I Am Looking For A Mooring In The South Of London. Can You Help Me?

[martabortoli]

Hello,

I am new in the forum and I hope someone can help me.

 

I am in the process of buying a boat without engine and without mooring.

My and my bf we are already fantasizing about how to make it a super cool house, however I need to find a place where to put it by August.

I am looking for a place in the South of London within a marina or just at the end of a piece of land owned by a farmer. Would that be possible or am I a dreamer ?

 

 

Thank you so much

 

 

 

boat size: 42'x10'

[Lady Muck]

Your main problem will be the lack of rivers or canals in South London. There is South Dock Marina on the Thames, I think there is a waiting list. Then you either need to think about heading out to Kent and the Medway, or West on the Thames to the likes of Penton hook marina.

[Wanted]

I think you may have more luck north of the river.. Unless your boat is shallow enough for the quaggy?

[Starcoaster]

Your main problem will be the lack of rivers or canals in South London.

But other than that..?

[lampini]

Your main problem will be the lack of rivers or canals in South London. There is South Dock Marina on the Thames, I think there is a waiting list. Then you either need to think about heading out to Kent and the Medway, or West on the Thames to the likes of Penton hook marina.

Can confirm about a min 5 year waiting list for South Dock Marina..

 

And I live round the corner from Deptford Creek - it's full!

[Peter X]

As the man on the spot, I beg to differ. South London is seriously lacking in farmers, but has a multitude of attractions including a genuine bit of canal. Here it is:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betts_Park

It's only about 100 yards long, and not connected to any other waterway, but it is in water and there's even a slipway there which might be handy to get a boat in. Also, it's very handy for Anerley Station and lots of other transport links, and your lack of an engine would not be a problem. You won't need a CRT licence, but would need to negotiate permission to moor with the canal's owner and navigation authority, the London Borough of Bromley. I suggest you phone 020 8464 3333 and ask for the Parks Department; good luck with that.

 

There would be some other problems:

It's heavily tree-lined so solar panels wouldn't be much use, however you may be able to organise a shoreline from one of the hundreds of flats overlooking the canal. Conversely, if you make a lot of smoke or run a generator, you might be annoying a lot of people.

There's no pumpout so you must go for cassette, and it's a long walk to the nearest Elsan point.

I strongly advise you to schedule the craning-in operation for dawn on a Sunday morning, as you will need to close the Anerley Road. As with any main road in London, blocking it at any other time could quickly generate a big traffic jam. In fact, given the low down shaded location, and the cut-backs in park staff, you might find that if you paint your boat in a dark green camouflage pattern and sneak it in before dawn, you could get away with CM'ing for months before you're spotted.

 

On the plus side, if you and you bf plan to have children, you won't just be near the park, you'll be IN it.

[MtB]

Excellent post there from Peter X...!

 

For completeness, here is a photo showing the whole of the surviving Croydon Canal...

 

I'm vaguely surprised it isn't already full of CMers...

[Peter X]

Actually Mike, there's also South Norwood Lake, which supplied the summit pound with water, if we can count that as part of the canal. Ironically that does have boats on it as far as I remember, I think people sail dinghies on it.

 

I might be the only person on the forum who's "done" the Croydon Canal. When I was about 11 and it was drained for a while me and my friend Nigel walked down the slipway and along the bed (it's concrete not mud). Because it was there.

I've never seen a boat of any sort on it, but if someone can bring a little rubber dinghy it would be fun to have a go...

[mark99]

Frankly you are a dreamer as you mentioned in your first post.

 

If you have already bought the boat then words fail me.

 

Look at this map.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=inland+waterways+map&espv=2&biw=1536&bih=758&tbm=isch&imgil=MkRBt_Wnu2c8MM%253A%253B_LkLIbUijqPNGM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.jim-shead.com%25252Fwaterways%25252FInland-Waterways-of-England.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=MkRBt_Wnu2c8MM%253A%252C_LkLIbUijqPNGM%252C_&dpr=1.25&usg=__1aj2wWPjVt2gPw_LZAi2OPWtfKc%3D&ved=0CEsQyjc&ei=XVSCVf26HuLa7AbgiK74BA#imgrc=MkRBt_Wnu2c8MM%253A%3B_LkLIbUijqPNGM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.jim-shead.com%252Fwaterways%252FCanalMap.gif%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.jim-shead.com%252Fwaterways%252FInland-Waterways-of-England.html%3B1200%3B1549&usg=__1aj2wWPjVt2gPw_LZAi2OPWtfKc%3D

 

 

Note almost a complete absence of Inland waterways south of Thames; and as for residential moorings in London? very expensive and rare. There are some new ones on Grand Union but West/North West London.

Edited June 18, 2015 by mark99

[Dave_P]

A friend of mine has a mooring in South dock. Here's how he jumped the queue.

1. Bought narrowboat.

2. Bought 2nd boat in South dock with it's mooring.

3. Sold 2nd boat without mooring.

4. Moved narrowboat onto mooring.

To the OP, you've been watching too much George Clark, Kevin McCloud and reading too many lifestyle magazines, when you should have been reading this forum.

 

You have a steep learning curve ahead and need to do a lot of research.

[BenC]

Hello,

I am new in the forum and I hope someone can help me.

 

I am in the process of buying a boat without engine and without mooring.

My and my bf we are already fantasizing about how to make it a super cool house, however I need to find a place where to put it by August.

I am looking for a place in the South of London within a marina or just at the end of a piece of land owned by a farmer. Would that be possible or am I a dreamer ?

 

 

Thank you so much

 

 

 

boat size: 42'x10'

 

I'm not sure that you have any idea of the cost of London moorings! If you are looking at a cheap way of building your dream, to own your own place and live in London, good luck to you. You might be able to build the accommodation and the hull for X amount of money, but the mooring will cost so much more, you'll wish you never bothered.

You only have to look at some of the posts on here with regards to the way the CaRT auction moorings have rocketed over the past few years. Boating is not what it was. We just left our mooring of 6 years, We paid CaRT £120 a month and the land owners (Well actually they lease the land from CaRT on a long term lease that's attached to the property deeds for around £270 a year!) They were paid £250 a month, Not a bad deal really, considering we had 2 full length boats. On handing in our notice, our landlords told us that they were just about to increase our rent to £795 a month!!!!!!!!! No shore line, no water, no rubbish or Elsan disposal, no address, Oh and we built the mooring, there was nothing there before we took it over.

Sorry for sounding negative, but boating has changed in recent years, certainly in the South, its becoming an expensive way of life that like a lot of things makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.

But good luck!

 

Oh and if you try Peter X's suggestion

[Phil Ambrose]

Oh dear, another dreams who ha plunged in without any thought to the practicalities of making their dream a reality, not even close. All I can see in the near future is grief.

Did you not do any research at all? have you considered the practicalities such as you will need to go and fill your water tank maybe every 10 days, your toilet cassette will need emptying VERY often, you will need to haul everything from coal to groceries down a towpath and occasionally heavy awkward gas bottles.

Living on a boat is not all beer and skittles, I speak from living aboard for 15 years, don't get me wrong I reckon it's a great lifestyle but doing it does take some thought and effort.

Good luck Phil

[Alan de Enfield]

Did you not do any research at all? have you considered the practicalities such as you will need to go and fill your water tank maybe every 10 days, your toilet cassette will need emptying VERY often, you will need to haul everything from coal to groceries down a towpath and occasionally heavy awkward gas bottles.

 

 

Are you suggesting that "Martabortoli" will not be able to connect her boat to the water supply, connect it to the electrical supply, connect it to the sewage system, or connect it to the Gas Main ?

 

This is London in the 21st century you know.

 

Are you seriously suggesting that as she will be unable to move the boat (no engine) she will have to carry water containers every day to top up the boat tank, and every couple of days take the 'bucket' of sewage somewhere to empty it ?

 

Perish the thought - who would want to live like that ?

[valrene9600]

Excellent post there from Peter X...!

 

For completeness, here is a photo showing the whole of the surviving Croydon Canal...

 

I'm vaguely surprised it isn't already full of CMers...

Just give Whilton time to include it in their sales talk.

[Dave Clinton]

Oh dear, another dreams who ha plunged in without any thought to the practicalities of making their dream a reality, not even close. All I can see in the near future is grief.

Did you not do any research at all? have you considered the practicalities such as you will need to go and fill your water tank maybe every 10 days, your toilet cassette will need emptying VERY often, you will need to haul everything from coal to groceries down a towpath and occasionally heavy awkward gas bottles.

Living on a boat is not all beer and skittles, I speak from living aboard for 15 years, don't get me wrong I reckon it's a great lifestyle but doing it does take some thought and effort.

Good luck Phil

 

What a nasty little sneer.

 

Why on earth shouldn't the OP float an idea and see what reactions she gets. Up to your holier-than-thou post most treated it with respect. But no, you obviously started boating knowing everything, never had any off-the-wall ideas.

 

What a boring little life you must lead that your idea of entertainment is to rubbish someone's ideas.

 

Incidentally; since when has asking a question on an internet forum not come under the heading of 'research'?

[valrene9600]

Hello,

I am new in the forum and I hope someone can help me.

 

I am in the process of buying a boat without engine and without mooring.

My and my bf we are already fantasizing about how to make it a super cool house, however I need to find a place where to put it by August.

I am looking for a place in the South of London within a marina or just at the end of a piece of land owned by a farmer. Would that be possible or am I a dreamer ?

 

 

Thank you so much

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best put the sale on hold, you have a lot of research to do.

Best you p

 

 

boat size: 42'x10'

Edited June 18, 2015 by valrene9600

[blackrose]

Incidentally; since when has asking a question on an internet forum not come under the heading of 'research'?

Yes, it's research, but it might come under the sub-heading of "inadequate and belated research" if they've already bought the boat, which seems a possibility looking at the original post.

Edited June 18, 2015 by blackrose

[valrene9600]

As you might have realised your dream is going to be hard to achieve. I think the nearest you might get to that dream is a boat with an engine so you can move about.

Keep asking the questions and you will get some links to show how difficult hour dream is. Not impossible but needs some planning.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

 

What a nasty little sneer.

 

Why on earth shouldn't the OP float an idea and see what reactions she gets. Up to your holier-than-thou post most treated it with respect. But no, you obviously started boating knowing everything, never had any off-the-wall ideas.

 

What a boring little life you must lead that your idea of entertainment is to rubbish someone's ideas.

 

Incidentally; since when has asking a question on an internet forum not come under the heading of 'research'?

Hi Dave,

I'm not sure that Phil's comments where designd to be so much a sneer, But reading the OP, it does appear that to actually be in the process of buying a Sizable boat, with NO engine, AND have to find a South London Mooring in say 50 ish days is a big ask.

And because it's got no engine, and could possibly be on a River or Canal somewhere, I think the Practicality of Shopping, Toilet, Gas Water ETC that Phil spoke about,,,,Does need major consideration.

Just saying.

But to the OP Welcome, and Good Luck. Keep us posted.

[Dave Clinton]

Yes, it's research, but it might come under the sub-heading of "inadequate and belated research" if they've already bought the boat, which seems a possibility looking at the original post.

 

Possibly, though she wouldn't be the first.

 

It could also come under the process: 1. we want to go boating / live on a boat (tick) 2. Where shall we put it (research).

 

Necessity is the mother of invention and for instance, the nugget in Lady Muck's post might go missing in the general old men's guffaws, i.e. the Medway is still pretty easy to live on.

[Lady Muck]

What a nasty little sneer.

 

Why on earth shouldn't the OP float an idea and see what reactions she gets. Up to your holier-than-thou post most treated it with respect. But no, you obviously started boating knowing everything, never had any off-the-wall ideas.

 

What a boring little life you must lead that your idea of entertainment is to rubbish someone's ideas.

 

Incidentally; since when has asking a question on an internet forum not come under the heading of 'research'?

This. Its not an unusual question, either believe it or not!

[Dave Clinton]

Hi Dave,

I'm not sure that Phil's comments where designd to be so much a sneer, But reading the OP, it does appear that to actually be in the process of buying a Sizable boat, with NO engine, AND have to find a South London Mooring in say 50 ish days is a big ask.

And because it's got no engine, and could possibly be on a River or Canal somewhere, I think the Practicality of Shopping, Toilet, Gas Water ETC that Phil spoke about,,,,Does need major consideration.

Just saying.

But to the OP Welcome, and Good Luck. Keep us posted.

 

 

I am sure most of us are on boats because we are dreamers and because we have, at some stage, glossed over the practicalities. for instance I could be surprised the north pole was discovered - who would want to go there, the cold, no food etc etc.

 

You are at least encouraging.

 

I am sure if this was a conversation in real life Phil would at least be polite rather than take out his backache on someone asking innocent questions.

[onionbargee]

Start praying.

[Jamboat]

Am I the only one who thinks this might be a wind up ?

[GUMPY]

Am I the only one who thinks this might be a wind up ?

No, after I picked myself up off the floor I reached the same conclusion.

 

ETA

To keep CP happy and be positive Brighton Marina is about as close as you will get a mooring directly south of London

Edited June 18, 2015 by Loddon