Worsley Cruising Club
Mooring at WCC
WCC has moorings at the Patricroft Arm, Cawdor Street, Eccles and Butts Basin, Butts Bridge, Leigh. Mooring space is limited and can only be allocated if and when available. Only members of WCC can be allocated a mooring. The Club has 2 Mooring Officers, one associated with each site. The Mooring Officers are responsible for allocation of moorings on behalf of the Board of Directors. They are also responsible for the monitoring of the moorings and the organisation of Work Parties to ensure moorings are adequately maintained. Each site also has an Assistant Mooring Officer to support the Mooring Officer with these required duties. There are amenities available on the moorings at WCC which are for member use only. Keys are provided
(£25 deposit payable) to allow member access to these facilities. As these amenities are for the benefit of all Club members it is essential they are treated with respect and always left clean, tidy and secure after use. If after reading the enclosed information, you have any further queries regarding moorings at WCC, the Mooring Officers will be happy to advise.
Mooring Rule
The following are complementary/in addition to the information given overleaf.
- Boat owners are responsible for keeping allocated moorings clean and tidy.
- Boats must use only their allocated mooring (except with permission from the Mooring Officer).
- No mooring at the water point other than for using the Sanitation Block amenities (except with permission from the Mooring Officer). .
- No mooring on the working mooring (except with permission from the Mooring Officer).
- If temporary mooring is required at the other WCC site at which you do not have an allocated mooring (for example when attending at a social event), advice must be taken from the Mooring Officer prior to arrival as to where mooring is acceptable and appropriate.
- A member is not allowed to assign his allocated mooring to any other member.
- Boat owners intending to sell a boat should inform the Mooring Officer. No mooring is transferable with a boat.
- If a boat is sold, a period of two months is allowable in which to acquire a replacement boat. After this period the allocated mooring will be lost.
- If a boat is changed, and the replacement boat is: > of a similar length, the allocated mooring arrangements will continue. > one which requires a smaller mooring, an alternative mooring will be allocated & no refund of amenity fees will be made. > longer, an alternative mooring will be allocated (subject to availability, see allocation of moorings overleaf) and a pro rata additional amenity fee charge will be payable.
- Should a member no longer require an allocated mooring, no refund of amenity fees will be made.
- A minimum Amenity Fee charge of 35 feet is applicable. All amenity fees due must be paid in full by the 30th November or the allocated mooring will be lost. (except in exceptional circumstances which must be reported to the Board of Directors for consideration prior to this date)
- Any boat for which the correct amenity fees have not been paid by the stipulated time will have to vacate the mooring within 14 days. If any boat is required to vacate the moorings, notice will be sent in writing, by the Board of Directors, to the last notified address. This shall be deemed enough notice. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in referral to the BCCL for disposal of the boat at the owner's risk and expense without any further notice being required.
- Only one boat mooring per family unit is permitted. However, a family unit already having a mooring can request an additional mooring and one may be allocated but only on a temporary basis and subject to availability. In the event the mooring is required for allocation to another member, the additional mooring shall be vacated within four weeks.
- No member (except the Mooring Officer) shall move, walk on or interfere with any boat not owned by him without the consent of the owner.
- Security of the moorings is of the utmost importance. Members must ensure all facilities and gates are locked when not in use.
- No toilet/black water or oil discharging into the canal is permitted.
Allocation of Moorings at WCC
Bridgewater Canal Licensing & Mooring Fees
To moor on the Bridgewater Canal, you must have a Bridgewater Licence for your boat. To obtain a Bridgewater Licence you must have a designated mooring on the Bridgewater Canal, a boat safety certificate and insurance for your boat. Fees for mooring on the Bridgewater and the Bridgewater Licence fee are paid directly to the Bridgewater Canal Company. Rates for both the mooring and licence are set by the BCC (Contact Peter Parkinson Telephone - 0161 629 8432 between 2pm and 4pm Monday to Friday.)
What to do if you wish to be considered for a mooring at WCC
Only members of WCC can be considered for allocation of a mooring.
Consult with the appropriate Mooring Officer for either Patricroft or Butts Basin and they will advise you of the current availability. The Mooring Officer will also formally report your request for consideration for allocation of a mooring to the Board of Directors.
If a suitable mooring is available, you will be advised of this by the Mooring Officer. You will then need to produce a current Bridgewater Licence, sign a declaration that your boat is suitably insured* and will be kept insured as long as it is on a WCC mooring and pay the annual WCC Amenity Fee (see opposite). When these requirements have been met, the mooring will be officially allocated to you.
If a suitable mooring is not available, you will be put on a waiting list. Moorings are then allocated taking into consideration order of requests received and suitable available space.
The same procedure applies if you are a boat owner with an existing mooring, but are considering buying a larger boat, thus requiring a larger mooring. Make sure you consult with the Mooring Officer well in advance before buying a larger boat as suitable mooring space may not be available.
The position and length of the allocated mooring will be at the discretion of the Mooring Officer. The Mooring Officers are also empowered to move any boat if required or direct boats to be removed or double moored.
All newly allocated moorings at Patricroft will normally be at the far end of the mooring line. This can be either at the Spooner’s Wharf or Barton Aqueduct end of the line.
*Suitable insurance is deemed to have 12 months cover, Third Party Cover, Public Liability Cover to the value of at least £1,000,000 and Wreck Recovery Cover.
Amenities at WCC Moorings
WCC Amenity Fees
An annual amenity fee is payable to WCC for use of the moorings and associated facilities. The amenity fee payable is calculated based on the length of the boat you have, coupled with your commitment to participation in supporting the Club which is monitored through a Points System. A minimum Amenity Fee charge of 35 feet applies. The current rate (2023) is 30p per foot per week. If all membership participation commitments are fulfilled, however this can be reduced to 15p per foot per week. If membership commitments are not fully met. New boat owning members are charged at the 30p rate from the time of joining to 1 October the following year when points earned will be taken into consideration to determine Amenity
Fees payable. More information on participation requirements can be found in the Membership and Membership – Further Information leaflets.
Amenities at Patricroft Moorings
Water point & Sanitation Block
The water point is situated outside the Sanitation Block. The water point mooring should only be occupied for the minimum period of time necessary to use the facilities. Mooring here is not permitted at any other time. The Sanitation Block has a toilet, wash basin and a facility for disposal of the contents of chemical toilets and a pump out. The Mooring Officer can advise on usage. Any malfunction, blockage or breakage should be reported to the Mooring Officer. (Members are responsible for any necessary repairs). Special care must be taken not to leave any water tap running as the supply is metered and therefore must be conserved. After use, members must leave the block in a clean, tidy and secure condition. There is no facility for disposal of rubbish. All rubbish must be taken home.
Workshop and Working Mooring
Routine maintenance and minor repairs to boats can be carried out on allocated moorings. If more major repair work is required, a working mooring is available, outside the workshop. The working mooring may only be used by arrangement with the Mooring Officer. Use of the workshop is available to all members as required. Please be mindful of your own and others safety when using this facility. Responsibility cannot be taken for any tools or equipment left in the workshop. Electricity supply is available from a pre-payment meter.
Electricity points
There are numerous pre-payment electricity points along the moorings giving access to a landline facility if required.
Amenities at Butts Basin Moorings
There is less available space at the Butts Basin Moorings so less facilities are available. There are several water and pre-payment electricity points. There are no toilet facilities on site. There is a sanitation and water point located approximately 20 yards away between Butts Basin and Butts Bridge which requires a BWB key to access. The closest pump out facilities are at Boothstown Basin and Plank Lane Bridge which are both approximately 50 mins cruising time from Butts Basin. (Boothstown is manned, but Plank Lane requires a BWB card).
The same consideration of safe working practices and respect for facilities is expected at both sites.