This comment highlights not only the repeated misdirection that has echoed down this debate over the years but the profound and distasteful bias that taints the ground.
Firstly the test is bona fide FOR navigation. "Bona Fide" does not qualify "navigation". End of! Intelligent people who hang on that for arguably rhetorical reasons walk in the shadow of Goebells.
To rephrase the quote, "there are people moving far enough to be 'navigating'" so How could that possibly be not bona fide? The fact that Paul Davies had a job was One factor in a considerable matrix and had he been travelling more than 9 miles every couple of months it would have been immaterial.
The simple fact is, a cohort will take against anyone who remains in one -let's call it "broad location" to distinguish it from "place"- because they have been, or perceive themselves to have been inconvenienced; either financially, while navigating or indeed because they have a problem with hippies. It engenders ever greater prejudice which I do not hesitate to condemn.
There are a good number of people in category 3; me among them and Boston too if the advice from The Board's representative is anything to go by, who enjoy the life, keep a decent distance moved, yet still inspire the ire of the knuckle draggers and sanctimonious finger wavers who are happy to tar the majority with the sins of the minority.
Dave, you and I both know someone who gave evidence in the Lords during committee stage of the BW Bill, I suggest that you nip down to Portland basin and have a word with Chris about what that "navigation" was perceived to ensue. I promise you will be disappointed... Remember that the bill started out trying to outlaw people living on boats but was massively watered down. In all the years debating I have seen not One gram of evidence that that watering did not stretch to S17, there is a condition there to discourage stopping in One place in perpetuity and not paying for the privilege and that is the full extent of the law. Bellicose opinion will do nothing to change that, nor will it relieve said cohort of the weight on their shoulder.