Demand for marina and mooring berths soars in UK

[Hadenough]

One advantage of buying new is that you transfer the problem to the sales staff…no berth no sale

££££££££

 

[KeithMD]

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.

Umm, sorry, I don't quite follow your logic. If all these berth hoggers sold their boats to enthusiasts who used the boats regularly, wouldn't the new owners still want to keep the same mooring? Some reduction in "visual littering", but no increase in the number of moorings. Seems like two seperate issues are getting conflated. Problem not solved.

 

[nortada]

According to a survey by British Marine, demand for marina and mooring berths soars in UK. Occupancy rates over the whole UK is at 90%. The average yield per berth is now £3551 and some marinas are planning to extend their number of berths due to demand.

Demand for marina and mooring berths soars in UK - Marine Industry News

Back to the OP.

In this area there is little evidence of a soaring demand or 90% occupancy. As an aside, 90% occupancy would still leave 10% availability, which to me could be the best of both worlds

Rather the opposite, the demand has vanished and although some local swinging moorings have been removed, there is no waiting list for the remaining swinging moorings. From observation, post Easter, the majority of swinging moorings are still not occupied a there is reduced activity getting them ready for launching. However, there is an active program, breaking up and disposing of abandoned hulks.

Disposal of glass fibre hulls

This is another issue, but having removed all toxicity, why not use them to build artificial reefs, to the benefit of marine life and reduce coastal erosion resulting in loss of homes etc

I suspect, since the original survey, the ‘world has turned’ and there are numerous factors conspiring against boating and .continued active boat ownership.

How say you

 

[lustyd]

Disposal of glass fibre hulls

FRP recycling is getting quite good these days. Usually ground up and added to concrete. The problem is who pays to get the boat to the recycler and remove all the bits, and some great ideas have been suggested such as a levy on new boats but nothing yet implemented. The problem will be getting interest in legislation without demonising FRP boats altogether. The next problem would be making the legislation cover enough places so that new boat sales aren't simply done elsewhere, although I guess we could do a levy on imports instead. Such a scheme would benefit the boat industry and new boat buyers because there would be space for new boats. It would, of course, remove a lot of stock of old beat up boats for projects, but at the same time would offer a lifeline to people struggling with yard fees for dead projects. The only people with no benefit would be yards, who make a lot of money disposing of old crap on Ebay for £1 then charging the new owner for storage until they get bored and the cycle starts again!

 

[Baggywrinkle]

I am currently looking for a new boat, not in the UK but in Europe. My old one is already sold, but I have usage of a boat this year to tide me over so no rush.

My subjective observation (having active searches running on every platform where it is possible) is that the number of available boats is increasing, the number of boats with price drops between 10 and 20k is increasing. Asking prices have not returned to the levels of late 2021 early 2022 but they are coming down.

The boats I mark as favourites are not disappearing (being sold) at anything like the rate they did at the end of 2021.

My conclusion is that the market in Europe is cooling.

PS: The range I am looking in is 100 to 165k ... it may be different both above and below this search range.

My guess is this will be reflected in available berths ... in 2020, 2021 and 2022 the marinas were seeing increased demand to the point where many started implementing expansion plans ... these plans have started delivering extra berths, just as the yacht market is cooling ... and not to forget the covid pandemic shut down or drastically reduced new boat production - which fuelled second hand prices and demand for berths.

Now the interest rate rises are pouring cold water on the market, and I suspect the "pandemic boat buyers" will also start to bail out as the relaity of boat ownership bites - it's just not even in the same ballpark as camping/caravanning or jetting off to the sun - both in terms of total cost or dedication IMO.

 

[Boathook]

Rather the opposite, the demand has vanished and although some local swinging moorings have been removed, there is no waiting list for the remaining swinging moorings. From observation, post Easter, the majority of swinging moorings are still not occupied a there is reduced activity getting them ready for launching. However, there is an active program, breaking up and disposing of .....

Where I'm berthed and was ashore for the winter the vast majority of boats are still ashore, the 'bad winter' having delayed winter jobs. The swinging and trot moorings are slowly filling up but I suspect that it will be May before there is a really big increase in occupancy.

 

[Concerto]

Back to the OP.

In this area there is little evidence of a soaring demand or 90% occupancy. As an aside, 90% occupancy would still leave 10% availability, which to me could be the best of both worlds

Rather the opposite, the demand has vanished and although some local swinging moorings have been removed, there is no waiting list for the remaining swinging moorings. From observation, post Easter, the majority of swinging moorings are still not occupied a there is reduced activity getting them ready for launching. However, there is an active program, breaking up and disposing of abandoned hulks.

Disposal of glass fibre hulls

This is another issue, but having removed all toxicity, why not use them to build artificial reefs, to the benefit of marine life and reduce coastal erosion resulting in loss of homes etc

I suspect, since the original survey, the ‘world has turned’ and there are numerous factors conspiring against boating and .continued active boat ownership.

How say you

Which area are you based in? Over the past year I have been talking with people berthed in marinas around the UK and my own findings show.
1. The Solent and all along the South Coast there is definitely a shortage of berths.
2. Most of the popular berthing places in N Wales have a waiting list, despite having limited tidal access.
3. Most of the marinas along the West Coast of Scotland that have good road access have very little free space.

There have been very few marinas able to expand their berthing, yet in a few places the number of moorings has been reduced due to lack of demand. Over half a century ago I remember visiting Berthon in Lymington and having the novelty of being able to walk ashore without worrying about the tidal rise and fall. Everywhere was moorings requiring a dinghy to get ashore or laying alongside a quay and having to climb a ladder. The growth of marinas has certainly made a lot of people enjoy the convenience of marina berthing and allow a lot more boats to be moored in a location than moorings alone. This has helped a huge number of people to become boat owners, increasing the sport of boating. Part of the problem now is peoples expectations are far higher than 50 years ago. Then a 30ft boat was large, but now very few under 30ft are built. Many of the sub 30ft boats are not particularly sought after due to their size and condition, yet they still require somewhere to moor. The long life of glassfibre and the expense of scrapping old boats is causing a major problem that is getting worse year by year. Many cheaper boatyards and clubs have areas of their storage yards jammed with boats that never launch.

On the opposite side of the market, boats being sold are longer and wider. Yet most marinas have only a limited number of large berths due to the marina design layout being made decades ago. There is someone from my marina who sailed along the Sout Coast last year and found it almost impossible to book marina berths in most harbours and the moorings were for smaller craft, so he had to anchor quite a distance away from where he wished to go ashore. His comments made another friend with a 38ft boat decide not to buy bigger as he has never had the same problem.

Overall there is definitely a shortage of the type of berthing that many forum members want and prices are continuing to rise due to excess demend. You only need to compare South Coast marina charges to those in northern France to see how expensive our marinas really are.

 

[Tranona]

Back to the OP.

In this area there is little evidence of a soaring demand or 90% occupancy. As an aside, 90% occupancy would still leave 10% availability, which to me could be the best of both worlds

Rather the opposite, the demand has vanished and although some local swinging moorings have been removed, there is no waiting list for the remaining swinging moorings. From observation, post Easter, the majority of swinging moorings are still not occupied a there is reduced activity getting them ready for launching. However, there is an active program, breaking up and disposing of abandoned hulks.

Swing moorings are declining because the type of boat and owner who used them is also declining. Here in Poole many of the commercial moorings have gone although club moorings have increased. However ours are mostly occupied by larger boats waiting to get a berth in the club marina. number of boats permanently ashore has increased and some yards are almost as full in the summer as in the winter.

 

[oldgit]

Got a little boat 8 to 9 metres and our club mooring waiting list can be suprisingly short. Much above 13M and it could take years.

 

[nortada]

Which area are you based in? Over the past year I have been talking with people berthed in marinas around the UK and my own findings show.
1. The Solent and all along the South Coast there is definitely a shortage of berths.
2. Most of the popular berthing places in N Wales have a waiting list, despite having limited tidal access.
3. Most of the marinas along the West Coast of Scotland that have good road access have very little free space.

There have been very few marinas able to expand their berthing, yet in a few places the number of moorings has been reduced due to lack of demand. Over half a century ago I remember visiting Berthon in Lymington and having the novelty of being able to walk ashore without worrying about the tidal rise and fall. Everywhere was moorings requiring a dinghy to get ashore or laying alongside a quay and having to climb a ladder. The growth of marinas has certainly made a lot of people enjoy the convenience of marina berthing and allow a lot more boats to be moored in a location than moorings alone. This has helped a huge number of people to become boat owners, increasing the sport of boating. Part of the problem now is peoples expectations are far higher than 50 years ago. Then a 30ft boat was large, but now very few under 30ft are built. Many of the sub 30ft boats are not particularly sought after due to their size and condition, yet they still require somewhere to moor. The long life of glassfibre and the expense of scrapping old boats is causing a major problem that is getting worse year by year. Many cheaper boatyards and clubs have areas of their storage yards jammed with boats that never launch.

On the opposite side of the market, boats being sold are longer and wider. Yet most marinas have only a limited number of large berths due to the marina design layout being made decades ago. There is someone from my marina who sailed along the Sout Coast last year and found it almost impossible to book marina berths in most harbours and the moorings were for smaller craft, so he had to anchor quite a distance away from where he wished to go ashore. His comments made another friend with a 38ft boat decide not to buy bigger as he has never had the same problem.

Overall there is definitely a shortage of the type of berthing that many forum members want and prices are continuing to rise due to excess demend. You only need to compare South Coast marina charges to those in northern France to see how expensive our marinas really are.

Thank you for a thought provoking response and bit of a walk down memory lane.

You are right, I currently do not reside in the 3 areas you identify but have sailed them extensively in the past when they were nearly always over crowded. I am now in an unrivalled position to make a current assessment of what is happening here about.

Of late there has been a dramatic reduction of boats on swinging moorings and boat movements.

Given current circumstances, including many peoples’ changing financial situation, hardly surprising.

Could just be a very slow start to the season - time will tell.

ps From experience, larger boats have always had more difficulty finding berths and yes increasing numbers of prospective berth holders have expectations beyond their pockets.

 

[Koeketiene]

Overall there is definitely a shortage of the type of berthing that many forum members want and prices are continuing to rise due to excess demend. You only need to compare South Coast marina charges to those in northern France to see how expensive our marinas really are.

I think two factors might be at play here:
1. Increased boat sales after the pandemic.
2. Brits relocating their boat from the EU back to Britain because of Br**it.

As for marina prices: In Brittany, p/a I pay about 25% of what I paid for a berth on the Orwell.

 

[Momac]

I think two factors might be at play here:
1. Increased boat sales after the pandemic.
2. Brits relocating their boat from the EU back to Britain because of Br**it.

I suspect increased boat sales after the pandemic is mostly existing boats changing hands plus a few new boats.

UK boats returning home from the EU to claim UK VAT status could well have boosted boat numbers .

What a mess with no advantage for anyone except possibly for those wanting to cash out of boating. Would't it be great if you could just cross the water to the EU with no worries about vat and overstaying .

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Thank you for a thought provoking response and bit of a walk down memory lane.

You are right, I currently do not reside in the 3 areas you identify but have sailed them extensively in the past when they were nearly always over crowded. I am now in an unrivalled position to make a current assessment of what is happening here about.

Of late there has been a dramatic reduction of boats on swinging moorings and boat movements.

Given current circumstances, including many peoples’ changing financial situation, hardly surprising.

Could just be a very slow start to the season - time will tell.

ps From experience, larger boats have always had more difficulty finding berths and yes increasing numbers of prospective berth holders have expectations beyond their pockets.

The swinging mooring reduction, which came first? Do people not want swinging moorings, or are harbours not providing so many, as they get a lot more money for finger berths. Our harbour is currently (as in at the pontoon installation stage, cranes and piledrivers) building a new marina, replacing pile moorings and mid river pontoons, saying that the demand is for finger berths. We like a little privacy and a view of the estuary and wildlife. Finger berths are for when you’re too old for that. I might make a poll, when I have time.

 

[smert]

You're going to be able to get a higher density of boats with finger berths vs swinging moorings. More boats at a higher rate is good business for the harbours.

 

[Scomber]

The swinging mooring reduction, which came first? Do people not want swinging moorings, or are harbours not providing so many, as they get a lot more money for finger berths. Our harbour is currently (as in at the pontoon installation stage, cranes and piledrivers) building a new marina, replacing pile moorings and mid river pontoons, saying that the demand is for finger berths. We like a little privacy and a view of the estuary and wildlife. Finger berths are for when you’re too old for that. I might make a poll, when I have time.

Fully agree , love the swinging mooring. Views and much more peace and quiet.

 

[Tranona]

The swinging mooring reduction, which came first? Do people not want swinging moorings, or are harbours not providing so many, as they get a lot more money for finger berths. Our harbour is currently (as in at the pontoon installation stage, cranes and piledrivers) building a new marina, replacing pile moorings and mid river pontoons, saying that the demand is for finger berths. We like a little privacy and a view of the estuary and wildlife. Finger berths are for when you’re too old for that. I might make a poll, when I have time.

Bit of both. As boat size increases a swinging mooring becomes less attractive. There is often a shortage of shoreside space for parking and dinghies which further complicates the process. here in Poole the Harbour Commissioner did remove some moorings when they built their small marina. The main clubs still offer them but many have been vacant the last few years as have some of the commercial ones particularly in the busy lower part of the harbour.

 

[nortada]

The swinging mooring reduction, which came first? Do people not want swinging moorings, or are harbours not providing so many, as they get a lot more money for finger berths. Our harbour is currently (as in at the pontoon installation stage, cranes and piledrivers) building a new marina, replacing pile moorings and mid river pontoons, saying that the demand is for finger berths. We like a little privacy and a view of the estuary and wildlife. Finger berths are for when you’re too old for that. I might make a poll, when I have time.

Here about there is no competition between swinging moorings and berths. Indeed, because of the cost, some of us have both.

We ‘own’ our, all state of the tide, swinging mooring in the river so the only expense is £60pa to the crown commissioners and a 2 yearly check on the ground tackle (£50). Plus the minimal cost of replacing any ground tackle, as required.

The cost of renting a all states of the tide, swinging mooring is £600 per season.

Annual berthing on a finger with mains electricity and water for our 10m cruiser costs £2,100 (£1,400 summer and £700 winter). Should we wish it, we could relinquish our berth during the 6 summer months and just use the swinging mooring and the save £1400 but we like the convenience of being along side for social functions.

The only other mooring cost is the tender to commute to the swinging mooring or the local beach, which costs £300 pa.

Total flexibility - best of all worlds.

As I write, looking out from our lounge, there are numerous vacant swinging moorings and as far as I am aware, some berths are still available.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

It’s another world. This is the Solent. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have a mooring we love in the location we want. Technically we live on the river bank, but sadly it’s not navigable where we are, so it’s 3 miles to the boat.

 

[nortada]

It’s another world. This is the Solent. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have a mooring we love in the location we want. Technically we live on the river bank, but sadly it’s not navigable where we are, so it’s 3 miles to the boat.

Good for you. For many years, I regularly visited Solent mainly in winter, as in summer it was far too busy.

After 20 years overseas, we recently returned to the UK and elected to resettle in a less busy, more affordable sailing area.

The river commute to the swinging mooring is just under a mile and we can see the boat both on it’s swinging mooring and when it is in its berth.

As you say another world - horses for courses.

 

[ashtead]

The real contrast when considering berthing is to look across the channel -when the French decide to build a marina you end up with StCast complete with a walkway into town ,facilities etc. When they decide to build a marina on the island you end up with Ryde Harbour,Island Harbour or indeed Ventnor harbour and the associated lack of maintenance subsequently. Can you imagine the island council even being able to manage in the same way French towns do. I cannot comment for elsewhere on south coast though.