Guardianage anyone?

How do you use Guardianage?

  • I have never used guardianage

    Votes: 42 70.0%

  • I have used guardianage in the UK

    Votes: 3 5.0%

  • I have used guardianage abroad

    Votes: 5 8.3%

  • I would use guardianage if it was available

    Votes: 6 10.0%

  • I would pay up to £50 per month

    Votes: 5 8.3%

  • I would pay up to £100 per month for a good service

    Votes: 6 10.0%

  • I would pay up to £150 per month for an excellent service

    Votes: 5 8.3%
  • Total voters
    60
T

Tweedle dumb

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19 Jan 2015
Messages
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Way up north
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I was recently thinking about moving my boat, a 36’ AWB, to the Solent, but was concerned about it being looked after.

I looked online for a guardianage service but couldn’t really find one, and of the ones I found none have bothered to reply to emails as yet.

Is guardianage common in the Solent?

Have I even spelt it correctly?

Anyhow I thought a poll may be worthwhile, so here goes my first attempt….. I have tried to make it so that you can select more than one option.
 
Never heard the term before. From context it sounds like paying someone to keep an eye on your boat? I think some of the fancier marinas offer that, I've seen adverts for this kind of service at Pool Quay Haven.

No interest myself since I live five minutes from the boat :)

Pete
 
prv said:
From context it sounds like paying someone to keep an eye on your boat?
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I'm guessing it's more like keeping the the thing fully fettled and ready to go so that the owner just needs to turn up and sail. Most decent marinas should "keep an eye on" your boat: How effective that is presumably depends on the staff.

Would it be a fair guess that cleaning would be part of service the Tweedle dumb is asking about (particularly in marinas blighted by starlings)? Boat cleaners are probably well placed to spot problems, but presumably that works better with self-employed people who're sailors themselves rather than larger companies that hire low-paid staff to do the work.
 
What you need is someone recently retired from the charter industry (used to keeping yachts safe, secure, clean and ready to go, and with lots of local contacts if needed), who has owned numerous yachts over the years, who is looking for something to keep them occupied, and who lives locally to your marina, (are you in Portsmouth/Gosport or Hamble/Southampton?).
PM if you're interested.
 
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There are a couple of companies in Scotland, one listed on the Kip Marina Web site. Kip is a big motor boat centre, so I guess there are some expensive boats and a history of caretaking. I came across the Kip lot when looking for some hull cleaning services. A rather posh man advised that they don't do that except as part of Guardianage. If I had the dosh and a boat, yes of course I would pay for this service. Who enjoys cleaning, yuk.

See Millar and Stone http://www.kipmarina.co.uk/directory/
 
Guardinage is very common in the med where many boats are owned by non residents. Services range from just keeping an eye on the boat to preparing for visits to complete management, organising repairs and maintenance.

In Corfu I paid 50 euros a month for basic service and then extras such as work, anti fouling etc as required.

Not sure there is the same demand in the UK given the fact that most boat owners are not absentee, but pretty sure there will be somebody in the Solent marinas prepared to do it. Probably asking the marinas would be a good start.
 
Tranona said:
Guardinage is very common in the med where many boats are owned by non residents. Services range from just keeping an eye on the boat to preparing for visits to complete management, organising repairs and maintenance.

In Corfu I paid 50 euros a month for basic service and then extras such as work, anti fouling etc as required.

Not sure there is the same demand in the UK given the fact that most boat owners are not absentee, but pretty sure there will be somebody in the Solent marinas prepared to do it. Probably asking the marinas would be a good start.
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+ paying the marinas a cut to work on a boat in their marina, will take the edge off the price advantage
 
Tweedle dumb said:
I was recently thinking about moving my boat, a 36’ AWB, to the Solent, but was concerned about it being looked after.

I looked online for a guardianage service but couldn’t really find one, and of the ones I found none have bothered to reply to emails as yet.

Is guardianage common in the Solent?

Have I even spelt it correctly?

Anyhow I thought a poll may be worthwhile, so here goes my first attempt….. I have tried to make it so that you can select more than one option.
Click to expand...

Tweedledum
The word is usually spelt with an "e", as in guardienage. Most followers of this particular forum own small to medium sized sailing boats in the UK, close to where they live. They have little need for guardienage services. There may be more informed comment on the motor boat forum, where boat values are generally higher and owners likely to spend more to enjoy their hobby.
For more examples of the range of guardienage services, you should take a look at what is on offer in Majorca, where it is widely used.
 
Tranona said:
Not sure there is the same demand in the UK given the fact that most boat owners are not absentee, but pretty sure there will be somebody in the Solent marinas prepared to do it. Probably asking the marinas would be a good start.
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I have wondered if this might be a way in which Sea Scout troops could earn some money. Probably not in marinas, but it might work in areas with swinging mooring.
 
JumbleDuck said:
I have wondered if this might be a way in which Sea Scout troops could earn some money. Probably not in marinas, but it might work in areas with swinging mooring.
Click to expand...

As a Sea Scout Leader, I'm just looking at that comment thinking that the Risk Assessment I'd have to write would be horrendous, not to mention getting permission from the District Commissioner, avoiding flak from parents who are incensed that the Scouts have to 'do' something outside of a Scout evening and then the obvious Scout trampling all over someones precious boat makes me go all cold and shivery.

20 years ago it would have been a cracking idea.
 
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