The following guidance must be observed by people who own houseboats that are located in waters maintained by this Council:

"houseboat" means any vessel used or intended to be used for human habitation but shall not include any ship registered under the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 or any boat or vessel bona fide used for navigation

"master" when used in connection with a vessel or houseboat means any person whether the owner or not having or taking the command charge or management of the vessel or houseboat for the time being

"under way" when used in relation to a vessel or houseboat means when she is not at anchor or moored or made fast to the shore or aground

"Harbour Master" means the Harbour Master appointed by the Council or any other officer appointed by the Council and includes any duly authorised assistant of the Harbour Master and of any such officer

Keeping of Houseboats

The master of a houseboat shall not keep his houseboat in the harbour without the written consent of the Harbour Master and such consent must specify the date upon which it shall cease to have effect.

Anchoring

The master of a vessel or houseboat shall not except in an emergency anchor in the harbour in such a manner as to obstruct navigation

Making Fast

The master of a vessel or houseboat shall not make fast to any other vessel or houseboat or her moorings without the previous permission of the master of such other vessel or houseboat or the owner of her moorings unless ordered to do so by the Harbour Master

Not to Lie Alongside Others

The master of a vessel or houseboat shall not permit her without the previous consent of the Harbour Master to lie at any mooring of the Council when a vessel or houseboat is already thereat or alongside any other vessel or houseboat

Obstruction of Others

The master of a vessel or houseboat shall not permit her to be placed in any position that may interfere with the access by any other vessel or houseboat to any pier jetty wharf landing steps landing place hard or grid without the permission of the Harbour Master.

Change of Anchorage

The master of any vessel or houseboat lying within the harbour shall take up the anchor or anchors of such vessel or houseboat if so required by the Harbour Master.

Indication of Anchors

The master of a vessel or houseboat in letting go an anchor on to the fundus in the fairway of the harbour shall have a watch-buoy attached thereto in such manner as clearly to indicate its position if so required by the Harbour Master

The master of every vessel or houseboat which has slipped or parted from an anchor shall forthwith give notice thereof and of the position of such anchor to the Harbour Master

Vessels to have Names Marked on Them

The owner of a vessel which is not registered as a ship under the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 or as a fishing vessel under the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 and marked accordingly shall ensure that the vessel is marked conspicuously with its name or other means of identification unless exempted by the Harbour Master

Registration of Vessels

The owner of a vessel normally kept within the harbour shall register the same with the Harbour Master forthwith and shall thereafter register the vessel at intervals of not more than once a year and shall inform the Harbour Master of the place where the vessel is kept.

Change of Ownership of Vessels

On any change in the ownership of a vessel kept within the harbour the parties to the change shall ensure that immediate written notification is given to the Harbour Master

Accommodation of Others

The master of any vessel or houseboat having any rope chain or other connection fastened to the shore or to any post or buoy or mooring in the harbour shall when necessary or directed by the Harbour Master slacken or haul taut the same as the case may require for the accommodation of other vessels or houseboats moving in the harbour.

Mooring or Anchoring

The master of any vessel which has an overall length greater than 60 feet or registered gross tonnage greater than 40 tons or any houseboat shall when directed by the Harbour Master moor or anchor his vessel or houseboat fore and aft

Maintenance and Painting of Vessels

The master of a vessel or houseboat shall not intentionally list his vessel or houseboat in order to undertake maintenance work nor shall he engage in the scraping, blasting or painting of such vessel or houseboat on the foreshore or mudlands or other part of the harbour without the previous consent of the Harbour Master and then only in accordance with such directions as he may give and subject to such conditions as he may impose.

Lighting of Craft

The master of any houseboat in the harbour shall if such houseboat be moored or anchored next to the fairway of the harbour or if ordered to do so by the Harbour Master provide and maintain between sunset and sunrise lights in accordance with the Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1989 (Part C Lights and Shapes)

Placing etc. of Moorings

No person shall place lay down maintain use and have private moorings on the fundus or foreshore of the harbour without a licence granted by the Council. Any person requiring such a licence shall make written application therefor to the Harbour Master such application to specify such information as the Council shall from time to time require.

Lifting and Removal of Moorings

No person shall (unless required by the Harbour Master so to do) lift a private mooring from the fundus or foreshore without giving to the Harbour Master at least 24 hours previous written notice of the date and time when such mooring is to be lifted.

Re-location of Moorings

The owner or other person in charge of a private mooring shall on the instruction of the Harbour Master remove it from the harbour or to a new position therein.

Identification of Mooring Buoys and Like Apparatus

No person shall place, lay down, maintain, use and have private moorings which are not identifiable by a distinctive mark, colour or other device previously indicated to and approved by the Harbour Master and registered in his records at the Harbour Office and the Harbour Master may require an amendment or variation of an identification to avoid confusion or for any other good reason.

Inspection of Moorings

The master of any vessel or houseboat shall on receipt of seven days written notice lift the moorings of such vessel or houseboat for inspection by the Harbour Master

Petrol and Oil not to be Pumped into the Harbour

Notwithstanding any statutory provision no person on board a vessel or houseboat shall cause petrol or oil or water mixed with these liquids to be pumped or permitted to run into the waters of the harbour.

Fire extinguishing equipment to be available for use at all times

The master of every vessel within the harbour with the exception of rowing boats and other similar light non-powered vessels shall have adequate fire-extinguishing equipment available for immediate use in any part of the vessel at all times and the nature and amount of such equipment shall take into account any abnormal fire risk associated with any such vessel.

Non-interference with fire equipment

No person shall without lawful authority displace or interfere with any safety or fire equipment within the harbour except in the event of an emergency.

Landings

No person shall tie any vessel or houseboat to any landing steps, landing stage, pier, jetty, railings or other property at which a notice prohibiting such action is displayed.

Inspection facilities to be available to Harbour Master

The master of any vessel or houseboat in the harbour shall when so required by the Harbour Master afford every reasonable facility to enable the Harbour Master to ascertain whether these guidelines are duly observed.

Providing Information (780)