Marina Visit

[lustyd]

You can't drink seawater. A clean water source is a problem for billions of people and causes a great deal of suffering, illness and distress. I live on a sub tropical island where desalination is the sole source of clean water. We can afford it. Most can't.

Again though, we were talking about the UK where there is more than enough fresh water to go around. The problem is that we usually mix it with sewage and dump it in rivers or the sea rather than collect it.
Scarcity of water is always a case of poor planning or infrastructure. If you want to live in a desert then you should plan for getting water first

 

[johnalison]

If the OP feels aggrieved at having to moor to a finger shorter than his boat he had better stick to the fleshpots around our southern shores and give up any idea of extended cruising. Investing in some decent mooring lines might help, but some of the most rewarding places we have visited have also had the most difficult facilities to deal with, with rusting steel fixings, confusing electrics, suspect water, and harbourmasters only present occasionally, once you have found where their office is.

 

[Irish Rover]

Again though, we were talking about the UK where there is more than enough fresh water to go around. The problem is that we usually mix it with sewage and dump it in rivers or the sea rather than collect it.
Scarcity of water is always a case of poor planning or infrastructure. If you want to live in a desert then you should plan for getting water first

Many of these communities had adequate water for their need until their wells ran dry. I'm sure they'd love to relocate to the UK but ************.

 

[lustyd]

Many of these communities had adequate water for their need until their wells ran dry. I'm sure they'd love to relocate to the UK but ************.

Still not sure how that relates to UK marina hoses, but sure, it's sad that their wells have run dry and climate change is a real issue and/or they have overused the available resources without proper planning. Still not relevant

 

[Irish Rover]

Still not sure how that relates to UK marina hoses, but sure, it's sad that their wells have run dry and climate change is a real issue and/or they have overused the available resources without proper planning. Still not relevant

I was responding to the statement "There's no shortage of water in the world so for £66/night I want constant running water with a real tap!"
I was shocked that an otherwise apparently intelligent poster would've realise there's an extreme shortage of water in the world and countless people are dying as a result. I was also shocked that an otherwise apparently intelligence poster wouldn't realise that the provision of constantly running hot and cold water consumes huge amounts of energy for capturing, treating, filtering, distributing and heating the water - the same energy which is contributing to climate change which is the main cause of the wells running dry in Africa and elsewhere.
Enjoy your shower.

 

[capnsensible]

It's a long time since I visited uk marinas. Can't remember about this hose issue, but I do know that scores of marinas I've been to in lots of countries certainly don't....

 

[mjcoon]

Oooh, the short period push tap is another dislike of ours. At that price, you should get someone with a loofah to scrub your back!

There's a lovely story by Peter Ustinov regarding his experience of an Asian (and non-boaty) assisted shower...

 

[steveeasy]

Marinas removed hosepipes during covid. Id not expect a hosepipe, most boats carry one and a fitting.
Most finger berths are shorter than the boat. It’s normal to have to go to the fuel berth. Good to practice and show off your boat handling skills. Laundry is a bonus and good showers are a priority.

Steveeasy

 

[bobalong]

Marinas no longer have hoses on their taps. Health/H&S etc etc

Sutton Harbour Marina had hoses, berths were OK but the temporary showers were way below expectations for what is an expensive stop. They are set up on the pavement outside of the marina.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Marinas removed hosepipes during covid. Id not expect a hosepipe, most boats carry one and a fitting.
Most finger berths are shorter than the boat. It’s normal to have to go to the fuel berth. Good to practice and show off your boat handling skills. Laundry is a bonus and good showers are a priority.

Steveeasy

They did it long before covid.

 

[lustyd]

would've realise there's an extreme shortage of water in the world

There isn't though. Not even close. You can argue there's a shortage of clean drinkable water. You can argue that the clean drinkable water is often in the wrong place for where people have chosen to settle.
You can't argue that water is scarce, that's wrong thinking and leads to people assuming it's impossible to fix, which it isn't. It might be costly, it might be a little complex, but the water is there in unimaginable quantities.

 

[dunedin]

The berth was a clear 2m shorter than my boat, can I claim 20% of the price?
The annoying thing her is to keep the boat in position I have squeaky mooring ropes.

I was going to use the laundry however no one was available to sell tokens.

The taps had no hoses - ( I know some say it's normal).

They did have fuel 24/7 however:

I have to take my boat to the fuel berth, they will help catch lines!
So to get my fuel, I would have to:
*Leave the berth,
*Leave the Marina (there's is not enough space inside to drift and move mooring ropes and fenders),
*Switch all my fenders and mooring ropes,
*Put then on the other side,
*Come back into the marina tie up at fuel berth,
*Then return to my berth, reverse the operation,

I know I could do this in the morning on departure, and not have to berth, however would you want to get up an hour or 2 earlier to do this in half light?

When you could just walk down the pontoon with 2 plastic fuel cans. To the fuel berth I walked passed several times today.

The marina did have good showers though.

Wow somebody has got the grumpies - or more likely posting for effect

Cruising in some places, like Atlantic France, we dreamt of finding a berth only 2m shorter than the boat. 4m or so shorter was very common, and often our rail gate opened over water.
Not ideal if leaving unattended over winter, but no issue in a visitor berth for a few days.

And sounds like the marina is well sorted with a fuel supply. Unless in a 50 foot catamaran, most fuel hoses will reach both sides of the boat. Hence I would probably be lazy and just go alongside whichever side the fenders and ropes are already set for. If you purchased a long keeler that won’t reverse then blame yourself not the marina.
And any tidal sailing skipper will be used to getting up at un-godly hours to catch the tide. So getting up a few minutes early to fuel up pre-departure ain’t an issue. Bank the time you saved not refuelling the previous day by turning in a bit earlier.

 

[capnsensible]

There isn't though. Not even close. You can argue there's a shortage of clean drinkable water. You can argue that the clean drinkable water is often in the wrong place for where people have chosen to settle.
You can't argue that water is scarce, that's wrong thinking and leads to people assuming it's impossible to fix, which it isn't. It might be costly, it might be a little complex, but the water is there in unimaginable quantities.

Still no. Do your research.

 

[lustyd]

Still no. Do your research.

Have done, thanks, and there is definitely more water than you can possibly imagine. This is absolutely a fixable problem, especially in the UK. Water is not even remotely scarce as a resource, even in fresh form.

 

[Irish Rover]

There isn't though. Not even close. You can argue there's a shortage of clean drinkable water. You can argue that the clean drinkable water is often in the wrong place for where people have chosen to settle.
You can't argue that water is scarce, that's wrong thinking and leads to people assuming it's impossible to fix, which it isn't. It might be costly, it might be a little complex, but the water is there in unimaginable quantities.

OK. I'm a country lad, and I learned early in life not to face the wind when I'm urinating.

 

[srm]

The berth was a clear 2m shorter than my boat, can I claim 20% of the price?
The annoying thing her is to keep the boat in position I have squeaky mooring ropes.

I was going to use the laundry however no one was available to sell tokens.

The taps had no hoses - ( I know some say it's normal).

They did have fuel 24/7 however:

I have to take my boat to the fuel berth, they will help catch lines!
So to get my fuel, I would have to:
*Leave the berth,
*Leave the Marina (there's is not enough space inside to drift and move mooring ropes and fenders),
*Switch all my fenders and mooring ropes,
*Put then on the other side,
*Come back into the marina tie up at fuel berth,
*Then return to my berth, reverse the operation,

I know I could do this in the morning on departure, and not have to berth, however would you want to get up an hour or 2 earlier to do this in half light?

When you could just walk down the pontoon with 2 plastic fuel cans. To the fuel berth I walked passed several times today.

The marina did have good showers though.

Sounds fairly normal, is this a complaint or what?

Berthing fingers shorter than the boat using them are the norm. Stromness Marina has nice long ones, but that is run by a club as a not for profit community project.

Squeaky mooring ropes are a choice you made, some ropes make a lot more noise than others under load. I found a soft lay three strand nylon gave quiet nights in any conditions.

Hose: I have a short hose on an outdoor tap that has been there for a few years. Every time I use it there are black flakes in the water, OK for cleaning wellies or on plants but not my idea of drinking quality. On the boat I have my own hose and a variety of tap fittings. After every use the hose is drained and stowed in a dark locker to slow the growth of fauna and flora inside it. I would not use the hose coiled on the pontoon to fill my tanks, but the water is nice and warm for a quick shower after a swim.

Fuel berths, are usually tucked away in an otherwise unusable corner so difficult access is the norm. As you said you can always use jerry cans. There is a folding trolley on my boat for that reason.

Showers, my last boat was an old fashioned style 35ft custom fitted out for living on board so had a usable shower and condensation was not a problem.

If you don't like marinas get a good rowing/sailing dinghy and plan your passage around anchorages.

 

[lustyd]

OK. I'm a country lad, and I learned early in life not to face the wind when I'm urinating.

I'm not sure you did

 

[capnsensible]

Have done, thanks, and there is definitely more water than you can possibly imagine. This is absolutely a fixable problem, especially in the UK. Water is not even remotely scarce as a resource, even in fresh form.

You've clearly looked in the wrong place. There are stacks of informative links that prove otherwise. Water scarcity is increasing and there is no money in so many huge tracts of the planet to 'fix' it.

2023: Up to an estimated 3 billion people globally face water shortages. This crisis is set to escalate in the coming decades, particularly in urban areas, without enhanced international cooperation. These findings are from the U.N. World Water Development Report 2023. The report revealed that 2 billion people (26% of the population) lack safe drinking water, while 3.6 billion (46%) lack access to safely managed sanitation.

No money.

 

[Rappey]

Here is part of the regs that led to the removal of pontoon hosepipes.

The Water Regulations Advisory Scheme Ltd September 2008
3
3.3 Hoses shall not exceed 22 mm in internal diameter and, to avoid drinking water picking up
unpleasant taints, they should be made of materials which are suitable for use with drinking
water.
3.4 Hoses used by marina staff should be of a self-retracting lay-flat type where practicable, and
must be removed from hose taps and securely stored after use.
3.5 Berth holders and users of visiting craft must provide their own hoses, preferably of the lay-flat
type, to encourage removal after use.
3.6 All hoses left unattended on quaysides and pontoons must be removed by marina staff.
3.7 All users of hoses must be instructed by means of BMF and WRAS approved written and
pictorial warning signs that they must not leave hoses with their outlets immersed in dock
water, puddles or in any other liquids, in water tanks, drains, buckets or other containers, nor
place the outlets in sewage tanks or sluices for sewage disposal.
3.8 Hose union taps to which these conditions apply will not be permitted to be used for other
purposes than filling freshwater tanks or washing down craft or quayside areas.
3.9 In compliance with the Regulations, hoses used for washing down must be hand-held and be
operated by means of a self-closing flow control (trigger gun) to minimise undue consumption
of water.
3.10 If hose union taps are to supply pressure washers, the pressure washers must be of the type
which includes an integral break-tank and air gap providing fluid category five backflow
protection.
3.11 Marina operators should ensure that quayside taps which have not been used for two weeks or
longer are flushed adequately to draw fresh water to them before users are permitted to draw
water from them for drinking.

 

[lustyd]

Water scarcity is increasing and there is no money in so many huge tracts of the planet to 'fix' it.

You're still confusing scarcity with convenience. Water is an abundant resource, and denying that is unhelpful at best. Just because it's hard or expensive, doesn't mean nothing can be done. Instead of moaning that it's difficult we should be working on the solution whether that be relocating communities, developing ways to transport, reuse, or clean water, or simply investing in proper infrastructure.

If water was a scarce resource, we'd do a lot more to protect it. Air conditioners typically vent condensate to drainage rather than recapturing, for instance. If water were truly scarce, it would be illegal to allow it to simply drain away out of convenience.