marinas

[Pete7]

A possibility which has some people very excited about tidal turbines!

Oh good, although I was thinking about wind mills. Creating an area the trawlers and dredgers can't get into but the lads in a little fishing boat can pop out to on a Sunday afternoon could produce some good catches particulalry in the rather barren Liverpool Bay.

As for marinas, look what happened last time the Solent fleet put out to sea on the same day for the 2005 Fleet Review. The whole of the Eastern and Central Solent turned into a car park. Thankfully marinas encourage folk to stay there giving the rest of us a chance. We were in Premier Marina at Swanwick for a couple of months. Popped down to the boat one late Friday evening in the depths of the winter to see nearly every other yacht lit up and parties going on all around. Not sure what sort of parties they were having but seemed like lots of fun. Perhaps some folk just enjoy using boats as portable holiday homes rather than build all over another Welsh hillside.

Pete

 

[Caladh]

Well I had 2 and then an Ital then I "upgraded" to a Morris Minor Traveller - best car in the world. However here's my two peneth'.

Beauty is in the eye etc but I really do think that Snooks requires a visit to Spe Savers ASAP.

Some years ago having kept my yacht in a well known marina on Hayling for seven years it was then taken over by a well known larger marina company. For a lifestyle change my wife and I decided to up roots and head for the sun - we've found it ! Anyway I needed to stay in said marina (that had been taken over) for 3 weeks after my annual beth holding contract had run out at the end of March. I had asked the very helpful HM at said marina if I could keep my berth and hopefully either stay there on my annual berth rate pro rata'ed or a weekly or monthly rate. When I came to move out I was told by the new manager at the marina that "we have published rates so that's what you'll have to pay" -and I had to.....didn't do much for the start of the cruising budget. Now some of you will say they were right to charge full whack but me I say it was taking the p***. Of course times be hard now and these marina's can't do enough to look after their clients, with freebies and reduced charges.

I was bitten and as far as I'm concerned marina's and their owners are somewhat akin to slugs. As SeaRush said we will need to use one eventually but until that time arrives we'll try to avoid them. Unfortunatley -:
a) if you "don't like" a marinas in the Solent their ain't much choice in cost of where else to go.
b) they're great IF you have the money - the assumption being that most of "us" have (but that debate can wait for another thread)
c) see recent thread about Yarmouth and it's "expansion"
d) adding over-priced electricity to your visitor costs (if you require it of course) also smacks of over oiling the slick

Rant over.....for the time being

 

[mobeydick]

1. shelter
2. 24hr access (no lock)
3. cheap

Don't care about facilities - view a marina as a car park for my boat.
A place where the boat's safe when I'm not aboard.
When I'm aboard, I'll be out sailing

Exactly. Seconded

MD

 

[jimmyss]

What are the charges in general for (say for a 27footer)

Visitors per night/day
for overwintering
for summer only

 

[wotayottie]

1/ that it belongs to a decent club rather than MD etc
2/ cheap
3/ cheap
4/ decent not over lavish facilities
5/ location

 

[snooks]

What are the charges in general for (say for a 27footer)

Visitors per night/day
for overwintering
for summer only

How long is a piece of string?

It all depends on location, demand, access and facilities

 

[TiggerToo]

I love windfarms, so elegant & graceful. .../QUOTE]

SeaR, I always though of you as a kindred spirit (my beard is white as yours yet). But know I AM CERTAIN. We must be the only ones to love windmills... I adore them

 

[DogWatch]

I love windfarms, so elegant & graceful. .../QUOTE]

SeaR, I always though of you as a kindred spirit (my beard is white as yours yet). But now I AM CERTAIN. We must be the only ones to love windmills... I adore them

I too think windmills look brilliant, but wind-turbines are ugly, far too mechanical, far too functional (though in some applications this is ok)

windmill

burbo wind farm (horrible)

 

[bendyone]

Matt,
Your picture serves to prove the Searush point, up until then it was 1 all but after, it is Snooks 1- Searush 7 and the game is now over.

Until Dan bans him

 

[Heckler]

Me too, I wonder if they will create there own little eco systems around them as the shell and weed take hold. Could be a good fishing spot in years to come.

Pete

When I as deputy leader of Denbighshire I was invited to go offshore Rhyl to inspect the ones there, a scientist wanted to grow mussels on them, a man from the local Uni said that early studies showed that they grew wonderful mussels on them already.
I think they are majestic too. At a planning committee, v noisy and bolshy, where 2 where being discussed, I made that point and that my kids used to think they were giants striding across the Pyrannees when we used to caravan there. I was then subjected to a serious nasty anonymous letter writing campaign from some pri ck!
I still think they are majestic, am not convinced that they produce more electric than is consumed making them! and know that in the grand scheme of things they wont make enough difference. Nuke is the way to go, new thread I think?
Stu

 

[Ubergeekian]

I'm not a fan of marinas or car parks but they are necessary. Without marinas, the rivers/coast would be choken up with moored boats, without car parks the roads would be choked up with parked cars.

As for overnight stops, imagine if everyone who went into a marina picked up a bouy or anchored, how crowded would the anchorages be then?

Each to their own.

Chicken and eggs. How many people wold buy boats to use as floating caravans if they had to keep them on a swinging mooring?

I think your second point is possibly a Solent specific one. We all know that there are only four vaguely pleasant destinations there so arranging to cram as many boats as possible in makes sense. That's not the case in many other places, though.

 

[Ubergeekian]

But these are all mute points, I was simply seeing how you like someone criticising where you choose to keep your boat, the same way you did to everyone who chooses to keep their yacht in a marina with your "Blinking 'orrible boat car parks" remark.

Live and let live

Live and let live is all very well until a traditional and much-loved anchorage (eg Craobh) becomes a caravan park for boats, or until a friendly and convenient harbour (eg Peel) gets taken over by pontoons and charges go through th eroof.

Forum members with long memories will recall that the RYA used to be very much against the spread of marinas in this way ... until almost exactly the same time as they started taking huge amounts in "sponsorship" from Marina Developments plc. By coincidence, of course, just coincidence.

Me? I love the luxury of an occasional trip to the marina, and my boat is in a council-owned one at the moment. Next summer, though, I am moving without any regret back to a swinging mooring on the west coast.

 

[cimo]

1. affordable - no use if we can't afford it?
2. good neighbours - to keep an eye out & help you drink your wine.
3. shore power - for the power jobs that need doing (or is that just my boat?).
4. good base location - choice of lift outs within 1 day sail & good sailing ground within a weeks reach.
5. good waste managment - esp. those two-way recycling bins - where you can take stuff out!

well fancy that - I've just describe my current marina

 

[TiggerToo]

I too think windmills look brilliant, but wind-turbines are ugly, far too mechanical, far too functional (though in some applications this is ok)

windmill

burbo wind farm (horrible)

Funny I feel exactly the opposite. THe old Dutch one looks nice only because it is old and because we have grown used to it. The windfarm you show over the horizon of the beach is much more beautiful... sorry, it is a personal thing

 

[Seanick]

1. I wish they would fix the trunion problem

2. Calling it an ital does not make it continental

3. The hydro-elastic suspension is pants, it is nowhere near as good as Citroen's suspension, stop doing it.

4. It is time to dump the A series engine which is a good little lump but out of date, I think it is a good mod to drop the triumph sprint engine in, but why would anyone want to lose the dolomite sprint in favour of a marina

5. The interior is horrible, the seats are designed for a doctors waiting room, and I dread to think what the ncap rating on a marina would be.

Only good post on this thread!

If caravan parks are for 'trailer trash', then marinas are for ...?

 

[Theshipscat]

What are the charges in general for (say for a 27footer)

Visitors per night/day
for overwintering
for summer only

Chichester a 29 foot £3400 pa this includes winter or shore storage but you have to pay a members rate for lift out.
1 night £16

Northney same boat about £4500 don't know if it includes anything else.
1 night £24 approx.
They are the most expensive marina I've come across...so far.

 

[Mrs Sea Mist II]

1. Secure from theft etc.,
2. Safe from the weather
3. Quiet
4. Clean
5. Always accessible, (don't mind a lock)

Can I have six please? Going to anyway...

6. Reasonably priced

 

[Ubergeekian]

Chichester a 29 foot £3400 pa this includes winter or shore storage but you have to pay a members rate for lift out.
1 night £16

Northney same boat about £4500 don't know if it includes anything else.
1 night £24 approx.
They are the most expensive marina I've come across...so far.

Kirkcudbright would be £670pa for 29ft. Milford Haven £1593pa. Ah, the joys of local authority owned marinas.

 

[Channel Ribs]

In summary

I had a quick add up and the average of the most common five is as follows...

1st. Shelter and other location related issues

2nd. Security and neighbourhood

=3rd. Cleanliness, facilities, etc AND access

5th. Cost

Very surprising results, I continue to be stunned by the importance placed on security. How low cost scored is a bit of a shock too!

 

[snooks]

How low cost scored is a bit of a shock too!

I think, if you've decided what you want out of a marina, and you're getting what you want, then you'll also be happy to pay for it.