FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Do I need insurance for my boat when it is on my LEMA mooring?
Yes and they are good value. Policies differ and can be tailored to suit your circumstances but a minimum of Third Party insurance covers you against claims by another party if your boat causes damage to another craft or injury to another person whilst it is on your mooring or if it comes adrift. Third Party insurance does not cover your boat,equipment and accessories.
Fully Comprehensive will additionally cover your boat, equipment and accessories.
Any reputable Insurance Agent or Broker can advise you.
If you are not insured you personally are liable for any claim.
Do LEMA check that all craft have insurance?
The annual application to moor in the LEMA area has a question “Is your craft insured” - “Yes or No” and the details of the Insurance Company and Policy number. If you reply “No” your application will be rejected and permission to moor will not be granted. If you reply “Yes” and it is subsequently found that you do not have Insurance for your craft your permission to lay or maintain a mooring within the LEMA area will be suspended. Your permission to lay or maintain a mooring will have been obtained fraudulently and the information you provided may be disclosed to other Authorities such as the Insurance industry or the Police.
Do LEMA police the River Exe?
No.The Mooring Officers allocate, manage the approvals, positions and size of moorings and check that they are maintained.
Can I buy a mooring?
Yes, some Mooring Licence Holders sell existing moorings for thousands of pounds to the unwary. The River bed between Exmouth and Starcross is owned by the Crown and is managed by LEMA through a series of agreements. A Mooring Licence Holder has an annual agreement with LEMA to lay and maintain a mooring in a prescribed position. The Mooring Licence Holder owns the Sinker/Anchors, the Rising Chain and Swivel and the Mooring Buoy/Bridle and Pickup buoy. The Mooring Licence Holder does not own the River bed or the position. Many Organisations and Authorities have a working interest in the River Exe so mooring positions may not be renewed for a number of reasons. Unwary purchasers can be left with very expensive scrap.
Do I have to wait to be allocated a mooring ?
Probably but there is a natural turn over of moorings for many reasons and LEMA does maintain a chronological waiting list. There are a finite amount of moorings in the LEMA area. When a mooring or position becomes available it will be offered to the applicant at the top of the list whose details best match the mooring or position. If you decline the mooring or position your application moves to the bottom of the list.
There seems to be plenty of space between the boats on their moorings!
Yes in perfect weather conditions and a calm sea state there does appear to be a lot of space between boats. The Mooring Officers have to leave enough space for all River users to manouvre between the boats and for Mooring Licence Holders to be able to pick up their mooring and for safe navigation in restricted visability. Different hull shapes can swing in many different directions particularly when the wind blows against the tide. In strong tides and high winds the moorings do stretch.
How many mooring areas do LEMA control?
There are 7 mooring areas with a total of over 700 moorings for a variety of Commercial and Recreational craft, big and small. The River Exe is tidal so some moorings dry out whilst other moorings have water at all states of tide. There are also Mooring Authorities for Starcross,Lympstone and Topsham.
Another boat is on my mooring without permission?
This does happen occasionally.Boat owners renting moorings mistakenly identify moorings or boats develop mechanical problems and secure the boat to a mooring but do not contact LEMA.Clearly painting the number on the mooring may help LEMA sort out some problems. On very rare occasions dishonest boat owners abuse the system and remain on a Mooring Licence Holders mooring without permission. If a dishonest boat owner can not be reasoned with there is a legal process to be followed and LEMA holds details of the administration and process to be followed.
LEMA can not condone any illegal action.
Do Mooring Officers get paid?
No. The Mooring Officers like the vast majority of the Committe are volunteers. The Secretary is the only paid official.
How do Mooring Officers check a mooring?
A drying out mooring is visually checked from the sinker to the mooring buoy at low water. At slack water a random number of swing moorings will be lifted using a local mooring services vessel,equipment and staff. The Mooring Officers will check that the mooring is in its prescribed position. There should be no appreciable wear to the mooring gear and the mooring should be clearly identified by a number. Each mooring should have a current Certificate of Service.
How often do I need to submit a Certificate of Service (CoS) for my mooring?
You should be checking your own mooring regularly particularly after bad weather.
A CoS should be submiited to LEMA after;
1. A new mooring is laid
2. The annual mooring licence is renewed
3. The mooring licence is transferred
4. A mooring is re-laid or re-positioned
5. The registered length of a mooring is increased
6. A request is made to change the use of a mooring
7. A boat has broken free from its mooring
8. The mooring has been in use for 6 months
How is are LEMA subscription spent?
Annually it varies but the following would be an average year based on previous and current Treasurer's reports.
1. Renting the seabed from EDDC
2. Secretarial services
3. Mooring expenses
4. Pontoon expenses
5. LEMA launch expenses
6. Advertising and publicity
7. Legal fees
8. Accountancy
9. Printing,Stationary and Computer services
10. Postages
11. Telephone
12. Insurance
13. Reserves to re-invest
14. PPE
15. IT equipment