Constipated Harbours

M

Malabar

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 Jan 2008
Messages
461
Location
Isle of Wight
Visit site
Not that long ago the average size of family cruiser was about 25 ft. We aspired to the larger boats such as a Twister (28ft) and dreamt of a real offshore cruiser such as the Contessa 32. Today you can add 10 ft to those sizes. Problem is today that those harbours with limited pontoon or swinging space are quickly filled up by very large cruisers, many crewed by only 2 people. Put a 40 ft Feeling and 40 ft Southerly lifting keeler into the anchorage at the top of Western Arm Newtown and you can forget trying to slide your 23 ft bilge keeler in. My proposal is that mooring charges should be based on a standard rate up to 30ft; after that add £30 per metre per night divided by the number of people on board.
 
So if I'm single handed on my 12M boat that's going to cost me 60 quid plus your standard charge to anchor for one night.
Get real.
 
Don't you think perhaps the OP meant a dozen or two new marinas around the country rather than a thousand in a forty mile stretch?
It is a very sensible suggestion.
 
MASH said:
Don't you think perhaps the OP meant a dozen or two new marinas around the country rather than a thousand in a forty mile stretch?
It is a very sensible suggestion.
Click to expand...

The Solent area, has possibly the highest concentration of leisure boats in the UK, with the pressure for moorings/boat space/dry boat space, extremely high. Even for a small sailing dinghy, in my area, the waiting time for a vacancy is 10 years+. This is also an area, which is environmentally sensitive. To satisfy the 'need', would probably require occupying most of the coastline I suggested.

Building "a dozen or two new marinas around the country", would not help the Solent situation, plus the likelyhood that if people already wanted to sail from these "a dozen or two" locations, then those harbours/marinas would already exist.
 
Actually the '10 year waiting list' is IME not true throughout the area. Maybe once .
But if you want walk ashore 24hr convenience, within sight of a charming village ( what do they get to look at in return?), it will certainly not be cheap!
 
Blueboatman said:
Actually the '10 year waiting list' is IME not true throughout the area. Maybe once .
Click to expand...

I am in similar area as Alant and there are certainly some stunning waiting list for moorings on boats 25+. Smaller boats its quite possible to sneak in at the bottom, I did. I am still waiting for the berth for 35' and that is 12 years later!

Although I am not certain how much favoritism there is on the waiting lists having seen some of the things that go on...

As you rightly say there are other places and cheaper options, although there are generally reasons for that (not just the pretty village)...
 
Aye, well good luck with moving up the list, another iffy summer and some financial gloomy perceptions all help.

My idea for every-port-should-have-one underground marinas with the houses on top could still be a winner , just needs a few latter day Brunels with engineering vision for a good lock-in...(in, out, up, down).
 
Blueboatman said:
Aye, well good luck with moving up the list, another iffy summer and some financial gloomy perceptions all help.
Click to expand...
Not certain it does, I think people who have had there name on the list and boat in marina are taking the moorings instead of turning them down..

Which does not help those of us who cannot afford marina berths, either way there will always be some places that are more desirable than others....
Some one could do with a good way of parking more boats in a limited space...
 
Many years ago , one of those silly youthful jobs, I ran a carpark for a carpark co and the boss came round and offered me a really great 'one to one' bonus deal to get the revenues up.. I had those cars parked nose to tail, mirrors folded, three or four on the yellow line and smiles to the wardens ( never turn customers away , ESP in Londons west end, they'll love you forever and tomorrow). But the deal was that I parked ( or pushed) the cars into the spaces..and they had to stick to the 'want to use it' time..

I'm sure an enterprising marina could try offering a marine valet park n store in similar way too? Or are ( all) owners too fussy ? After all, the marina gets to retie a surprising number of badly tied up boats anyway when the wind gets up...( smilee)
 
Blueboatman said:
Many years ago , one of those silly youthful jobs, I ran a carpark for a carpark co and the boss came round and offered me a really great 'one to one' bonus deal to get the revenues up.. I had those cars parked nose to tail, mirrors folded, three or four on the yellow line and smiles to the wardens ( never turn customers away , ESP in Londons west end, they'll love you forever and tomorrow). But the deal was that I parked ( or pushed) the cars into the spaces..and they had to stick to the 'want to use it' time..

I'm sure an enterprising marina could try offering a marine valet park n store in similar way too? Or are ( all) owners too fussy ? After all, the marina gets to retie a surprising number of badly tied up boats anyway when the wind gets up...( smilee)
Click to expand...

You might have noticed, that marinas need water, water moves, so packing expensive moving boats together is an accident waiting to happen.
 
What's your solution?
I'm sure you're right about packing them in, but perhaps in a sheltered marine parking area, no need for alleys, turning areas, wide finger pontoons, just the bare minimum..?
 
Last edited:
Dry sailing is the answer, but at a price, I believe some South coast marinas already offer this facility. You just ring up and say "I want my boat on Friday", the yard pop it in ready for you, and when you return they lift it out and put it away somewhere, that way many yachts can be packed into a relatively small space.

High cost though and not that convenient, especially if you live nearby and would like to just pop out for a sail at short notice. Might save on the need for antifouling though.
 
Leighb said:
Dry sailing is the answer, but at a price, I believe some South coast marinas already offer this facility. You just ring up and say "I want my boat on Friday", the yard pop it in ready for you, and when you return they lift it out and put it away somewhere, that way many yachts can be packed into a relatively small space.

High cost though and not that convenient, especially if you live nearby and would like to just pop out for a sail at short notice. Might save on the need for antifouling though.
Click to expand...

Seen it with mobo's, but does it work with masts/sails?
 
Blueboatman said:
What's your solution?
I'm sure you're right about packing them in, but perhaps in a sheltered marine parking area, no need for alleys, turning areas, wide finger pontoons, just the bare minimum..?
Click to expand...

The problem, is, that there are far too many boats, which simply occupy a same bit of water, never moving off that spot, which in cost terms/hours use is a horrendous cost. Multiownership doesn't work either, cos everyone wants the same time/weather/weekends. Using your carparking analogy, perhaps back to smaller boats is the only answer.
 
alant said:
Seen it with mobo's, but does it work with masts/sails?
Click to expand...

A mate of mine had this arrangement with his yacht at Moody's and he loved it. He said that it was cheaper than a berth, very convenient, and the bottom was always clean (in fact he never antifouled it at all).

It has to be the way forward, so long as they can make the cost a reasonable chunk less than a berth.
 
alant said:
Seen it with mobo's, but does it work with masts/sails?
Click to expand...
No reason why not, after all they park them for the winter that way.

I have only seen it myself in Hong Kong, our host rang the club and the boat was in the water with sails bent on etc ready to go racing, when we finished he just tied up alongside the club pontoon and the boat boys did the rest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top