Can anyone tell me anything about B. Waterways moorings at Victoria Basin or Tinsley? Or any private alternatives?
I have been planning buying a houseboat for a couple of years and but have had no joy with mooring (preferably in Sheffield).

British Waterways operate the moorings system and inform me that the waiting list for both places is very long...I get the feeling that it could take years rather than months to get a boat on there, and I am so dissapointed! I am sure that there must be some way of getting a home sorted out...

Can anyone else give me any advice about moorings??
Is there a forum member who perhaps has a mooring at the moment, but is moving off in the near future? (even sometime next year!)

If anyone has any kind of info on local moorings or general houseboat advice I would be very grateful!
x

I had a houseboat, well a 'barge' actually in Kingston Upon Thames about 10 years ago.....bought it from a mates friend for £150....lets just say it had seen better days....mooring fees were rediculous there....I got stung for a massive salvage fee when the rotten old leaky thing sank and was causimng an obstruction. Never buy barges from friends of friends.....

Best of luck.....dont buy a rotten old sea clipper like I did that was held together with superglue and string...

A friend has a new narrowboat and moors it at Rotherham at the moment. She is on the waiting list for Tinsley (which she prefers to Victoria Basin) and I got the impression that it will not be years but a matter of up to 1 year. I am seeing her this weekend and will enquire for you.
She got the Rotherham mooring quickly.

We have a boat at victoria quays...........Which maybe removed soon.
I will try to let you know when we plan moving it exactly.

We originally had 3 boats there but with the costs going up every year we have slimmed it down a bit

We may have the boat put up for sale soon so if you are interested let me know.

The quay is a nice place to be however! there are health and safety issues that need to be resolved there.
I lost my uncle this year in March after he had fallen overboard and was unable to get out....They found him next morning.

I do believe that Tinsley is a lot cheaper than the quay.

I take it that you have been given the pricing for the Quay?

A friend of mine used to be Basin Manager there, and actually lived on site - then they moved her office to Doncaster, and then she left BW altogether. I don't think she was replaced - I think Victoria Quays is now managed remotely.

A shame, because there were all kinds of great ides for livening the area up - there was a huge boat festival, a couple of Jazz / Blues Festivals, events during Euro '96(?), Children's Festival, etc. With no-one on site being proactive, it's no wonder nothing happens there now.

Originally posted by MrHelicopter
A friend of mine used to be Basin Manager there, and actually lived on site - then they moved her office to Doncaster, and then she left BW altogether. I don't think she was replaced - I think Victoria Quays is now managed remotely.

A shame, because there were all kinds of great ides for livening the area up - there was a huge boat festival, a couple of Jazz / Blues Festivals, events during Euro '96(?), Children's Festival, etc. With no-one on site being proactive, it's no wonder nothing happens there now.

That is very true, however the Bluewaters has been trying to do a few things there but as you say.....no one is proactive there.
I think the last events that were held there was the Dragon Boat Racing earlier this year.
Since the closing to Tom Cobleys that was on the corner things hav'nt been the same.

Thanks for the responses...one of the reasons I don't want to move away from Sheffield. I moved here from the Brighton as couldn't afford housing down there..but now I am here, I am on a 'low' salary, so still have the same issue!!)

Thank you Derek, the prices I have from BW are very similar between tinsley and v. quay..and yes, I am still looking for a boat.
I am still busy doing my homework/looking around, but when the time is right, or I see something I like and if the mooring works out (looks like I could have a look at Roth) I have the financing ready.
Did hear that there is private mooring at v. quay, but can't seem to find anything private though.

thanks again x

Hi Lillean,

Good luck with your quest to get afloat.

Don't have any local intelligence to share but a couple of websites that you might find useful for boat buying and licensing stuff, and have searchable moorings lists if you have to start looking further afield than Victoria Basin or Tinsley.

http://www.waterscape.com
http://www.waterwaynetwork.com
http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/images/Craft_Licensing_Contacts-External_2_tcm6-72920.pdf (for mooring price list)

If i think of anything else, will let you know.

All the best with it, and let us know how you get on.

x

hi lilean

i realise this was an old post but id be interested to hear how you've got on, as i am in a similar situation to you

Hope the story has a happy ending

Cheers