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moorings are a well kept secret?

Ally Charlton

By Ally Charlton
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Ally Charlton Engager

Ally Charlton

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Hi everyone

 

(just introduced myself on the newbies page should you have a burning desire!)

 

I know someone posted this question previously and I checked out the replies, and only a couple of names were suggested, Im not sure if Im missing something, but Im searching for residential moorings with facilities in commutable distance of Birmingham. Checked out canal river trust and thus far have found these potentials:

 

Witheymoor island trust - Netherton

Lyons boatyard - B14

Coombeswood canal trust - Halesowen

Copt Heath Wharf - Solihull

Alvechurch - worcestershire

 

I know this cant be all there is. (for starters my parents had a mooring at Ocker Hill in Tipton), and gas street isn't coming up either

 

Isn't there somewhere that holds all listings? Where should I be searching to find a comprehensive list?

 

many thanks

 

ally

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canals are us? Rising Star

canals are us?Donate to Canal World

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I'm 45 minutes from Brum moored at Barton Marina, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire.

 

It's residential and I find it conveniant and a nice base.

 

Alvechurch Marina wasn't officially residential and had no availability 6 months ago when I was looking.

 

Jamescheers.gif

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junior Veteran

junior

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Residential mooring quite often pop up on the auction site for Engine Arm which I believe is IN Birmingham. Also seen Hockley Port on there although I can't remember is they were residential or not. If you Google "engine arm moorings", you will find old links to the vacancies on the CRT auction site. That will give you an idea of the facilities there and if you click on 'bid history' you will see how much the winning bidder got it for.

 

There is also a boat yard in Birmingham that has residential moorings although I can't for the life of me think what it's called at the moment. Sherborne Wharf maybe?

 

Also, if there are certain things you can do without I.e, postal address (use friends) and being on an electoral roll, you can un-officially get away with 'living' on a CRT leisure mooring usually. It's a bit harder in marinas but some will turn a blind eye if you keep your head down.

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Ally Charlton Engager

Ally Charlton

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Thanks again for your suggestions. Today went to pelsall boat rally, heard different things about the availability of residential moorings generally. one person a longstanding liveaboard in the area said that they are like "hens teeth" (and I quote), then I spoke to the president or the RBOA (lovely guy, thanks to him and his lovely wife) who said that five years ago they were rare, but that now the situation has improved. Someone else said that you can have moorings which are not officially residential but provided "you are not a nuisance" you can stay there for many many months. Does anyone know what he's talking about? (thanks so much for your replies, by the way, you've no idea what a help they are)

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Odana Rising Star

Odana

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We are at Hockley Port - fantastic little oasis a mile and a half out of the centre of Bham.It is residential and there should be a 45-50 ft mooringsgoing up for auction soon. The site isn't accessible by the public so if you want to look, pm me and I can let you in evenings or this weekend.Engine Arm also in Smethwick.

 

If you go on the waterscape auctions site and look at finished auctions it should give you an idea of locations and past prices.

 

Sherborne Wharf in the centre is expensive, a bit ram packed but v convenient and is many peoples 'starter' mooring while they look for something long term.

Re unofficial resi. moorings. Many moorings don't have planning permission to be formally residential but actually people live on their boats. If you ring a marina don't ask if they do residential, ask if they have restrictions on how long per week/month/year moorers can stay on.their boats. Many marinas might not want to answer this question too directly over the phone in case they are being snooped on.

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Dave_P Veteran

Dave_PDonate to Canal World

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I live in Gas Street Basin and it's my sad duty to inform you that a mooring auction here finished yesterday, going for the reserve price! As has been said before, the 'residential mooring' vs 'leisure mooring' thing is a bit of a red herring. Tghere are plenty of ways to live on a boat and have a leisure mooring. Some involve bending the rules, some don't. For example: I live aboard. I have a leisure mooring. I cruise enough of the time to mean that whilst I'm residential on my boat, I'm not residential on my mooring. Does that make sense?

 

There are other moorings which come up from time to time around Birmingham. I hear on the grapevine that Lady Lane Wharf at Earlswood has moorings available now. And I'm pretty sure that Lyons does too. I'm also fairly sure that these aren't officially residential but plenty of people live there and "keep their heads down" and "don't rock the boat" - excuse the pun.

 

Ally - feel free to pop down to Gas Street Basin for a natter. We're a generally friendly bunch here.

 

Finally, this part of Odana's post is spot on - "If you ring a marina don't ask if they do residential, ask if they have restrictions on how long per week/month/year moorers can stay on.their boats. Many marinas might not want to answer this question too directly over the phone in case they are being snooped on." Or better still, don't bring it up at all. If it's something the marina / boatyard is bothered about, they will raise it with you. Asking lots of questions like this will just make them wary. I had a friend who wanted to buy a boat and liveabout near Warwick and despite my warnings she phoned every mooring site in a 20 mile radius and they all said 'no residential' so she decided not to bother even though she knows people who live aboard, 'under the radar'.

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Ally Charlton Engager

Ally Charlton

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thanks to laurie and dave for suggesting lady lane. I actually have a long list of moorings to check now and Lady Lane is at the top of it, planning to go tomorrow if I get chance. And dave would love to come to gas street, thanks for this, even if there are no moorings I learn so much just from having a conversation with someone who has experience. sent you a PM

 

Incidentally what's the advantage/disadvantage of "feeder arm", "frontage" or "main line"?

 

Caprifool thanks for this, unfortunately don't yet have a boat to cruise in. Although I have cruised in my car to this effect, as you can expect its not terribly productive to drive around a city hoping to find a huge stretch of inland water that just happens to be up for sale.

 

I was driving from work a couple of days ago and saw a sign I think for a shop or something and it had the letters "moor" in it, I got so excited that it might be a sign for moorings I almost mounted the pavement and took out an elderly pedestrian. Doesn't bode well for steering a 60ft boat does it? sad.png

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Graham Davis Veteran

Graham Davis

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does anyone know where I can get a detailed waterways map and a detailed road map in one. Looking for moorings using the road is difficult. Satnav directions for Smethwick engine arm anyone? B66 1BA doesn't work, trust me

 

When I worked in Brum I spent ages colouring all the canals blue in my A - Z!!

At work so can't give you a reference for it, I'm afraid.

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