At the end of the day it will be tax yield that decides the issue, you make a good point about VAT etc, perhaps someone with a better grasp of the facts and figures that you and I (eg the RYA) should make more of this.

That said I am not sure that it will be true that tax yield will drop - why? Because we are a pretty apathetic and pragmatic race and the liklihood is that a lot of people will just shrug their shoulders and carry on (perhaps cutting down on their cruising distances but still owning boats).

It will take a MASS exodus of boaters to reduce the tax yield and that will just not happen. There will be casualties and victims, namely the family boaters who try to fund their hobby from their earnings. I am afraid that their numbers will not influence an election so they don't count to the politicians.

Please be aware that my cynicism is aimed at the politicians and not at this campaign, I just think that it is already a done deal and the responses you are getting from MPS, government etc are just their normal smokescreens.

Regards

Martyn

Living the dream