Offered a job in Wakefield, what are mooring options?

[Whitey62]

Hi all,

   I am a live aboard currently in a marina in East Midlands.

   I have just been offered a job in Wakefield starting in July this year.

   What are my options for mooring? Ideally I need a 240v hookup and secure car parking so probably looking at a marina? 
   Happy to travel by car to work but ideally no longer than half an hour.

   Thanks in advance to all and any replies.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

There are residential moorings at Fall Ing, in Wakefield itself, see CaRT mooring auctions for availability. Also a boat yard opposite the Hepworth Gallery has some. Outside town, there is Horbury Basin with some residential moorings, again see CaRT auctions. Plenty of others within 30 minutes car journey. Moorings in Dewsbury with Calder Valley Marine. Extensive moorings at Stanley Ferry. There are moorings at Fairies Hill Lock. No idea what any of these are like to actually moor at, but I've seen them when cruising by. The Fall Ing and Horbury basin ones look rather nice.

July gives you time to look around, get something sorted out and move the boat up.

 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Jen-in-Wellies

[Whitey62]

Thanks Jen, sounds like you have detailed local knowledge.

   Any you recommend? 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

9 hours ago, Whitey62 said:

Thanks Jen, sounds like you have detailed local knowledge.

   Any you recommend? 

I'm no expert and I don't moor in the area. Just cruised there a fair bit over the years. Looking at the CaRT moorings web site, there is currently a rare as hens teeth residential mooring at Fall Ing. This has car parking and leccy bollards, but you also need to budget for band A council tax. At Stanley Ferry there are leisure moorings with leccy and car parking. How long is your boat? If it is longer than 57'6" then officially, you can't cruise/moor to the west of Wakefield, due to the length of the Calder and Hebble and Huddersfield Broad locks. In actuality, 60' is possible for a narrowboat with care. If yours is a broad beam, then getting there by water from some parts of the E Midlands could be a problem.

Finding a suitable mooring with the time you've got shouldn't be a problem. One thing to be aware of is that the river Calder is prone to spectacular flooding and even some of the canal sections can be affected. This may influence your choice of location. As you live on board, then being on site to adjust mooring ropes makes this a bit safer, but you'll need to ask locally what the risk is for a place you're considering.

Visiting and talking is important for the local gossip and an idea of what the neighbours are like and a feel for the area, before coming to a decision. Having transport for work gives you a lot of options and the chance to easily move moorings, if the first is not to your liking.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Jen-in-Wellies