Cantata
Well-known member
Over the years I've bought two boats at Lymington Yacht Haven, to sail home to the East Coast. On both occasions we bailed out into the Solent before any mooring fees became due, with good reason.
Lymington
- Thread starter boatmike
- Start date
sgr143
Active member
This must be about the only post I've seen on here saying that sailing's becoming more popular rather than less! I guess it depends on the timescale... and whether "sailing" is taken to mean just boat-ownership, or to mean sailing more generally, including training courses, renting and flotilla holidays etc . I should think there's been a decline in ownership in the last ten years or so ( witness many threads on these forums); sailing more generally I wouldn't know either way.
Joker
Active member
Here in eastern Germany, I was charged 10 euro a night at a pretty little village called Schaprode.
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The Solent is what it is. Plenty of Londonians with deep pockets who don't care if a berth is £10 or a £100. Shame for locals who are passionate about sailing but boats are movable feasts. Recently spent a fortnight in N Wales paying £30/week for a buoy for 12.5m, but if you want to rub shoulders with the well-to-do that ain't going to happen. I'd be off to France in a flash in the OP's position.
Praxinoscope
Well-known member
Unfortunately sums of around £3.50 a metre for an overnight seem to be common at marinas, not just o the South Coast, we occasionally drop down to Neyland (Milford Haven) and an overnight is £3.50 a metre in the lower basin (24 hr access) or £2.50 in the upper basin with limited access over the sill. Pwllheli prices are similar.
It does seem that the smaller (20-28')Single handed or small crew boat owners are being squeezed by the large boats with extensive crews that can spread the cost amongst them, or by those with very deep pockets.
It does seem that the smaller (20-28')Single handed or small crew boat owners are being squeezed by the large boats with extensive crews that can spread the cost amongst them, or by those with very deep pockets.
Laminar Flow
Well-known member
After cruising the Netherlands, Germany, the Baltic, Northern France and Brittany, The UK's south coast was, once again, a rude awakening as to harbour dues, never mind being charged for swinging on your own hook in places like Chichester Harbour and Dartmouth. We are a mom and pop crew.
Newhaven, our first stop, was, at 28 pounds, a complete ripoff for what amounted to a derelict marina with an ambiance straight out of "Deliverance", but with a more industrial bent; proper "Endzeitstimmung" that.
Brighton was simply soulless.
Chichester was lovely, but paying to swing on your own hook, really?
Yarmouth we liked, at a disturbing 35.- a night, ouch; we had to wait for 3 days for a spare part for the alternator and in retrospect could have bought a new one for the price of the moorage.
Lymington, where we got to stay on the town quay for a mere 18.- was dizzyingly reasonable by comparison. We stayed for two days, enjoyed the town and left a chunk of money in the local shops and restaurants. Now that is gone as well, I hear. Shame that; we won't be coming back.
Newhaven, our first stop, was, at 28 pounds, a complete ripoff for what amounted to a derelict marina with an ambiance straight out of "Deliverance", but with a more industrial bent; proper "Endzeitstimmung" that.
Brighton was simply soulless.
Chichester was lovely, but paying to swing on your own hook, really?
Yarmouth we liked, at a disturbing 35.- a night, ouch; we had to wait for 3 days for a spare part for the alternator and in retrospect could have bought a new one for the price of the moorage.
Lymington, where we got to stay on the town quay for a mere 18.- was dizzyingly reasonable by comparison. We stayed for two days, enjoyed the town and left a chunk of money in the local shops and restaurants. Now that is gone as well, I hear. Shame that; we won't be coming back.
Garold
Well-known member
I think that you may be quite surprised if you return to Greece.
Whilst we have only explored the Ionian recently, the cost of flights to Preveza, the price of winter lift outs, the new charges in many harbours with Premiums charged for cats, and the not-so-cheap-as-chips dining out experienc, may result in you spending more than you imagined.
I suspect that whilst there may be reduced numbers of yacht owning punters, the newer yachties have deeper pockets. Also, given the increased number of charter yachts sharing weekly sailing costs between several crew, the price of daily moorings in popular locations just isn’t a deterrent now.
Finally, in Greece, in a bigger cat, youd have to get in to harbour really early if you want a spot on a quay. The flotillas flood out the popular locations from mid afternoon.
Laminar Flow
Well-known member
And 10.50 Euro a night in Amsterdam, Sixhaven, with a direct connection to the downtown city centre via the free foot passenger ferry.
Kukri
Well-known member
?
We didn’t quite make it! Three nights whilst we sorted stuff out.
TernVI
Well-known member
The whole point of Newtown is that it's undeveloped.
I think if all yachtsmen said they wouldn't park there because there's no bogs, the NT and bird-worriers would be delighted.
johnalison
Well-known member
Nice little place. Our German neighbour, a retired sea-captain and port-master for Lubek tied up and asked me, a visiting Brit, if there was anything there because his pilot book said it was dull. I was able to tell him that there was one of the oldest churches on the island, complete with a concert that night, pretty cottages, a memorial to the chap who designed the Gotha canal, and a rarity at the time, a food shop. 10 euros was about the going rate, without strom, and they often put us down as <10m. By gum it was hot.
Lymington used to be good, especially the moorings full of smaller boats, Centaurs and the like.
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Except this simplistic market principle doesn't apply to other areas of the UK, and nor should it, as places like Beaulieu levy fees for amenities in which zero investment has been made.
Snowdonia doesn't charge more for parking than Nottingham. People who live next to an oil refinery supplying the country don't get discounted fuel, The free market argument doesn't bear scrutiny.
Anyhow, it is what it is. Avoid or pay through the nose. Solent prices do engender a sense of smugness so it's not all bad.
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ZBM2
New member
It is reassuring to hear of prices are keeping the marine tramps out, who wants to share a harbour with worn out old tubs and their even more worn out owners. Lymington, Yarmouth et al are doing very well are attracting ever increasing numbers of those who actually have money to spend in town beyond a trip to the chippy and the supermarket for some cheap booze to consume back on their boats.
Laminar Flow
Well-known member
Nice one! Only too happy to take my business to the continent where we have managed to leave many tens of thousands of euros storing, maintaining and up grading out "worn out" old tub over the last years, with a new engine, rig and interior and where they still manage to keep reasonable prices in spite of a very short season in the Baltic, for example. At least there you don't have to pay "extra" for British snobbism.
ithet
Well-known member
Over the last few years cruising Uk South Coast, CI 's and Brittany, marina berth prices have mostly been around the £3.5/m mark. Having recently been at the new Lymington Town Quay this is in same ballpark. Some places are better or worse value due to facilities, but the stand out price abuse to me is Poole Quay at £4.50 in summer with poor facilities that you cross a road to reach.
ZBM2
New member
QED.
Seven Spades
Well-known member
Go to the Baltic we typically paid £20 per night for a 55' boat. MDL is charging £5.85/m =£99 per night, makes Sutton Harbour look cheap!
Seriously this year is nuts. Many boat are reluctant to go abroad so demand on the South Coast is sky high and in most harbours/marinas capacity is down so they have upped their prices. However when this rubbish is over they will have to adjust prices or lose custom. Interestingly Torquay Marina has had vacant berths since 2007. This year many solent based yacts realising that crusiing in France is not an option decided to berth in Torquay, the result Torquay now has a 30 boat waiting list. I am told that this is typical in the South West.
Seriously this year is nuts. Many boat are reluctant to go abroad so demand on the South Coast is sky high and in most harbours/marinas capacity is down so they have upped their prices. However when this rubbish is over they will have to adjust prices or lose custom. Interestingly Torquay Marina has had vacant berths since 2007. This year many solent based yacts realising that crusiing in France is not an option decided to berth in Torquay, the result Torquay now has a 30 boat waiting list. I am told that this is typical in the South West.
boatmike
Well-known member
I totally agree with you. I tried to keep it polite saying that larger boats with more people on board find these fees more affordable. I didn't say that newbie sailors and yuppies with their head up their bum and an elitist attitude to the rest of us marine tramps in worn out old tubs were ***** up our sport. That would not have been polite regardless of what I really think and I am far too much of a gentleman to say that.........
dulls
N/A
I think he was trolling....
boatmike
Well-known member
Yes Garold, I suspect that you may well be right. Greece has a really serious economic problem and I have a feeling that the old carefree attitude may have given way to a money grab here too. I have only been sailing for about 60 years but it does seem that costs generally have risen everywhere disproportionately in the last 6-8 years and who can blame anyone for charging when many people are willing to pay? I am afraid that it is possibly time for me to recognise that old sailors don't die, they simply get priced out of the market......
