Gray community

[Tracy D'arth]

The ownership of a boat is across all income levels and  age groups.

 

But is there a majority of over 65s with a level of disposable income higher than average?

 

We seem to have a gray boater above a certain income level and a younger boater group with very low incomes.

 

How do others see the community on boats?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Tracy D'arth

[IanD]

4 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The ownership of a boat is across all income levels and  age groups.

 

But is there a majority of over 65s with a level of disposable income higher than average?

 

We seem to have a gray boater above a certain income level and a younger boater group with very low incomes.

 

How do others see the community on boats?

From the last CART survey -- age/sex only, not income...

 

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by IanD

[Ewan123]

27 minutes ago, IanD said:

From the last CART survey -- age/sex only, not income...

 

 

It's probably not available, but it would be interesting to see how that is distributed across the country. I've definitely felt more like a 4% since we escaped London last year, though there were still plenty (still a majority) above the lowest few age brackets there too.

Do you know what year that relates to?

[jonathanA]

so 2/3rds of boat owners are aged 55-74.    I guess that would tie in with the generation able to retire early with good payoffs/final salary pensions. 

 

I thought the required description was 'silver' rather than Grey.... 

Edited September 7, 2023 by jonathanA
silver not grey

[Ewan123]

35 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The ownership of a boat is across all income levels and  age groups.

 

But is there a majority of over 65s with a level of disposable income higher than average?

 

We seem to have a gray boater above a certain income level and a younger boater group with very low incomes.

 

How do others see the community on boats?

 

 

 

 

 

 

My own perception would be generally in line with that age balance shown in the charts Ian shared, but as for income there would appear to be a variety at all age levels, mainly judging by how new/shiny/big one's boat is.

 

Then again, one who can afford a shiny new boat to live on might not be any more financially well off than someone who can afford own a house and to keep a tired old boat on a mooring that gets used for a few trips each year.

 

I've seen enough shiny new widebeams owned by young people too, that I just don't think there is any simple categorisation to be done as regards income/age levels.

[DHutch]

Very interesting.

 

At 36 I certainly feel like I am one of the younger ones boating on the system, but I also expect that the majority of those who received/completed survey will be boat owners (as per the op) rather than boaters as a whole, as most younger folk on the canal will either be hiring or using family owned boat.

 

Disclaimer; I believe it was me who completed the survey for our boat.

 

Daniel

[IanD]

31 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

It's probably not available, but it would be interesting to see how that is distributed across the country. I've definitely felt more like a 4% since we escaped London last year, though there were still plenty (still a majority) above the lowest few age brackets there too.

Do you know what year that relates to?

Sept-Nov 2022

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/refresh/media/original/48276-csf-minimum-standard-consultation-report.pdf

Edited September 7, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

so 2/3rds of boat owners are aged 55-74.    I guess that would tie in with the generation able to retire early with good payoffs/final salary pensions. 

 

I thought the required description was 'silver' rather than Grey.... 

 

I would say Tracy chose the title to 'mimic' the Gay Community thread, I thought it was quite witty.

[jonathanA]

6 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

I would say Tracy chose the title to 'mimic' the Gay Community thread, I thought it was quite witty.

yes that didn't pass me by and agree - very amusing (no offence intended) 

 

I think its a good point about boaters vs boat owners.  Certainly in my case no.2 son (early 30's) likes to use our boat and I know its similar with several neighbouring boats where the boat is owned by the older generation but used by one generation down to some degree at least. 

[IanD]

1 minute ago, jonathanA said:

yes that didn't pass me by and agree - very amusing (no offence intended) 

 

I think its a good point about boaters vs boat owners.  Certainly in my case no.2 son (early 30's) likes to use our boat and I know its similar with several neighbouring boats where the boat is owned by the older generation but used by one generation down to some degree at least. 

That's how mine will be used too.

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, IanD said:

That's how mine will be used too.

 

 

Ahhhh - your parent(s) are buying the boat !

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, jonathanA said:

 

I thought the required description was 'silver' rather than Grey.... 

Lots of different shades.  Probably 50.

[Tony1]

 

This is a very broad impression, but I got a feeling there were more younger folks on boats in the southern half of the country. 

From what I've seen so far, I'd guess its more like 75% of boaters that are aged over 55 in the northwest.  

The rivers seem to attract more of those magnificent men in their GRP machines, and there seem to be more younger folks in those things. 

The Bridgewater also attracts a fair few GRPers, some of whom get their craft up to a giddy 7 or 8mph at times.

In fact, one pair of rogue youngsters passed me doing at least 15-20mph near Altrincham, and the mooring pins needed regular checking.

Exciting times.

 

[IanD]

34 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Ahhhh - your parent(s) are buying the boat !

 

Given that they're both dead -- one in a care home during Covid while Boris was partying -- that's pretty tasteless... 😞

Edited September 7, 2023 by IanD

[roland elsdon]

I went from young and broke in the 80s to old and broker in the 2023s 

The only consistent factor was boat ownership.

Wonder if the two are related.

I was extra ordinarily broke in about 1993. Coincidentally I had a pair of boats in those days.

Also in 1979 I had a 7 year old car, my wife a 14 year old car Now we share an 11 year old car.

Clearly I have become impoverished by boat ownership

[magpie patrick]

2 hours ago, jonathanA said:

I thought the required description was 'silver' rather than Grey.... 

 

Bald in my case....

[Tracy D'arth]

Interesting that I am in the top 6% age-wise.  Are all the occupants of this category as obnoxious as I can be?

From experience I reckon the post retirement shiny boat brigade are the worse for being self-opinionated and irascible.

The young and penniless worse for manners.

[tree monkey]

10 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Interesting that I am in the top 6% age-wise.  Are all the occupants of this category as obnoxious as I can be?

From experience I reckon the post retirement shiny boat brigade are the worse for being self-opinionated and irascible.

The young and penniless worse for manners.

Charmingly irascible?

 

 

[Tracy D'arth]

I have noticed the gray stare that an elderly boater exhibits, straight ahead, when passing too fast.  Is it arrogance, concentration, dementia,

or loss of memory?

Still, its better than the spotty yoof with the music blaring like we had the other week at 7am.

[IanD]

11 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I have noticed the gray stare that an elderly boater exhibits, straight ahead, when passing too fast.  Is it arrogance, concentration, dementia,

or loss of memory?

Still, its better than the spotty yoof with the music blaring like we had the other week at 7am.

 

So it's OK for an elderly boater to pass too fast with a noisy diesel hammering away, but not a spotty yoof listening to music to pass at tickover? 😉

[Tony1]

17 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I have noticed the gray stare that an elderly boater exhibits, straight ahead, when passing too fast.  Is it arrogance, concentration, dementia,

or loss of memory?

Still, its better than the spotty yoof with the music blaring like we had the other week at 7am.

 

Aah, the perennial "too fast" debate... 

I still can't make up my mind on this one. 

For boaters who cruise between say May and Oct, or who have just a couple of weeks at a time on their boats- or indeed hire boaters with a lot of miles to cover- I can see how those folks would get frustrated by being expected to slow down when passing a line of boats that is half a mile, or a mile long, like the golden mile near Tattenhall.

Or when you get moored boats spaced several hundred yards apart- and that can go on for a mile or more in some places. 

I do wonder if it's time to reassess the expectation that boats should slow down to say 2mph when passing, because the truth is there are so many moored boats in the warmer months that it would really slow down the moving boats.

Personally, I think I will always slow to 2mph when possible, it just seems the polite and considerate thing to do, and I prioritise politeness highly. But then I have the whole year to cruise around, so I seldom feel in a rush to get anywhere, and maybe politeness is a luxury you can't afford when you have to get a hire boat back to base by the next morning?

What does still irritate me (a bit) is those who cruise at say 4 or 5mph, and don't even slow down by a fraction, even though mine is the only boat for half a mile in either direction. But maybe I'm being unfair in my expectations?

The dayboat out of Whitchurch used to frequently race past moored boats at what must have been 6 mph, if not more, and that certainly got the moored boats bouncing around.

I passed one woman on the Llan whose mooring chain had just been snapped because of a passing boat, and that can't be excused. 

 

 

[Hudds Lad]

Perhaps hire companies adjusting the expectations of where you can get to from their base, instead of presenting hirers with possible routes/rings that are only achievable at full chat in a week?

 

I think those who stare ahead feel they have once been slighted by a fast passing boat and have decided they'll now do the same in revenge, they won't acknowledge you as they plainly know they're being naughty. My gripe with those that pass with music blaring, is that it usually happens at some time after midnight, and they're usually pumping out some sort of Belgian hoover music rather than anything good  

 

I'll always slow to pass boats, how else can you gain the time to properly neb through their windows???

 

To me a more recent phenomenon is the close pass. Moored up on a plenty wide enough bit on a calm flat day, all light through your windows is suddenly blocked out by a boat passing you with a six inch gap between your hulls for no good reason. Perhaps a knock-on from ever shallower canals?

[Slim]

21 hours ago, M_JG said:

 

I would say Tracy chose the title to 'mimic' the Gay Community thread, I thought it was quite witty.

That was my first thought also. The second was what about a bald/ almost bald thread?.

[Hudds Lad]

2 minutes ago, Slim said:

The second was what about a bald/ almost bald thread?.

Being a crusty old hairy type i'd have to report it to the mods for discrimination  

Or just not read it.

[Slim]

1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I have noticed the gray stare that an elderly boater exhibits, straight ahead, when passing too fast.  Is it arrogance, concentration, dementia,

or loss of memory?

Still, its better than the spotty yoof with the music blaring like we had the other week at 7am.

Whenever I've adopted the stance I am trying for the icy glare of disapproval impression.

Edited September 8, 2023 by Slim