[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > Hi all, > > Here I come, out of the lurking mode again. This reminds me of > So the question is, is there a market for a boat share situation >
Without directly answering your question, in my opinion, you have hit upon the mistake that BW are making by pushing up the costs of licensing and mooring. BW believe that the market can stand significantly higher licence fees and mooring charges. This coupled with a continued increase in the number of licensed boats is key to their medium/long term strategy. What I think will happen is that the increased costs will make more existing owners spread them by taking in shared owners ( or hiring out for short periods). Higher ownership costs will also bring down the growth in new boats. On my mooring there are roughly 25 boats, 20 of which cruise less than 30 days a year. As costs rise, I can see many of those boats suddenly start moving 2 or 3 times that as their owners decide they have to find ways to justify the cost of ownership. Net result, BW don't get as many new boats as they forecast but they do get many boats cruising the system. More boats cruising means more maintenance, and a waterway that will be less attractive to new boat owners. But to address your question. I'm not aware of a formal market for private shared ownership or private hiring (as opposed to the existing market for managed sharing and hiring) but I am aware of a number of owners that are considering it (us for one). I've even been wondering whether there is a place for a 'club' where owners like you and I can find (share) reliable hirers for short periods each year. Not a profit making scheme as such, more a cooperative which covers management costs, but which has the main aim of helping owners cover some of the costs of ownership. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Cheers Will -- Will Chapman Save Our Waterways www.SaveOurWaterways.org.uk
