First in a series of possibly dumb questions!!! - Seasonal Moorings

[Ex-Member]

Ok so we have put the deposit down on a boat, subject to survey which is in hand, and expect to 'own' it by the end of the month. I have a number of questions so I will keep them separate and appreciate any advice/comments.

 

Firstly moorings: we won't be residential nor constant cruisers but we do expect to use the boat throughout the year anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks (or more) at a time. I realise I need a mooring but as I don't need it all year is there anyway round this? i.e. Other than somewhere to keep the car I am not sure about paying for 12mths when I may realsitically only use it for 4 (not necessarily consecutive)

 

I trust I have explained that ok?

[Tony Brooks]

I suspect that depends on how long you will be leaving the boat unattended and when.

 

Many marinas offer short term moorings as and when they have space - when their regular moorers are away cruising. Expect to pay between £50 and £100 per week but do not expect to be able to do this for periods of several weeks or during the winter when the regular berth holders will be back.

 

If you intend to only be a way for less than 14 days you could always just leave it tied up to the towpath somewhere and get a taxi to the car/station. However I would never do this with just the normal pins to secure it - they pull out too easily.

 

CaRT offer winter towpath moorings but these days they do not seem much cheaper than those in a marina.

[MtB]

Somewhere secure to leave the car while you are away on the boat is a primary benefit of renting a mooring!

[john6767]

Whilst you could get cleaver and just get a winter mooring or something like that, I would say that many people have a marina mooring that is little or not used in the summer, often with their car left there all summer whilst they are out on the boat. Why don't you think about taking a marina mooring for the first year whilst you get the hang of things and then decide what to do after that.

[ditchcrawler]

Somewhere secure to leave the car while you are away on the boat is a primary benefit of renting a mooring!

Agree

[Sea Dog]

I suppose there's a chance you may be able to dip in and out of an unpopular marina where they're grateful to have the extra business, but I'd be surprised to learn of anywhere remotely good that would let you use them as a base without paying to reserve your space over the longer term. I use my boat for trips of 2 or three months as well as plenty of shorter ones, so not too dissimilar to your projections, and I didn't expect anything other than to have to have a full-time berth (and parking as mentioned above). Plenty of folks continuously cruise and plenty have winter berths only, of course, but it doesn't sound like you'll be anywhere close to doing that. As probably the single biggest recurring cost, was an annual mooring fee not a figure in your workings out before you took the plunge?

[Dave Payne]

Maybe consider an offside mooring, private or via the crt website.

[ditchcrawler]

Ok so we have put the deposit down on a boat, subject to survey which is in hand, and expect to 'own' it by the end of the month. I have a number of questions so I will keep them separate and appreciate any advice/comments.

 

Firstly moorings: we won't be residential nor constant cruisers but we do expect to use the boat throughout the year anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks (or more) at a time. I realise I need a mooring but as I don't need it all year is there anyway round this? i.e. Other than somewhere to keep the car I am not sure about paying for 12mths when I may realsitically only use it for 4 (not necessarily consecutive)

 

I trust I have explained that ok?

Whereabouts are you hoping to be based

[Ex-Member]

Somewhere secure to leave the car while you are away on the boat is a primary benefit of renting a mooring!

Yup....appreciate that

. As probably the single biggest recurring cost, was an annual mooring fee not a figure in your workings out before you took the plunge?

Absolutely the cost of moorings was factored in. I just wondered if there was an alternative, as we won't actually be in the marina that much, before I commit.

Why don't you think about taking a marina mooring for the first year whilst you get the hang of things and then decide what to do after that.

Well I think that is what we originally planned, I don't want just a winter mooring as we want to be able to visit and stay on the boat (maybe even venture out) and from what I can gather 'winter moorings' don't allow that.

Whereabouts are you hoping to be based

Well the boat is a Crick and the marina say they may have moorings, as do most in that area which is where we initially want to be. Although it is a 2 1/2 hr journey we thing it is a more central area that some which are closer to home.

[Sea Dog]

Look on it as a balance. When you're using your boat, you're making the most of your investment in it and having fun. When you're not using your boat, you're not getting your money's worth out of it, but you are at least getting best value from your mooring fees!

[magpie patrick]

Somewhere secure to leave the car while you are away on the boat is a primary benefit of renting a mooring!

 

Indeed! If you compare to other long term parking options that are as secure it's not that expensive either!

 

Edited to add: I've never had much trouble finding a mooring for a few weeks so long as I'm not too fussy, for example I wanted one between Napton and Banbury for five weeks which happened to coincide with the Cropredy Festival, but Fenny Compton had space. Had I not been willing to look at a length of about twenty five miles of canal, I might have struggled.

Edited October 9, 2016 by magpie patrick

[ditchcrawler]

Yup....appreciate that

Absolutely the cost of moorings was factored in. I just wondered if there was an alternative, as we won't actually be in the marina that much, before I commit.

Well I think that is what we originally planned, I don't want just a winter mooring as we want to be able to visit and stay on the boat (maybe even venture out) and from what I can gather 'winter moorings' don't allow that.

Well the boat is a Crick and the marina say they may have moorings, as do most in that area which is where we initially want to be. Although it is a 2 1/2 hr journey we thing it is a more central area that some which are closer to home.

Expensive area I would say, how about Lime tree farm, Napton Holt Farm or Barby Marina?

Edited October 9, 2016 by ditchcrawler

[Sea Dog]

Although it is a 2 1/2 hr journey we thing it is a more central area that some which are closer to home.

Sensible move in my book and similar to me - although I do start in Devon so I'm not exactly spoilt for local water choices! Also nice to have accommodation in a different part of the country, particularly when travelling to events and suchlike.

[Ex-Member]

Expensive area I would say, how about Lime tree farm, Napton Holt Farm or Barby Marina?

Have emailed Limetree, will check out Napton, but Barby! wasn't there some kind of scandal? and is it Ok now?

[dogless]

We take the car home and use public transport to get to the boat (once any luggage etc is onboard). That way, the car is secure and we are only paying for moorings as and when we need them, and of course in whatever area we happen to be in.

 

The only disadvantage is that we can only take moorings where public transport is available (so we can get back for the car).

 

Of course, when we had dogs this proved much more awkward. One of us had to go for the car, then drive back for the other and the dogs. However it was still cheaper than paying for a twelve month mooring you will not use.

 

Rog

[patty-ann]

Have emailed Limetree, will check out Napton, but Barby! wasn't there some kind of scandal? and is it Ok now?

I used Barby and it seemed OK though does get very muddy there...would just say watch which mooring if u go for Barby as some are very tight to get out and its somewhat in the open so need to factor in the winds.

[ditchcrawler]

We take the car home and use public transport to get to the boat (once any luggage etc is onboard). That way, the car is secure and we are only paying for moorings as and when we need them, and of course in whatever area we happen to be in.

 

The only disadvantage is that we can only take moorings where public transport is available (so we can get back for the car).

 

Of course, when we had dogs this proved much more awkward. One of us had to go for the car, then drive back for the other and the dogs. However it was still cheaper than paying for a twelve month mooring you will not use.

 

Rog

For me the train journey would take between 10 and 12 hours, cost £100 on top of a 4.5 hour car drive there and then back home. so thats 2 days on each end of the holiday and about £250, I think I will just pay for the mooring for 12 months as I would still have to pay for it when the boat is there at say £10 a night

[Tony Brooks]

Well the boat is a Crick and the marina say they may have moorings, as do most in that area which is where we initially want to be. Although it is a 2 1/2 hr journey we thing it is a more central area that some which are closer to home.

 

 

If you are looking in that area talk to Calcutt. You may find them a little cheaper and they may be half an hour nearer to Wales. Very friendly will all services on site.

 

 

[bizzard]

 

 

If you are looking in that area talk to Calcutt. You may find them a little cheaper and they may be half an hour nearer to Wales. Very friendly will all services on site.

 

 

The chap on a boat moored in front of me ordered an alternator from Calcutt for a BMC 1.8. I told him to order an A127 for it. When it arrived and I went to fit it it was 45amp Lucas Prestolite ACR, £60 odd quid. It was also the wrong hand, left hand instead of right hand. I couldn't believe it. All the BMC 1.5, 1.8 diesels and also the BMC B and A series petrol engine use right handed, all mounted in the same position. Surely Calcutt should have known that. I ordered a correct A127 from Ebay and fitted it as he couldn't be bothered to send it back and b-----k them. If anyone needs a Lucas- Prestolite l/h 45amp ACR he wants £45 for it.

[Ex-Member]

 

 

If you are looking in that area talk to Calcutt. You may find them a little cheaper and they may be half an hour nearer to Wales. Very friendly will all services on site.

 

 

Yes I have thanks their costs are about 2500, top of the list so far is Venton Marina & Fenny Marina both about 250

We take the car home and use public transport to get to the boat (once any luggage etc is onboard). That way, the car is secure and we are only paying for moorings as and when we need them, and of course in whatever area we happen to be in.

 

The only disadvantage is that we can only take moorings where public transport is available (so we can get back for the car).

 

Of course, when we had dogs this proved much more awkward. One of us had to go for the car, then drive back for the other and the dogs. However it was still cheaper than paying for a twelve month mooring you will not use.

 

Rog

thanks for that,,, Ihave though perhaps an hire car whcih you can drop off at a different place from where you pick up.

[ditchcrawler]

Yes I have thanks their costs are about 2500, top of the list so far is Venton Marina & Fenny Marina both about 250

thanks for that,,, Ihave though perhaps an hire car whcih you can drop off at a different place from where you pick up.

Enterprise is your best bet for that, we use them when we move marinas and have to get back to pick our car up. About £30-£35 per day if you take it back to where you get it from but extra for one way, about an extra £20 from what I can remember. They will drop you off or pick you up at the boat. Holt Farm would be less.http://www.naptonholtfarm.co.uk/

[bizzard]

Enterprise is your best bet for that, we use them when we move marinas and have to get back to pick our car up. About £30-£35 per day if you take it back to where you get it from but extra for one way, about an extra £20 from what I can remember. They will drop you off or pick you up at the boat. Holt Farm would be less.http://www.naptonholtfarm.co.uk/

Enterprise? surely a sailing dinghy would be slower than a car, especially against the wind.

[Ex-Member]

Whilst you could get cleaver and just get a winter mooring or something like that, I would say that many people have a marina mooring that is little or not used in the summer, often with their car left there all summer whilst they are out on the boat. Why don't you think about taking a marina mooring for the first year whilst you get the hang of things and then decide what to do after gt

great minds think alike,,,,,,,we need to get afeel for things,,,we do not want winter moorings because it will be used and when spring bekons the world will be our lobster!

[Ex-Member]

I guess we could always by a Smart car and tow it on a pontoon??

[SimonM]

I guess we could always by a Smart car and tow it on a pontoon??

Or a Renault Twizzy and strap it on the roof