Boat mooring access conundrum
Discussion
I think I know the answer to this one but perhaps PH can find an angle I haven't thought of.
I have a boat in a marina on the inland waterways, and in March paid the annual mooring charge of £1,764 in advance (there is no monthly or six-monthly option).
A few weeks ago the main road to the marina was closed due to subsidence, and seems likely to stay closed until 2028. There is a perilous detour route but as my car has low ground clearance this is impassable. (I tried it, saw a huge hump in the road and had to reverse back rather than damage the underside).
Currently therefore I'm wasting £800 for a mooring I can't get to. It's not the marina's fault - they are providing the mooring and my boat is in it - but if I can't get to it, it's useless. I would like it back to pay for mooring elsewhere, but I don't think I have a case other than a personal one.
So my options seem to be:
a) let the £800 go to waste and not visit the boat until next March (when the money is used up and I can move the boat elsewhere)
b) move the boat elsewhere as soon as possible and pay double mooring fees.
I could ask the current marina owner very nicely if he would consider returning £800, but he has no legal reason do so.
Any other ideas?
I have a boat in a marina on the inland waterways, and in March paid the annual mooring charge of £1,764 in advance (there is no monthly or six-monthly option).
A few weeks ago the main road to the marina was closed due to subsidence, and seems likely to stay closed until 2028. There is a perilous detour route but as my car has low ground clearance this is impassable. (I tried it, saw a huge hump in the road and had to reverse back rather than damage the underside).
Currently therefore I'm wasting £800 for a mooring I can't get to. It's not the marina's fault - they are providing the mooring and my boat is in it - but if I can't get to it, it's useless. I would like it back to pay for mooring elsewhere, but I don't think I have a case other than a personal one.
So my options seem to be:
a) let the £800 go to waste and not visit the boat until next March (when the money is used up and I can move the boat elsewhere)
b) move the boat elsewhere as soon as possible and pay double mooring fees.
I could ask the current marina owner very nicely if he would consider returning £800, but he has no legal reason do so.
Any other ideas?
As you said, you can ask nicely and hope you get your money back, but then you'll have to move the boat to somewhere else, and possibly pay for a full year's mooring.
Or you could just live with the bad road, either see if you can do something about the road (dig out the hump, put some gravel down either side, whatever) or do something about your car (buy a £500 banger to drive to the marina, or walk or get a bicycle or whatever)
Perhaps the most first world problem I've ever heard...
Or you could just live with the bad road, either see if you can do something about the road (dig out the hump, put some gravel down either side, whatever) or do something about your car (buy a £500 banger to drive to the marina, or walk or get a bicycle or whatever)
Perhaps the most first world problem I've ever heard...
steveo3002 said:
how long is the ruined road? park up and cycle ?
No; whilst the marina is about a mile beyond the closure, I don't have a bicycle, it wouldn't fit in the car if I had, and sometimes there's stuff to carry.paul_c123 said:
How many other moorers can't access it due to low ground clearance issues?
I think most of them with 'normal' cars would be OK if they took the hump carefully. It's still a slow, narrow, nasty detour though, and would probably put them off choosing that marina again.LotsOfLaughs said:
As you said, you can ask nicely and hope you get your money back, but then you'll have to move the boat to somewhere else, and possibly pay for a full year's mooring.
Or you could just live with the bad road, either see if you can do something about the road (dig out the hump, put some gravel down either side, whatever) or do something about your car (buy a £500 banger to drive to the marina, or walk or get a bicycle or whatever)
Perhaps the most first world problem I've ever heard...
It is indeed a first world problem, though the boat is hardly a luxury yacht.Or you could just live with the bad road, either see if you can do something about the road (dig out the hump, put some gravel down either side, whatever) or do something about your car (buy a £500 banger to drive to the marina, or walk or get a bicycle or whatever)
Perhaps the most first world problem I've ever heard...
The likely alternative marina (I was there a few years ago) charges monthly which is much more sensible IMHO.
Simpo Two said:
paul_c123 said:
How many other moorers can't access it due to low ground clearance issues?
I think most of them with 'normal' cars would be OK if they took the hump carefully. It's still a slow, narrow, nasty detour though, and would probably put them off choosing that marina again.JQ said:
OIC said:
Get the Aston SUV.
Or a Urus.
It's the only sensible way out.
You're a long time dead.
Personally I'd go with the belt and braces approach and get an Avtoros Shaman. That way if the current diversion also become impassable, the marina can be approached from the water.Or a Urus.
It's the only sensible way out.
You're a long time dead.
Mucho lols.
I had to pay for 6 months mooring whilst looking for a boat as there was a waiting list at the marina - and it was a lot more than £800. It's where I wanted the boat to be so sucked it up and it's now a 'forgotten' cost. If you like where your mooring is and have been given a timetable for the road to reopen I'd personally suck it up.
Simpo Two said:
There is a perilous detour route but as my car has low ground clearance this is impassable.
You could certainly try asking for a partial refund, you might get lucky, but really the answer is to find something that can cope with the road, especially if it's passable by an "average car".If they say yes to a refund, is there somewhere else that can accept the boat for a similar cost? (edit, sounds like there is. Nothing to lose by asking then)
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