Marina Dwellers Opinions Sought

[fuzzyduck]

Reading a thread on YBW, it's being suggested that there may be a decrease in boats mooring in marinas (Very small sample size mind).

 

How's your marina?

 

has occupancy stayed static, increased, or decreased?

 

If you prefer not to name the marina, that's great, but a rough description would be good, such as "Large, well developed marina in the East mids, deacreased by approx 1/2" would be lovely.

[slammer]

Reading a thread on YBW, it's being suggested that there may be a decrease in boats mooring in marinas (Very small sample size mind).

 

How's your marina?

 

has occupancy stayed static, increased, or decreased?

 

If you prefer not to name the marina, that's great, but a rough description would be good, such as "Large, well developed marina in the East mids, deacreased by approx 1/2" would be lovely.

Well I recently stayed overnight in Aston marina on the Trent and Mersey , Thats still the same as last year half empty !!

[romarni123]

Reading a thread on YBW, it's being suggested that there may be a decrease in boats mooring in marinas (Very small sample size mind).

 

How's your marina?

 

has occupancy stayed static, increased, or decreased?

 

If you prefer not to name the marina, that's great, but a rough description would be good, such as "Large, well developed marina in the East mids, deacreased by approx 1/2" would be lovely.

Ours is a small one and we have had a few boats come to stay in the last few weeks we have about 20 now so an increase

Edited June 9, 2011 by romarni123

[MtB]

Reading a thread on YBW, it's being suggested that there may be a decrease in boats mooring in marinas (Very small sample size mind).

 

How's your marina?

 

has occupancy stayed static, increased, or decreased?

 

If you prefer not to name the marina, that's great, but a rough description would be good, such as "Large, well developed marina in the East mids, deacreased by approx 1/2" would be lovely.

 

 

I'm in Thames and Kennet. I'd estimate occupancy was appraoching 100% when I first moored there in about 2008. Certainly appeared to be virtually full. Now, looking around the place, and thinking of all the boaters I know who have left citing high mooring fees, I'd say occupancy has fallen to about around 75%, possibly less. Certainly LOADS of free berths now.

 

Just my estimate. I don't have access to any stats.

 

Mike

[Guest]

Reading a thread on YBW, it's being suggested that there may be a decrease in boats mooring in marinas (Very small sample size mind).

 

How's your marina?

 

has occupancy stayed static, increased, or decreased?

 

If you prefer not to name the marina, that's great, but a rough description would be good, such as "Large, well developed marina in the East mids, deacreased by approx 1/2" would be lovely.

 

Interesting one this - visually if you look at ours there seems to be loads of berths - but if you go into the office and check out on the plan which berths are free as I do from time to time ref a poss move. there are very few free.

 

I'd say our marina is not full but it's approx 85% to 90% there and increasing.

[matty40s]

I'm in Thames and Kennet. I'd estimate occupancy was appraoching 100% when I first moored there in about 2008. Certainly appeared to be virtually full. Now, looking around the place, and thinking of all the boaters I know who have left citing high mooring fees, I'd say occupancy has fallen to about around 75%, possibly less. Certainly LOADS of free berths now.

Just my estimate. I don't have access to any stats.

Mike

 

 

 

Most of them wouldn't know, their boats will be sat on a visitor mooring near you until they next have a weekend off!!!!

[Midnight Rider]

I don't see how you can tell at this time of the year, unless you are involved in the running of the marina.

 

At Kings Bromley, a lot of boats leave on April 1st & may return in the autumn.If I had to guess, I'd say it was 80% full.

[Naughty Cal]

Difficult to say but last year there was a severe shortage of berths for boats over 30ft in Burton Waters. Recently a few of the bigger boats have left yet their berths are still not re let. Conversley the smaller boat moorings, under 30ft, seem to be filling up again, whereas in recent years they had been getting emptier. Signs of the time perhaps but i would estimate at least 90% of the berths are let.

[churchward]

At Brinklow Marina the occupation appears to have gone up. Some boats have come and gone but that is normal as people look for a new cruising area or indeed cheaper options.

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Reading a thread on YBW, it's being suggested that there may be a decrease in boats mooring in marinas (Very small sample size mind).

 

How's your marina?

 

has occupancy stayed static, increased, or decreased?

 

If you prefer not to name the marina, that's great, but a rough description would be good, such as "Large, well developed marina in the East mids, deacreased by approx 1/2" would be lovely.

 

The latest figures I have (from earlier this year) are that 15.6% of moorings on BW waters are unused. This equates to 5,612 berths.

 

However, the figures above are for all moorings both online and offline.

 

Last year almost 20% of berths in BWML owned or operated marinas were empty compared with 10% two years previously.

 

I am not sure what the latest figures are for BW's online moorings.

 

Up until recently, BW has been providing projections of need for new marinas based on out of date 2007 data.

Edited June 10, 2011 by Allan(nb Albert)

[nigel carton]

Interesting one this - visually if you look at ours there seems to be loads of berths - but if you go into the office and check out on the plan which berths are free as I do from time to time ref a poss move. there are very few free.

 

I'd say our marina is not full but it's approx 85% to 90% there and increasing.

 

I think you may have gained a few from our place Martin, just down the cut from you!

[Naughty Cal]

Interesting one this - visually if you look at ours there seems to be loads of berths - but if you go into the office and check out on the plan which berths are free as I do from time to time ref a poss move. there are very few free.

 

I'd say our marina is not full but it's approx 85% to 90% there and increasing.

 

Same with ours MArtin. E Pontoon looks a little sparse at the moment but two boats are in Scotland for the summer and a few are on the south coast for the summer. They still have their berths in Burton Waters paid up though and will return in the winter. Makes the marina look bare but in reality the berths are let.

[sebrof]

 

Up until recently, BW has been providing projections of need for new marinas based on out of date 2007 data.

 

 

You cannot talk about demand for mooring space without also talking about price.

 

I believe that if mooring charges were lower, and residential moorings easier to come by, there would be no need for ranquorous debates over continuous cruisers.

 

If it were possible to obtain residential moorings cheaply, there could well be a flood of people moving onto the canals. Although at first sight that might seem problematical, the fact is that many such people would in fact never move, and the main impact would be a bit more money in BW's coffers.

 

Maybe it is the solution to BW's cash problem.

[nicknorman]

Reading a thread on YBW, it's being suggested that there may be a decrease in boats mooring in marinas (Very small sample size mind).

 

How's your marina?

 

has occupancy stayed static, increased, or decreased?

 

If you prefer not to name the marina, that's great, but a rough description would be good, such as "Large, well developed marina in the East mids, deacreased by approx 1/2" would be lovely.

 

Ours (Fazeley Mill) still seems at 100%. We had a 6 month wait for a place there in 2010. Same company has just started building a new one between Fazeley and Fradley (about 4 miles away). Probably popular because it has what you need (but not OTT) and is very friendly & pleasant place to hang out, run in a non-officious way, fees average.

 

Nick

[Ex- Member]

Slightly changing the subject but with regard to moorings can anyone help with the following questions.

 

60 f/t x 10/6 widebeam

 

Our boat is planned to be on the water sometime next March, we will be looking for a mooring for about a year in the Bath or Bristol area possibly Bristol docks which we've heard is now very nice.

 

Anyone currently in Bristol docks that can offer info and mooring costs?

 

Do moorings in Bristol docks have 240 volt supply?

 

Same applies to moorings anywhere between Bristol and Bath >> possibly as far Trobridge or even Devises at a push LOL

 

Is council tax payable on moorings?

[sueb]

Slightly changing the subject but with regard to moorings can anyone help with the following questions.

 

60 f/t x 10/6 widebeam

 

Our boat is planned to be on the water sometime next March, we will be looking for a mooring for about a year in the Bath or Bristol area possibly Bristol docks which we've heard is now very nice.

 

Anyone currently in Bristol docks that can offer info and mooring costs?

 

Do moorings in Bristol docks have 240 volt supply?

 

Same applies to moorings anywhere between Bristol and Bath >> possibly as far Trobridge or even Devises at a push LOL

 

Is council tax payable on moorings?

I do love optimism

Sue

[Laurie Booth]

I do love optimism

Sue

Same here

[headjog]

Ours (Fazeley Mill) still seems at 100%. We had a 6 month wait for a place there in 2010. Same company has just started building a new one between Fazeley and Fradley (about 4 miles away). Probably popular because it has what you need (but not OTT) and is very friendly & pleasant place to hang out, run in a non-officious way, fees average.

 

Nick

 

Hello nick, my daughter's moored across from you! It was a two month wait for us from March this year. I thought the fees were quite good £460 for 3 months- 50 foot.

[PeterG]

Large marina in the midlands, a couple of years a go I would say totally full but just recently started to advertise vacancies.

 

However a couple of weeks a go there were cars parked everywhere so either a lot of activity of lots or people spending more time on their boat in the marina

[Ex- Member]

I do love optimism

Sue

 

Yeah see what you mean, found the website for Bristol CC moorings seems not much hope there, think I'll use the intended mooring fees for solar panels and put up with moving the boat around occasionally. We did eventually intend to CC the following march anyway but for the first year I might have to continue with my businesses which means I can only get to the boat weekends leaving my partner Lynn to live aboard full time, being on a mooring would make it a lot easier for her as she has to work from the boat also. Still it's not as if it has to be moved daily and would save a lot of dosh looking at the current cost of mooring fees, in fact a years mooring fees could buy a KW of new flexi solar panels.

[Midnight]

I'm at Ripon, the marina there was about 70% full earlier this year, Now it's about 80% full - that's because BWML took away all of the fingers on one side of pontoon b. Razor blade managers them boys!!

[fuzzyduck]

That's very clever.

 

Reduce vacancies, by reducing capacity. I can sell em a couple of 1000 tones of hardcore so they can be 100% full.

[MtB]

A bit more anecdotal.

 

I have been idly browsing around for a home mooring for Reginald. Plenty of generally less desirable BW moorings appear to be going for the minimum bid only, but the better moorings attract lots of bids. 20 bids for example on the space just above Tyle Mill lock on the K&A.

 

Of half a dozen marinas I've phoned to get a feel for the market, the only one that couldn't offer me a space immediately was Willowtree near Greenford. Last time I was looking for a marina berth in 2007(ish) I could not find one anywhere without a waiting list, other than T&K who squeezed me in as a favour as they already knew me and I was on their subcontractor list.

 

Mike

[Ynot]

Sounds like our marina in Worcestershire is the exception to the rule - full with a waiting list

[Dominic M]

At a BW Trade meeting in Milton Keynes I attended a month ago, which region covers the Grand Union from close to Greater London to Braunston, the Leicester Line to Foxton and the Oxford Canal, it was stated that there were about 400 vacant marina berths. The ongoing construction of new marinas in the area (e.g. Barby Moorings; planning consent for another at Hillmorton) had marina owners asking why BW permitted this further development in a congested area where supply now exceeds demand.

 

I rather felt that any action now would be closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.