Abandoned Boats Around Stalham

[scribes]

I have noticed a marked increase in apparently abandoned craft around Stalham.. Many favourite moorings are now inaccessible. As fast as the Broads Authority remove one others appear.

[RS2021]

Interesting article this month in Waterways World on scrapping an old narrowboat. Costs around £3,000 to scrap responsibly and with a steel boat you can sell the scrap steel. I don't know the cost of scrapping GRP responsibly, but it's got to be more. You can see why it's tempting to abandon one.

[dom]

41 minutes ago, RS2021 said:

I don't know the cost of scrapping GRP responsibly, but it's got to be more.

Typically, it's something like £1500 and upwards for a mid sized cruiser - but you'd need to add £300 or so for lifting onto transport, then you could end up paying another £500-1k to move it to wherever it's being broken up. If you go to a specialist, they may pay you for some parts, but they tend to be on the south coast.

There is a big issue looming on the horizon with GRP boats. The lifespan is generally quoted as being 50+ years, but there are a lot of boats out there approaching or exceeding that age. It's probably a major factor in the Ant situation, with people offloading end of life boats dirt cheap, which are sold (or even gifted) to those facing homelessness and who can't afford upkeep.

 

[NeilB]

From what I can recall there's only about 2 or 3 wild moorings lost, most boats are actually nestled against banks that most people wouldn't try to moor against.  Oddly enough the most abandoned looking yachts moored together actually have tolls paid, not seen anyone on board all spring and summer and I'm up and down most weekends.  The BA toll checker is also not 100% accurate when it states no toll paid, some are on payment plans which fool the system, it needs updating.

The BA can only pursue tolls through the courts, the same for BA controlled 24hr moorings.  They don't have any powers to remove boats unless it's sunken or in a proven unsafe condition.  It's further complicated if the boat is someone's home.

I believe the RSPB tried to evict some people from mooring in Sutton Broad, which they own, they did move on but have been replaced by another group.

The BA could help by offering official live aboard moorings which may enable some to claim housing benefit to cover their costs, but they don't!!

There's a gorgeous Broom 36 moored at Ludham Bridge since the winter on the EA 24hr moorings, not seen anyone on board but it's a lovely boat and still in good condition so would not have been a cheap purchase.  No idea what's happening there as I'd offer to remove it for free!!

[Wussername]

A problem which continues to present a problem. Seemingly without a solution. Not only on the Ant but also the Yare and I suspect on other parts of the Broads.

Forget that some of these boats are a home. For some it is a floating shed with a piece of tarpaulin. A refuge from a doorway in Norwich, a car park in Norwich, follow the smell up the stairs it is there that you will find these desperate people.

It is not a Broads Authority problem. It is a social problem. My problem?  Your problem? Their problem?

There is a saying, "never catch a falling knife"

There needs to be a conversation. Sadly who cares?

Very Old Wussername

[dom]

46 minutes ago, NeilB said:

There's a gorgeous Broom 36 moored at Ludham Bridge since the winter on the EA 24hr moorings, not seen anyone on board but it's a lovely boat and still in good condition so would not have been a cheap purchase.  No idea what's happening there as I'd offer to remove it for free!!

It's an odd one that one. It was at Sutton Staithe for ages at the end of last year and looked like it had extensive recent work done on it. It then moved to Ludham and has now been there for months. It'd be interesting to ask a ranger why they haven't moved it on.

I thought maybe it was on the market and BA were giving a bit of leeway, but I've not seen it advertised anywhere and I spend a lot of time looking at ads.

[kpnut]

18 minutes ago, dom said:

It'd be interesting to ask a ranger why they haven't moved it on.

It’s on the EA side of the moorings. No time restriction. 

[garryn]

I was thinking it was their waiting for the water levels to drop to get under the bridge which when it first arrived it would need to but as never moved since and getting more scuffs on the hull all the time.

[NeilB]

24 minutes ago, kpnut said:

It’s on the EA side of the moorings. No time restriction. 

They are actually 24hr moorings but the sign is very warn and barely legible, plus I suspect the EA probably only visit once a year!

[dom]

14 minutes ago, NeilB said:

They are actually 24hr moorings but the sign is very warn and barely legible, plus I suspect the EA probably only visit once a year!

Where it's moored is upstream of the public staithe and I'm sure BA manage the mooring there, even if it's EA owned/leased.

 

[CambridgeCabby]

What it does do though is leave a single mooring just upstream of it which for Ludham bridge is a “safe” mooring which I have used on occasion 

[kpnut]

40 minutes ago, NeilB said:

They are actually 24hr moorings but the sign is very warn and barely legible, plus I suspect the EA probably only visit once a year!

Oh, my apologies. I’ve never seen that sign. 

[BrundallNavy]

1 hour ago, dom said:

It's an odd one that one. It was at Sutton Staithe for ages at the end of last year and looked like it had extensive recent work done on it. It then moved to Ludham and has now been there for months. It'd be interesting to ask a ranger why they haven't moved it on.

I thought maybe it was on the market and BA were giving a bit of leeway, but I've not seen it advertised anywhere and I spend a lot of time looking at ads.

That particular boat has had in excess of £150k spent on it. The interior and everything from the deck up is all new.  

[Roy]

32 minutes ago, BrundallNavy said:

That particular boat has had in excess of £150k spent on it. The interior and everything from the deck up is all new.  

Is it a woodie sorry not been on that part of the river to see it ? 

[dom]

17 minutes ago, Roy said:

Is it a woodie sorry not been on that part of the river to see it ? 

Glass hull, wooden topsides I think. Topsides are varnished wood. You can see it in a lot of Youtube videos, ie. (RHS at 1:20)

 

[BrundallNavy]

9 hours ago, Roy said:

Is it a woodie sorry not been on that part of the river to see it ? 

It’s a Broom 36 fibreglass hull wooden top with fly bridge. 

[Gracie]

13 hours ago, NeilB said:

 

 

The BA could help by offering official live aboard moorings which may enable some to claim housing benefit to cover their costs, but they don't!!

 

An excellent idea. There must be somewhere on the system that could accommodate this. Perhaps it would help to give some of these livaboards some pride, surely some are eligible for financial help which would give them means to pay toward their moorings and maybe tidy up their boats a tad.

Not the Broads but I remember a while ago shopping at our big Tesco in Glyne Gap and seeing a young guy sat by the cash point machine with just  a bag with very little bits in it and a duvet for comfort, he was crying. I asked him if he was okay to which a conversation about his life began. He was kicked out of his family home by his homophobic, bullying parents for being gay and bipolar, it may have been a sob story but I felt he was genuine so me being a sucker for a sob story I gave him ten pounds and got him a hot drink and a sandwich, not much in the grand scheme of things and probably made me feel better than it did him. I walked away in tears. If it wasn't for my boys I think I would have taken him home. I went into our charity shop for the homeless in our town and told them about this boy, I so hope they were able to help him. So some people do care, not just me

I tell this story because you never know why folk are homeless anywhere not just the Broads. Neil's suggestion is an excellent one, I don't know the implications of it all but wouldn't it help these people and give them back self esteem and a little bit of faith

Grace x

[grendel]

Perhaps  above PH bridge, plenty of empty moorings they could easily hop between, shopping in PH, out of everyone's way, as most can't transit the bridge. Though I am sure someone will complain.

[rightsaidfred]

5 hours ago, Gracie said:

An excellent idea. There must be somewhere on the system that could accommodate this. Perhaps it would help to give some of these livaboards some pride, surely some are eligible for financial help which would give them means to pay toward their moorings and maybe tidy up their boats a tad.

Not the Broads but I remember a while ago shopping at our big Tesco in Glyne Gap and seeing a young guy sat by the cash point machine with just  a bag with very little bits in it and a duvet for comfort, he was crying. I asked him if he was okay to which a conversation about his life began. He was kicked out of his family home by his homophobic, bullying parents for being gay and bipolar, it may have been a sob story but I felt he was genuine so me being a sucker for a sob story I gave him ten pounds and got him a hot drink and a sandwich, not much in the grand scheme of things and probably made me feel better than it did him. I walked away in tears. If it wasn't for my boys I think I would have taken him home. I went into our charity shop for the homeless in our town and told them about this boy, I so hope they were able to help him. So some people do care, not just me

I tell this story because you never know why folk are homeless anywhere not just the Broads. Neil's suggestion is an excellent one, I don't know the implications of it all but wouldn't it help these people and give them back self esteem and a little bit of faith

Grace x

There are several empty moorings in the livaboard friendly marinas in Horning and Wroxam, the problem is not so much lack of moorings as them not wanting to pay for one, like squatters on dry land it is one the authorities will never solve.

Fred

[grendel]

Well the majority of the liveaboard boats along the waveney had occupants today when I passed, all quite happily waved in return when I waved to them.

[MauriceMynah]

3 hours ago, rightsaidfred said:

There are several empty moorings in the livaboard friendly marinas in Horning and Wroxam, the problem is not so much lack of moorings as them not wanting to pay for one, like squatters on dry land it is one the authorities will never solve.

Fred

Wrong. There are very few proper residential moorings. I suspect the moorings you refer to are not residential.

[rightsaidfred]

28 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Wrong. There are very few proper residential moorings. I suspect the moorings you refer to are not residential.

I did say livaboard friendly not residential although there are many who have been resident in them for many years, the point is there are options available it's just a question of whether you are prepared to pay or live for free, personally I don't have a problem with those that choose to wild moor as long as they play by the rules as I accept that not all are comfortable in close proximity to others because of PTSD etc.

Fred

[NeilB]

I think the issue is to qualify for housing benefit the mooring needs to be full residential.

[jeffbroadslover]

If I am not wrong I am sure there is an area on an island at Thorpe which with some suitable organisation could provide quite a few moorings for liveaboards.

Could be a worthwhile project for those conducting "community service"  !**!?

Jeff

[Cheesey69]

It will never be enough.

So when those fill up what then? sorry folks, you've now got to wait.

Nope, the overspill will wild moor and the cries will be to make more residential space available only this time, you cant really deny them because you have already said yes.

Rinse and repeat.

Or you could charge full price and then there would be a race to the top for moorings and those on the bottom would still have no chance. and back to wild mooring