Boating costs

BOATERS are being quick to respond to the 'insignificant rise in costs' statement by the National Association of Boat Owners.

I have contained or maybe even reduced my boating costs over the last couple of years, writes Ralph Freeman, but that is against a trend of rising prices and certainly does not imply costs have gone down!

As a matter of interest, around eight years ago when I began living on board, diesel was around 26p per litre and a 13kg gas bottle cost in the region of £10.50.

Biggest saving

The biggest saving I have made is by paying for moorings for four months a year, not 12, being 'out' on the system for the remaining eight. The second cost saving measure is I have attempted to control rising fuel costs by fitting solar panels. However this involved an investment of over £500.

I'd be the first to admit the above options are not available to all boaters, but being on a fixed (or decreasing) income I have to do what I can.

Increase of 27%

If boaters have said their costs are about the same when they have reduced boat usage to 73%, Then is that not an increase in costs of 27%?

Surely the NABO conclusion is a bit like saying food prices have not risen because we buy less food and of a lower quality; so the bill is the same as last year?