Post by Roy on Feb 23, 2013 20:03:18 GMT
Moorings.
Residential moorings are hard to find unless you are on the canal system.
(almost impossible on the Norfolk Broads)
But there are other options.. Read on ..........
Boatyard and Marina Mooring by agreement.
a majority of liveaboards go with this.
By talking to the owner of the moorings and having a verbal agreement that you can liveaboard your boat as long as you keep
a low profile and offer the owner a shore side address *.
Some are OK about this arrangement and it seems to work well. You get a mooring, they get paid and the security of
some one on site when they are not there.
most liveaboards are happily living on moorings with this arrangement.
Only possible problem with this arrangement is that the owner of the mooring does not have a proper residential mooring and
if the local authority find out you are residential the operator will ask you to leave. If you can get a mooring like this then
do keep a low profile, If anyone asks, you just spend a lot of your time on your boat. I know people
that have been mooring this way for years with no problems but you must always be prepared to move on if you have to.
* You would need to keep a shore-side address as many mooring operators will not allow mail to be sent to their address on your behalf.
Maybe a friend or relative would be happy to let you use their address for your mail. Without a registered UK address
you will find difficulty in opening a new bank account, your driving license, vehicle road tax, etc., and to register for a doctor.
(you will find they do not accept a PO Box address)
Best to get all those arrangements sorted before you start.
There are ways around these problems but the solutions can be time consuming and/or expensive.
Chemists will prescribe cures for minor aliments and doctors will normally see visitors for more serious aliments.
If you suffer from any of the things such as Diabetes or Hypo-tension you will need routine blood tests.
When on the move routine check-ups through the National Health Service
or repeat prescriptions can be difficult; you can opt-out and go private however this is expensive.
These problems normally keep you tied to, or needing to constantly visit one location.
**************************************
Swing moorings
in an Estuary or port.
This is a cheap alternative and you would need to adapt, a lot easier if you have set up
your boat as self-sufficient as possible in the first place.
Your boat tied to a mooring buoy in the middle of the harbour or estuary.
There are two main types of swing mooring; the first is one that never dries out; so your boat is always afloat.
Then there is the one that does dry out; (when the tide goes out you’re boat sits on the bottom)
this is sometimes referred to as half tidal as your boat will only be afloat for half the tidal range.
As you can appreciate, the half tidal swing mooring is not really suitable for a liveaboard, as access to your boat
will only be possible, when the tide is up. But a swing mooring that is accessible at all states of tide by a dinghy or a tender is possible.
Swing moorings are cheap. but then you don't have any of the services and conveniences that a marina or
boatyard mooring may have but if you can manage without those, you can have a very cheap mooring.
Your situation would be similar to those that continually cruise.
Mains power can be provided with your own generator (lots available now on the market)
A dinghy or tender to get you back and forth, you would need a secure place to leave your dingy when onshore.
To get your fresh water, you would need to find a shoreline water supply where you can take your boat to fill up your main tanks
or you could collect your water in containers using your dinghy to transport them to shore and back.
The same thing would apply to getting your diesel fuel.
A swing mooring would be more exposed in bad weather and maybe a little rough at times as compared to a marina mooring.
Ideal if you don't like neighbours, as you would be fairly isolated (this suits some people).
Try not to run out of essentials as a quick pop to the shop starts with a dinghy ride and ends in one too,
not so bad in the summer but not much fun in the winter.
There is the legal aspect of living on a swing mooring.
If your swing mooring is below the 'low water mark' and if you are always afloat, then we can assume you are, then different laws may apply.
Generally the local councils have jurisdiction over all land down to the 'low water mark'.
Anything below the 'low water mark' would normally come under marine law.
As a liveaboard you would not have to pay council tax, as you are outside of the councils jurisdiction
and come under marine law. But then you will have to abide by marine law , with regard to navigation etc.
With all its good and bad points, living on a swinging mooring could it be the ideal mooring for you.
****************************************
Continuous Cruising
Continuous Cruising as it is called, means that you move your boat to different moorings often so you are not
classed as a residential boat because you do not stay permanently moored in one location.
This is an alternative but you will need to keep a permanent address somewhere such
as a family members or friends address. This option is not right for everyone but some
enjoy moving around seeing different places.
This option will definitely suit you if you're retired or can work from home armed with
nothing more than a mobile phone and an on line computer.
This works well on the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads providing you don't outstay your welcome
E.G.. don't stay longer than 24hrs on a "Broads Authority 24hr Mooring".
and other places, no longer than a few days.
Rivers and canals under the authority of the British Waterways, you can purchase a "Continuous Cruising"
river/canal license and travel from one public mooring to another.
Things to keep in mind with Continuous Cruising:
► The boat must be self contained - All power must come from the batteries or a generator.
► If you work it would only suit certain types of job.
► Could be difficult if you own a car.
► No postal address, although you could get a friend to forward mail to you via the nearest post office.
► Life becomes a continuous cycle of obtaining fuel, water and toilet pump-out stops (but that's part of the fun)
► Rivers flood, canals and some rivers freeze over and engines break down - you could become stranded,
a dinghy would help here.
► You can't stay in one place indefinitely - Most waterways authorities place a maximum stay time on
Winter months tend to be more relaxed because there's very little tourist traffic.
On the canals you can moor virtually anywhere, and in many places it's possible to moor for very long
periods of time before being asked to move on. The more remote your mooring is, the less chance
of you being hassled.
Don't let any of the above put you off, if you are suited to it, it's a great way of life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Residential moorings are hard to find unless you are on the canal system.
(almost impossible on the Norfolk Broads)
But there are other options.. Read on ..........
Boatyard and Marina Mooring by agreement.
a majority of liveaboards go with this.
By talking to the owner of the moorings and having a verbal agreement that you can liveaboard your boat as long as you keep
a low profile and offer the owner a shore side address *.
Some are OK about this arrangement and it seems to work well. You get a mooring, they get paid and the security of
some one on site when they are not there.
most liveaboards are happily living on moorings with this arrangement.
Only possible problem with this arrangement is that the owner of the mooring does not have a proper residential mooring and
if the local authority find out you are residential the operator will ask you to leave. If you can get a mooring like this then
do keep a low profile, If anyone asks, you just spend a lot of your time on your boat. I know people
that have been mooring this way for years with no problems but you must always be prepared to move on if you have to.
* You would need to keep a shore-side address as many mooring operators will not allow mail to be sent to their address on your behalf.
Maybe a friend or relative would be happy to let you use their address for your mail. Without a registered UK address
you will find difficulty in opening a new bank account, your driving license, vehicle road tax, etc., and to register for a doctor.
(you will find they do not accept a PO Box address)
Best to get all those arrangements sorted before you start.
There are ways around these problems but the solutions can be time consuming and/or expensive.
Chemists will prescribe cures for minor aliments and doctors will normally see visitors for more serious aliments.
If you suffer from any of the things such as Diabetes or Hypo-tension you will need routine blood tests.
When on the move routine check-ups through the National Health Service
or repeat prescriptions can be difficult; you can opt-out and go private however this is expensive.
These problems normally keep you tied to, or needing to constantly visit one location.
**************************************
Swing moorings
in an Estuary or port.
This is a cheap alternative and you would need to adapt, a lot easier if you have set up
your boat as self-sufficient as possible in the first place.
Your boat tied to a mooring buoy in the middle of the harbour or estuary.
There are two main types of swing mooring; the first is one that never dries out; so your boat is always afloat.
Then there is the one that does dry out; (when the tide goes out you’re boat sits on the bottom)
this is sometimes referred to as half tidal as your boat will only be afloat for half the tidal range.
As you can appreciate, the half tidal swing mooring is not really suitable for a liveaboard, as access to your boat
will only be possible, when the tide is up. But a swing mooring that is accessible at all states of tide by a dinghy or a tender is possible.
Swing moorings are cheap. but then you don't have any of the services and conveniences that a marina or
boatyard mooring may have but if you can manage without those, you can have a very cheap mooring.
Your situation would be similar to those that continually cruise.
Mains power can be provided with your own generator (lots available now on the market)
A dinghy or tender to get you back and forth, you would need a secure place to leave your dingy when onshore.
To get your fresh water, you would need to find a shoreline water supply where you can take your boat to fill up your main tanks
or you could collect your water in containers using your dinghy to transport them to shore and back.
The same thing would apply to getting your diesel fuel.
A swing mooring would be more exposed in bad weather and maybe a little rough at times as compared to a marina mooring.
Ideal if you don't like neighbours, as you would be fairly isolated (this suits some people).
Try not to run out of essentials as a quick pop to the shop starts with a dinghy ride and ends in one too,
not so bad in the summer but not much fun in the winter.
There is the legal aspect of living on a swing mooring.
If your swing mooring is below the 'low water mark' and if you are always afloat, then we can assume you are, then different laws may apply.
Generally the local councils have jurisdiction over all land down to the 'low water mark'.
Anything below the 'low water mark' would normally come under marine law.
As a liveaboard you would not have to pay council tax, as you are outside of the councils jurisdiction
and come under marine law. But then you will have to abide by marine law , with regard to navigation etc.
With all its good and bad points, living on a swinging mooring could it be the ideal mooring for you.
****************************************
Continuous Cruising
Continuous Cruising as it is called, means that you move your boat to different moorings often so you are not
classed as a residential boat because you do not stay permanently moored in one location.
This is an alternative but you will need to keep a permanent address somewhere such
as a family members or friends address. This option is not right for everyone but some
enjoy moving around seeing different places.
This option will definitely suit you if you're retired or can work from home armed with
nothing more than a mobile phone and an on line computer.
This works well on the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads providing you don't outstay your welcome
E.G.. don't stay longer than 24hrs on a "Broads Authority 24hr Mooring".
and other places, no longer than a few days.
Rivers and canals under the authority of the British Waterways, you can purchase a "Continuous Cruising"
river/canal license and travel from one public mooring to another.
Things to keep in mind with Continuous Cruising:
► The boat must be self contained - All power must come from the batteries or a generator.
► If you work it would only suit certain types of job.
► Could be difficult if you own a car.
► No postal address, although you could get a friend to forward mail to you via the nearest post office.
► Life becomes a continuous cycle of obtaining fuel, water and toilet pump-out stops (but that's part of the fun)
► Rivers flood, canals and some rivers freeze over and engines break down - you could become stranded,
a dinghy would help here.
► You can't stay in one place indefinitely - Most waterways authorities place a maximum stay time on
Winter months tend to be more relaxed because there's very little tourist traffic.
On the canals you can moor virtually anywhere, and in many places it's possible to moor for very long
periods of time before being asked to move on. The more remote your mooring is, the less chance
of you being hassled.
Don't let any of the above put you off, if you are suited to it, it's a great way of life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
