Posted by Greywing on
URL: https://forum.seahawk17.org.uk/The-escalating-cost-of-berthing-tp4025484.html

Poor Puffin is in a perilous state. I haven't posted for some years now, but after sailing around the Broads for a couple of years, along came COVID and a lack of interest to boot. I got fed up with trailing Puffin to a slip, upping the mast and rigging etc, just to take it all down several hours later and trail her home. So I looked to moor her permanently at Martham. Then of course, I got fed up with sailing on Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere, but could not pass under Potter Higham bridge without more mast lowering. So I moved to Brundall Gardens Marina, where the minimum length payment was 28 feet!
It became obvious that the cost of mooring way exceeded the enjoyment of sailing once a fortnight, which was only occasionally the best I could achieve, so the result has been a jammed keel, and a rather unfortunate accident where my 4 hp mariner outboard decided to jam in max revs, no response from the gear lever, whereupon I smacked into the end of a pontoon and punched a hole through the hull on a metal I-beam sticking out from the end! Luckily it was above the waterline! So after cancelling my expensive stay, I brought Puffin back home and it has languished here ever since. Yes, I probably could have moored it much much cheaper up at North end of Hickling, but it was so far away.
I suppose what I'm really moaning about is the ridiculous charges being made for small boats these days. It is no longer viable in my view. I also have a 30 foot motor sailor currently in refit, but dread berthing it for I know I'll be in for at least £1500 a year minimum. It's an expensive pastime.
So what am I going to do with Puffin? Seal up the keel, get rid of the mast, sails and outboard and convert it to an electric runabout with a sola panel over the cockpit. Unless I get an offer over £100.
Anyone like to comment?