State of the Boat Market. Its Serious and on Radio 4.

[oldgit]

Although a fair proportion will fall by the wayside Covid will have introduced a number of folks, who almost certainly would have not considered the hobby/obsession and to the certain penury of boating previously. ?
At least two of the boats sold recently from our moorings went to first time buyers.

 

[Soco2]

It’s going to be carnage this summer! ?‍

 

[Hooligan]

I just tried to get a temporary berth at Northney for my Rib for May and part of June as I did last year The marina kindly laughed. They don’t even have space in the compound or are able to give out passes for the slipway. Same at Sparkes. It has clearly gone berserk this year! Crappy Summer weather wise may be needed to sort it out!!

 

[Boat2016]

I just tried to get a temporary berth at Northney for my Rib for May and part of June as I did last year The marina kindly laughed. They don’t even have space in the compound or are able to give out passes for the slipway. Same at Sparkes. It has clearly gone berserk this year! Crappy Summer weather wise may be needed to sort it out!!

So that probably means no visitor berths will be available to those who wish to use their boats either and will probably result in some giving up their expensive hobby if they are used to doing more than sitting on their home berth all summer...that’s the impression I get from a couple of boating friends.

 

[oldgit]

Average boat hours average less than 50 PA. ?
Brokers adverts suggest that many boats do more like 25 hours PA.
No change really, ?

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Last summer in the post-Lockdown-1 Solent... we found that getting a visitor berth was very difficult because many of the boats that would spend the summers away from their home berths did not go anywhere so availability was well down; and marinas were in some cases reluctant to accept visitors at all. Still managed about 40 hours despite that and the late start (July in our case).

 

[BruceK]

Reading between the lines here, you southern English boys go marina hopping? Is there nowhere to anchor? I cant conceive of a weekend marina hopping, what's the point. Maybe we Welsh boyos are spoilt by having the best anchorages and seas. Certainly in North Wales. I keep telling the kids how lucky and privileged we are and how impoverished the south coast is. No wonder Roy wants to gravitate to there. Not enough marinas here.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Reading between the lines here, you southern English boys go marina hopping? Is there nowhere to anchor? I cant conceive of a weekend marina hopping, what's the point. Maybe we Welsh boyos are spoilt by having the best anchorages and seas. Certainly in North Wales. I keep telling the kids how lucky and privileged we are and how impoverished the south coast is. No wonder Roy wants to gravitate to there. Not enough marinas here.

Solent anchorages that are sheltered and secure do exist but are also incredibly busy.

 

[Bouba]

Reading between the lines here, you southern English boys go marina hopping? Is there nowhere to anchor? I cant conceive of a weekend marina hopping, what's the point. Maybe we Welsh boyos are spoilt by having the best anchorages and seas. Certainly in North Wales. I keep telling the kids how lucky and privileged we are and how impoverished the south coast is. No wonder Roy wants to gravitate to there. Not enough marinas here.

Marina hopping is very handy if you have a dog. Otherwise it’s the dinghy nonstop

 

[BruceK]

Solent anchorages that are sheltered and secure do exist but are also incredibly busy.

Before I got to know you better I did extend the hand of friendship and invited you to take up residence with the Welsh Mob. It was the fender crisis that disabused me that you might be an anchoring man.

 

[BruceK]

Marina hopping is very handy if you have a dog. Otherwise it’s the dinghy nonstop

But it is all about the dink. The mothership gets you there but the dink is your actual wheels. It's all about davits now.

 

[dj43]

Reading between the lines here, you southern English boys go marina hopping? Is there nowhere to anchor? I cant conceive of a weekend marina hopping, what's the point. Maybe we Welsh boyos are spoilt by having the best anchorages and seas. Certainly in North Wales. I keep telling the kids how lucky and privileged we are and how impoverished the south coast is. No wonder Roy wants to gravitate to there. Not enough marinas here.

You have to remember that a lot of the Solent boaters, believe if you venture out the ends of the Solent , you will drop off the edge of the World

 

[BruceK]

You have to remember that a lot of the Solent boaters, believe if you venture out the ends of the Solent , you will drop off the edge of the World

I see Kwakkers has left his mark there. He's full of sea stories.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

You have to remember that a lot of the Solent boaters, believe if you venture out the ends of the Solent , you will drop off the edge of the World

It’s really true. I went to Poole once and regretted it.

 

[andy59]

Yep we went to Poole last year, it was awful!! ?

 

[oldgit]

Reading between the lines here, you southern English boys go marina hopping? Is there nowhere to anchor? I cant conceive of a weekend marina hopping, what's the point. Maybe we Welsh boyos are spoilt by having the best anchorages and seas. Certainly in North Wales. I keep telling the kids how lucky and privileged we are and how impoverished the south coast is. No wonder Roy wants to gravitate to there. Not enough marinas here.

No marinas !!!
.....and where exactly does one plug in the shorepower and and what happens if you have sudden urge to buy a pair of Raybans or some nice matching cushions with anchors on them ?

 

[andy59]

To be fair, there are lots of places in the solent where anchoring would be quite pleasant . . . . . if it was'nt for all the flippin boats belting up and down

 

[BruceK]

No marinas !!!
.....and where exactly does one plug in the shorepower and and what happens if you have sudden urge to buy a pair of Raybans or some nice matching cushions with anchors on them ?

Shore power? Buy a static caravan? No thanks. When we hit the boat we head out and leave.

Shopping is done during the week!

 

[oldgit]

The last time we were in Wales, sitting in a cafe overlooking the marina at Conwy, it was all the staff could do to stop the tables blowing away. ?
Somebody must have to great deal of trouble photoshopping out all the waves and white horses in your photo.
You sure thats Wales ?

 

[mrangry]

I bought a boat in Barmouth North Wales last year and sailed her up to Clyde. I could not believe how shallow the water can get 20 miles off shore in Cardigan bay. Had a great sail though through the Bardsey sound heading north.