Something for the weekend sir?

[KevL]

Perhaps it's just me but there do seem to be rather a lot of boats that never seem to actually leave the marina. Yes I am still in the honeymoon phase of boat ownership but surely people buy boats because they like to go boating not sitting in the marina. Am I missing something here, have I got the wrong idea about boating and really it's just a way of spending money very quickly - for tax reasons perhaps. Maybe all would be clear if I had £1m+ just lying around gathering dust
;-)

So hands up - Who, like me, is off to the boat this weekend despite the weather forcast and if you are going are you actually going to start the engine shift into gear and go further than the Petrol/deisel barge? Anyone fancy a meet up so you can have a good laugh at my Bayliner - Puffin island perhaps?

Kev

 

[Guest]

I'll be going down, almost certainly, but whether I stick my nose ouut or not depends on the wind. Where are you based?

 

[KevL]

Conwy. Any more takers?

Kev

 

[Guest]

Sorry, bit of a haul from Christchurch. Bout 30 hours or so...

 

[byron]

It's a well known fact that there's a million Mr & Mrs Buckets out there who have boats only so they can talk about their yacht, as to moving them... don't be silly, the crystal vase with the fresh flowers might fall over.
No names, no pack drill, but at Harleyford there is a certain Broom Crown that still has the plastic covers on the seats.

©2001

 

[longjohnsilver]

Most boats don't leave any marina except maybe once or twice a year. I suspect that most owners are afraid of close quarter manouvres and therefore stay put and eventually become bored of doing this and then just leave the boat or try and sell it.

I will be checking the boat, no doubt in the pouring rain and gales. Still it has to be done!!

 

[boatone]

I have to say that I'm very grateful that so many boat owners DO choose not to venture out of the marina. Makes the river/water so much less crowded for the rest of us! I have tried to make a ritual of venturing forth sometime between Xmas and New Year. If the weather is crisp it adds a certain piquancy to the pub lunch!
Imagine if all the boats in the Thames marinas between Teddington and Oxford decided to actually venture onto the river on August Bank Holiday weekend - doesnt bear thinking about!!!

boatone@boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[Scubadoo]

I used to ask that question, I normally do around 120hours a year etc. But this year my neighbours probably think I had given up boating this year - only managed around 30hours. It has nothing to do with getting bored with boating etc, just a number of things have got in the way this year - working aboard, extending the house, getting married and now ill.

Hell I going to make up for it next year.

RM.

 

[ArthurWood]

KevL - and it's not only in the UK that boats just sit in the marina. Here, and I carefully choose my words, where the weather is normally conducive to boating, boats of all sizes just sit and are used, if used at all, as floating apartments.

 

[Guest]

It;s got me beat too

We looked at a 89 Turbo 36 last week, it had a total of 165 hours on the engines and the last owner bought it 3 years ago, installed a generator which has the grand total of 7 hours.

So why do people invest all this money in an expensive boat and just use them as a weekend cottage? When you add in mooring costs etc, must be an arm and a leg.

 

[c_j]

Although we use the boat I can understand those who prefer to stay put.

In Poole if you can get a berth with a view over Brownsea the same thing in property would cost you well over a million and that is before the upkeep. Ok I know you do not get the growth but why increase your costs with fuel and running costs. There are two Princess flybridge boats that Iknow of that are 4 years old and have less than 35 hours on.

If all the boats in our Marina (or even half of them come to that) went out on the same sunny Saturday in August you would not be able to move in Poole Harbour.

No, each to his own and it means more room for the rest of us!

 

[duncan]

and just how did the wedding trip go my friend - any boating down under?

look forward to meeting your S24 at some point and putting in serious pup to pub hours!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Apparently the average boat usage on any given weekend in the UK is 10%, in other words every boat goes out 1 weekend in 10 on average. So for every boatowner like us who uses his/her boat say 1 in 2/3 weekends thru' the year, there's somebody else who takes his/her pride and joy out 1 in 20 weekends or so. Somebody's going to correct my maths here but you get the point
I think there are basically 3 types of boater:
The enthusiast for whom boating is their main hobby. They'll use their boat as often as time/weather permits
The second homer for whom a boat is an alternative to the weekend cottage. They'll be on their boat fairly regularly but only take it out when the weather's perfect
The bauble collector for whom having a boat is part of their lifestyle statement along with an exotic car, a Rolex and a ski chalet in Meribel. They'll be on their boat for Cowes Week but only with a skipper to drive the thing

I count myself as an enthusiast but I'm not a masochist so I'm definitely not on the boat this weekend!

 

[boatone]

Just got back from Chertsey and its absolutely F-O-U-L.....!!!!!
Didnt intend to actually leave the berth anyway but dont think I could have done if I'd been stupid enough to try. Had to make do with testing the new sounder ...the NASA clipper DOES work with the old Seafarer transducer so thats nice to know...and making a note of where the water is getting in so I can do something about it before winter really sets in so wasnt a completely wasted trip. Took a short drive (in the car!) up the Chertsey/Laleham bank and what a contrast to August Bank Holiday when we brought the boat down from Windsor!

boatone@boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[ChrisP]

Have to admit we didn't go out this weekend. Much more entertaining watching the waves break 50 to 60 feet over the breakwater, and believe me I do not exagerate.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Now that would have been a good test of the seakeeping abilities of the humber hull!!!

 

[ChrisP]

Have absolutly no doubt that the boat would have been far better at surviving than I would. On this occasion I took up the role of cowardly motor boat owner surrounded by equally cowardly yachties. The biggest competition of the day was to see who could get the most ropes on a cleat. PaulineB did ask Mr B if he wanted to go for a little cross channel trip but this was declined on the grounds of her latest hair style and not being able to afford the shoe shop bill.

 

[KevL]

After stiring up this little hornets nest I suppose it only fair to report that we did go to the boat at the weekend and yes we did venture out on Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours. Wasn't as bad as people had suggested it would be and I actually managed to get back onto the finger berth without hitting anything, didn't catch any fish though :-(

Kev