Moorings

Hmmm, moorings - what can you say about them apart from they are not cheap! In the fullness of time I might try and create some kind of league table of costs. Having looked around our locality for moorings for The Cat's Whiskers we rapidly found that they are not easy to find and they are expensive! On the private side you have the choice of linear moorings (along the bank of the canal) or in a marina alongside pontoons. Strangely we found that the price does not vary that much from linear to marina mooring. Click the picture to visit Whixall marina.

Prices from 31p/ft to 45p/ft are typical (that's per week, ie a 50ft boat costs from 31p x 50 x 52 a year or £806 up to £1170). Of course these are for normal locations - if you want to moor somewhere in London its anything up to £7000 a year or more!

But can't you just moor up along the towpath? - well you can when you're cruising but unless you can spend all year on the move (fortunate people) you are going to need some kind of home.

Another point worth considering is security - lets face it you've spent a lot of money on your boat and if you don't live aboard then much of the time its sitting empty open to misfortune. Unfortunately there is an antisocial element who delight in destroying other peoples property and a narrowboat moored opposite a towpath just presents a challenge to see how many windows can be smashed.

So for us, we've decided on a marina on the Staffs and Worcs which offers the benefits of being off the canal and keyholder only access - it may not stop a determined vandal but you do what you can.

 Moorings Part II

Well now we are getting nearer the date we have paid our mooring fees and got our keys and took some pictures of where TCW will be living. Mooring 67 at the far end away from all the hustle & bustle (well ok its peaceful on all the moorings being out in the country). Not that we had that big a choice - 67 or 91! - 67 has room to leave the car nearby (handy for fitting out materials & getting to the loo if its raining! - that is until we get an operational bathroom). So here is 67:

On the left we see the mooring from the bank and on the right from the staging of mooring 68 whose occupant was conveniently out at the time - Bev is seen displaying a handy loop of chain for tying up to - The Cat's Whiskers that is - not Bev! - mind you - you never know...... The red Land Rover is where you can park - very convenient!

The Marina holds up to 100 boats and is viewed here from a footbridge which spans the entrance to the marina from the Staffs & Worcs - Bev is modelling a stunning titfer she got from the caravan and boating show at the NEC.

Thats it for now - More pictures when TCW arrives  on the 25/05.

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