Lots more People getting the Boating Bug

[Bigplumbs]

Reading this forum and others it is obvious that the current situation we are all living in has caused people to think about things and perhaps change their view of how they want to spend their leisure time, and boats have hit their radar ...... Apart of course from the prices of boats going up I kind of think this is a good thing.

A return to old values of trips out and pic nics, better for the environment as less air travel, The UK or your home area has loads to explore I am sure but you have just tended to look further afield.

We used to go on 2 foreign holidays every year and I actually think it had just become a habit rather than something we actually wanted to do (we did enjoy them of course but would we have enjoyed something better).

As far as the Weather is concerned I am certain that in the UK summers are getting better year on year.

I also think that the old adage (Travel Broadens the Mind) might now be an outdated concept and a new one of Travel is Dangerous for you and the world might have to be the new one.

 

[ST840]

I think what you say is a true statement. However, the downside to this is that we just don’t have the size of facilities big enough to realistically cope with the additional numbers of boats visiting marinas. Just take this summer for instance. We had two visits to Yarmouth , never before have we had to pick up a bouy outside the harbour and wait for an hour for a berth. And when we did get in we were rafted 4 deep. I’m not complaining because I don’t mind the social side to it. The thing is, do you then have to try and book 6 months in advance to try and guarantee a berth for your holiday or do you take a chance and risk maybe not getting in somewhere. OR, was this year just a one off because we had all been locked away for so long that we all just rushed out to enjoy what was left of the season.
I think staycations are a great thing for the economy, we do however still have to high volumes of people for such a small piece of land or sea !

 

[Oscar24]

I think this years weather has played a big part tbh. Its been pretty good in the UK.
Will only take a couple of grotty UK summers for people to start jumping back on planes and finding some sun.

 

[Boathook]

I think that next year there maybe more boats for sale again as the new owners find out the cost and work to maintain a boat especially if we have a 'grotty' winter. This summer has been different as everyone went out ASAP after lockdown ended and the weather was nice.
October can go either way on the weather so I may get a few more sails in before lift out and then all the maintenance.

 

[Seastoke]

I think what you say is a true statement. However, the downside to this is that we just don’t have the size of facilities big enough to realistically cope with the additional numbers of boats visiting marinas. Just take this summer for instance. We had two visits to Yarmouth , never before have we had to pick up a bouy outside the harbour and wait for an hour for a berth. And when we did get in we were rafted 4 deep. I’m not complaining because I don’t mind the social side to it. The thing is, do you then have to try and book 6 months in advance to try and guarantee a berth for your holiday or do you take a chance and risk maybe not getting in somewhere. OR, was this year just a one off because we had all been locked away for so long that we all just rushed out to enjoy what was left of the season.
I think staycations are a great thing for the economy, we do however still have to high volumes of people for such a small piece of land or sea !

There is cruising ground all around the uk

 

[Seashoreman]

Then of coarse there was the 'funsters' who regard the rivers as public use to see how fast they can go. I guess many picked up trailable speedboats/ribs/PWC with their furlough money and looked for a launch site.
There certainly was an increase in bad and irresponsible behaviour locally to me. These are not hooligan teenagers but middle-aged blokes.
Water ski parties on National Trust protected property. Overnight stays leaving their rubbish behind.
The sooner they get bored, cold and back to work the better. Mr Grumpy of Alde.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Then of coarse there was the 'funsters' who regard the rivers as public use to see how fast they can go. I guess many picked up trailable speedboats/ribs/PWC with their furlough money and looked for a launch site.
There certainly was an increase in bad and irresponsible behaviour locally to me. These are not hooligan teenagers but middle-aged blokes.
Water ski parties on National Trust protected property. Overnight stays leaving their rubbish behind.
The sooner they get bored, cold and back to work the better. Mr Grumpy of Alde.

You are not that So called Harbour Master at Orford are you..... He is a grumpy or sod who hates most people who want to go on the water

 

[Seashoreman]

Heaven Forbid Bigplumbs. My grumps are merely temporary and I am generally one of those smiling waving boaters that seems to make many others appear grumpy.
I was denied my boating this year for various reasons and it hasn't stop raining here for a few days. That is my excuse anyway

 

[ST840]

There is cruising ground all around the uk

Really ? And there was me thinking it was just where I live ?

 

[BruceK]

Really ? And there was me thinking it was just where I live ?

More to the point, your gripe is specific only to where you live

 

[ST840]

More to the point, your gripe is specific only to where you live

Well yes that’s because that’s the only experience I have to comment on.

 

[Momac]

The chief officer and I have confined ourselves to the river this year . But when we have been out have had no issues finding a visitor mooring .
Not many boats for sale at the brokerages due to lots of sales . Almost everything has sold quite quickly . Not sure about prices going up but much but perhaps people have been able to get the asking price.
No doubt some people will realise boating isn't for them . That's always going to be so.

I am relatively little travelled as far as foreign holidays are concerned. Our boat has been the focus of our main holiday the last dozen years. so the absence of a foreign travel has been nothing new to us.

 

[BruceK]

Well yes that’s because that’s the only experience I have to comment on.

As your Mecca fills to capacity it's not unreasonable to expect the overflow to head into surrounding emptier areas. There are only so many berths and so over saturation isn't really possible.

 

[ST840]

As your Mecca fills to capacity it's not unreasonable to expect the overflow to head into surrounding emptier areas. There are only so many berths and so over saturation isn't really possible.

Well yes on that point you are quite correct. But getting into the more popular and attractive places is the main issue because even those in the lesser marinas want to go play in the hotspots.

 

[BruceK]

Unfortunately that is true where ever you go. Look on the bright side though. In the mad rush out on the Friday evening Mobo's have the distinct advantage. Think of the yottie's woes. Always playing second fiddle to the anchorages.

 

[[181131]]

Being a Yacht broker until recently I found that boat sales were going through the roof Since the ease of lockdown. Boats were being Snapped up so quickly a lot of them didnt hit the market. A lot of buyers brought a boat because it was an alternative to going away and having them as “staycations” And a lot of buyers having a boat only for the summer time and putting them back on the market come this time/ winter. People used to be ”desperate“ for a boat they’d offer the asking price or slightly below it and most of them without surveys, sub to sea trial Only

 

[Ian h]

Will be interesting to see what happens at the end of this year and the start of 2021,
Will there be lot of boats coming back onto the market ??

From speaking to a few brokers I believe this will be the case,
Some good bargains to be had

 

[Momac]

Time will tell but I am not sure boats bought this year by people new to boating will be coming back on the market just yet . People have hardly had the chance to familiarise themselves with the boats they bought only a couple of months ago.

Nor do I expect to see peole rushing to book holidays abroad until Covid vaccinations are well under way.

 

[Greg2]

On the point about the upturn in boating being a good thing I think it might be a two sided coin, at least in the short to medium term. Good because the infrastructure that supports our hobby (marinas, boatyards, brokerages, engineers, canopy makers, pubs/restaurants etc etc) becomes more viable so, in theory at least, we might have choice. The flip side is that our country has an awful lot of people and the infrastructure just can’t cope so we may not actually have choice and with demand outstripping supply it becomes more difficult to get things done and things get more expensive....and some might find themselves priced out. Many marinas are owned by corporates and when they become full the bean counter is king.

I do think that a significant number of new boaters might well move on as the reality of boat ownership and the normal unpredictability of the U.K. climate starts to kick in. The longevity of the pandemic will be an influencing factor, as will the extent to which foreign holidays become an option again. Perhaps environmental factors (climate change) might mean that it never recovers fully, which will mean that staycations become more of the norm so perhaps infrastructure will catch up.

Just some musings - perhaps if someone can chuck me a crystal ball we might have a better chance of predicting what might happen! ?
.

 

[Momac]

The total numbers of boats are not increased by used boat sales - its just that fewer are temporarily out of use while on brokerage at present.
I believe one or two (so possibly more) boats sold locally this year have gone away from the UK.
I am not sure, therefore, that UK infrastructure is under any significant extra demand unless sales of brand new boats for UK use are booming? There are not many brand new boats where I am.
My impression is its been the same as any other year, since July , in terms of boat movements but that's just my feeling from travelling in a local area . There are perhaps fewer spare moorings in the marina.