Quiet, innit?

Twister_Ken

Twister_Ken

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 May 2001
Messages
27,584
Location
'ang on a mo, I'll just take some bearings
Visit site
Everytime I've sailed this year, I've thought how few boats there are around, compared with years past. Yesterday afternoon we sailed from one end of the Solent to the other and back. Lovely day although a centigrade or two more would have been nice. Really quiet, more like an end of season sail, than a June one.

Anyone else noticed - or haven't you been out there?

Pic is Eastern Solent, May Bank Holiday Monday, approx 1730.

ryde church.jpg
 
We were also sailing in the Solent yesterday afternoon, coming back from Chichester Harbour. It didn't occur to me that it was unusually quiet, though now you mention it I suppose it could have been busier.

Pete
 
Saturday - Eastbourne to Ramsgate - less than half a dozen yachts plus one Little Ship.

Ramsgate to the mouth of the Orwell was totally deserted - not another Mobo to be seen the whole way

It always makes me think that they know something we don't - which is a bit scarey:rolleyes:

May
xx
 
Very quiet elsewhere too.

When going in to Padstow for our first time ever last Sept' the harbourmaster said it had been the quietest season in a long time.
He was worried that they were getting things wrong with regards to visiting vessels.
I didn't think so and I was surprised that in the journey to Scotland and back we had seen only around ten yachts actually out sailing.

We came back to the Solent mid October on a really sunny breezy day and still saw fewer yachts than we think we would have done the same time ten years ago.

Still the Solent was a little busier this last Saturday, was anything special going on?
 
We were at Fowey at the weekend and were astonished that there was hardly any rafting going on and of the three that we did see rafted we knew that two were through choice rather than necessity. In years gone by Fowey would have been packed on a Saturday night with the forecast as it was for the weekend just gone. Very quiet indeed.
 
I've also noticed that it has been unusually quiet out on the water recently.

But it's not just over the last few weekends, it seems to have been getting quieter over the last few years.

However, the popular places, over really busy event periods (eg. Yarmouth for Old Gaffers), are still mobbed. It's entirely different if you visit these places on nights other than Saturday.

Cheers

Garold
 
Combination of issues I think.

Ageing sailing population, more able to sail during the week once retired so why go on "average" weekend
Flatlining incomes v increasing costs.
Weather
Lots of competition from overseas charter outlets.
Corporate market less buoyant.
 
jac said:
Combination of issues I think.

Ageing sailing population, more able to sail during the week once retired so why go on "average" weekend
Flatlining incomes v increasing costs.
Weather
Lots of competition from overseas charter outlets.
Corporate market less buoyant.
Click to expand...

I am not certain abut the age thing... But I think that the others are a reflection of a perfect storm which has been brewing... Folks on modest incomes have I suspect been hanging in there with their sailing expenditures waiting for the recovery... Which simply has not arrived... Combine this with the last three summers and I think a lot of people are simply saying enough is enough.... Our marina has a large number of empty berths this year... Something which it didn't have last year...

I myself am really questioning the expenditure... Our income is not improving... And the costs keep going up and the amount we can use it is getting smaller... The industry, Namely our marina... Needs to respond to the drop in demand... I can think of a lot more sensible places for my money... I suspect a lot of others can as well.
 
photodog said:
I am not certain abut the age thing... But I think that the others are a reflection of a perfect storm which has been brewing... Folks on modest incomes have I suspect been hanging in there with their sailing expenditures waiting for the recovery... Which simply has not arrived... Combine this with the last three summers and I think a lot of people are simply saying enough is enough.... Our marina has a large number of empty berths this year... Something which it didn't have last year...

I myself am really questioning the expenditure... Our income is not improving... And the costs keep going up and the amount we can use it is getting smaller... The industry, Namely our marina... Needs to respond to the drop in demand... I can think of a lot more sensible places for my money... I suspect a lot of others can as well.
Click to expand...

Age thing was based on this.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/watersports_participation_survey_2012_-_executive_summary.pdf

Basically said that for yacht cruising the over 55s age group had the biggest increase. The weekday/weekend was my own theory.

Interesting that the survey shows a long term decline anyway since before the recession started and the last 3 carp summers so decline can't be purely weather and recent financial issues.
 
jac said:
Age thing was based on this.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/watersports_participation_survey_2012_-_executive_summary.pdf

Basically said that for yacht cruising the over 55s age group had the biggest increase. The weekday/weekend was my own theory.

Interesting that the survey shows a long term decline anyway since before the recession started and the last 3 carp summers so decline can't be purely weather and recent financial issues.
Click to expand...


I think that the age participation numbers given are probably more a reflection of increasing participation with age caused by increasing affluence... Versus a impending decline in participation caused by younger people being less interested... If that makes sense... Ergo... That's a normal age profile for participation...

But I do note that participation numbers for cruiseing are up from 2011... Which surprised me due to the ****e weather...

And I see they are still looking for a olympic bounce... Muppets.
 
photodog said:
But I do note that participation numbers for cruiseing are up from 2011... Which surprised me due to the ****e weather...

And I see they are still looking for a olympic bounce... Muppets.
Click to expand...

Re increased numbers, due to sample size it may well be within the margin of error anyway so wouldn't look too much into 1 figures.

As for the Olympic Bounce, I can think of a few Olympians I would like to have a bounce with
 
jac said:
Re increased numbers, due to sample size it may well be within the margin of error anyway so wouldn't look too much into 1 figures.

As for the Olympic Bounce, I can think of a few Olympians I would like to have a bounce with
Click to expand...

Agreed....:D.


The whole survey is actually a bit useless I think...
 
I've sailed less each year for at least the last four years and this isn't what I expected, I thought that retirement would mean I had more time. I do have more time now but I don't seem to want to go sailing. The weather has been a big factor, and Irish Sea fatigue. Beyond that I just don't seem to enjoy it the same.
 
JimC said:
I've sailed less each year for at least the last four years and this isn't what I expected, I thought that retirement would mean I had more time. I do have more time now but I don't seem to want to go sailing. The weather has been a big factor, and Irish Sea fatigue. Beyond that I just don't seem to enjoy it the same.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean about the Irish Sea, it's worn us out too.
 
I think the cold wet spring delayed launching for many people, myself included. I still haven't set my new main in anger - off tomorrow for a week along the coast assuming sail fits and rigging stays up.
 
jamesjermain said:
I think the cold wet spring delayed launching for many people, myself included. I still haven't set my new main in anger - off tomorrow for a week along the coast assuming sail fits and rigging stays up.
Click to expand...

Ah, wusses! We were sailing on Boxing Day - just lift out for a few days to touch up the antifouling and change the anodes! The best sailing is often in the winter months.
 
I sailed right through the winter

maby said:
Ah, wusses! We were sailing on Boxing Day - just lift out for a few days to touch up the antifouling and change the anodes! The best sailing is often in the winter months.
Click to expand...

I also sailed through the winter.... but it was certainly colder and damper than the previous three

we used to get some sparkling days

precious few this winter

as we all klnow the spring has been a stinker

still loving it though

sadly this week of great weather I have lots of work on

what I mean is

happily this week I have lots of work on


D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top