into your personal slum.

But you knew this before you moved onto the boat. I see the Canal over seers makes a bit stiffer rules but I also see boaters stretching the rules their way as well. I see this along the line of the issue we have here with " camping". People come to our city because we do allow camping of a sort in the city. But humans being humans they stretch this rule and that rule and now we have camping that was not originally thought of. There is many sides to all these issues. It does seem that if your using a boat to live because housing is to expensive then that seems to be out of line. The canals seem to be looked on as recreational and not substance. Best wishes to your problem.

I don't think the Canadian government would tolerate anything like it . Cheer's and good luck !

Its disgusting they want money for mooring & if u don't pay u have to move every 14 days so u at least pay them for diesel.Disgusting sick greedy bastards.God will take them down!

There are different types of license most of these people seem to have opted for a CC license which is a constant cruising license. This means by opting for this they would agree to the 14 day rule. They could pay for the more permanent version and stay in a mariner or paid facility. It is a case of you pay your money and make your choice, a contract for a CC license, by its very nature, means moving by an agreed amount.

That man with the 2 yr. old baby daughter looks like Peter Sutcliff & to old to have a lil child that young.

Boats are for boating not mooring. If you want to stay in one place and not be disturbed by boats that are moving moor in a marina or better still get a caravan.

no spell check.

maybe if the community could embrace them more. Once a week have a fair. the wordsmith could do well. boom up with local farmers and make it a farmers market.

If everyone is forced to move every 14 days...just so another boat can come along and take that same spot, what exactly is that really accomplishing? (haven't seen the laws -just seems like a dog chasing its tail(?)

Ok im gonna step out on a limb here as a live aboard myself here in the states and the narrow boaters have always fascinated me. So when i got a chance to go to England the first thing i did was head for the canals. Now the majority take pride in their boats just like here at home. The only difference i saw was the lack of pride of their moorings and the surrounding area of the boat. Yes i anchor here on the river and pay no rent but i keep the area clean of trash and i own a mower and a hand operated weed whip to keep the brush down. There i found that to get to some of the moorings you had to wade through waste deep grass and trash left behind by other boaters. When i asked why not clean up the area and maybe the government and land owners would have a different take on the boaters i got the same answer from everybody. Its not my trash, why should i clean it up that is the waterways job.Some areas are beyond being called a dump and it was all left by the boaters. We have a saying here in the states. Don"t shit in your own back yard and you will not attract flies. Take a little British pride in your waterways. Clean them up, scrape and paint the locks, mow the grass, paint over the graffiti and turn in those dumping their trash and garbage on the banks. Start yourselves a narrow boat association and work with the waterways. Yes they might be an ass but if you treat an ass like an angel they will come around.

what happens if you tell the waterways to go do one ? to me there are too many laws on boaters who just want to live a peacefull life and be left alone .what happens if you can,t move your boat because your engine has broken down and don,t have the money to fix it ?

This is what your teeth will look like under Obamacare.

I appears they are mooring in the nature which is spoiling the environment. Cant understand that it is legal. They should be extradited.

16:12 they're moaning about difficulties, look at the weight of that plank !!!

16:12 they're moaning about difficulties, look at the weight of that plank !!!

very interesting and informative video, i lived on a boat for a year and was constantly harassed by british waterways ,who tried to push me into a full time mooring no were near my work and and i wouldnt be able to live on it full time ,but that hasnt put me off i miss the lifestyle and would get back to living on the water tomorrow if i could

The moral of the story is the government is always making it harder

Most cyclists are considerate on this canal,alas there is always a few idiots. Some of the Lycra clad racers treat the pedestrians on the towpath with as little courtesy as they say they get from motorists on the road.

In ways seems the same challenges all of us have that are the worker bees of society.

It is a sweet life, hopefully it can continue forever...

That's a million £ question - it's not stated in Law

I don't think anyone wants a ban on bikes - many of us boaters use them - it's more about having consideration for walkers and boaters - there is a real problem on Regents canal where many cyclists use the towpath as a commuting lane and go dangerously fast and on occasion can be quite verbally agressive too "get out of my way" etc. I agree that the towpath is a shared space. Regarding children it can be a lovely spot for them to play and socialise - especially the wider towpaths.

Seems kind of one sided regarding the bikes. If the public should allow access to public canals for canal boat owners it seems like the public should be allowed to use the paths associated with the canals freely regardless of whether or not they own a canal boat. Children should be kept clear of the path as it is not a playground it is a pathway.

What kind of distance is required for the boat to be moved every two weeks?

FANTASTIC FILM. I hope that peoples rights to live how they want to live is protected. So often their is a bias towards people having to live in houses and being "good consumers". People living alternatively should be considered as asset as they make us all think about how we live and how we want to live.... I fear that the waterways both in land and costs are being made a commodity to be sold to the wealthy! Lets try to resist that!

gypo bums

Loved the two videos. Very well put together and very interesting.

how much do moorings cost? are they hard to come by?

And long may you all live your lawful life on the canal

A great insight into live aboard boaters lives.

Slips in this part of uk cost £300 $700 per month ////

6:32 Use composting toilets on your boat.You can also incinerate the sewage in your wood stove.Composting toilets cost nothing to use.

Enjoyed ur video. I live in USA. Been on a boat since I was 2. Wouldn't give it up for nothing. I will die on my boat. But rent a slip with electric, water, trash & TV. The only thing I have to mess with is the waste. I can go about a month before I have to dump. It's a shame these people r forced to move after so many days. These people seem to respect the water. Others who don't live on boats don't. Which is a shame. Everyone should have to take a class for 3 mo. before they even own a boat.

Enjoyed the video. I leave in USA. It's a shame they r forced to move after so many days. The people in ur video have a respect for the water. I've been on the water since I was 2. I love it & respect the water. It has it's good & bad.The only thing I have to do is empty my stool, but can go about a month. Water, electric, TV all comes from the dock space I rent. So I live in luxury come paired to these people. I cove out a lot & use a generator, but have solar powered things. I love boat life.

Very interesting. Inspiring as well...people doing what they must to get by :)

Hello Sasha, I just put a photo of my dad on my Facebook page to show you. On FB my name is bob.seal Can you tell me what is happening regarding CRT. What's the problem for CRT with Liveaboards?

Hi Bob, Google Canal World forums for a wide range of views on CRT and liveaboarding today :) Best w Sasha

Hello Sasha. Dad worked as a lock-keeper around Rushall and Bloxwich area back in the 1960's and I have two uncles who worked for British Waterways, one was a painter bridges on the Waterway system. Haven't looked any further back than this. I could see myself returning to the UK to be a liveaboard, interested to know what is happening now Brit Waterways is CRT. Best wishes Bob

Hi Bob, You're welcome! With liveaboard life under attack from CRT (what was British Waterways) it's good to spread the word about this lifestyle. Shockingly CRT actually tried to censor it! Whereabouts did your family live and what kind of work did they do on the canals? Does canal life run far back in the family? Shameless plug for a short film 'Boat Dreams' I made about boats which might amuse you if you search for this number in vimeo: 25936816 Best wishes, Sasha