Average forum boat.

How long is it (LOA)?

  • Under 5m

    Votes: 5 3.3%
  • 5-7m

    Votes: 5 3.3%
  • 7-9m

    Votes: 39 26.0%
  • 9-11m

    Votes: 50 33.3%
  • 11-13m

    Votes: 35 23.3%
  • 13-15m

    Votes: 13 8.7%
  • 15-17m

    Votes: 2 1.3%
  • Over 17m

    Votes: 1 0.7%

  • Total voters
    150
Broads tax is on block square area, that is , max beam X max LOA, but removable bowsprits are not counted..

My boats bowsprit is removable, it just takes some time to do it...
Mine is too. But realistically I need a crane and several hours to do it.

In marinas I have always been charged for LOD and not LOA.
I did almost have a heart attack when the harbour master turned up once to measure my LOA - i.e. including just over 4M of bow sprit, but they still charged me for 15.6M and not my LOA which is 20.0M.
 
Crunched all the numbers and as a broad indication .... the average forumite is 62 years old, and has a 32 ft boat built in 1990.

So Mr. YBW Average ... you look like this according to ChatGPT (which knows nothing about boats)...

View attachment 208042
I am that man, and I claim my £5.
As a bonus, where was I for this photo?
Screenshot 2026-03-24 12.24.40.png
 
Mine is too. But realistically I need a crane and several hours to do it.

In marinas I have always been charged for LOD and not LOA.
I did almost have a heart attack when the harbour master turned up once to measure my LOA - i.e. including just over 4M of bow sprit, but they still charged me for 15.6M and not my LOA which is 20.0M.
Dest not go to Bucklers hard then. They wanted to charge for our 1.5m sprit even after I’d removed it, because it was there when we arrived. Potentially I could take it off under way, but it’s a bit precarious.
 
French bureaucracy - I changed my boat last year, my old boat was 12.05 metres long, my new boat is 11.8 metres long. I filled in the contract change form which told them the boat was a Dufour 38 Classic (11.8 metres LOA) I told them firmly that the boat was actually 12.15 metres LOA.
The marina told me they would confirm the length by actually measuring the boat but I'd have to vacate my berth and go onto a waiting list for a sub 12 metre berth despite being paid up for a 12 to 12.49 metre berth.
I ignored them when I arrived back at the marina with the new boat with a permanently rigged the Selden retractable bowsprit.
They duly sent a man down to measure it and were happy that it was 12.15 metres LOA. Honour was satisfied on bothsides and I retained my berth...
 
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Restaurant Bunte Kuh Helgoland ... and judging by the colour of the cow between July 2019 and March 2022.
Spot on! 24th of May 2021! Pretty much our regular watering hole on the daily journey between paperwork swap with the wind farm folks, and getting to our hotel!
On occasion our reports for the day, and permits for the operations next day, were exchanged at the bar!
 
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