Demand for marina and mooring berths soars in UK

[Chiara’s slave]

But with due respect, who are you to decide how others should use their boat? If they only want to use it, say, once a year, then surely that is up to them. It is not up to others to dictate that they should use it every weekend, or whatever.
ie a good example--Our dinghy class members often sneer at some of the cruisers that do not move. But what they do not see is a couple of owners coming down mid week & casting a rod off the boat, fishing for a while, then going home. One couple, with a Fulmar, would row out, have a cup of tea, sit & watch the world go by for an hour, then row back. They would always stop & chat to passers by on the beach & that was their afternoon. They did this many times a season for at least 5 years to my knowledge. In fact Dave Selby even joked about it in one of his PBO articles.

We go to our boat a couple of times a week in the winter, but don’t often leave the mooring, so pretty similar. As we get older, we’ll probably end up much the same in summer.

 

[Stemar]

That's exactly what the previous owners of our boat were doing. They'd bring her to the club pontoon, and sun themselves in the cockpit for the afternoon. There's nothing wrong with boat as weekend cottage - until the new owner wants to make her properly seaworthy again

 

[Praxinoscope]

I do both with my boat, I sail it as often as possible, but there are times ( no wind or too low a tide) when I just row out, potter around on it, have tea or coffee and just let the world go by for a couple of hours.

 

[Poignard]

I do both with my boat, I sail it as often as possible, but there are times ( no wind or too low a tide) when I just row out, potter around on it, have tea or coffee and just let the world go by for a couple of hours.

"There's nothing half so pleasant....."

 

[Praxinoscope]

"There's nothing half so pleasant....."

As Ratty said to Mole, and long may it remain so.

 

[Lightwave395]

No problem in France it seems, I'm leaving my current very nice sensibly priced Marina on Thursday heading to my new even more sensibly priced berth in Arzal, where the weather is nicer and the sea kinder. Works well as a floating cottage location too as we get older

 

[Boathook]

ie a good example--Our dinghy class members often sneer at some of the cruisers that do not move. But what they do not see is a couple of owners coming down mid week & casting a rod off the boat, fishing for a while, then going home. One couple, with a Fulmar, would row out, have a cup of tea, sit & watch the world go by for an hour, then row back. They would always stop & chat to passers by on the beach & that was their afternoon. They did this many times a season for at least 5 years to my knowledge. In fact Dave Selby even joked about it in one of his PBO articles.

I had that quite a few years back. I never saw a boat used and when I eventually met the owner he thought my boat was never used. I was just that I was using mine at weekends as I worked and he used his during the week as retired. Since I've retired I use mainly during the week to avoid the masses at weekends.

 

[Concerto]

But with due respect, who are you to decide how others should use their boat? If they only want to use it, say, once a year, then surely that is up to them. It is not up to others to dictate that they should use it every weekend, or whatever.
ie a good example--Our dinghy class members often sneer at some of the cruisers that do not move. But what they do not see is a couple of owners coming down mid week & casting a rod off the boat, fishing for a while, then going home. One couple, with a Fulmar, would row out, have a cup of tea, sit & watch the world go by for an hour, then row back. They would always stop & chat to passers by on the beach & that was their afternoon. They did this many times a season for at least 5 years to my knowledge. In fact Dave Selby even joked about it in one of his PBO articles.

Reminds me of the tale of a Solent marina berth holder who never saw their neighbours. He came down every weekend until finally he had a day off and came down mid week, only to find his neighbours just getting ready for a sail. They were retired and only sailed mid week because it was too busy at weekends.

 

[Capt Popeye]

"There's nothing half so pleasant....."

As Ratty said to Mole, and long may it remain so.

Yes QUITE SO , QUITE SO and long may it continue {#

As Praxinoscope said to Poignard {)~

 

[Capt Popeye]

Might ask if those seeking a Mooring on the DART have approached the Galmpton facility ?

 

[ashtead]

One of the benefits of retirement must be the ability to sail mid week in the Solent and actually enjoy Yarmouth berthing or from a location further afield be it the Dart (hence interest in prices)or say Arzal a mentioned or other French Marina . I suspect the berthing savings per year might pay for a few ferry trips but how do you reach say a berth in Arzal etc?

 

[Daydream believer]

There's nothing wrong with boat as weekend cottage - until the new owner wants to make her properly seaworthy again

With due respect You ARE suggesting that there is something wrong & that the new owner will have a problem. That is not necessarily so. A boat can be perfectly seaworthy even if not used much. It is up to the new owner to decide how he/she intends to use it . Then set it up as he/she wishes. Few owners keep a boat "as is" after a while, adapting it to their requirements

 

[Daydream believer]

I do both with my boat, I sail it as often as possible, but there are times ( no wind or too low a tide) when I just row out, potter around on it, have tea or coffee and just let the world go by for a couple of hours.

I often go to the marina-- just to have a chat to the boat
Then I might come home & the wife will say:-
" & how was Dolly" ( Nickname for Daydream Believer)
& I might say "She is Ok, but wants to go sailing"
"Oh that's nice, Where she going?"
" Ramsgate, day after tomorrow"
"Nice, You going?"
"Yeah, I will probably tag along"
"You might as well, I am booked for a few rounds of golf this week"
That is how we have managed our scatty marriage for 52 years. But it works
My daughter thinks we belong in a home for the mentally disadvantaged

 

[Sandy]

No problem in France it seems, I'm leaving my current very nice sensibly priced Marina on Thursday heading to my new even more sensibly priced berth in Arzal, where the weather is nicer and the sea kinder. Works well as a floating cottage location too as we get older

I'd be interested to know how you keep your boat in France, knowing several friends who have returned to the UK before getting hammered with charges.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I'd be interested to know how you keep your boat in France, knowing several friends who have returned to the UK before getting hammered with charges.

What sort of charges? There is no problem of keeping a UK flagged boat in France if you can find a berth, you pay your charges and put up with the restrictions on you and crew, it actually takes out the problem of getting you passport stamped as this would be done on entry and exit by whatever commercial transport you used, the boat isn't affected.

 

[Poignard]

I often go to the marina-- just to have a chat to the boat
Then I might come home & the wife will say:-
" & how was Dolly" ( Nickname for Daydream Believer)
& I might say "She is Ok, but wants to go sailing"
"Oh that's nice, Where she going?"
" Ramsgate, day after tomorrow"
"Nice, You going?"
"Yeah, I will probably tag along"
"You might as well, I am booked for a few rounds of golf this week"
That is how we have managed our scatty marriage for 52 years. But it works
My daughter thinks we belong in a home for the mentally disadvantaged

 

[LittleSister]

There is no problem of keeping a UK flagged boat in France if you can find a berth, you pay your charges and put up with the restrictions on you and crew,

I thought there was an issue that you became liable for EU VAT if the boat was in the EU beyond a certain period (18 months?). Is that not the case?

 

[AndrewB]

No problem in France it seems, ...

Demand around my part of Greece has increased rapidly in the last couple of years. In Corfu, all the marinas are full except for small motor-boats. The 'problem' has been the rapid rise in charter yachts. Three years ago my pontoon, which holds 50, had only private yachts. Now half the berths are used by charter yachts. Some companies 'hot-bed' their yachts in season, as they have more yachts than allocated berths. This demand has resulted in a rapid rise in mooring fees.

 

[Lightwave395]

I'd be interested to know how you keep your boat in France, knowing several friends who have returned to the UK before getting hammered with charges.

I can't comprehend how your friends get 'hammered' with charges...? What were these 'charges' for ?
My marina berth in Roscoff was 2950 Euros (12.49M boat), my new contract in Arzal is 2700 Euros and includes one lift and relaunch for up to 2 months out of the water

 

[Ribtecer]

The problem with just building out more marina berths is that we aren’t making best use of the existing moorings. Taking the Hamble as an example, many of the mid stream pile moorings are littered with berth hoggers that just don’t use their boats at all, and in some cases don’t even come down to check on them. I know of several moorings that could be free’d up. I guess it just becomes easier to pay the annual invoice than to make an emotional decision or otherwise dispose of someone’s once pride and joy. Not sure what can be done though, just a shame that good moorings are being used as long term “storage”

He has a point though, this does need to be seen from both sides.

On the Hamble there are a number of almost wrecks with a good 18 inches of weed growing around their water line, whilst I'm not in favour of berthing police, its is selfish and it makes a mess of a beautiful river.