Hi guys,

I am new to Sydney and I miss my sailing boat so much back in the UK.

I am on the edge of buying a sailing boat with a swing mooring in Pittwater. The issue here is that I have no idea what is the regulation in NSW. I have a French Boat licence for use vessels from 10 knots or more.

I am unsure of the regulation. I believe that I would need to swap my french boat licence to NSW one for getting the mooring to my name. I would need to insure the boat. What else should I consider?

Thanks in advance!

Information is available from "Services NSW". Previously known as Roads and Maritime Services. Info also from the volunteer organisation, Marine Rescue who run courses I have found generally excellent including VHF radio licence which is required if you have a VHF radio. Power boaters have more onerous rquirements compared to sailors. Enjoy your sailing Down Under.

No license needed to own, register etc a boat or mooring.

If it's a private mooring check there is no waiting list or else the next person on the list gets the mooring not you. They cannot be sold or directly transferred from one person to another as far as I know

Thanks guys for the quick reply.

There are quite a lot of boat with sold with mooring. I am quite confused if it is legal to sell a boat with mooring?

Cheers

It is legal to sell the mooring tackle not the space. Could be a smart move if you are not buying another boat sell the tackle then it becomes the purchases responsible for the removal if no space available. But as said previously if no waiting list for that area you will be ok. Maybe check with the local maritime officer.

Yeah plenty of people will claim to be selling it with the mooring but it's outside of their control I think. If you get the zone code from the RMS website then give them a call or pop into a service NSW branch they can tell you if there is a waiting list.

heres the link to the mooring zone map. They will need to know the code of the area to check waiting lists.

www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/moorings/mooring-maps.html

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FelixdeCat said..
Yeah plenty of people will claim to be selling it with the mooring but it's outside of their control I think. If you get the zone code from the RMS website then give them a call or pop into a service NSW branch they can tell you if there is a waiting list.

heres the link to the mooring zone map. They will need to know the code of the area to check waiting lists.

www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/moorings/mooring-maps.html

And here is the link to the waiting lists. www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/moorings/priority-waiting-lists/hawkesbury-river-broken-bay-region.html

If the wait list is zero in the area where the mooring is, you can apply to take it over. Alternatively you can get a mooring licence in an area where the waitlist is zero, and have the apparatus moved to your spot.

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TheFrenchy said..
Hi guys,

I am new to Sydney and I miss my sailing boat so much back in the UK.

I am on the edge of buying a sailing boat with a swing mooring in Pittwater. The issue here is that I have no idea what is the regulation in NSW. I have a French Boat licence for use vessels from 10 knots or more.

I am unsure of the regulation. I believe that I would need to swap my french boat licence to NSW one for getting the mooring to my name. I would need to insure the boat. What else should I consider?

Thanks in advance!

Hi, firstly if you are looking at a sailing boat there is no licence required to own and/or operate one in NSW (other states vary) and secondly as others have said, check with RMS regarding the existing mooring. I have found the RMS boating officers pleasant and easy to deal with.
Cheers, Bob.

Cheers for the help!
I will apply for license for Maccarrs Creek and then see what is the best solution for getting a contractor
I may go for renting a mooring for now - Colin Beashel Marine quoted me $168/month with tenders facilities.

Don't be disuaded if there is a short waiting list. Often people put their names down but when a spot becomes available, they're not ready to take it up. So the next person on the list is contacted.

When I got my mooring approved in Careel Bay, I was 8th on the list and there were three available. 5 of the previous applicants didn't have boats ready to go on. I was offered a spot near the weed bank, with less than 10cm clearance at low tide. So I asked if there was a deeper place. As it turned out, there was one with tackle already there. I contacted the previous owner and he gave me the tackle, which I promptly had serviced.

It pays to visit the RMS boating service officer at Bayview. Have a chat to them and see what is coming up. Their details are on this page. http://www.thequaysmarina.com.au/marine-centre.html

Thanks Michael,

I'll have a look and definitely ring them. It is just the unknown of not having a space and the waiting list that scares me. So that is why i'd maybe opt out for renting one for short term.


Cheers

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TheFrenchy said..
Thanks Michael,

I'll have a look and definitely ring them. It is just the unknown of not having a space and the waiting list that scares me. So that is why i'd maybe opt out for renting one for short term.


Cheers

No worries. If you want, try Careel Bay Marina. They do swing moorings as well, and because they're a bit further up, it's an easier access to Broken Bay and outside. They have full marine services, and a 7 day tender service, that you can still use when you get your own mooring (for a small fee). From memory, their moorings are a little cheaper than those in the southern end of Pittwater. In my opinion, it's a nicer bay than Church Point and McCarr's Creek.

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MichaelR said..

TheFrenchy said..
Thanks Michael,

I'll have a look and definitely ring them. It is just the unknown of not having a space and the waiting list that scares me. So that is why i'd maybe opt out for renting one for short term.


Cheers

No worries. If you want, try Careel Bay Marina. They do swing moorings as well, and because they're a bit further up, it's an easier access to Broken Bay and outside. They have full marine services, and a 7 day tender service, that you can still use when you get your own mooring (for a small fee). From memory, their moorings are a little cheaper than those in the southern end of Pittwater. In my opinion, it's a nicer bay than Church Point and McCarr's Creek.

Awesome advice! Cheers Micheal - I'll definitely have a look.

Silly question Micheal but does Careel Bay Marina have work wharf for washing the boat, do chords with pump-out facility, water, electricity ...

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TheFrenchy said..
Silly question Micheal but does Careel Bay Marina have work wharf for washing the boat, do chords with pump-out facility, water, electricity ...

They do have a wharf, but washing the boat with soap is frowned upon. Not sure if their Workplace Safety regulations allow "do it yourself" work on their wharf. They have fresh water. There is a pump out station on the public section of the wharf.

Go up and visit, ask for Bluey.

Yeah they have a DIY area of the wharf for hire with 240v, gurney etc

I only had to wait a few months on the waiting list for my McCarrs creek mooring.
The reason I went for McCarrs creek was it's very sheltered, never any chop and hardly any wash.

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Muzz65 said..
I only had to wait a few months on the waiting list for my McCarrs creek mooring.
The reason I went for McCarrs creek was it's very sheltered, never any chop and hardly any wash.

I'm in McCarrs Creek Muzz. Looks like we'll catch up sometime.

Drifting off topic a bit but have somebody noticed that boat quality in Italy is going downhill? Keep bumping into many interesting articles (www.superyachtnews.com/business/italy-superyacht-industry-suppliers-subcontractors-italian-superyacht-forum-) and reviews (sanlorenzo-sucks.com/true-facts/) . Even read about one super yacht sinking within 2 minutes after they put it into the water.

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samuel22 said..
Drifting off topic a bit but have somebody noticed that boat quality in Italy is going downhill? Keep bumping into many interesting articles (www.superyachtnews.com/business/italy-superyacht-industry-suppliers-subcontractors-italian-superyacht-forum-) and reviews (sanlorenzo-sucks.com/true-facts/) . Even read about one super yacht sinking within 2 minutes after they put it into the water.

There probably only have concrete warranty

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samuel22 said..
Drifting off topic a bit but have somebody noticed that boat quality in Italy is going downhill? Keep bumping into many interesting articles (www.superyachtnews.com/business/italy-superyacht-industry-suppliers-subcontractors-italian-superyacht-forum-) and reviews (sanlorenzo-sucks.com/true-facts/) . Even read about one super yacht sinking within 2 minutes after they put it into the water.

By the way... a little update. It seems that the site is gone for good now. Guess somebody didnt like the truth being shown all around. Which makes it even more hilarious when you see this one: sanlorenzo-yachts-sucks.com/gallery/ How many of these is already around I wonder. :D

When I bought Morning Bird in Pittwater we didn't transfer the ownership until I was top of the waiting list.
I paid for the boat and had a signed agreement for its sale to me, but we only transferred the registration when I got to the top of the waiting list. I spoke to the Boating Service Officer, accepted the spot and we just left MB on the mooring and spot it had been on since it was built.

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MorningBird said..
When I bought Morning Bird in Pittwater we didn't transfer the ownership until I was top of the waiting list.
I paid for the boat and had a signed agreement for its sale to me, but we only transferred the registration when I got to the top of the waiting list. I spoke to the Boating Service Officer, accepted the spot and we just left MB on the mooring and spot it had been on since it was built.

Not me, but a friend of mine did a similar thing here in Perth. Bought a boat in what became a syndicate between seller keeping a 1% share and my mate the buyer who bought a 99% share keeping the mooring in the sellers name (in reality my friend bought 100%). After 1 year the previous owner sold out his '1%' and was able to transfer the mooring over to my friends name.

Something like that anyway.

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samuel22 said..
Drifting off topic a bit but have somebody noticed that boat quality in Italy is going downhill? Keep bumping into many interesting articles (www.superyachtnews.com/business/italy-superyacht-industry-suppliers-subcontractors-italian-superyacht-forum-) and reviews (sanlorenzo-sucks.com/true-facts/) . Even read about one super yacht sinking within 2 minutes after they put it into the water.

Back in 1997 I worked on a refit of an 8 year old steel Perini Navi ketch called Enterprise. I think she was 140 feet long.

The teak decks had to be completely ripped up as the steel decks underneath had significant corrosion to the point where they had rusted away to almost nothing in places.

The bilges weren't much better. Those boats were slapped together and pumped out without much regard for longevity.

I worked on a circa 15 year old 87 foot fibreglass Azimut just before that and it wasn't much better, although obviously no rust issues.

The Italians seemed to have a particular fettish for placing critical machinery in places where you had to destroy the boat to replace key parts or remove the unit in question.

I think of pizza and middle aged men living with their mothers when I think of Italy, I certainly don't think of quality.

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AshleyM said..

samuel22 said..
Drifting off topic a bit but have somebody noticed that boat quality in Italy is going downhill? Keep bumping into many interesting articles (www.superyachtnews.com/business/italy-superyacht-industry-suppliers-subcontractors-italian-superyacht-forum-) and reviews (sanlorenzo-sucks.com/true-facts/) . Even read about one super yacht sinking within 2 minutes after they put it into the water.

Back in 1997 I worked on a refit of an 8 year old steel Perini Navi ketch called Enterprise. I think she was 140 feet long.

The teak decks had to be completely ripped up as the steel decks underneath had significant corrosion to the point where they had rusted away to almost nothing in places.

The bilges weren't much better. Those boats were slapped together and pumped out without much regard for longevity.

I worked on a circa 15 year old 87 foot fibreglass Azimut just before that and it wasn't much better, although obviously no rust issues.

The Italians seemed to have a particular fettish for placing critical machinery in places where you had to destroy the boat to replace key parts or remove the unit in question.

I think of pizza and middle aged men living with their mothers when I think of Italy, I certainly don't think of quality.

I love Italy and Italians (except the people who took my wallet in Rome). The Italians are wonderful designers (many of their cars, planes and trains are works of art) but worfully poor at engineering. I'm a bit of a car nut and would love to own an Alfa or some other Italian exotica But they are so poorly made I can't bring myself to make the jump.
I was in Italy for about 5 weeks in 2015 staying in places and travelling by train. We didn't see one work site with people working. I know very little about their yachts but have the same suspicions of them as everything else they make.

On Sunday the mooring minder next to me came up for sale. Or went down for sale? not sure.

Securitie, Securitie!

I did row over and collect the various flotsam that came up, and called the local VMR. When we came back in the afternoon there was no marker on it yet but ill see this sunday.

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samsturdy said..

Muzz65 said..
I only had to wait a few months on the waiting list for my McCarrs creek mooring.
The reason I went for McCarrs creek was it's very sheltered, never any chop and hardly any wash.

I'm in McCarrs Creek Muzz. Looks like we'll catch up sometime.

Hi,

I thinking of applying for a mooring in McCarrs Creek. I've been on a commercial mooring for a bit and like the location. Muzz65 as you say well protected even where I'm moored just SW of the new car park.
A couple of questions for samsturdy, Muzz65 and anyone else in McCarrs, how's the dinghy storage area at the reserve, I expect there's a wait list. Ive seen other storage but access looks to be by falling the hill from McCarrs Creek road and a staggervback up. How is the parking at the Reserve?
There are currenting 17 on the waiting list, and I think are subject to size restrictions.
Gents, thanks in advance for your comments, responses.
Cheers
Rob

Hi Soapy. Dinghy storage at the reserve should be no problem, there have been a few empty berths
for quite a while (see Pittwater council }. There's free parking at the reserve also, so that's not a
problem. Size restriction on dinghies is 10ft ( 3mtrs ). There's a pontoon and a dinghy launch ramp
so the set up is good. It ticks the boxes for me.

Thank you samsturdy foryour info. The free parking helps a lot if you're out overnight for more than 24 hours. Costs $ and limited time elsewhere. And dinghy vacancies yep will check with council.
Have you got far to motor/row to your mooring?Thanks again.