Licence For The Tidal Medway?

[Breydon]

I have just been asked this evening to give a hand shifting a sailing boat from the Thames Estuary to a marina on the tidal Medway below Allington Lock. The marina insist that he pays a licence fee for the river. The boat has been moored there before, has not ever been through Allington Lock, does not have a BSS certificate and has never had one. My friend has no intention of using the boat above Allington Lock.

No doubt there are a few very knowledgeable members of this forum who know these sort of things ad can provide an answer. Apart from temporary licences I believe that yearly licence applications need to go straight to the EA and need a BSS certificate too so. How can a boatyard be selling "licences" for a year?

I have always believed that the lower tidal Medway does not need a licence.     

[ExSurveyor]

If you use or keep the boat past Allington lock you need a licence. Below the lock you don't.

You have to buy a visitors toll at the lock as it is manned.

Allington marina may require one as a condition.  I would find another marina if that is the case.

[ExSurveyor]

Response from the local cruising club,  hope it helps.

 

We came from Rochester to non-tidal and only needed a licence and BSS after we’d passed through Allington lock. We got a temporary license at the lock, 7 days and BSS later when settled in a marina.

[ExSurveyor]

Apparently you require a Peel ports licence to moor on the tidal river Medway. 

[ExSurveyor]

"If the boat is being kept on the tidal river all that is needed is to pay Peel Ports for a licence, there is a dedicated team at Sheerness, if it is taken into the non tidal part you pay the E.A. for a visitor pass, no BSC required for a short visit"

 

More info from club members.

[Breydon]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Yes, as Psychic says, you have to have a license to moor on the tidal Mudway. This used to be issued the MPA (Mudway Ports Authority) on behalf of the Crown Conservancy whatever, or something like that, but i think it`s all changed from when i used to moor Mistral at Rochester, then later downriver opposite Upnor, in the 90s and early 00s.

[JawsOrca]

As others mentioned, you will need a Peel ports conservatory licence (Not sure what they are conserving) if your boat is permanently moored afloat on the tidal mudway, it's about £65 quid per year.  It's not policed though unless you are being locked into a marina then only then I guess you are checked, maybe.

It is a bit of a joke as there are no facilities and the medway isn't being dredged but yeah you should have one.  Marina's or local clubs often offer a discount and you can get for £49 pa.

If you are residential though and pay council tax on the boat then you are except, even if you use the boat?! (I tried to pay but they wouldn't take the money!).