Semi derelict boats

kid's inheritance

kid's inheritance

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On our current marina (£500 + plus per metre pa) , there are at least 10 boats (mainly yachts) that are just rotting on their berths. Some of these are 8 metres plus I guess (not good at estimating yachts) . They aren't for sale.I am puzzled as to why someone would leave them and continue to pay (I assume) the berth fees. Forgot they have them and fees on SO?
Rob
 
We were discussing the same thing as we trundled up the Hamble on Sunday, there are quite a lot of unloved and unmoved boats around, judging by the growth around the hull and the state of the topsides.

Presumably if an owner stops paying mooring fees the harbour authority would have the boat removed and sold to cover the debt or sent somewhere for breaking?
 
"I'm off sailing again this weekend dear, will you be OK on your own?" :rolleyes:


Never goes near the boat but has a great excuse for going away most weekends . . .


The other one is "I really must get down to the boat more this year . . ." but the fear of facing up to last year's negelect & the cost & effort of getting on top of it again are just too much to face.
 
Always thought it very sad as I am sure there are people who would give anything to have a boat big or small to use/tinker with/love but will never have the chance due to circumstances/money/etc.

A similar thing over here (USA) I notice a lot of light aircraft in the same situation. There's one or two in the same place they were when I learned to fly back in late 1996!

W.
 
kingfisher said:
Mine stood abandoned for three seasons, due to a mission abroad/renovating a hous. 500£ pa is not that bad to put a hobby on hold.
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The OP was referring to per metre per annum prices ie £500 per annum per metre.......8 metre boat = £4000 per annum. Then it becomes an expensive hobby.
 
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I've wondered the same thing.

It seems to be true of quite major marinas, not just backwaters moorings. For example the old harbour in Deauville had a 40ft'ish yacht, looked 1980's design, sat with considerable growth and green topsides in amongst the shiny visitors boats. It had clearly been there a while and must have been costing say, £5k pa.

On other hand, we moored in Brighton a few weeks ago and the large'ish yacht on the hammerhead behind us looked tired and unloved, yet costing £7k or £8k per year. We wondered why someone would pay that just to abandon a boat, only to get up the next morning and find its engine running and peeps on board. I guess it was being used like a caravan.

What does a marina do when a boat is simply left untouched and the owner disappears?
 
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kid's inheritance said:
On our current marina (£500 + plus per metre pa) , there are at least 10 boats (mainly yachts) that are just rotting on their berths. Some of these are 8 metres plus I guess (not good at estimating yachts) . They aren't for sale.I am puzzled as to why someone would leave them and continue to pay (I assume) the berth fees. Forgot they have them and fees on SO?
Rob
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It may surprise you who actually owns these tired old boats.
Every boat tells a story, like most possessions they can reflect what is going in the world of the owner.
In some cases the hard stand will be a similar cost to wet berthing, so for the old planked timber boats being in the water will be preferable to drying out and opening up and getting out of shape.
The owners will have some kind of plan, it will all be a matter of priority, whether they be a highly intelligent (and slightly dis-organised) professional using the (impending) boat renovation as a form of de-stress, to an ex-boaty who may have traded down to a low value bomb and not willing to give up the boating connection with a strong view to once again have a 'proper' boat.
 
PilotWolf said:
A similar thing over here (USA) I notice a lot of light aircraft in the same situation. There's one or two in the same place they were when I learned to fly back in late 1996!

W.
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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...
 
Searush said:
"I'm off sailing again this weekend dear, will you be OK on your own?" :rolleyes:


Never goes near the boat but has a great excuse for going away most weekends . . .


The other one is "I really must get down to the boat more this year . . ." but the fear of facing up to last year's negelect & the cost & effort of getting on top of it again are just too much to face.
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Yep, they want to go, just don't find the time.
 
There are quite a few of these in London's marinas; in some cases, the marina management is forcing the owner to sell in order to clear the marina debt. Sad sign of the times, I guess.
 
I would guess that marina managers hate them, whether abondoned or run-down live-aboards. They make the place look scruffy & drag down the neighbourhood. Perhaps "hard times" is affecting everyone & there are fewer people prepared to pay for marina berths these days so waiting lists are down & driving away a paying customer or one whose boat is racking up debts that can be settled by forced sale is preferable to an empty berth earning nowt.
 
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