Moorings v Marinas

I'm confused as to why those that use swinging moorings apparently look down on those that choose a marina berthing. Personally, I can't imagine anything more impractical than having a boat on a swinging mooring - unless you only use it a handful of times throughout the year. My boat, a Targa 40 is based at Shamrock Quay. I use it very frequently (clocked up over 200 hours on the engines in the last 12 months). I always wash the boat down with fresh water after each use (I don't see how that would be possible on a swinging mooring). I have a lot of heavy gear which I move to and from the boat (watersports kit which is too expensive to leave on the boat) and often access the boat in the early hours of the morning (when river taxis aren't an option).

As for other marinas, I have NEVER visited another marina, not even for a couple hours. I stay overnight at anchor, and my trips are seldom less than 3 days, and often 5+ days covering multiple anchorages in each trip. From my boat I fish, surf, swim, e-foil, do kayaking and paddle boarding yet somehow this isn't 'proper boating' because I choose to base it at a marina when I'm not using it? I've honestly never heard such drivel...!
 
danieleither said:
I'm confused as to why those that use swinging moorings apparently look down on those that choose a marina berthing. Personally, I can't imagine anything more impractical than having a boat on a swinging mooring - unless you only use it a handful of times throughout the year. My boat, a Targa 40 is based at Shamrock Quay. I use it very frequently (clocked up over 200 hours on the engines in the last 12 months). I always wash the boat down with fresh water after each use (I don't see how that would be possible on a swinging mooring). I have a lot of heavy gear which I move to and from the boat (watersports kit which is too expensive to leave on the boat) and often access the boat in the early hours of the morning (when river taxis aren't an option).

As for other marinas, I have NEVER visited another marina, not even for a couple hours. I stay overnight at anchor, and my trips are seldom less than 3 days, and often 5+ days covering multiple anchorages in each trip. From my boat I fish, surf, swim, e-foil, do kayaking and paddle boarding yet somehow this isn't 'proper boating' because I choose to base it at a marina when I'm not using it? I've honestly never heard such drivel...!
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Your confusion is probably caused by not having a sense of humour and taking light-hearted posts too seriously.
 
Portofino said:
Insurance issues might influence some decisions too .
You never really worry or should in a marina about flat batteries due to the charger(s) being on .So you know there’s a higher probability to certainty it’s gonna be turn key ,They tend to have more consumer appliances like TV s coffee machines etc .
Also the female users extra appliances like hair dryers , tongues and other paraphernalia like phone chargers need shore power .Then consider heating in the winter , in the U.K. at the edges of the season .Plug n play in a marina .

The mobo ethos tends to be water hungry, plenty of hot water ( the immersion ) = showers , dishwasher etc and with a newer significant purchase you developed a stronger pride of ownership thing and tend to wash it more and cosmetically tend to keep it in better condition than some 1971 long keel Nicholson that’s seen better days having spent all its life on a trot or on the hard at the back of a dust yard .

Mobos are tend to be multiples of hundreds of thousands not tens of thousands so it’s obvious a guy with a £450 K boat is gonna have a different mind set with his new 40 ftr mobo than a guy with a 70 s blistering, soggy cored deck , pump toilet , shagged out sails yacht with primitive solar power worth less than 10 % .
Theses are the reasons you are seeking .

Of course like everything in life there are anomalies as Bruce has kindly illustrated. ;)
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You forgot the microwave.
 
Seeline said:
Your confusion is probably caused by not having a sense of humour and taking light-hearted posts too seriously.
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Naw, he's a man's man and wants you to know it. I mean check out his resume, bollocks that big belong on a river rat and he's stuck in the ghettos. Talk about self flagellation. Someone give that man a day pass.
 
Having done a variety of marina moorings + canals, swing moorings, even launching every time, It's certainly not an exact science.
Much like houses, location is a big factor. You can have a beautiful quiet marina or one that feels like an industrial or housing estate. Swing moorings can be amazing in a nice tranquil spot but on an exposed open river / estuary, they can feel pretty bleak..

An example (and apologies to my current marina), I was once at Tollesbury in Essex and though it was restricted on tide access, I was berthed next to the nature area so it was great even just sitting on the back of the boat watching the world go by. Where I currently am is right next to the harbour which has activity at all kinds of hours and commercial boats that leave generators on all night, and the odd more noisy 'residential' boat, which isn't life n death but takes away the relaxed nature of the marina. But due to the extended time I spend onboard at the moment, day to day practicalities do rule the roost a touch.
I know someone once rather unflatteringly called marinas as floating housing estates and that statement isn't always wrong but some are great, though you do pay a very big premium for them.

I visited Birdham Pool marina a couple of times (by land) and I love it's slightly more 'natural' marina nature. Unfortunately I'd have to attack my boat with a hacksaw to remove a few feet to get into the sea lock. Booooooo Bigger is not always best.. haha
 
Swinging moorings are for cheapskates and for people with no friends.
A pain to get to especially if you actually have any people or kit to get aboard.How do you get on and off when the trot boat has shut down,walk on water?
With any pontoon mooring it's just arrive and go and just as quick and simple on return.
Anybody who thinks a bouy is a neat long term mooring solution has never tried to pick up a bouy in the dark on a winter's night with a bit of a blow and almost certainly a weekend sunny day only boater.?
As for security, just wait for something to go missing and the damage caused breaking in or even worse having a boat set adrift.
 
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Dunno about you southern lot but a river or estuary mooring is not neccessarily a swing mooring. They can be fixed pylon pontoons and floating pontoons too
 
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