The Vole -- Iridium Licenses ?

Recently a meeting was called to discuss Iridium License issues.

Whilst the benefits of owning an IL were easy to define, priority at locks and water points, reserved premier 14 day moorings all over the system (with electric hookup of course....Ed) , etc.. etc.., some problem areas were identified.

How could safe passage be guaranteed in less than secure areas? Also it would only be a matter of time before one of the IL holders would sue AV for the damage that occurred to their boats paintwork whilst using the locks on the system. It was felt these problems would be not be too severe as it was unlikely an IL boat would ever get onto the cut itself, except by accident (or if the boat had been hi-jacked?... Ed)

However, the selection criteria used to test suitability for the IL proved a major stumbling block. Accounts were in favour of a straightforward credit check. However, the Finance Director, (reputed to be half Scottish half Yorkshire, but educated at Eton) pointed out that most people with real money had it well hidden or in their wife´s name so this process was not as straightforward as it first appeared.

One manager stated he had heard stories of people in the south selling their houses for a small fortune and moving onto a narrowboat. In one instance the person had a £350k narrowboat but came from Essex! To make matters worse the dog he had on board was a mongrel. Would you pay a premium over the Platinum mooring rate only to end up moored next to someone like that, he asked?

It was taken as read that Northerners with a broad accent would be disqualified automatically, but from an on-line application or E-Mail, how could one tell ? Perhaps some sort of spelling test or a videophone interview would have to be introduced ?

At that point the meeting broke up in disarray, this important issue, eligibility, unresolved.

The Vole.