How many leisure boats never go anywhere?

[jac]

I think under use is a major feature of boating in general. Many sailors in my area belong to the 'Brumagem navy' and are 2-3 hours away from their boats which I think is the reason that they don't sail much. I sailed (motored) about 1 mile last year due to mechanical and mooring problems, this year with a new boat I haven't even launched yet due to family problems and it looks like I may not sail at all this year. The weather is not encouraging either.

I think you're right and there is obviously nothing one can do re the weather but I do wonder why people who live 2-3 hours away buy a boat and stick it in a Marina, knowing they will struggle to get down for weekends.

I only probably use mine about 30 days a year ( probably another 15 doing maintenance / odd jobs / pottering on board) and feel that is marginal and I live an hour away.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

You could infinitely extend your season by taking just two pairs - a pair on and a pair off in the wash/on the line drying.

I tried that once, but after 3 weeks on the line in dismal Scottish weather they were damper & more salty than the day they had been taken out of service & washed.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

You can extend your underpant usage by turning them inside out.

And back to front - 4 ways, ergo 4 weeks.

 

[jac]

And back to front - 4 ways, ergo 4 weeks.

But surely you only need to wear them when you may meet company.
So not when asleep and not when at sea so that only really leaves when in harbour / wandering round town.

That will get you 8-12 weeks.

 

[Resolution]

And back to front - 4 ways, ergo 4 weeks.

Double your season by taking a friend - at the end of the four weeks you swap underpants.:ambivalence:

(Please note that on the good ship Resolution we have a strict policy of taking a swim in the sea every day, regardless of the state of the crew underpants.....)

 

[rogerthebodger]

I tried that once, but after 3 weeks on the line in dismal Scottish weather they were damper & more salty than the day they had been taken out of service & washed.

But with a name like AngusMcDoon you should not be wearing anything under your Kilt.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

But surely you only need to wear them when you may meet company.
So not when asleep and not when at sea so that only really leaves when in harbour / wandering round town.

That will get you 8-12 weeks.

I suppose when wandering around town or rotting in a harbour I could don the kilt as Roger suggests, so by combining both your & Roger's top tips I could do away with trolleys altogether & sail ad infinitum.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

But with a name like AngusMcDoon you should not be wearing anything under your Kilt.

Aye, but have you ever seen kilt shaped foulies? I'd have to revert to troosies every time it rained, which is just about all the time.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Aye, but have you ever seen kilt shaped foulies? I'd have to revert to troosies every time it rained, which is just about all the time.

That's not excuse.

Rain and cold is why I left the UK some years ago.
Home
https://www.google.co.za/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=skKnVt-lBeOo8weMiYroBw#q=temperature+in+johannesburg+today
Boat
https://www.google.co.za/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=skKnVt-lBeOo8weMiYroBw#q=temperature+in+durban+today
And we are mid winter.

 

[25931]

La Roca may well become one that doesn't move a lot. She may well be bought by someone from the UK who wants a cheap flat in the sun, perhaps someone who just wants to take a cheap flight to the Algarve and thinks about sailing only rarely.

 

[Sandyman]

That's not excuse.

Rain and cold is why I left the UK some years ago.
Home
https://www.google.co.za/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=skKnVt-lBeOo8weMiYroBw#q=temperature+in+johannesburg+today
Boat
https://www.google.co.za/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=skKnVt-lBeOo8weMiYroBw#q=temperature+in+durban+today
And we are mid winter.

Wondering how you survive at such low temperatures
A cooler day here today http://www.worldweatheronline.com/faro-weather/faro/pt.aspx

 

[Sandyman]

La Roca may well become one that doesn't move a lot. She may well be bought by someone from the UK who wants a cheap flat in the sun, perhaps someone who just wants to take a cheap flight to the Algarve and thinks about sailing only rarely.

La Roca ? On the hard in Portimao ? ( Port y mayo if you're a Yorkie )

 

[rogerthebodger]

Wondering how you survive at such low temperatures
A cooler day here today http://www.worldweatheronline.com/faro-weather/faro/pt.aspx

Yes but as I said we are mid winter you are mid summer.
Average temps here

http://www.holiday-weather.com/durban/averages/february/

 

[Allergy]

Double your season by taking a friend - at the end of the four weeks you swap underpants.:ambivalence:

(Please note that on the good ship Resolution we have a strict policy of taking a swim in the sea every day, regardless of the state of the crew underpants.....)

This reminded me of that book by CS Forester 'Brown on Resolution' but I cannot think why!

 

[oldgit]

The three stages of MoBo ownership.
The prequel......Year 1
Hot sunny day,you see lots of boats out on the shiney sparkly water and the owners lounging around sipping sparkly wine and canopes.
You buy a boat.Year 2.
Your Pride and Joy period.......
At some point,you frighten yourself and the wife silly.
The aftermath.......Year 3.
The boat sits in the Marina going green but you will summon up the courage/time it at some point to give it another go.
The Grande Finale..Year 4
The bills start rolling in,the wife needs a new kitchen or has divorced you and the boat goes on the market. ?

 

[Sandyman]

=
The bills start rolling in,the wife needs a new kitchen or has divorced you and the boat goes on the market. ?

...............and having spent years sitting there rotting away the owner wonders why he can't get what he paid for her.

 

[Tammany]

Loads, theirs 2 that sit next to me. A newbridge venturer in front that never goes anywhere, never seen anyone on it either and a little fishing boat with no engine sits behind me, seen it being cleaned once but thats about it. Theirs a smallish yacht a few slots down that is gradually rotting away. The rolling furler forestay is snapped at the top, the harbour master has tied it up to a shroud temporarily but I've never seen anyone on it. I'm lucky as I'm at home by 2pm most days and I also have 14weeks holiday a year so all my 'toys' gets well used lol. I suppose most get to use them at weekends only and not all the time because of other family stuff getting in the way. Boatyards are worse, completely full of dreams that are gradually rotting away.

 

[Tammany]

I'm sure that's one of the big factors (other than unrealistic dreams). I seem to remember a magazine survey done a decade or more ago, which claimed that the average UK owner lived 90 miles from their boat. At the time I was fortunate in living about 90 metres from mine, which obviously makes a huge difference to all aspects of ownership, quite apart from the opportunity of taking it out on a whim.

Have to agree with this, if your a 2hr drive away your only likely to use it on holidays. Takes around 20 minutes from home to being on board for me and that does encourage more use. I also use it all year round. Some of my best boating experiences have been during winter trips. Never really understood why more don't make use of the time?

 

[CLB]

The three stages of MoBo ownership.
The prequel......Year 1
Hot sunny day,you see lots of boats out on the shiney sparkly water and the owners lounging around sipping sparkly wine and canopes.
You buy a boat.Year 2.
Your Pride and Joy period.......
At some point,you frighten yourself and the wife silly.
The aftermath.......Year 3.
The boat sits in the Marina going green but you will summon up the courage/time it at some point to give it another go.
The Grande Finale..Year 4
The bills start rolling in,the wife needs a new kitchen or has divorced you and the boat goes on the market. ?

God you really are a miserable old sod aren't you.

Anyway back to the OP, I think there is a perception that boats are not used but this does not always tally with reality.

The trouble is, even a well used boat is probably only in use for around 10% of the time. That mans it sits in its mooring for 90% of the year. The perception then, to the passer by, is that the boat never moves. A moderately used boat may even be 5% to 95%.

 

[DanTribe]

I was slightly involved in a 2 day youth dinghy event last weekend.
The courses were set between 2 marinas and, because of the wind direction, likely to slightly restrict yachts entering or leaving.
In fact over the 2 days there were very few yacht movements, probably less than a dozen. That's less than 2%, in a July weekend.