Looking for a Long-Term Liveaboard Marina in London

[stlmurph]

I fear you are going to pay to stay in the UK one way or the other.

I would suggest parking the boat in Ireland, say Cobh outside of Cork and spending 20 euros to fly over to London. I know that is not a very "sailing kind of thing" but given your choices, that would be the lesser of the few evils. The rates in London today are so crazy expensive I cannot imagine what it is going to be like during the olympics. I am sure our british friends will also increase their fees for non olympic activities and for sevearl weeks or months prior to or after the olympics.

Also, if you are going to make port in London, please be up near the London bridge, etc. The East end by the EXCEL or the London City Airport can be a very "dodgey" part of town and I would make sure I had a secure port with security patrols.

I am not sure what the deal is with the "tax" registry is, but you should look into the impact if you depart for a week or two and sail back to Ireland, or France, etc and then come back.

Sorry to be the "Donny Downer" but the british experience is quite pricey these days.

[brainmaker]

Olympics - when that starts winter season is over and you'll probably be enjoying sailing around N Europe and amazingly beautiful Baltic. Being Dutch and having sailed to UK my entire life and having lived in UK for 14 years, on my boats for 7, I think there is little I don't know without wanting to be arrogant. Wanting to be in London and parking the boat in Ireland sounds a bit odd to me, week of nonstop sailing at least if weather is kind (and over there in winter, trust me it won't be). If you think you need to leave -- either 1) rent a villa in Spain for nothing and fly there in an hour (don't forget - you need to leave, not the boat 2) sail to holland - 85 nm from Ramsgate, two daysails from London. We are nontidal in Holland, so lots of dirt cheap mooring everywhere especially in winter when we haul our boats out of the water. You might even get a mooring for next to nothing for that reason. All sheltered, most right in old historic town centres centuries old. Everyone speaks English and wants to speak English. Incredibly warm open and informal - I have lived in UK 14 years and miss Holland for that reason. (English train - grave silence; Dutch train: everyone chats with each other even if you don't know each other, friendly !). Don't worry about the locks - and don't worry about mast height you can get through canals to N Germany, sheltered and with mast up, they open the bridges for you.

[Gillian Mulcahy]

Try Gosport Boat Yard, in Gosport, close Portsmouth. Reasonable moorings and if the dinghy works, then that would be OK. Or Hayling Island if you dont mind tidal moorings and are going to be away from the boat each time for a while. Might be worth just going and then hiring a car and toddling round that area to see what is available.

[Roaring Girl]

Brainmaker's advice is v good!

If you are worried about the periods of stay, potential bureaucracy and interested tax inspectors, then I suggest you rethink Europe. It is a complicated place and even more complicated than usual right now. It is not an American right to drop by without noticing local requirements, any more than I (UK citizen) can rock up in the US, stay as long as I like without recognising local laws, and then disappear again. In fact, come to think of it, the complexity of different state laws and the (alleged) behaviour of the USCG might put me off!

[goboatingnow]

why would anyone in their right mind want to overwinter in the UK or for that matter Ireland, Long dreary cold winters, full of cold rain. Base yourself in the med and fly to the UK on the many cheap flights that exist, especially in winter. Lagos in Portugal come to mind, lots of cheap flights from Faro.

your boat will thank you.

Dave