Is leisure boating in terminal decline?

[Brightside]

Controversial and pessimistic perhaps, but with second hand boat prices still well down from where they were and showing no signs seemingly of recovery, leisure boaters ageing and it appears fewer younger boaters coming "on board" do you share my concerns? With house prices where they are, the later patter of tiny feet are those of us now boating a dying breed?

 

[julians]

i bought my first boat in 2002 aged 29, now on my 3rd,but boating has been in the family since I was about 8.

It's an exceptionally expensive hobby that's for sure. I reckon my boat costs me £2-3k per annum in regular servicing /insurance and other fixed costs, and that doesn't include the depreciation/fuel ,initial purchase cost , mechanical breakdowns, mooring costs etc. Mooring costs are the big one for me.

You can do it much cheaper though, outboard instead of sterndrive, self service instead of paying someone else .even then though you need a fair bit of spare cash to justify it imo.

It probably is in decline imo.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Why is it even a question, though? Either you like going boating, or you don't. Does it really matter if it is 'in terminal decline'? Why are you concerned? (Seriously - why _are_ you concerned? This question gets posed from time to time, and I never really understand why it's important. Interested to know the answer).

 

[benjenbav]

I have a similar feeling about this question to that which I felt yesterday evening when the news was full of some study suggesting that young people are not drinking so much and many are teetotal.

That is to say: if true; geez some people are missing out.

 

[adey]

If you search back this question gets asked every year...It's a buyers' market...boats aren't selling etc etc
I guess it's always been a buyers' market, since the first wooden canoe was traded?

Two things are true...
Boats don't make financial sense.
You can't take it with you.

 

[rafiki_]

If there is any decline in leisure boating, it probably reflects the lack of disposable cash for many people. We have just come out of a deep and long recession, and it will take a little more time before people start to feel the benefits. The bit about binge drinking has no relationship for me, but possibly reflects the growth of Muslims in this country, who generally do not drink alcohol. I am not making a political or any other statement here, just pointing out a fact.
However, leisure boating for me is very important, and if others don't get it, then they are missing out. Having said this, our Marina is building incremental pontoons, reflecting the local demand, so no decline in Portishead.

 

[prv]

Why is it even a question, though? Either you like going boating, or you don't. Does it really matter if it is 'in terminal decline'? Why are you concerned? (Seriously - why _are_ you concerned? This question gets posed from time to time, and I never really understand why it's important. Interested to know the answer).

My usual reaction is to think "well, if it's really in decline, maybe things will get a bit cheaper and less crowded for those of us still doing it" :encouragement:

Pete

 

[burgundyben]

Quite the opposite for us, we've given up on all other hols and just going boating.

 

[Bojangles]

Look on the brightside... There are still new people getting involved, I don't see many more empty spaces in marinas. Recession has had an effect, but that's the same for everything. Terminal decline? Impossible.

 

[diligaf]

Controversial and pessimistic perhaps, but with second hand boat prices still well down from where they were and showing no signs seemingly of recovery, leisure boaters ageing and it appears fewer younger boaters coming "on board" do you share my concerns? With house prices where they are, the later patter of tiny feet are those of us now boating a dying breed?

Who stole the jam out of your sandwich?!

 

[Garold]

Controversial and pessimistic perhaps, but with second hand boat prices still well down from where they were and showing no signs seemingly of recovery, leisure boaters ageing and it appears fewer younger boaters coming "on board" do you share my concerns? With house prices where they are, the later patter of tiny feet are those of us now boating a dying breed?

Boating gets more expensive year by year, the product is still reliably unreliable, the dealers come and go, and getting work done can frustrate the pants off even the most forgiving boat owner.

The govt is rolling out a programme to ban us from our favourite anchorages, the Europeans have ganged up on our subsidised diesel trick, and the UK weather is still only good during work hours.

In fact, its surprising that so many of us still bother at all.

But those of us that do, still look forward to boaty weekends. I may even go as far as to say 'living for the weekend.'

But clearly when we are all dead and gone, I think those young dinghy racers wil take over the world. And they won't need the expensive diesel, they'll fix their own boats, and they will keep their boats at home in the garage so no mooring charges. So, the future may be bright, but it will be different.

Garold

 

[NoIllusion]

Controversial and pessimistic perhaps, but with second hand boat prices still well down from where they were and showing no signs seemingly of recovery, leisure boaters ageing and it appears fewer younger boaters coming "on board" do you share my concerns? With house prices where they are, the later patter of tiny feet are those of us now boating a dying breed?

What a load of shite this "thought" is,,,!!!......as I lounge on my boat drinking the best Hobgoblin money can buy!!!

 

[NoIllusion]

Controversial and pessimistic perhaps, but with second hand boat prices still well down from where they were and showing no signs seemingly of recovery, leisure boaters ageing and it appears fewer younger boaters coming "on board" do you share my concerns? With house prices where they are, the later patter of tiny feet are those of us now boating a dying breed?

This kind of post gets right up my spine!!.....why don't you you go and buy and buy a 1970's "Spacehopper" to get your cheap kicks in life?!!!

 

[Hadenough]

Controversial and pessimistic perhaps, but with second hand boat prices still well down from where they were and showing no signs seemingly of recovery, leisure boaters ageing and it appears fewer younger boaters coming "on board" do you share my concerns? With house prices where they are, the later patter of tiny feet are those of us now boating a dying breed?

Hopefully, then it'll be a lot quieter for the ones that really appreciate it.

 

[Nigelpickin]

Controversial and pessimistic perhaps, but with second hand boat prices still well down from where they were and showing no signs seemingly of recovery, leisure boaters ageing and it appears fewer younger boaters coming "on board" do you share my concerns? With house prices where they are, the later patter of tiny feet are those of us now boating a dying breed?

No

 

[GrahamHR]

My mother in law oppressed her husband ( is that a crime now?) in respect of the cars they had. A 998 Anglia, a 1100 Escort, a 1200 Nissan then he broke free and got a 1600 Sierra in 1983 and loved it. Then he was forced to get a 1.3 Escort. Sad, she was oblivious to it.

She really couldn't comprehend why we once bought a cabriolet.

Now she tries to get us to get smaller / slower cars. I just tell her our Mondeo ST220 estate everyday hack is economical

 

[Spi D]

I do not agree with the OP. Agree with other answers.

Despite being abroad the same overall terms and conditions apply. Things were at a level in 2004, heating up heavily in most respects over the following years with people increasing loans, buying and investing as if the hot air bubble would keep forever.
When the bubble bursted things got awkward for many, being technically insolvent. The press started screaming 'recession' which was true as compared to the heated bubble but in reality was more like a 'back to 2004' manouvre.

Of course obligations taken on will have a long term impact as, regardless of how people entered them, a signature binding for xx years will not suddenly go away by itself. Others got scared and have since hold back on spending, so money actually is there somewhere.

Age of the average boater is not going to drop as long as young families struggle just in order to make ends meet. Logically the resources and time to make the dream come true tend to become available later in life. Nothing new in that, actually - and it goes for most other hobbies as well!

All IMHO, of course

 

[ontheplane]

I don't think the recession is having as much impact as house prices.

We now have a mortgage I can't envisage being able to ever pay off (probably have to sell the house when old to settle it off and get something smaller...)

It's said now that the average child is leaving home to buy at about 32..... It was early 20's when I was a lad.

People paid off their mortgage in their 40's (perhaps younger) and then had some much needed disposable....

Now there will of course always be those who still have money, but they are the rich - the "common man" having some disposable income (enough for boating) is getting rarer....

Perhaps this is why Sunseeker et al constantly move upmarket and drop the smaller boats - perhaps no-one is buying them!

 

[oldgit]

Controversial and pessimistic perhaps, but with second hand boat prices still well down from where they were and showing no signs seemingly of recovery, leisure boaters ageing and it appears fewer younger boaters coming "on board" do you share my concerns? With house prices where they are, the later patter of tiny feet are those of us now boating a dying breed?

The number of people taking up boating is probably contracting,this may well be in equal measure to the amount of other leisure options available to the would be boater or to the amount of disposable income that can be allocated to our not inexpensive hobby.
The inexorable climb in the price of any half decent new boat,has led to the only affordable vessel being some sort of Peche Promenade,which the UK market,as usual missed by a mile.
Fine if you are Billy no mates who likes drowning worms but no good for family use.
The total absence of a mid market,budget boat in UK speaks voluimes...no market..
As to what is going to happen.....no idea !.
However to counter balance this,our club urgently need to construct more moorings,we have a 4 year waiting list for a club berth.

 

[ctva]

Contrary to the view hat boating is expensive, I've always viewed it as a reasonably priced hobby or past time. Running costs for us on a 34' boat are around £2.5k all in. When an annual two week family holiday abroad will leave little change out of £2k-£3k, I have always justified that as the running costs for our boat. So as long as we have a two week family holiday on the boat, it has not cost us anything more. On top of that we take a three week holiday and have many weekends away too so even better value for money. Once you look at the costs of other things like gym, golf club, skiing, it is not expensive.

I do like the idea of less doing it, fewer cheaper facilities to allow enjoyment of less commercialised anchorages.