| monkey_trousers |
| (regular) |
| 30/04/2008 23:47 |
Pikey's afloat
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here's a curious one, just want to test the water so to speak and see what other's experiences may have been.
Just bought a lovely old fifie, she's 70 in a couple of months, structurally she is A1 (to the tune of 40k spent in the last 5 years), our plan is to bring her back further to her former glory, get the masts back on, and the wheelhouse restored to what it should look like etc. She's on the register of Historic ships and is well known an much loved in her native scotland. Now here's the thing, I'm bringing her south of the border to love, so went to the marina where I've had other stuff berthed in the past (ok modern plastic tat!), and lo and behold... the spanish inquisition!
made to feel positively like some water born gypsy that is about to offer to tarmac the marina for them.
What does she look like, what are we going to use her for, basically we don't want to spoil the view and well I guess one quote sums it up "Only once I am happy with the overall presentation could she go on a pontoon"
presentation??
wondered if anyone else has experienced such loathing of wooden boats elsewhere in favour of shiny white plastic things?
| anteak |
| (regular) |
| 01/05/2008 06:53 |
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Re: Pikey's afloat
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Take her to Northern France. They will appreciate her there.
| Chrusty1 |
| (regular) |
| 01/05/2008 06:58 |
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Re: Pikey's afloat
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Oh I think you will run into that kind of snobbery almost anywhere in the UK............Dickheads is the word that comes to mind!
| monkey_trousers |
| (regular) |
| 01/05/2008 10:02 |
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Re: Pikey's afloat
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I was rather shocked by it all, a boat that has proved herself for 70 years in the harshness of the Northern North Sea, but they can't be doing with the likes of it spoiling the view for from all the floating gin swilling platforms, most of which, I've never seen leave the marina in 10 years!. Very sad
| Chrusty1 |
| (regular) |
| 01/05/2008 10:14 |
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Re: Pikey's afloat
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I was neither shocked or surprised.....The gin swilling platforms / caravans pay them good money, and are knee deep on the waiting lists. From what I hear, a lot of marinas are trying to price out the smaller and less shiney boats, as well to make space for the higher profit plastic fantastic!
Still maybe you can take solace in this thought? If they build more marinas, and fill 'em up with all the shiny gin swilling platforms / caravans, it will make more room on the water for proper sailing folk, cos the aforementioned as you say, hardly ever go anywhere!
You could possibly without too much difficulty, find yourself a nice mud berth, and chances are that it will be very much cheaper, and more peaceful?.......I mean, do you really want to have to put up with a bunch of hooray henrys?
| Englander |
| (regular) |
| 01/05/2008 10:55 |
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Re: Pikey's afloat
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This is quite normal, I'm afraid, a few and I mean a few folk, have got old fishing boats, built houses on top of them and used them as floating houses, with dogs, kids and assorted rubbish on the pontoons, I guess this marina is just checking to see you are not that type of "fishing boat". Once they realise it's a proper job, they may well welcome you with open arms. I used to have a piccie of the boat, which Im used to send/show to folk when I was looking for moorings, as I liveaboard, they immediately think, "liveaboard" rubbish boat! I was not going to pout my boat in a mud berth, not this one anyway!
| monkey_trousers |
| (regular) |
| 01/05/2008 11:27 |
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Re: Pikey's afloat
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no chance of a mud berth on the tyne I'm afraid... there's not much mud!
It may be a blessing in disguise though. there's another marina further up the Tyne that has welcomed us with open arms, and would welcome us even more if we wanted to liveaboard, as in their words "we love liveaboards here"
the 'other' marina has plenty of available pontoons, and I hope with that attitude they stay permanently empty.
Other issues that were raised were that the plastic people don't like any commercial boats ie fishing charters, as it means the car park gets full and they have to walk an extra 25 yards to the pontoons
As annoyed as I was, I think they may have done us a favour despite us being an extra 7 miles from the sea now, as the pub up river has much better beer, and is a fair bit cheaper to boot
If anyone is interested this is our new pride and joy: http://BF494.co.uk
| tobble |
| (regular) |
| 01/05/2008 11:50 |
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Re: Pikey's afloat
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I had a similar, but but the sound of it not quite so aggressive experience whenI was looking for some where to liveaboard. When I called the marina in which I am now happily berthed, I was debating whether to metion it with my head held high, or keep quiet and hope for the best, as I know some people do. When I did mention it, the manager was friendly but laid out some clear policies, one of which was no house boats... I explained I had a little sailing boat and did actually go sailing, and they were reasonably happy. I think ideas about presentation vary from place to place. I'm always a bit worried about that as my deck needs a good paint job, and I don't get round to scrubbing her down as often as I ought, but the manager none the less told me she's 'very well kitted out' so I think he's happy.
The trouble we have is, as in so many facets of life, there are a vanishingly small minority who p1ss people off and cause these policies to be necessary. In the last placeI was at there was a guy who gave the staff a lot of hassle, never paid on time, and took to growing certain... exotic plants aboard. He got chucked out when he gave a young lady living at the marina a serious scare.
In my experience, there is very little real snobbery about living aboard, it tends to be more about your actual boat, but t's not clear which you are experiencing here. Anyway, it sounds like you've found somewhere where you'll fit in, which I think make things the most pleasant.
that's tunred into a bit of a ramble, sorry about that!
| highandry |
| (regular) |
| 01/05/2008 13:06 |
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Re: Pikey's afloat
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I think it's the old story, one or two incidents upset the system and others suffer. In the marina where I'm wintering, there is (tucked away on a berth not on public view) an old ex Admiralty tender with a couple living aboard. The vessel has fallen into almost a derelict state. To my knowledge it has almost sunk twice, at least the Fire Brigade have attended and put pumps aboard!!
Right say the marina, that's it sling your hook, contracts up, you're out.
Couple go to council...'we are being evicted, house us as we have nowhere to live'
Apparently the beginning of a nightmare for the marina who have been served notice re the eviction being not on...seems the council are now paying the mooring fees which has got to be cheaper than rehousing the live-a-boards. Last I heard it's going through the courts with yet another 6 months 'tenancy' just granted. People on the nearby pontoons (£3-4,000 a year) are not happy and that includes a bloke living on and restoring a lovely old Dutch Botter. Rumour is once this tangle is sorted..marina policy..no more live-a-boards... As a live-a-board I'm just keeping my head down until it's time to go South again. ( posted not as social comment..'cos I, with wife and new baby was once homeless, been there, got the 'T' shirt)
