British Waterways Key

having known some boaters i think the British waterways keys were reserved only for the waterway users and as such were only meant for those people ,they a little different than disabled keys keys for public use as the waterways was private poperty may be wrong but
 
I have had a BWB key for years, ever since I owned a boat in the 1980s. I use my key on numerous occasions they are very handy to have because there are some with showers, all have WC and an outside water tap.
 
Misuse of Waterway Key

Yes but the use restricted to Boat owners or Boat user's such posts will result in the increase in costs or as the Waterways are going the closing of some of the Sanitary Stations

Alf

Bopper said:
I have had a BWB key for years, ever since I owned a boat in the 1980s. I use my key on numerous occasions they are very handy to have because there are some with showers, all have WC and an outside water tap.
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BW is now Canal & River Trust (the key is the same).

There is a map here Canal & River Trust

You need to tick the "Boating & Mooring services" box. It's easier to use if you untick t'others.
 
Thanks for that, Arkwright.

Have just bought two.

Will come in very handy when we head off to track down that renowned pirate of the southern waterways, Mr "Purple Bum" Edina and his drunken crewmate :) :banana:

PS how's your stutter these days and are you still running that corner shop? :lol-053: ;)
 
just bought one

just got one although ill never use it cus i only really camp on the coast,
but you never know :nicethread:
 
Can I suggest that you buy these from the Canal and River Trust. They will cost £6 but at least the money is going to the upkeep of the facilities rather than some ebay pirates pocket!
 
mandrake said:
having known some boaters i think the British waterways keys were reserved only for the waterway users and as such were only meant for those people ,they a little different than disabled keys keys for public use as the waterways was private poperty may be wrong but
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I spoke to the Canal and Rivers Trust earlier and they informed me that the facilities are there for other users as well as boaters as long as they buy the keys from them, (something which they obviously cannot police). So walkers, dog walkers etc. etc. are welcome to use them.

They are aware of the Ebay ad and their concern is that loads of these keys will be sold, useage will go up whilst no coffers are coming in for upkeep, therefore risking the facilities being closed down. By buying from them we can hopefully help to keep them open.
 
Robmac said:
Can I suggest that you buy these from the Canal and River Trust. They will cost £6 but at least the money is going to the upkeep of the facilities rather than some ebay pirates pocket!
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On our recent trip on the Nene, an Environment Agency water, we had problems unlocking some of the locks. When I asked an E.A. chap about it he told me that there were hundreds of copies about and they were being forced into the locks and buggering them up; with that in mind the above is good advice.
 
thats fine if the now trust that runs the canals and river network is ok .i asumed that the facilities were for the boat users .we know there are public toilets a some of the places visitors go .only reason i mentioned it was not the use of the facilities was wrong but as we all know we sometimes do things that arnt always ok with authorities and the gen public ,no point in getting anybodies dander up over anything else and to keep it hush hush we know it goes on but we turn a blind eye sort of outlook
 
Report the ebay adverts to ebay with the complaint that they are selling illegal copies.
 
Tony Lee said:
Report the ebay adverts to ebay with the complaint that they are selling illegal copies.
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I don't know what the legality or otherwise is of copying a key. Would it come under breaking and entering?

I will suggest it to them.
 
As a former boat owner, I can tell you that the 'Watermate' key (to give it the correct name) is cut from a blank that cannot be obtained commercially. This was done intentionally to prevent the keys being copied.

So if the keys are sold other than by the C&RT, someone is making their own blanks or has possibly obtained them illegally.
 
I know that the OP was well-meaning, but I agree with Robmac about buying these keys directly from the Canals & Rivers Trust.

Even if we don't use these "pirated" keys ourselves, by advertising or encouraging their use we might not be giving others a very favourable impression of ourselves as responsible wildcampers.

It could also alienate us to some of the boating fraternity, who might then not be so sympathetic when they see us overnighting at some waterside locations where they could have control of the access.

BTW, I didn't realise that non-boat owners were welcome to use these facilities(*) (with the official key, of course), so there could possibly be plenty of boaters out there who don't realise either, and might try to accuse us of "unauthorised" use?

(* Well, shiver me timbers...... does this mean that for all those years that I've had my key, I didn't really have to pretend to be an old sea dog, confusing other towpath users with my old nautical phrases like "avast, me hearties, care to share some o' me grog?"). :):boat::)
 
scampa said:
I know that the OP was well-meaning, but I agree with Robmac about buying these keys directly from the Canals & Rivers Trust.

Even if we don't use these "pirated" keys ourselves, by advertising or encouraging their use we might not be giving others a very favourable impression of ourselves as responsible wildcampers.

It could also alienate us to some of the boating fraternity, who might then not be so sympathetic when they see us overnighting at some waterside locations where they could have control of the access.

BTW, I didn't realise that non-boat owners were welcome to use these facilities(*) (with the official key, of course), so there could possibly be plenty of boaters out there who don't realise either, and might try to accuse us of "unauthorised" use?

(* Well, shiver me timbers...... does this mean that for all those years that I've had my key, I didn't really have to pretend to be an old sea dog, confusing other towpath users with my old nautical phrases like "avast, me hearties, care to share some o' me grog?"). :):boat::)
Click to expand...

That wouldn't fool anyone without a parrot on your shoulder.
 
Robmac said:
I spoke to the Canal and Rivers Trust earlier and they informed me that the facilities are there for other users as well as boaters as long as they buy the keys from them, (something which they obviously cannot police). So walkers, dog walkers etc. etc. are welcome to use them.

They are aware of the Ebay ad and their concern is that loads of these keys will be sold, useage will go up whilst no coffers are coming in for upkeep, therefore risking the facilities being closed down. By buying from them we can hopefully help to keep them open.
Click to expand...

Hi Rob

There does not seem to be a link on their site to buy one or am I missing it

Richard
 
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