Uk marinas that welcome liveaboards

[ianj99]

I am hoping this thread will produce along list of liveaboard welcoming UK marinas but most seem to not be welcoming at all, although I'm told some turn a blind eye if you are discreet.

To start the list I recommend Tarbert Harbour Marina, Loch Fyne, Argyll.

In Scotland there are no council tax issues - you don't have to pay any and the harbour marina have a dedicated liveaboard rate which is just a bit more than the standard pontoon rate (to cover greater use of the shore facilties).

Tarbert is a commercial fishing port so there are often fishing boat movements at all hours but generally it is a quiet and scenic place with good facilities and chandlery run by Ardfern Yacht Centre. The staff are friendly and helpful and there is a laundry nearby (not one onsite).
Electric is a bit expensive at 20p per unit due to the inclusion of a 34% service charge so ideally liveaboards should receive a discount in the form of free meter tokens but its not a 'deal breaker'.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I have asked at James Watt Dock Marina at Greenock, and they have said they would have no problem with people living aboard, and indeed, a few people do.

ISTR that the problem in England and Wales is that acknowledged liveaboards might well complicate matters concerning Council Tax, so except where there is an arrangement in place for this to be taken care of (as I think some marinas well up rivers do), marinas prefer simply not to know about people living aboard! If you asked you might well be told no, you can't, but if you just do it, no-one is likely to ask!

 

[Tranona]

The reluctance to encourage liveaboards is more to do with the way marinas see themselves and their market more than any problems with council tax. If they can fill their berths with boats and encourage leisure spending with shops, restaurants etc, why bother attracting people who want to live there? If they want a residential development then they build apartments and waterside homes.

Of course, not all marinas are like that and some (even in the heavily populated south) do encourage liveaboards - the London marinas are good examples and one or two of the smaller ones in the Solent). However, the former are very expensive, so not suited to the low cost lifestyle of many liveaboards and the latter tend to be half tide.

Whether this situation will change as some marinas are now running at less than full capacity remains to be seen. It is interesting that the two so far suggested are not in areas of high demand - and perhaps the owners are grateful for any business!

 

[KellysEye]

Before we went long distance sailing we spent a month on the boat in Burnham-on-Crouch marina doing a refit. There was a washing machine on site and one day we put it out to dry in the rigging. The marina manager came over and said not to do that because the Council regularly inspects the marina and will think we were liveaboards, thus subject to Council tax.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Before we went long distance sailing we spent a month on the boat in Burnham-on-Crouch marina doing a refit. There was a washing machine on site and one day we put it out to dry in the rigging. The marina manager came over and said not to do that because the Council regularly inspects the marina and will think we were liveaboards, thus subject to Council tax.

Although JWDM allows liveaboards, they don't allow washing in the rigging; it's in the marina rules. Not allowing hanging out washing is common enough in many places such as rental properties, not just in marinas. We do air bedding over the boom from time to time, but that's only for an hour or two.

 

[macd]

The marina manager came over and said not to do that because the Council regularly inspects the marina and will think we were liveaboards, thus subject to Council tax.

Whether the marina manager was trying it on or simply misinformed, there have been several threads on precisely this issue. The situation seems to be that to be a liveaboard subject to council tax you must have a specific dedicated residential berth, which few marinas offer. Indeed, the contract usually specifies otherwise.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-284116.html
http://www.ybw.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-265819.html

 

[alant]

I am hoping this thread will produce along list of liveaboard welcoming UK marinas but most seem to not be welcoming at all, although I'm told some turn a blind eye if you are discreet.

To start the list I recommend Tarbert Harbour Marina, Loch Fyne, Argyll.

In Scotland there are no council tax issues - you don't have to pay any and the harbour marina have a dedicated liveaboard rate which is just a bit more than the standard pontoon rate (to cover greater use of the shore facilties).

Tarbert is a commercial fishing port so there are often fishing boat movements at all hours but generally it is a quiet and scenic place with good facilities and chandlery run by Ardfern Yacht Centre. The staff are friendly and helpful and there is a laundry nearby (not one onsite).
Electric is a bit expensive at 20p per unit due to the inclusion of a 34% service charge so ideally liveaboards should receive a discount in the form of free meter tokens but its not a 'deal breaker'.

Haslar.

 

[maby]

I think you'll find that the root of the problem in most cases is planning permission. If you buy up an area of land (or coastline) and go along to the local authority asking permission to build a recreation facility, you'll hit a lot less problems that you will if you go along asking permission to build a residential complex.

 

[capnsensible]

Haslar.

Spent a very happy year living there!

 

[Quiddle]

"At Conwy Marina (not occasional
overnight/weekend use) we permit
owners to live aboard with our prior
consent. Additional terms & conditions
and a surcharge will apply."

 

[chinita]

"At Conwy Marina (not occasional
overnight/weekend use) we permit
owners to live aboard with our prior
consent. Additional terms & conditions
and a surcharge will apply."

....on top of £3,920 p.a. for a 10m boat!

 

[AndrewB]

It's not just about council tax. Marina operators face a whole raft of extra issues if they provide residential berths, and risk tenants establishing security of tenure. So even though many marinas are quite happy to turn a blind eye to live-aboarding, to protect their own position they require berth holders to sign a 'no liveaboard' clause.

 

[Steve C Cronin]

It's not just about council tax. Marina operators face a whole raft of extra issues if they provide residential berths, and risk tenants establishing security of tenure. So even though many marinas are quite happy to turn a blind eye to live-aboarding, to protect their own position they require berth holders to sign a 'no liveaboard' clause.

Basically, apart from the legal and regulatory reasons there is a desire to not attract "Boat Bums" for they lower the desireability of that company's marina for the rich and sucessful to select as the parking spot for their shiney new toys. Who can criticise them?

 

[Appleyard]

Basically, apart from the legal and regulatory reasons there is a desire to not attract "Boat Bums" for they lower the desireability of that company's marina for the rich and sucessful to select as the parking spot for their shiney new toys. Who can criticise them?

So I guess that you have been turned away a few times.

 

[BoyBlue49]

Ipswich Haven right in the town always had liveaboards and no discrimination shown to them, infact they are good for security, which while I was there patrols were certainly a little lacking in regularity and effect.
I understand the security issue has since been beefed up.

 

[Danbury]

Does anybody know if Dover Marina have any concerns about liveaboard ? I'm cautious to approach them directly in case they say no... then I won't be able to plead ignorance.

 

[simon barefoot]

Freemans Wharf, Penryn, Cornwall..... Lived there for 5 years. Beautiful.

 

[Thepipdoc]

Darthaven, Kingswear, Devon

 

[AndrewB]

Dover, Ramsgate, Faversham Creek, Oare, Conyer, Hoo Marina (all in Kent), Limehouse (London); all for 6 months or more. Only place I ever got ordered out was Gillingham Marina.

 

[ukmctc]

I am hoping this thread will produce along list of liveaboard welcoming UK marinas but most seem to not be welcoming at all, although I'm told some turn a blind eye if you are discreet.

To start the list I recommend Tarbert Harbour Marina, Loch Fyne, Argyll.

In Scotland there are no council tax issues - you don't have to pay any and the harbour marina have a dedicated liveaboard rate which is just a bit more than the standard pontoon rate (to cover greater use of the shore facilties).

Tarbert is a commercial fishing port so there are often fishing boat movements at all hours but generally it is a quiet and scenic place with good facilities and chandlery run by Ardfern Yacht Centre. The staff are friendly and helpful and there is a laundry nearby (not one onsite).
Electric is a bit expensive at 20p per unit due to the inclusion of a 34% service charge so ideally liveaboards should receive a discount in the form of free meter tokens but its not a 'deal breaker'.

interesting, having travelled around the UK in the last five years, I have had no difficulty stopping and staying as a liveaboard for 6 months to 14 months anywhere.
Would be interesting and easier to write list that say no.