Mooring

[Guest]

Anyone help this first timer out?

My first boat will be with me soon I hope, but I've nowhere to moor her yet. Is the only choice a marina?

Phone Thames Ditton - full, next nearest is Walton - they have space but not for the trailer.

In fact, the trailer, bought it from the broker to tow the boat home but no where to keep it!!! Anyone got a big garden??

 

[jfm]

Parking the trailer

For the trailer I would call one of those farms or whatever that provide parking for people to park their caravans when not in use. I think they're quite cheap, maybe there's a caravan association or club that can provide a list. I suspect this is a growth area, farmers diversifying out of businesses that are prone to foot and mouth

JFM

 

[markc]

You could try Penton Hook - two locks further up. They should have space or the trailer as there is alot of land within the marina. Bear in mind that it is MDL so they'll peobably charge £220 per meter for the trailer!!! The marina also has 2 slipways.

Mark

 

[Guest]

Re: I\'ll have a flake with mine

Welcome to the world of river boating, much more fun than those sea chappies and you can go when you like, no waiting around for the right tides or weather, about two Wednesdays a year and guaranteeed to be when your either at work or the boat's broke. Agree with what the other "experts" have said, especially re the trailer. My advice would be have the tyres checked by ATS or someone who knows what they're doing and make sure you've got a spare wheel. Trailers are notorious for having crappy tyres. Even though they might look good, the side walls tend to crack internally with age, not many people wear them out, but they suffer from age dreadfully and a puncture at even 50mph in the middle of Norfolk with no spare is a lot of fun. (Voice of exp here).

Don't know the Thames, but are there any river bank moorings there that you can rent? We boat on the Ouse and there's numerous cheap non marina type moorings. Have a look round your area for farms doing caravan storage, or rent a local council garage, it might just fit? That way just launch when you need. You could even try getting away with no licence then, sort of " oh officer I only bought it today and the applications in the post", if anyone asks.

Re the BSS, the Environment Agency publish some good guideline notes. If you haven't got gas on board shouldn't have too many propblems.

Have fun, oh a good giggle, especially when going into a lock behind one of the big gin palaces is to knock it into neutral, rev the engine like mad and shout out "how do I stop this".

 

[Guest]

Talk to local farmers as they are quite keen to store caravans, trailers, etc to earn money thru rent!

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

For those that know the area, I live in Worcester Park and want to keep the boat as near to me a possible to be able to enjoy it after work as well as weekends.

As for the trailer however, around here I don't know any caravan parks or farms - bit too suburban for that I think - guess I'll have to travel futher afield. I think a garage is out of the question too - the trailer I think is 23' long. By the way, what is MDL?

As for the BSS, all will not be plain sailing - the boat is fitted with a gas water heater and I expect to run into problems as a consequence.

 

[Guest]

Marinas are just the most convenient - its nice just to be able to step onto the boat and go. Its a long time since I had a boat on a trailer ( a Shetland 570 in the early eighties) but I recall that the trailer was much easier to stow on its side. It was light and two people could relatively easily get it up the side of the garage.

 

[Guest]

You could try the classic car storage people? They do locate themselves in surburban areas 'coz that is where a lot of the money is! As for MDL - it stands for 'Marina Developments Limited' although I'm sure we could have a competition on what else MDL could mean!!! They are suppliers of top quality marina berths with all the facilities for the discerning boat owner who has money to spend! The Solent area is becoming almost completely owned by MDL and then the sky's the limit? Amazing really but I'm sure that 90% of the vessels only experience frothy water when the soda syphon is used! I better shutup now - for all I know the 'M' stands for the 'family' business ?

 

[Dave_Seager]

What kind of boat is it? You mention a water heater so I imagine that you have some form of accommodation abon board.
You need to decide whether you want to keep the boat on a mooring or on the trailer.
A mooring would allow you go set of without the fuss of launching each time. If you choose this course then you do not need to keep the trailer on expensive riverside land. The main benefit of a trailer is to allow you to explore different areas but you should not run out of places to visit on the Thames for a few seasons.
If you decide to keep the boat on a trailer, again you do not want to pay for expensive riverside storage. You are probably better off finding somewhere nearer home and taking the boat to the water when you want to use it.
As you seem to be new to boating, you could consider joining a local club. If your boat is suitable for cruising, you might like to visit us at Walton bridge Cruiser Club, based around Walton Bridge. We have at least two members in Worcester park. See http://www.waltonbridge.org.uk for details or contact me at david.seager@bigfoot.com

Dave Seager
Weybridge UK