I may lose my boat and my house

KREW2

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Luxury development on cliff edge plunges in value after landslip
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This is the only access road to Castle Cove Sailing Club. Twice a year we have to bring a 120 ton crane down to our club to lift out, and launch our boats.
Due to lock down, lift in did not take place this year so we have about 35 boats on the hard standing in our club.
If the road goes any more we have a problem.
My house is also in the picture, I'm in the second row back from the road, so hopefully I will be okay for a few more years
 
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No crane company will take that risk on their insurance, and probably not on yours either. Probable weight limit put on road anyway. Barge crane?
 
Pity you cant get boats launched. Portland Harbour quite a nice large playground and you have a few nice spots in easy reach beyond. Does the road issue mean that boat storage is non-viable long term?

Cliff erosion always an issue, my dentists surgery fell down the upper cliff at Boscombe. Your house looks safeish
 
Find another crane company and don't mention the land slip

The usual expectation is if ordering plant, equipment and delivery vehicles off road you the client will be expected to cover any damage you may also find yourself liable for continuing hire charges untill Insurance company settles the claim. A very real case of read the small print
 
You could probably launch with a 'boat mover' or 4 wheel hoist and a tractor.
Among 35 boats, the cost may be reasonable investment.

If your house is affected, speak to surveyors about whether the new development has caused it?
You may have acquired a 'front row' position, for a few decades?
 
No lift in at all this year now we can at least go sailing? Or is it now a problem with tides?

Lifting boats comes very close to being a contact sport, as is working on our moorings boat. I can't see much chance of getting teams to be able to work together in the next few weeks. Tides are an issue, no 2.3/2.4 tides in June or July, but we could do it over 3 days with careful planning. if it is going to be August it is hardly worth it. Most of us are now resigned to staying ashore. Maybe for ever?
 
You could probably launch with a 'boat mover' or 4 wheel hoist and a tractor.
Among 35 boats, the cost may be reasonable investment.

If your house is affected, speak to surveyors about whether the new development has caused it?
You may have acquired a 'front row' position, for a few decades?

We have that system in mind.

So far there is no weight restriction, and I believe the crane company were happy to come. The main concern is if there is more erosion in the next 10 months.
My house is in an elevated position, and there area lot of pipelines, a railway walk and other infra structure between me and the shore. By the time it gets to me I will be long gone.
 
If the council are smart then the developer will have to stabilise the slope as a condition of his planning permission. That should protect the road in the longer term. But £1.5M wont go far on a big slope like that.
 
Yes and wasn't a smart move to sell up and move! Mind you the crane lift in has not always gone smoothly at the new venue!

The lift is always a challenge, especially in easterly winds. In the 8 years I have been involved we have only ever had one incident. The bow was ripped up on a rotten old wooden boat that that had taken on nearly a ton of water which was sloshing around in the bilges.
With hindsight we should have refused to lift it.
 
Lifting boats comes very close to being a contact sport, as is working on our moorings boat. I can't see much chance of getting teams to be able to work together in the next few weeks. Tides are an issue, no 2.3/2.4 tides in June or July, but we could do it over 3 days with careful planning. if it is going to be August it is hardly worth it. Most of us are now resigned to staying ashore. Maybe for ever?
That was a bit silly of me. I‘m so isolated out here in the sticks I keep forgetting about those issues.

I can’t see the social distancing rules being relaxed this year, if they are and we’re all comfortable I’ll give you a call when I‘m going out.
 
If the council are smart then the developer will have to stabilise the slope as a condition of his planning permission. That should protect the road in the longer term. But £1.5M wont go far on a big slope like that.

That is why permission was given. For the last 4/5 years they have been drilling and testing. It's not really clear whether that has contributed to the recent slip.
Next to the slip are three garages, two belong to the house with the red roof further along. The owner has been provisionally granted permission to pull it down and build two luxury homes on the site. That was some 3 years ago, but nothing has happened yet. Rumour has it to break even they would have to sell for about a million
 
Hire a Chinook when lockdown is fully lifted - pardon the pun...
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Sounds like terrible news on both fronts and one can but only feel for you. Subject to the impending survey, those second row back houses may turn out to be decades, or even centuries away from risk. Hopefully that's the case in which case it's such a beautiful spot.

In terms of the boats, I'd be inclined to just get them in at the first available opportunity and then consider relocating after that. Or at least develop a contingency launch plan. All subject to professional advice of course.
 
Yes and wasn't a smart move to sell up and move! Mind you the crane lift in has not always gone smoothly at the new venue!
One of my favourite clubs. I have fond memories of sailing off that beach back in the late 80s/early 90s.
 
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