Houseboats on the Hamble Query

[savageseadog]

Spent a little time further up the Hamble than I've been before and I was surprised to find a number of houseboats. Can anyone explain how one might obtain a mooring and how much it might cost?

 

[Yacht Yogi]

I'm sure you are right that there are houseboats and liveaboards just above Bursledon Bridge. Obviously limited to craft that can get under the bridge. There seems to be some sharing the pontoon with the Chandlery Barge. Why don't you visit and ask them? Everyone around there has been friendly and chatty in my experience. There might be a houseboat or two in the muddy bit just above Mercury too but I've no idea how you would contact them other than going there.

 

[Twister_Ken]

There's certainly a narrowboat in a creek downstream of the main road bridge. There used to be several long-term live-aboards on the downstream side of the inshore pontoon at Crableck, when I overwintered Indigo there a few years back. Dunno if they're still there.

 

[laika]

There used to be several long-term live-aboards on the downstream side of the inshore pontoon at Crableck, when I overwintered Indigo there a few years back. Dunno if they're still there.

If crableck is (logically) the bit at the bottom of crableck lane just south of universal, the houseboats are still there. They were having a barbie while I was staking out the llama enclosure on sunday.

 

[SolentBoat]

Some have "official" status through dint of simply having been there so long. The Crableck ones (still there), for example - or the bigger boats on the other side of the river.

You'd be hard pushed (ie you can't) to create new "official" residential moorings on the Hamble today; would breach all planning policies so councils won't permit it. However, it's hard for them to *stop* it as there's little to distinguish between a bloke who's just put the anchor down for a very long time and a "residential" mooring. Actively stopping it takes court time and loads of costs.

So, in addition to the few "official" places, there are quite a few "unofficial" places. These range from vessels with the appearance and permanance of a houseboat (I suspect the narrowboat by the motorway may well be an example) through to the under the radar live-aboards/very-long term-stayers you find at almost all marinas. These latter types seem to be tolerated by the marinas because they add a pair of eyes and security, I suspect.

 

[Twister_Ken]

If crableck is (logically) the bit at the bottom of crableck lane just south of universal, the houseboats are still there. They were having a barbie while I was staking out the llama enclosure on sunday.

Yeah. It was Crableck for years until some smart-alec marketing type changed the name to Universal.

 

[SolentBoat]

It was Crableck when I started keeping a boat there. And it was cheap. Now it's "Universal" - and it ain't.

 

[laika]

I didn't know that: I suppose everyone knew "moody's" because it would be part of the directions anyone gave you ("go down the hill, past moody's...") but not having known anything about boats as a kid, Crableck was hidden from me.

Oddly enough, as I was walking past Swanwick Marina the other day I was wondering about the persistence of former names like "Moody's", "Camper's" etc. long after most people are more familiar with the new name. Thread drift though. Maybe I'll start another thread on that later

 

[Seajet]

They were having a barbie while I was staking out the llama enclosure on sunday.

Now there's something you don't often see about Hampshire pilotage.

 

[savageseadog]

Yeah. It was Crableck for years until some smart-alec marketing type changed the name to Universal.

Yes, I saw a couple next to Universal, there appeared to be one or two North of Port Hamble and a few other things North of the bridge. In these days of conformism, corporate and government power it was a heartening sight (in my opinion) but I did wonder about the legal status and cost. I thought the Hamble was yacht-land and nothing more till I spent a few days there.

 

[prv]

Now there's something you don't often see about Hampshire pilotage.

You might see some more if you went round the island - one of the Master Inventors where I work lives on the south side and keeps llamas. With GPS tracking devices attached to each one.

Pete

 

[prv]

In these days of conformism, corporate and government power it was a heartening sight (in my opinion) but I did wonder about the legal status

Generally a bit precarious, don't-ask-don't-tell, it seems. I suppose that's partly what keeps them romantically ramshackle and low-rent. Compare with Bembridge where they gave them security of tenure and most are now rather upmarket and twee. Some are not even boats any more, but nautical-themed holiday cottages on concrete pilings.

Pete

 

[Seajet]

Generally a bit precarious, don't-ask-don't-tell, it seems. I suppose that's partly what keeps them romantically ramshackle and low-rent. Compare with Bembridge where they gave them security of tenure and most are now rather upmarket and twee. Some are not even boats any more, but nautical-themed holiday cottages on concrete pilings.

Pete

Not too sure about security of tenure for the Bembridge houseboats ( some of whose hulls at least are historic MGB's & MTB's ) as last I heard they were being given hassle but when I was there in 2012 one was 3 storeys high and looked like J. Clarksons' camper van from Top Gear !

When I last went around the Island there wasn't gps on llama's or anything else, but if they've got AIS and a remote controlled cow-bell it could be fun.

 

[superheat6k]

The moorings on the upper Hamble between the rail and motorway bridges all fall under Foulkes yard. Major efforts have been going on to uplift the whole place. The live aboards create a nice and very secure mooring place. The canal boat further up is still apart of the mooring area, and is lived on by the yard manager, Tony.

 

[Blueboatman]

Oh. For Foulkes sake?

( Well it might be my only opportunity ever to say that. Sou'wester 'n boots on, me gone)