I am familiar with Horning.org and it's boat database, and I don't think that the person photographing boats was from there. I'd be surprised anyway, as they were so cagey. If I encountered the chap who runs that database I'd be interested to have a natter about boats with him. I gather this person didn't want to talk at all.
I must clarify, it was taken as read that because I used the word 'challenged' in my original post that somehow aggression was involved. This was not the case at all. This is a classic example of how the terms used in a post can be read whichever way the observer wishes to interpret them. To add the word 'harassment' to the debate extrapolates the misinterpretation much further. There was no aggression and no harassment at all.
Moving on, I am not against charges or the possibility of undesirables long term mooring because I use a dinghy to cross the river. That accusation is off the mark. I stated that I don't see how charging could work. Who would collect fees? How would it be administered? How much would be charged? Would you charge the same for a dinghy as a 40ft cruiser? How would it be enforced? All relevant questions.
As for undesirables....well, I live a peaceful life here most f the time as do my neighbours. I remember a boat turning up here maybe five years ago. To cut a long story short after about an hour of police activity, two police vans, police dogs, an electric stun shield, aggressive resistance to arrest, police bitten by one of two huge aggressive dogs, etc etc both occupants of the boat were arrested. This boat is well known around here, and believe me you wouldn't want to be moored near it, or in fact near it in any capacity. It is still around.
If that boat moved in, it would be a nightmare for everyone. Nothing to do with wanting to moor my dinghy, as I say.
Interestingly the dinghies only signs are largely ignored by dinghy users. I can't defend this, other than to point out that it is not enforced in any way, but I'm sure if it was everyone here would comply. Unfortunately the signs are only visible from the river, and certainly where I moor my dinghy, it is one of the favoured spots for fishermen, even though there are 'No Fishing' signs there which are routinely ignored too.
As for 'blatant abuse f the Bylaws'? Oh, come on. We're not a bunch of lawless savages just because we use small dinghies to cross the river, and technically we shouldn't return within 24 hours once we've crossed the river? At least we are actually using the moorings...! That's what they are there for. If we were abating 20 foot plus cruisers over there indefinitely I could understand complaints but a few dinghies is hardly Armageddon, especially as they are not permanently there.
Interestingly my landlord here originally tried to install a chain ferry to get to the island. He even tested it. The BA put the brakes on that plan. I think it could have worked well.
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