dilemma

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Now here's a dilemma....

We recently sold our boat to buy a replacement, which is dependent upon our house being sold and a new (slightly cheaper) one bought to generate the neccessary funds..... a process that is taking some time.... ie no-one has made an offer on our property yet!

At the same time, we cancelled our marina berth as we couldn't justify paying a marina berth with no boat to put in it....and as it also accelerated our ability to save for a better boat....

In the post this morning arrived a letter from Shotley marina offering us a berth for the forthcoming season...
It is our first choice marina, and getting a berth offer so quickly appears to be a stroke of luck....

However, without a buyer for the house yet, and therefore no boat purchase in immediate sight, we are taking a risk if we accept the offer, as its not impossible that we could end up paying for several months or more without having a boat...
Yet if we turn it down, then we could be waiting until this time next year for another chance, and may struggle to find an alternative at the appropriate time....

What would you do?

 

[Sixpence]

Well if it was me and my first choice of marinas , I'd go for it , places are hard to come by so if you loose it this time you could end up with no berth when you do get a boat , if you need to put a boat on it I might be able to help

 

[Blueboatman]

Hi Magna Carter,this is a late night post so forgive any untowardness but I have (sort of )followed your boaty plan and intentions and ,er,hic..
IMO You aint ready to buy a boat until the house is sold.You aint ready to commit to any specific house until you have taken a deposit on the exisitng house..
Boats depreciate,whilst houses outperform boats in most any market conditions and once liquidated you are in a position to 'splash and go'-and you are only going to need a marina berth for a brief fitting out period and then,oh joy of joys,...one (insurance) bill a year and good bye to Gordon 'n Tony,goodbye to marinas,contracts ,vat,the need for a car,etc etc...or have plans changed?

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Not really.... just deferred a little (but not too much hopefully)... how far to be decided by purely financial considerations.....

 

[Woodlouse]

Get the berth and sub let it to a friend untill you have a boat of your own to put in it.

 

[Santana379]

I advise you strongly not to take the berth.

Nothing to do with the finances - picture the awful queues to get out of the marina lock on Saturday mornings and back in on Sunday afternoons! One couple we met said they always locked out on Friday nights and dropped the hook nearby because they couldn't face the delays on Saturdays.

I guess that's why they have baths there - to relax the stressed out yacht crews.

Anyway - what do I know - I hate most marinas and love my peaceful swinging mooring. And I just had a bottle of Rioja.

Little Knot

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Appreciate your points LittleKnot, and in the ideal world, we'd be on a mooring too.... but practicalities..... we live a fair way from the boat, and tend to have to take quite a lot of stuff with us each time we sail, especially with two young kids, so a marina is a much easier option....

Two other considerations are that firstly, while i've sailed all my life, SWMBO is a relative newcomer to the pleasures...... and while i've done a great job, even if I do say so myself, of indoctrinating her, I still need to build on it for a few more seasons yet, with comfortable, easy boating....

Secondly, we are social sailors and really enjoy the company of a fellow berth holders.... something I fully appreciate can also happen on a mooring, but not so easily...

As for the locks at Shotley.... time will tell... we are used to a lock with previous residency at the Wet Dock in Ipswich, but that was a much bigger lock so not so constraining..... we'd not see having to slip Friday night and go find a nice anchorage somewhere much of a hardship though!.... plenty of nice options nearby....

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Just done something very similar. Muddy Paws is still in Belgium and coming back in July. Then a perfect berth came up in our first choice marina; asked to resereve it for July but understandably they said you have to take it from 1st April. Agonised for about 20 minutes over three 'wasted' months marina charges. We like the social aspect of a boaty (as opposed to yachtie) marina and have 3 young children so once I'd worked out that 3 months marina fees spread over the time we will be there was a small amount to pay - off went the cheque.

As your marina is v popular, maybe take the berth for now and if there is no movement on the house front in 6 months time, hand the berth back, sounds like they won't have trouble re-asigining it. You may loose 6 months charges but the risk is ending up with a great boat in a years time with no where decent to put it.

Good luck with the house sale.

 

[FullCircle]

<<Get the berth and sub let it to a friend untill you have a boat of your own to put in it. >>

What a good idea. Anyone come to mind??


As you know, I favour real estate over rent, so I go for the cheapest option with thte biggest boat. The thought of renting a hole in the water with no boat to fill it is complete anathema to me, and having lived in Shotley for a couple of months, I would hang on for Levington, or build another marina round the corner.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Hats off to Shotley.... I have spoken to them this morning, and explained our situation, and they are happy to take a small deposit and hold the berth for us...

An unexpected and positive outcome that IMHO shows Shotley off in a very positive light.....

Thank you Shotley marina.... excellent customer service....

 

[Blueboatman]

Nice one.
Well,happy boathunting and good luck with the bricks 'n mortar too!

 

[beancounter]

Scuttlebutt (Shotley Div\'n)

I'm sure we exiles from up-river will improve the tone of the place /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

See you there later this year!

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Re: Scuttlebutt (Shotley Div\'n)

Looking forward to it....

The challenge is now on to see who can get a boat on their berth first.... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Talbot]

Impressive result - well done to shotley marina - doesnt sound much like the treatment you get in the solent!

 

[peterb]

A few years ago YM did an article giving star gradings to marinas all round the Uk. If I remember correctly, Shotley came out top (and rightly!).