Semi derelict boats

When we come home on a Sunday, we do all the haunts, caernarfon, felinelly, all along the meni, there are a growing number of abandons. Maybe it's a sign of the times, or just 'it's' easier to abandon and let someone else clean it up now we have finished with them.

That really bugs me, cos some of them would be really nice boats when cleaned up.
 
cadser said:
When we come home on a Sunday, we do all the haunts, caernarfon, felinelly, all along the meni, there are a growing number of abandons. Maybe it's a sign of the times, or just 'it's' easier to abandon and let someone else clean it up now we have finished with them.

That really bugs me, cos some of them would be really nice boats when cleaned up.
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There ain't many in the river at Caernarfon, haven't looked in Viccy Dock, but wouldn't expect many there either. There is a "long-term" project rebuild of a nice pre-war wooden racer and a few small "occasional use" open fishing dinghies, but everything else seems to be in very regular use.
 
I was given a cadet once that had been left in someone's backyard unused for a few years. I recovered the bronze fittings, mast & boom & burnt the hull. Very sad but it was well beyond economic repair.

Lakey sawed a grp boat up with a chainsaw once, similar problem, given it, but too late, it was well past it's repair by date.
 
anyone up here that needs rid of a boat , the marine place in north queensferry are looking for a boat to sink in the shark pool.
 
At my sailing club there are 3 good dinghies, well equipped in good condition, and a lift keel keelboat all 'abandoned' and now up for disposal by the club.

I've been a member since 1977 and have never known a single boat go like this before.

On the other hand, about 15 years ago I recognised a famous trans-atlantic racer of the same class as my boat, and later got chatting with her new owner.

The chap who bought her was a good sailor and recognised a good boat when he saw one, but knew absolutely nothing about the class or this particular boat.

He'd found her ashore at a marina at rock bottom price, to cover the unpaid fees...

He was rather surprised and chuffed when I told him about her ( I'd seen her being prepared at the yard when we were buying my boat ) and sent him copies of the articles etc !

That boat was lucky, she was restored to immaculate condition by a caring owner and is now worth a lot of money, so it proves there are indeed bargains to be had if in the right place at the right time.

I know of another boat of this type currently up for a stupidly low figure, to clear her out of a sailing club compound after the owner died last winter and the family are just not interested.

I suspect this is the reason behind a lot of the derelict boats around; I know it applies to the keelboat at my club.
 
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A farmer friend of mine had a 28 ft GRP long term project which he lost interest in and he eventually burnt the thing in a corner of a field - you could see the flames for miles!

But getting back to why people abandon boats.. you see the same thing with houses - derelict but ultimately desirable properties just left to rot. Every one would have a story of its own but one I know stood empty for 15 years or more as a kid's playground open to the world. The owner was well known in the area and would not sell it because his hated ex wife who had divorced him, would get half of the money and he would rather watch it fall down. I wonder if the same thing happens with some boats. The owner just walks away to spite the ex, stops paying berthing, and eventually the marina sell it and recoup what they can of the debt?
 
A few years ago my boss bought a Westerly Fulmar from the Hamble that was connected to the river bed by the weed on the hull. It had never left the marina, but had been used as a "weekend cottage". The sails had never been unpacked. He thought the only things that had ever seen use was the fridge and cooker. Even the warps were green and mouldy.
 
blueglass said:
. The owner just walks away to spite the ex, stops paying berthing, and eventually the marina sell it and recoup what they can of the debt?
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I would think people who allowed their marina debt to get so far out of control (why wouldn't you just move to a pile or swing mooring until you got yourself sorted?) would not own the boat anyway.
Shouldn't the finance company recoup it's investment before the marina?
 
penfold said:
Running a light aircraft makes owning a boat look sensible and cheap; at least you can do maintenance yourself without the MCA taking away your certificate of seaworthiness...
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Gliding used to be the same you could do most of your own maintenance and not have to pay professionals. In 20 years in the sport I don't remember an incident that caused the practice to be questioned. Then a couple of years ago Europe got involved!

One wonders how long it will be before some Euro twit sets his sights on the hundreds of thousands of yachts being maintained by their owners and decides that we all need 'stupidsizing' by 'professionals' with associated costs and paperwork.
 
AndieMac said:
I would think people who allowed their marina debt to get so far out of control (why wouldn't you just move to a pile or swing mooring until you got yourself sorted?) would not own the boat anyway.
Shouldn't the finance company recoup it's investment before the marina?
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a somewhat rose tinted view of boatowners. ALL kinds of people own boats, vast majority are as you suggest, organised sensible people, others are not. Vicars saints and bank managers own boats. So do criminals, irrational types and evn some fools. If there IS finance on the boat, then I guess the lenders would be in there with a shout too - if they can find it.
 
nimbusgb said:
Gliding used to be the same you could do most of your own maintenance and not have to pay professionals. In 20 years in the sport I don't remember an incident that caused the practice to be questioned. Then a couple of years ago Europe got involved!
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I used to have a half share in a Skylark IV and the other owner and I did all the repairs necessary. I may still have the BGA book entitled 'Standard Glider Repairs' .


nimbusgb said:
One wonders how long it will be before some Euro twit sets his sights on the hundreds of thousands of yachts being maintained by their owners and decides that we all need 'stupidsizing' by 'professionals' with associated costs and paperwork.
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Oi - don't give 'them' ideas!
 
Gyms and Berthing

Yep, good point. The price difference is huge but so is the demographic. 1k/month to a boat owner wasted in some cases is proportionate to 100/month to a gym membership wasted by a lower income payer. Same principle, great point.
 
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