I've just saved £1111 !!!

[Southern Star]

Over £3,000 a year seems like a lot to pay for a leisure mooring to me? My boat is only 41' and I pay £1476 but mooring for a 57' boat would only be £2052 @ £36 per foot per annum at Brinklow.

 

But anyway, hope all goes well with the camper van Dave and with your wife's mobility issues then the money aspect doesn't really come into it, and there's all of Europe to explore if you want.

[Neil2]

Anyone who seriously adds up the cost of boating, actually anyone who even considers it, shouldn't really own a boat.

 

If you're thinking about how much it's costing you are missing the point, big time.

[Delta9]

Anyone who seriously adds up the cost of boating, actually anyone who even considers it, shouldn't really own a boat.

 

If you're thinking about how much it's costing you are missing the point, big time.

What a daft thing to say. Most people don't have an unlimited source of money so they need to add up the costs to see if they can afford it...

[Athy]

What a daft thing to say. Most people don't have an unlimited source of money so they need to add up the costs to see if they can afford it...

Not daft at all unless you are a liveaboard. As a leisure activity it is not cheap, and leisure boaters must cut their coat according to their cloth.

[ditchcrawler]

Of course, it depends how many nights you spend away from home on the boat or in the motorhome.

 

Cost of overnight mooring on the boat £0.

 

Cost of overnight parking in the motorhome, say £10 minimum? Probably more.

.

Still cheaper than boating but every night out reduces the savings.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Layby's the same as CCing

[scrunch]

Do you get free pitch fees for your camper cheapest I've had up to now was 70.00 week a lot dearer than my moorings

[furnessvale]

Layby's the same as CCing

I have always believed that overnighting in laybys, especially in "nice" places such as Cornwall, the Lake District or many seaside places is very much frowned upon and will earn you a 3am knock up.

 

If that is not the case, I may have to change my views on caravanning.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[scrunch]

Must stop posting from my phone takes forever to load

[Guest]

I have always believed that overnighting in laybys, especially in "nice" places such as Cornwall, the Lake District or many seaside places is very much frowned upon and will earn you a 3am knock up.

 

If that is not the case, I may have to change my views on caravanning.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

It is frowned upon and often it's actually illeagal. Of course that is not to say some people don't do it.

 

That is not to say free 'wild camping' can't be done legally it's just difficult to do within the law and especially on or near the public highway.

Edited January 17, 2015 by The Dog House

[scrunch]

Also do not drink if your going to stop in a layby drunk in charge of a vehicle and obviously if your told to move off you can't

[Neil2]

I have always believed that overnighting in laybys, especially in "nice" places such as Cornwall, the Lake District or many seaside places is very much frowned upon and will earn you a 3am knock up.

 

If that is not the case, I may have to change my views on caravanning.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Absolutely, and not just laybys either. It's a little irresponsible to suggest that this sort of freedom exists in England, it doesn't. North of the Border it is somewhat different but by and large if you have a motorhome or caravan you are constrained by having to keep to recognised sites and in the popular areas in summer this will involve a lot of forward planning.

[mark99]

Just remind me how many litres per hour of fuel the motor home uses?

[Neil2]

Anyone who seriously adds up the cost of boating, actually anyone who even considers it, shouldn't really own a boat.

 

If you're thinking about how much it's costing you are missing the point, big time.

 

What a daft thing to say. Most people don't have an unlimited source of money so they need to add up the costs to see if they can afford it...

 

Obviously you have to make an informed decision about where on the spectrum of boat ownership you want to be, but the point is, whether it's buying a boat, going to the pub or starting a family, if you really want something you will find the money for it. Most people don't live their lives by working out how much spare cash they have and then deciding what to do with it, maybe you are different.

 

But my overall point is that basically if you are having fun you don't think about how much you're spending and if you do, you aren't having fun! Clearly it is the reason the OP has decided to quit boating.

[Southern Star]

I have always believed that overnighting in laybys, especially in "nice" places such as Cornwall, the Lake District or many seaside places is very much frowned upon and will earn you a 3am knock up.

 

If that is not the case, I may have to change my views on caravanning.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Unless there is some type of restriction on parking displayed, I can't see that this would be so. I spend 4-5 nights a week away from home in my articulated lorry, which is a lot larger than a motorhome, in lay-bys or on industrial estates, and I've never once in 28 years been woken up and told to move.

 

Additionally, it is not automatically an offence to be over the drink-drive limit, if you can reasonably prove that there was no likelihood of moving the vehicle while you remained over the limit. This would be slightly easier for me to prove since, if I parked up at say 20:00, my tachograph would prohibit me from moving until 05:00 at the very earliest. However, the same principle applies to a motorhomer. In any event, if it was an offence, then it would equally be an offence if parked on a campsite since a campsite, like a pub car park, is in the eyes of the law a public place since the public have access to it.

[DaveC]

Neil2, on 18 Jan 2015 - 08:45 AM, said:

 

 

 

 

But my overall point is that basically if you are having fun you don't think about how much you're spending and if you do, you aren't having fun! Clearly it is the reason the OP has decided to quit boating.

 

You are wrong there. We weren't concerned about the cost of our boating, it was purely due to mobility that we gave up.

 

Dave

[furnessvale]

Just remind me how many litres per hour of fuel the motor home uses?

To be fair, how many miles would you cover in that hour, but we digress.

 

I love my boat and get great pleasure cruising along at 3mph (if I am lucky) and after a day's cruising tying up 20 minutes drive from my home.

 

If I wanted a movable cottage so I could visit other places more quickly I would consider a motorhome or caravan but they are not ends in themselves as my boat is.

 

If I wanted to visit other places without the hassle, I would stay B & B or a full hotel, as indeed I do as required.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Edited January 18, 2015 by furnessvale

[mark99]

If the original point of the post is about economics, then all costs are relevant. 50 quids worth of fuel gives me a decent choice of leisure time in a boat. In a motor home not so.

Anyway good luck to the op. I've often looked at the motor home as a potential. .... just have not got the time for both!

Edited January 18, 2015 by mark99

[Donald Gilchrist]

Having a bus pass means it's no longer worth running behind buses - I just get on them. Still worth running behind taxis though.

When I'm driving a bus I often see people running behind, never worked out why.

[Neil2]

 

You are wrong there. We weren't concerned about the cost of our boating, it was purely due to mobility that we gave up.

 

Dave

That statement does seem to contradict your original post.

[raymondh]

If the original point of the post is about economics, then all costs are relevant. 50 quids worth of fuel gives me a decent choice of leisure time in a boat. In a motor home not so.

 

Anyway good luck to the op. I've often looked at the motor home as a potential. .... just have not got the time for both!

Depends where you live? if in the Isle of Man you can have 6 months of free camping in designated motorhome .camping areas, watch the worlds best motorcycle races again for free as well as being in one of the most wonderful areas for history, beaches, fishing,cycling,walking, eating etc

Down side for us is the £240 ferry fare but for £50 fuel its only £290 or less than £100 a month for us as we only stay for three months

 

Same if you live close to Dover once over into France motorhome "camping" is mainly FOC on the network of over 2000 "aires" lots of which are located on the canal/riverside some even sharinfg the facilities with those provided for boats

 

We are retired so do both boat and van, neither is "best" but both enjoyable

 

REgards Ray

[jam]

I have always believed that overnighting in laybys, especially in "nice" places such as Cornwall, the Lake District or many seaside places is very much frowned upon and will earn you a 3am knock up.

 

If that is not the case, I may have to change my views on caravanning.

George ex nb Alton retired

Overnighting is frowned upon within laybys in England and Wales and of course what is the pleasure of being wedged between lorries for the night?

 

The only place for freedom in the UK is Scotland where the byelaws allow camping in any public areas with a few exceptions.

 

Of course where the motorhome comes into its own is France where there are thousands of official overnight stops for free or a couple of Euros.

[Southern Star]

Overnighting is frowned upon within laybys in England and Wales and of course what is the pleasure of being wedged between lorries for the night?

 

 

There's no such thing in Law as parking in a lay-by being "frowned upon", it's either legal or it isn't. And those lorry drivers (I'm one myself) are simply doing the same as the motorhomer, the only difference being that they are being paid £26.18 tax-free for their night in the lay-by.

[Neil2]

If you are parked overnight in a lay by you are on the public highway and the police can do you for obstruction if they see fit.

 

The chances are if you are within a National Park the police will at the very least ask you to move on. Especially if you have got out the camping chairs and the barbecue...

 

 

 

 

 

[Laurie Booth]

There's no such thing in Law as parking in a lay-by being "frowned upon", it's either legal or it isn't. And those lorry drivers (I'm one myself) are simply doing the same as the motorhomer, the only difference being that they are being paid £26.18 tax-free for their night in the lay-by.

Tax free, how is that done and who pays the £26.18?

[Athy]

Presumably it's allowable expenses?