Well that's it, we've done it

[Rivers & creeks]

We completed today on the purchase of a private pontoon mooring in Southwold Harbour. For the price of a bespoke conservatory we have a perpetual licence on 43 feet of Southwold mud and saltings. Together with a darn fine walkway, pontoon and pilings. The justification for selling one of my kidneys is that it saves £3.5k in mooring fees every year and figured buying is better than renting. But more than that we're a bit fed up of marinas and with very little children, a mooring buoy was never going to work. So peace and solitude and bird noise and fields and the nicest harbour we've stayed in. It gets incredibly busy in the summer but always interesting and if you're passing say hello!

And to be honest, the conservatory was never going to be an option, I mean where would we put it? We already have a wheelhouse.

 

[sailorman]

We completed today on the purchase of a private pontoon mooring in Southwold Harbour. For the price of a bespoke conservatory we have a perpetual licence on 43 feet of Southwold mud and saltings. Together with a darn fine walkway, pontoon and pilings. The justification for selling one of my kidneys is that it saves £3.5k in mooring fees every year and figured buying is better than renting. But more than that we're a bit fed up of marinas and with very little children, a mooring buoy was never going to work. So peace and solitude and bird noise and fields and the nicest harbour we've stayed in. It gets incredibly busy in the summer but always interesting and if you're passing say hello!

And to be honest, the conservatory was never going to be an option, I mean where would we put it? We already have a wheelhouse.

Well done yet another free mooring for visitors then, Bravo. True ECF spirit :encouragement:

 

[hisw]

Congratulations, welcome to the river!

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Congratulations, welcome to the river!

Thanks!

 

[PaulRainbow]

Well done yet another free mooring for visitors then, Bravo. True ECF spirit :encouragement:

What's the procedure here. Is it only free if vacant, or is rafting acceptable etiquette ?

 

[Triassic]

........ For the price of a bespoke conservatory .......

There are conservatories, and then there are Conservatories...... We're in the process of putting one up and had a quote from a company who claim to be the best for £56k. This compared to other firms "go on holiday and come back to find it fitted" prices around the £26k mark, and then there's the option I went for where it comes in a box... for around £11k

I know nothing about the cost of moorings but I'm guessing you're expecting the pontoon and pilings to have a reasonable lifespan?

 

[Lucky Duck]

What's the procedure here. Is it only free if vacant, or is rafting acceptable etiquette ?

Either way is fine, just ensure your ECF burgee is visible

 

[Rivers & creeks]

There are conservatories, and then there are Conservatories...... We're in the process of putting one up and had a quote from a company who claim to be the best for £56k. This compared to other firms "go on holiday and come back to find it fitted" prices around the £26k mark, and then there's the option I went for where it comes in a box... for around £11k

I know nothing about the cost of moorings but I'm guessing you're expecting the pontoon and pilings to have a reasonable lifespan?

Yes, about 10-15 years I reckon, the pilings are 20 feet into the ground and put in last year, the pontoon is 5 years old and 43 feet of Walcon's finest. The staging and steps are being made by Harbour Marine Services and so will last 30 years. The cost of pilings and pontoon would be about £7k I reckon and so I guess the trick is to sell just before they're due because there is almost no price difference between a sorted and un-sorted mooring. The most popular moorings with parking, water and leccy and by the Harbour Cafe go for your top conservatory price and all the rest for about half; a bit more for the 'quiet' end toward the bridge where you're set back from the path and a bit more still for the Southwold side of that end.

 

[Tammany]

Expensive but I suppose long term it works out ok.

 

[sailorman]

Expensive but I suppose long term it works out ok.

Just like Southwold beach huts, it will have a good resale value

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Expensive but I suppose long term it works out ok.

Like buying a house rather than renting it, the payments for buying are less and at the end of it you own the mooring. Or in this case the perpetual licence to stick a pontoon on it

 

[Sticky Fingers]

What a cracking thing, I'm now seriously jealous Love Southwold. Who knew this was possible at (relatively) modest money, and money in an investment (saleable) not spent lining the marina owner's pockets.

 

[NUTMEG]

That great. Good for you. Must have a pint together this summer (assuming I can find Southwold, get in the harbour and so on)

 

[Javelin]

Hey HISW, he's on the posh side unlike us porpers.

BTW, The Kipper is being launched tomorrow, given we can get it out the the tight little hole we squeezed her into!

 

[Rivers & creeks]

I didn't go for the Southwold side in the end, my boat was, ahem, a little too big. Then another much bigger mooring came up on the Walberswick side, right next to a forumite and up the river from yours. Means I can put me davits back on.
Good luck with the launch.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

That great. Good for you. Must have a pint together this summer (assuming I can find Southwold, get in the harbour and so on)

You're welcome any time, Adnams on the aft deck it is.

 

[Javelin]

Ooops, didn't realise you were on the poor side like us, welcome

Boat extracted and launched.
She seems to me to go the same speed as before but now doesn't push most of the North Sea out of the way.
Think John said 2450 revs.
To say that slow speed handling has improved is not strictly accurate as you didn't have any at all before and now, thankfully, you do.

 

[sailorman]

Ooops, didn't realise you were on the poor side like us, welcome

Boat extracted and launched.
She seems to me to go the same speed as before but now doesn't push most of the North Sea out of the way.
Think John said 2450 revs.
To say that slow speed handling has improved is not strictly accurate as you didn't have any at all before and now, thankfully, you do.

I feel a "Wot we done this week" coming on :encouragement:

 

[Champagne Murphy]

I feel a "Wot we done this week" coming on :encouragement:

Bout time too. Loafing about, tut.

 

[Javelin]

I feel a "Wot we done this week" coming on :encouragement:

You'll have to subscribe to PBO from June edition on to see that from now on, I've been absorbed.
So just river forumites get instant updates from now on

Which reminds me, HISW, topsides have had four coats of topcoat sprayed on today and it looks great.