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Linear cruising for those not yet retired.....


robtheplod

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Hi all

 

Despite trying we've not managed to retire as yet and have other commitments stopping us spending more that a few weeks at a time on the boat, so the boat has been at Ventnor Marina for a few years now. We desperately want to expand our cruising and explore more waterways, but the issue of always returning to base cuts our time in half. We had an idea of ditching the home marina, and booking other marinas we can use temporarily as we move about the system (ignore the car aspect we can get others to help with that). I've read on here this could be problematic with marina space/availability?   Does anyone else operate this way successfully or is it just stress inducing?  Not keen to leave the boat on the cut whilst were not on it for weeks at a time....

 

anyone got nuggets of advice?  all gratefully received!

rob

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Lots of boaters leave their craft for extended periods out on the cut without any problems. It depends on how adverse you are to trusting the rest of the world.

Now that Ventnor is part of the Aquavista Group, can they not find you short time space by appointment in other marinas in their group?  Other marina groups do.

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26 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Lots of boaters leave their craft for extended periods out on the cut without any problems. It depends on how adverse you are to trusting the rest of the world.

Now that Ventnor is part of the Aquavista Group, can they not find you short time space by appointment in other marinas in their group?  Other marina groups do.

Thanks Tracy, they do offer this but you have to have a home berth, which we wont have once we begin...

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27 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

Hi all

 

Despite trying we've not managed to retire as yet and have other commitments stopping us spending more that a few weeks at a time on the boat, so the boat has been at Ventnor Marina for a few years now. We desperately want to expand our cruising and explore more waterways, but the issue of always returning to base cuts our time in half. We had an idea of ditching the home marina, and booking other marinas we can use temporarily as we move about the system (ignore the car aspect we can get others to help with that). I've read on here this could be problematic with marina space/availability?   Does anyone else operate this way successfully or is it just stress inducing?  Not keen to leave the boat on the cut whilst were not on it for weeks at a time....

 

anyone got nuggets of advice?  all gratefully received!

rob

This blogger (https://stillchuffed.blogspot.com/) (https://nbchuffed.blogspot.com/2022/)seems to be doing pretty much what you propose. We've met them a couple of times as we travel around and I know she has used Calcutt and Droitwich Marinas for leaving the boat for protracted periods, I'm pretty sure she has used others but the likelihood is that you will probably need to use the bigger marinas who have more moorings available.

 

The only time it's likely to be an issue is over the winter when everyone is back to base. We often leave our boat in marinas around the country during the summer whilst we go off and do other stuff and it's rarely a problem.

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1 minute ago, Tony Brooks said:

During our long summer cruises we always found a marina to leave the boat if for a week or so while we went home. Basically look at Nicks and phone around. I guess it would be more difficult in winter when the berth holders would tend to be back.

Yes, I think that during the summer the marinas welcome the extra income so you aren't likely to get refused unless you pick a small niche marina somewhere.

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2 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

This blogger (https://stillchuffed.blogspot.com/) (https://nbchuffed.blogspot.com/2022/)seems to be doing pretty much what you propose. We've met them a couple of times as we travel around and I know she has used Calcutt and Droitwich Marinas for leaving the boat for protracted periods, I'm pretty sure she has used others but the likelihood is that you will probably need to use the bigger marinas who have more moorings available.

 

The only time it's likely to be an issue is over the winter when everyone is back to base. We often leave our boat in marinas around the country during the summer whilst we go off and do other stuff and it's rarely a problem.

Yep, we did it on occasion although we used to leave boat canalside int middle of nowhere sometimes without problem. As WV says in the summer its rarely a problem finding space in a marina for short term. I found the bigger the boat the more places could get us in, spose they would rather 70 foot short term than 40 lol.

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Before I moved aboard permanently, I used to regularly swop marinas.

I think a lot depends on the length of the boat, at only 48’ I never have trouble finding a marina or boat yard to accommodate me.


Have a look at Fazeley Marina, with the M42, M6 and A5 it’s a doddle to drive to from which ever direction you come.

You’ll be central to go off exploring the network. 
Have a chat with them, they’re approachable and friendly.

And they’re ABC so you can use their other bases short term if space available. 
 

otherwise if you’re ok leaving the boat for a fortnight on a 2 day mooring, which now seems a popular option, then you’ll save a few quid 👍

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Before I moved aboard permanently, I used to regularly swop marinas.

I think a lot depends on the length of the boat, at only 48’ I never have trouble finding a marina or boat yard to accommodate me.


Have a look at Fazeley Marina, with the M42, M6 and A5 it’s a doddle to drive to from which ever direction you come.

You’ll be central to go off exploring the network. 
Have a chat with them, they’re approachable and friendly.

And they’re ABC so you can use their other bases short term if space available. 
 

otherwise if you’re ok leaving the boat for a fortnight on a 2 day mooring, which now seems a popular option, then you’ll save a few quid 👍

 

 

I think just looking at one marina (Fazeley) is simply moving the issue to another part of the country. A few years before we bought we had a Timeshare with Canaltime. At the time they had ,I think,6 bases so that was at least 12 holidays without revisiting the same route. I kind of fell out with them when their number of bases plummetted and all we ended out being able to get was our 'home' base at Sawley. Reasonabley central, but it doesn't take long before you are just going over old ground all the time.

 

An alternative option is to get a mooring at a reasonably cheap marina/basin (mine costs £1.01p per month per foot) so you can have a home base to return the boat to at the end of the season, but put it into other marinas during the summer whilst still paying for your home mooring.

Edited by Wanderer Vagabond
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7 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I think just looking at one marina (Fazeley) is simply moving the issue to another part of the country. A few years before we bought we had a Timeshare with Canaltime. At the time they had ,I think,6 bases so that was at least 12 holidays without revisiting the same route. I kind of fell out with them when their number of bases plummetted and all we ended out being able to get was our 'home' base at Sawley. Reasonabley central, but it doesn't take long before you are just going over old ground all the time.

 

An alternative option is to get a mooring at a reasonably cheap marina/basin (mine costs £1.01p per month per foot) so you can have a home base to return the boat to at the end of the season, but put it into other marinas during the summer whilst still paying for your home mooring.

I’m not suggesting he only looks at Fazeley. Just something to consider. 

there are lots of circular routes to be taken from there and it could be awhile before he’s fed up of the area. 
 

 

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We use Marinas for short term mooring, say a month at a time, while we are out over the summer, we have done this ever since we got the boat 12 years ago.  The only place where we had any difficulty finding somewhere was on the Lancaster, we’re there are few marinas.  We did get sorted out at Barton Grange but it was a bit last minute.  After retiring we also gave up the home mooring and used temp moorings and towpath over the summer in conjunction with a winter mooring for 6 months of the year.  The pandemic put payed to doing that, and we made the winter mooring a permanent mooring, and we will probably stick like this, it just costs a bit more as you are paying for two moorings for part of the year. 

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Just now, john6767 said:

We use Marinas for short term mooring, say a month at a time, while we are out over the summer, we have done this ever since we got the boat 12 years ago.  The only place where we had any difficulty finding somewhere was on the Lancaster, we’re there are few marinas.  We did get sorted out at Barton Grange but it was a bit last minute.  After retiring we also gave up the home mooring and used temp moorings and towpath over the summer in conjunction with a winter mooring for 6 months of the year.  The pandemic put payed to doing that, and we made the winter mooring a permanent mooring, and we will probably stick like this, it just costs a bit more as you are paying for two moorings for part of the year. 

We didn't try on the Lancaster, but then there were two excellent marinas on the Rufford Branch before you get there, where we left our boat whilst we went off to do other stuff.

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2 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

We didn't try on the Lancaster, but then there were two excellent marinas on the Rufford Branch before you get there, where we left our boat whilst we went off to do other stuff.

Yes, we used Fetlers Wharf on the way back down, nice and convenient for the station.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Yes, pursue the marina option religiously. Leaving your boat on the cut would be unwise. As a constant cruiser of decades I know 'what is' and 'what isn't' out here. With the odds, over time you 'will' be robbed. There is no safe place. You can leave your boat in a major population centre like Braunston between other boats for one night, and the low life will still burgle you with people close both sides. Even other boaters will go through your lockers and take things off your boat if they see no one is coming back to it after a few nights.

The vermin try to take stuff off your boat while you're sitting on it in broad daylight. You've got to be a realist. 

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Hmmm. That has hasn’t been our experience over the last 6 years. Not that we haven’t been broken into, but only 3 times and only once more than minimal damage.

 

we don’t live on board, and typically are away for at least 10 days at a time. We’re fairly careful about it, nowhere too busy or too quiet, preferably in sight of another boat or two, definitely not anywhere urban. And yes if you live mainly on board you’ll have more stuff worth taking. But our experience is that it’s mainly alcohol and wolfable food that goes missing. And even that is fairly safe if we’ll hidden.

 

it is of course a risk, but balancing the many hours not spent negotiating with owners and earning money to pay for moorings, I’d say we’re well in front. Winter is of course a time for winter moorings but even then, judiciously situating yourself between shutdowns can give you a few weeks grace, and then you find a marina or whatever anyway for the rest of winter …or summer, if you might be off the water then.

 

Dont be afraid and don’t take the previous very negative post as gospel. Yes these things happen but fellow boaters being a regular persistent threat… naaah. Urban centres are higher risk, as are very remote places. But many areas allow you to have a relaxed attitude. If you’re going to fret about everything you could worry about marinas too, not 100% secure, all that electric acid rotting your boat, and the “back to base” issue several have pointed out.

 

Enjoy

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Rookies telling people not to listen to veterans??? 6 years and you're still green as hell, and that's if you live it 24 7, and this gentleman doesn't. 

 

But correct, don't take what I said as gospel, better 'fact'. Everything I've said has happened. I've seen it. Some other boaters will take your gas bottles, non boaters will joyride your boat etc.

 

Sometimes being a good friend is telling people what they may hate you for. Trying to ingratiate yourself with other people with 'don't be afraid' you may be doing people a disservice and endangering them. RCR_vandalism.jpg.435eac5af44b165192948539ffe86778.jpg

If you Google this, its title is 'Boat joy riding and torching on the increase'.

 

Please do not listen to this gentleman if you are juggling a boat and a house. It is prudent to 'be afraid'. Do not leave your boat unattended on the cut if you are going to be away from it for extended periods. 

 

As I said 'pursue the marina option religiously'.

 

 

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