FINDING A MOORING
There is no definitive list of moorings. Although it would seem that it should be easy to make a complete list, so far no one has achieved it to my knowledge - if anyone knows better, please let me know. Some marina operators choose not to be on a list as they don't want the aggro of people visiting/contacting asking about vacancies.

The main sources of information on moorings are:

  • National magazines - Waterways World, Canal & Riverboat, Canal Boat - produce an annual list of moorings but they are not complete as they depend on the boatyards returning a postal questionaire. If a mooring base is not on the mailing list, it will never be in the magazine published list. Some yards do not wish to have their details published.
  • The Navigation Authority for the waterway - British Waterways, Environment Agency, National Trust, and the private navigations such as the Upper & Lower Avon Navigation Trusts, Bridgewater Canal, Basingstoke Canal etc.
  • Cruising Guides - Nicholson's, Pearson's etc - all list details of boatyards, the majority of whom have moorings.
  • Internet sites
  • Other boaters
  • Walking/cycling the towpaths/crusing the canals in the area of your choice.

Costs:

The price of the mooring depends on the facilities offered and the demand in that area.

A mooring on a farmer's field with no facilites/no parking may cost £15 to £20 per foot per year.

Average mooring fees around the Crick area for marina based moorings (with water, electricity, pump-out, diesel, gas, parking) are £30 to £45 per foot per year for the mooring only.

A marina with full facilities (including 24-hour security, secure parking, water & electric on each pontoon, pump-out, laundry, shower rooms, chandlery, docking, diesel & gas sales, servicing) would cost £40 to £60+ per foot per year for the mooring only.

GETTING A LICENCE

Licences are purchased from the navigation authority(s) that you wish to cruise/moor in. BW fees at the moment range from £300 to £800 per year depending on the boat size.

For links to various navigation websites click here: Navigation Authorities