Foe whom the bells toll

[Maverick]

Four years ago we were struggling to get a mooring to enable us to buy a small cruiser and begin an exciting new adventure for us. We finally secured the last remaining spot in a marina after what seemed like endless begging and pleading and badgering by my girlfriend.

 

Today I visited the the same marina and spoke to a few old friends. The row of berths were we were moored are now completely empty apart from 2 boats one of which will be sold shortly as he is to relocate to a house he is doing up.

 

That will leave one boat where at least a dozen to my memory stood 4 years ago. Thats just one row of berths and the other rows have empty spaces also.

 

I have now lost count of the number of folk I have met during those four years who have now left the water and nearly always due to rising costs.

 

Where will it all end? What will be the outcome? Does anyone have a crystal ball?

[stort_mark]

Where will it all end? What will be the outcome? Does anyone have a crystal ball?

 

Slowly the canals will fall empty of leisure boats and corporate types will see the potential for opening heavy industry along the banks. Where we now just have lush grass on the BCN, dirty manufacturing facilities and steel plants will appear and start to make things. Entrepreneurial people, with names like Stan and Bob, will set up companies to haul these "goods" to ports, and eventually Stan and Bob will live on the boats with their families.

 

Then a man called Tom will have ahorrendous fight with a man called Robert, there will be much handbags at dawn and Tom will disappear. As will Stan and Bob. And there still won't be a lot of water in the Huddersfield.

Edited November 1, 2008 by stort_mark

[Maverick]

Slowly the canals will fall empty of leisure boats and corporate types will see the potential for opening heavy industry along the banks. Where we now just have lush grass on the BCN, dirty manufacturing facilities and steel plants will appear and start to make things. Entrepreneurial people, with names like Stan and Bob, will set up companies to haul these "goods" to ports, and eventually Stan and Bob will live on the boats with their families.

 

Then a man called Tom will have ahorrendous fight with a man called Robert, there will be much handbags at dawn and Tom will disappear. As will Stan and Bob. And there still won't be a lot of water in the Huddersfield.

 

Ha Ha exactly what I was thinking

[Troll]

Four years ago we were struggling to get a mooring to enable us to buy a small cruiser and begin an exciting new adventure for us. We finally secured the last remaining spot in a marina after what seemed like endless begging and pleading and badgering by my girlfriend.

 

Today I visited the the same marina and spoke to a few old friends. The row of berths were we were moored are now completely empty apart from 2 boats one of which will be sold shortly as he is to relocate to a house he is doing up.

 

That will leave one boat where at least a dozen to my memory stood 4 years ago. Thats just one row of berths and the other rows have empty spaces also.

 

I have now lost count of the number of folk I have met during those four years who have now left the water and nearly always due to rising costs.

 

Where will it all end? What will be the outcome? Does anyone have a crystal ball?

 

It`s a cycle,

 

take a look back, then you can predict what will become of the canals, and also look further ahead and you may be able to predict how they overcome this outcome

[Keeping Up]

Most of the boats that have left the marina are probably now moored on the towpath as someone's floating home. They will stay at the same place, receiving no maintenance whatsoever and without licence or insurance or mooring permit, until eventually they sink and are abandoned for someone else to deal with.

[greywolf]

i was thinking much the same ,the amount of narrow boats that are up for sale just on Apollo duck is amazing then there are the other sites.I have noticed that there are quite a few of the old work boats and Butties for sale as well.Will this lead to further increases in license fees as BW try to make up for the missing boat revenue from them that's left?

[stort_mark]

Most of the boats that have left the marina are probably now moored on the towpath as someone's floating home. They will stay at the same place, receiving no maintenance whatsoever and without licence or insurance or mooring permit, until eventually they sink and are abandoned for someone else to deal with.

 

Ah...someone else who has been walking along the towpath at Rickmansworth recently.

[Nickhlx]

I guess that this means that places at marinas are becoming a buyers market ?

 

Anyone noticed any price changes ?

 

Nick

[1066]

I have now lost count of the number of folk I have met during those four years who have now left the water and nearly always due to rising costs.

Where will it all end? What will be the outcome? Does anyone have a crystal ball?

 

 

 

I know that Peel Holdings are increasing prices at 10% a year for the next three years ........ if they continue doing this after the initial 3 year period, there may well be another boat up for sale.

[nbfiresprite]

I guess that this means that places at marinas are becoming a buyers market ?

 

Anyone noticed any price changes ?

 

Nick

 

Yes, My mooring fees go up in Jan 09

 

Firesprite

Middle Levels

[bottle]

I know that Peel Holdings are increasing prices at 10% a year for the next three years ........ if they continue doing this after the initial 3 year period, there may well be another boat up for sale.

 

Well someone has got to pay for the Gloucester Dock/Monk Meadow development.

 

Though there was rumour they had pulled out but we have now been informed that the big retailers still want it.

 

Ho hum we will see.

[PaddingtonBear]

Move to Bill Fen Firesprite, their fees have only gone up a pound a foot in the last 15 years and it still costs less than £600 inc to moor my 54' tug in a simply fantastic environment - peacocks 'n all. Alright it is off the beaten track but we do have Moomin Papa AND Starman so it can't be all bad.

Edited November 1, 2008 by PaddingtonBear

[alan_fincher]

Ah...someone else who has been walking along the towpath at Rickmansworth recently.

Walk it ?

 

We have just cruised that stretch again today.

 

One lot of linear moorings runs into the next, and so on. We must have cruised 2 or 3 continuous miles all on tickover. I like looking at boats, but after a while it does get a bit tedious!

[stort_mark]

Walk it ?

 

We have just cruised that stretch again today.

 

One lot of linear moorings runs into the next, and so on. We must have cruised 2 or 3 continuous miles all on tickover. I like looking at boats, but after a while it does get a bit tedious!

 

Yes...there are some boats there. In among the floating garden sheds.

[Jason Wilson and Family]

It'd be nice if BW and the others involved would realise that increasing fees for no good reason will actually lower their income, not increase it. They raise prices on a bit of dirt and water, give no benefit or justification for the increase and all it does is push people away.

[WJM]

When I first moved onto my mooring two years ago BW told me the marina was fully let and I was lucky to have one of the last vacant spots. There were a lot of empty moorings but I was told they were being paid for by people who had not yet got their boats but had the mooring ready for it's arrival. Now I see the 'Moorings Available' signs are back up. No fall in the prices though!