Yesterday the BMF published a report highlighting the value of coastal marinas to the UK economy. It concluded that, in terms of direct employment and “added value” they generate somewhere between £500 million and £700 million a year. That's a lot of money.
But the question is: why has it taken this country so long to work it out? Travel to the near continent and you'll find that nearly all the marinas in France and the Netherlands were developed by, and are operated by, local government.
They recognise that having lots of yachtsmen passing through is a major asset to the community: we spend money in their shops and restaurants, and on the whole we're well behaved and pay our dues - ideal tourists in fact.
When whaling stopped, St Vaast la Hougue, a major whaling port, swiftly filled the hole (literally) with a huge marina. The place has never looked back. Cherbourg has filled the black hole in its economy left by its declining role as a naval base by adding marina pontoons on an industrial scale. The list of similar case histories is endless.
And somehow, after the disastrous floods in 1953, the Dutch authorities had the foresight to recognise the future potential for leisure use of the inland waterways - and allowed for it from the beginning of the country-wide flood defence project.
They built the locks and harbours even before there were boats to fill them. They still operate all those locks and lifting bridges for free - such is their perceived economic benefit.
Not only do continental local authorities invest in marinas, they run them at very attractive rates. In Britain, local government has been very slow to get the message. Sensitive always to accusations of “elitism” or catering for “toffs” they have largely ignored the opportunities for wealth creation. Planners seem more inclined to listen to the arguments against than the case in favour.
And even where marinas are local authority run - at Ramsgate, for example, where there has been huge development, thanks to European regeneration funding - prices are high.
Why is it that a visitor's berth in this country costs the same number of pounds sterling on this side of the Channel/North Sea as it does in euros on the other side? That's approximately 50 per cent more - although running costs must be broadly similar.
It's no wonder that British yachties are increasingly tempted to take advantage of cheap flights and keep their boats abroad, whether on the Channel coast or in warmer climes. Either way, as the new report shows, it's a significant loss to the local economy - which somebody should be taking some notice of!
With marina prices so high, it's not surprising that moorings are proliferating in all our rivers and estuaries. I know it's a traditional right, and part of the waterside scene (although it's interesting how “fairways groups” always follow as mooring holders try to stop too many other people sharing the pleasure!)
But it's getting to the point in some areas were it's hardly possible to sail in what were once favourite cruising grounds, because there are so many moored boats in the way.
So I have some sympathy for the Dutch system whereby swinging moorings are almost unheard of, and all the boats are herded into marinas. It means some of the historic waterside towns have become dense forests of masts, but it also means that, in the early morning and late evening at least, you can sail in blissfully empty waters.
Perhaps now that it's been explained to the powers that be how much money marinas are worth, there will be less resistance to new developments.
The biggest objections to the expansion of our home marina came from the bird watching lobby, so it's ironic to note how many weekends there are twitchers with telescopes and cameras taking advantage of the superb viewing area provided by the harbour wall. Presumably they are using the car park and toilet facilities as well - which the rest of us have paid for.
It is to be hoped that the BMF's new report gets the (belated) attention it deserves. There really are environmental and sailing benefits, as well as economic benefits in marina developments.
And who knows, if the number of berths increases significantly, the law of supply and demand may just mean that prices will start to fall to more reasonable levels - Calais prices, rather than Dover.
That would be good for the financial well-being of the average yachtie, as well as for the economy as a whole.
