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Mooring near home - or not?


bmp

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Evening everyone..

 

I know this is probably impossible to answer but I am just looking to see what other people think.

 

I am relatively new to boating having only got my boat at the end of August last year.  I bought it as an early retirement present to myself and hope to retire in the next year or 2. I am trying to reduce my days down to 4 days this year, 3 next year and not sure after that.... will have to see how it goes.

 

My boat is currently moored in a marina in the Stafford area. At the moment I am only managing long weekends but hoping to get a week or 2 down there through the summer.

I have been limited to 3 or 4 day journeys maximum but have loved just cruising up and down the Trent and Mersey between Stone and Rugely or down the Staffs and Worcester from Great Haywood to Penkridge.  Not very long journeys but good practice. 

 

I live in Liverpool and the journey to the boat takes me anything from 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours or more. Not a difficult journey but can be a pain if the M6 gets busy !

 

Scarisbrick Marina is only 20 / 25 minutes from where I live. If my boat was there I could just go there after work for a couple of hours if I wanted to just go and relax on the boat for a bit. 

I have walked along that stretch of canal quite a few times and it is quite nice - but I have never cruised along that bit of canal to really see what it is like.  I know there is not as much choice of routes there.  

 

My dilemma is this ...

 

Would I be better moving my boat to Scarisbrick for the next year or 2 until I pack in work so that I can make more use of it and spend more time on it or do I keep it in the Stafford area and just get there when I can every few weeks?  

I have considered some of the other marinas in Cheshire etc but most of them take over an hour to get to anyway.

 

Thanks for any thoughts or advice.

 

BMP

 

 

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We live in the Scottish Highlands so it's not a question we have to address... but talking to boat owners in England this seems to be a common dilemma, and not just for those who haven't yet got the time to really appreciate the canal network.

 

If you are using the boat as a sort of second home, even just for short periods of time, then I think it has to be a significant distance from home so it does feel as though you are "getting away".  It needn't be a huge distance, for example when we lived in Kendal we moored at Skipton which is only 40 miles but crossing the watershed makes it feel much further away. 

 

OTOH there's a lot to be said for having the boat close at hand if you are pushed for time, especially when it comes to "fettling".  The only problem is, I talk to folk who live very near their boats and they seem to spend a lot more time fettling than cruising...

 

One factor is obviously the Leeds Liverpool is very different in character from the T&M and the Staffs & Worcs, with wide locks.  And you are not going to meet as many boaters on the L/L.  The stretch east of Scarisbrick is quite pleasant but I wouldn't choose it if I could only spend 2-3 days at a time on the boat.

 

Only you can decide of course but I think I would leave the boat where it is.  

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6 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

We live in the Scottish Highlands so it's not a question we have to address... but talking to boat owners in England this seems to be a common dilemma, and not just for those who haven't yet got the time to really appreciate the canal network.

 

If you are using the boat as a sort of second home, even just for short periods of time, then I think it has to be a significant distance from home so it does feel as though you are "getting away".  It needn't be a huge distance, for example when we lived in Kendal we moored at Skipton which is only 40 miles but crossing the watershed makes it feel much further away. 

 

OTOH there's a lot to be said for having the boat close at hand if you are pushed for time, especially when it comes to "fettling".  The only problem is, I talk to folk who live very near their boats and they seem to spend a lot more time fettling than cruising...

 

One factor is obviously the Leeds Liverpool is very different in character from the T&M and the Staffs & Worcs, with wide locks.  And you are not going to meet as many boaters on the L/L.  The stretch east of Scarisbrick is quite pleasant but I wouldn't choose it if I could only spend 2-3 days at a time on the boat.

 

Only you can decide of course but I think I would leave the boat where it is.  

Hi Neil

Thanks for the reply. 

 

I take your point about fettling v cruising. I could see that happening !!

 

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2 minutes ago, bmp said:

Hi Neil

Thanks for the reply. 

 

I take your point about fettling v cruising. I could see that happening !!

 

It's a real danger..!  We met up with a couple last week who had a canalside house with a mooring at the bottom of the garden, the ultimate fantasy I said to my wife but she replied no way you would be constantly working on the thing and we'd never go anywhere - she's right I think..

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15 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

It's a real danger..!  We met up with a couple last week who had a canalside house with a mooring at the bottom of the garden, the ultimate fantasy I said to my wife but she replied no way you would be constantly working on the thing and we'd never go anywhere - she's right I think..

Haha. Yes. I know exactly what you mean. 

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It depends whether the boat is for fettling or for using. We live 15 mins walk from the boat & often take it out to go shopping in Gloucester, 2 hours away, rather than take the car, 20 mins. Sometimes we go the other way to the pub for lunch. I'm not a fettler, its much more fun to go boating.

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I can’t comment on the marina but having recently moved our boat to that area, it’s lovely - a pleasure to cruise good selection of canal side pubs. As for cruising routes are you joking ? Liverpool link a day away, the rest of the L&L via Wigan or turn right and the bridgewater, Manchester, T&M, Weaver all a few days lazy cruising away....

 

(why do think we moved there ) 

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13 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

I can’t comment on the marina but having recently moved our boat to that area, it’s lovely - a pleasure to cruise good selection of canal side pubs. As for cruising routes are you joking ? Liverpool link a day away, the rest of the L&L via Wigan or turn right and the bridgewater, Manchester, T&M, Weaver all a few days lazy cruising away....

 

(why do think we moved there ) 

Hi Jonathan 

Probably with living near here I don’t appreciate what is on my doorstep !!

 

Do you mind me asking where you keep your boat? Is there anywhere else around about you would recommend?

 

 

35 minutes ago, sharpness said:

It depends whether the boat is for fettling or for using. We live 15 mins walk from the boat & often take it out to go shopping in Gloucester, 2 hours away, rather than take the car, 20 mins. Sometimes we go the other way to the pub for lunch. I'm not a fettler, its much more fun to go boating.

That sounds like a great way to do it. 

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We used to moor at Calf Heath Marina, it took around 2 hours to get there but once we were there we had a choice of 3/ directions to travel depending how long we were spending on board. We could go either way on The Staffs and Worcs or deviate up The Shroppie or up the Wolverhampton 21 for a long weekend in Birmingham We had around 12 years there and liked it but needed a change. We moved to Clayworth on The Chesterfield Canal. It is just an hour away from home and we were certain that after a couple of years we would move on again because there are only 32 miles of The Chesterfield open at that end and anywhere else you want to go is out onto a tidal river. A couple of years exploring and we would be off - or so we thought. 

5 years on and we love our new mooring. An hour distance is enough when we just want to go and relax, especially in the winter. We have no immediate plans to move away. I would suggest there is a lot more to your mooring than just how far you have to travel to get there and it needs a lot of weighing up. Remember than, if you move and it feels wrong then you can simply untie the ropes and try another place 

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11 minutes ago, cheshire~rose said:

We used to moor at Calf Heath Marina, it took around 2 hours to get there but once we were there we had a choice of 3/ directions to travel depending how long we were spending on board. We could go either way on The Staffs and Worcs or deviate up The Shroppie or up the Wolverhampton 21 for a long weekend in Birmingham We had around 12 years there and liked it but needed a change. We moved to Clayworth on The Chesterfield Canal. It is just an hour away from home and we were certain that after a couple of years we would move on again because there are only 32 miles of The Chesterfield open at that end and anywhere else you want to go is out onto a tidal river. A couple of years exploring and we would be off - or so we thought. 

5 years on and we love our new mooring. An hour distance is enough when we just want to go and relax, especially in the winter. We have no immediate plans to move away. I would suggest there is a lot more to your mooring than just how far you have to travel to get there and it needs a lot of weighing up. Remember than, if you move and it feels wrong then you can simply untie the ropes and try another place 

Thanks - that is good information and advice. 

I agree about the mooring and distance bit ..... I really like the marina and area it is moored in. I need to do a bit more homework about Scarisbrick to see how that compares to where I am now. 

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1 minute ago, bmp said:

I agree about the mooring and distance bit ..... I really like the marina and area it is moored in. I need to do a bit more homework about Scarisbrick to see how that compares to where I am now. 

I have nothing against Scarisbrick Marina, but if I was looking in that area I would try either Fettler's Wharf or St Mary's at Rufford first.

 

Just a personal preference, your mileage may vary. 

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Not read the thread properly but the boat will never come alive for you until you move onto it and regard it as your primary home.

 

Use the house (if you keep it) like you use the boat now. Somewhere to go, sometimes.

 

Just my view of things.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
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1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

I have nothing against Scarisbrick Marina, but if I was looking in that area I would try either Fettler's Wharf or St Mary's at Rufford first.

 

Just a personal preference, your mileage may vary. 

Thanks. Distance wise they are just another 10 minutes from me. 

The main issue I have with them is that they are on the Rufford branch and that looks a bit more “locked in” than the Scarisbrick Marina but would welcome any ones opinion on that. 

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I live 15 minutes from my mooring.Very handy for a cruise to the pub.

As for fettling,it's also very handy(which all boats need )for DIY maintainance unless you have pots of money to pay a professional.

Also useful to have your boat close by for when you get home and find you have left your house keys and wallet on the boat!

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1 minute ago, Mad Harold said:

I live 15 minutes from my mooring.Very handy for a cruise to the pub.

As for fettling,it's also very handy(which all boats need )for DIY maintainance unless you have pots of money to pay a professional.

Also useful to have your boat close by for when you get home and find you have left your house keys and wallet on the boat!

All good points. 

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We live in Manchester and moor in Stone. I'm often asked why we moor the boat so far from home. 

The answer is simple. The weather. often is miserable in Manchester but an hours drive south and the weather is much drier. 

 

Scarisbrick may be OK because it's away from the hills so may work for you

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10 minutes ago, bmp said:

Thanks. Distance wise they are just another 10 minutes from me. 

The main issue I have with them is that they are on the Rufford branch and that looks a bit more “locked in” than the Scarisbrick Marina but would welcome any ones opinion on that. 

Indeed, if you only have short cruising periods and moored at Rufford you would have to consider whether you want to spend a few hours each way doing the locks. For longer periods away, or if you are happy to do the locks anyway, it is not such an issue.

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We used to keep our boat at Crooke when we were in Wigan and it did mean the boat got used a lot all the year round because if it was a nice sunny winters day you could just go out on it.

 

then we moved it to Braunston and the unplanned usage dropped off and we also got fed up of basically being stuck in boat jams over any holiday weekend.

 

Then we had it in Upton when we were in Cheltenham - again it got a lot of unplanned weekend usage.

 

Now we keep it at Market Drayton and its a 2 hour drive there and we don't get to the boat as much as we used to.

 

There is a trade off between distance and the location.

 

 

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Try Mersey motorboat club, they have linear moorings, outside scarisbrick marina, also by the ship in haskayne, and in Maghull, they are nearly half the cost of the marina, but you do have to join the club, join in things and do the odd job, mowing grass or painting something etc. I think they have moorings available now if you contact them.

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We used to live about 45 miles away from the boat which took between and hour and an hour and a half to drive depending on the traffic. Enough distance away that we felt as though we had gone somewhere when we went to the boat but close enough that we could nip across after work in the evening if we felt the urge to go boating.

 

We have recently moved house and are now closer to the boat. A 35 minute drive away. It's time to move the boat now as it seems too close to home!

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8 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Not read the thread properly but the boat will never come alive for you until you move onto it and regard it as your primary home.

 

Use the house (if you keep it) like you use the boat now. Somewhere to go, sometimes.

 

Just my view of things.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would you care to elaborate on that statement Mike?  We tend to split our time between the house and the boat these days, and though we can spend several months afloat the house is definitely still the primary home.  I'm interested to know how the relationship with a boat changes if it becomes a home rather than a retreat.   

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9 hours ago, Cheshire cat said:

We live in Manchester and moor in Stone. I'm often asked why we moor the boat so far from home. 

The answer is simple. The weather. often is miserable in Manchester but an hours drive south and the weather is much drier. 

Scarisbrick may be OK because it's away from the hills so may work for you

We are currently moored just up from Scarisbrick,  temperature today forecast to get up to 17. Driving off to West Midlands later, temperature forecast 24.

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10 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Not read the thread properly but the boat will never come alive for you until you move onto it and regard it as your primary home.

 

Use the house (if you keep it) like you use the boat now. Somewhere to go, sometimes.

 

Just my view of things.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Completely agree. We have lived aboard 30 years and for many of those kept a house in Looe in Cornwall to get away to. Much nicer living on the boat anyway which is why after many years we eventualy binned the house as we didnt use it enough. It was usualy about a two and a half hour drive to the house and of course easy to let out when not using ourselves.

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1 hour ago, Neil2 said:

Would you care to elaborate on that statement Mike?  We tend to split our time between the house and the boat these days, and though we can spend several months afloat the house is definitely still the primary home.  I'm interested to know how the relationship with a boat changes if it becomes a home rather than a retreat.   

I think it is different things to different people. My wife and I VASTLY prefer living on the boat to a house, so much so that even having a house anywhere in the country to visit the appeal dried up and we now stay on the superior boat. Thing is we are all different, some people live in London wheras I would consider my life had ended if that happened to me. I was at my  mums detached stone cottage in a lovely village in North Yorkshire the last two nights and I simply hate it, I have told her I will sell it if I outlive her but she doesnt care. From what I see when meeting boaters over many years is the main problem can be differing opinions between partners. My wife and I both VASTLY prefer living on the boat but not all couples think that way.

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