Boathook
Well-known member
To do with council tax I believe.
Liveaboard marinas on the southcoast UK
- Thread starter Jimmann
- Start date
Tranona
Well-known member
Primarily because they are not residential properties and planning permission is for effectively a parking lot for boats - plus of course in many cases shorebased businesses. While this was often ignored, the events surrounding covid highlighted the number of people living "illegally" on boats. Marinas can fill their berths in most cases without accepting liveaboards.
stranded
Well-known member
Trouble is, (nearly) everyone is respectful when they are asking for something…
Individual liveaboards dotted around can be positive, but based on my experience in some European ports, liveaboard communities can be quite territorial and not notably respectful of “outsiders”. Short of evidence to the contrary in individual cases, I would put the existence of such communities on the “rough” side of the scale when making a choice.
Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
Never having been a live aboard but I encountered several when berthed in Plymouth Yacht Haven several years ago that was not my experience, I found them to be friendly and open to the extent of invites to pontoon BBQs etc.
Tranquillow
New member
Local Authorities do not allow liveaboards in marinas as they're not paying council tax and the marina is only licenced for non-residential habitation.
capnsensible
Well-known member
Agree. During our 23 almost years of living aboard our yacht, we generally found that with a shared interest in yachts n boats, our like minded neighbours were mostly great.
I suppose things have changed in the UK now with liveaboards. 25 years ago we and others were welcome in Haslar Marina.
Wansworth
Well-known member
Possibly the new generation of live aboard are firstly looking for somewhere to live and interest in boats is secondary?
ashtead
Well-known member
A number of those which appear to spend a lot of time at Haslar marina are members of Haslar Yacht club which h has a website and might be a source of useful info for anyone contemplating a stay/visit
Johnny86
New member
Hi there guys, so I'm currently buying my first boat and hope to live aboard full time, I currently live and work in Plymouth, my work is just off sutton quay so i was hoping to find somewhere to berth at sutton harbour but not only is it very expensive but they do not take live aboards, I'm going down to see the boat on saturday but i could really do with some pointers and general help. My parents used to live on their boat in bristol with no issues so why is it so difficult now to do? I'm thinking about a swinging mooring in torpoint and then buying a small tender to get to and from, any advice or help would be really appreciated. Thanks
Johnny
Johnny
Graham376
Well-known member
Swing moorings are fine in UK summer fine weather but winter not so good, particularly if no heating or, means to charge batteries to run heater. Is there anywhere to leave a tender ashore safely? Many marinas won't allow it.
Tranona
Well-known member
Liveaboard is far more difficult these days because most marinas are not residential and councils are more active in enforcing this, plus marinas can easily fill their berths at full price. Realistically living aboard on a small boat and working is no longer viable. As above, swinging moorings are OK in the summer although often hard if you have to keep to work schedules or want any active social life. Winter is depressing and even harder to take part in "normal" land based activity. the best you can really hope for is summer on a mooring and discreet berthing in the winter in a marina. It is however a life lived at the margins.
Apart from the problems of where to keep the boat, you need to consider the practicalities of the boat itself. Small boats are not designed for living on, not only the lack of space but keeping warm and dry in the winter. I lived for a year on a 26', initially on a mooring then on the hard in the boatyard where I worked. I had electricity to run a fan heater and I went "home" at weekends. It was just about tolerable.
Living where you do you can enjoy a boat for what it is, but unwise to consider it as a permanent alternative to shore based accommodation.
Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
If he can overcome the heating problem and doesn’t mind running the engine frequently to charge the batteries then a swinging mooring is about his best chance. In times past PYH y used to have livaboards but it would be expensive perhaps a compromise would be a winter berth in a marina
capnsensible
Well-known member
Is it just some UK marinas that have this no liveaboard thing now?
Wansworth
Well-known member
Living aboard is another part of the adventure if you just want cheap accommodation it’s a different mind set,we always had a Christmas tree at the masthead and enjoyed the howling winds…it’s different than a house
……..whatever you do don’t turn the pontoon into your personel back garden shed
……..whatever you do don’t turn the pontoon into your personel back garden shedJimmann
New member
Plymouth have marinas with plenty of liveaboards from what ive been told. Torpoint is another i believe take liveaboards. If youre willing to go on the hard standing, treluggan boatyard has a few incognito
Seastoke
Well-known member
Portland have room.
Tranona
Well-known member
It is variable and under variable conditions. Some are long standing and become expected, some temporary, some winter only, some tolerated, some under the radar, but generally since Covid which highlighted the number living "illegally" many marinas have adopted no liveaboard policies, others have obtained residential permission.
About the only consistent thing is that the days of being able to tie up just about anywhere and live on your boat have gone.
capnsensible
Well-known member
In the UK...doesn't seem to be a problem anywhere else. Wonder why?
Tranona
Well-known member
Primarily our planning regulations followed by a shortage of moorings and berths which inflates prices. This is less of an issue in places that are unattractive for using boats but that often means it is unattractive for living!. There is also significant capacity for liveaboards on the inland waterways, either as cruisers or to a lesser extent residential. In other parts of the world such as where you live it is a different environment as not only is the climate more suitable for living on a boat but there are few working people like the OP wanting an alternative to expensive and scarce land based living.
Trident
Well-known member
The live aboard "market" seems to have changed too. Previously many liveaboards were older, divorced men and many marinas I saw could be described as where old alcoholics go to die... (No offence to anyone who lived aboard not in that category ) Whilst my boat was at one marina in Chichester harbour two old alcoholics did die aboard (separately) and the yard staff had to clear out dozens of bottles of urine in one case. This no doubt put them off.
However, there are now a lot of working, sober, younger people either looking for a cheaper lifestyle (haha!) or wooed by You Tube to the romantic lifestyle of unblocking seawater toilets and finding leaks when it rains. These people are probably significantly better "tenants" than many in the past but also want lots of Amazon deliveries, commute in and out every day to work etc so are more obvious than an old guy nursing a beer in his cockpit all day.
Frankly, with the state of UK housing I would think councils would tear up all their old regulations and allow people to live on boats, in caravan parks and anywhere else that gets them off the waiting lists but that may count as current affairs so I will say no more
However, there are now a lot of working, sober, younger people either looking for a cheaper lifestyle (haha!) or wooed by You Tube to the romantic lifestyle of unblocking seawater toilets and finding leaks when it rains. These people are probably significantly better "tenants" than many in the past but also want lots of Amazon deliveries, commute in and out every day to work etc so are more obvious than an old guy nursing a beer in his cockpit all day.
Frankly, with the state of UK housing I would think councils would tear up all their old regulations and allow people to live on boats, in caravan parks and anywhere else that gets them off the waiting lists but that may count as current affairs so I will say no more