What is a long-stay mooring?
A long-stay mooring — sometimes called a permanent mooring or long-term berth — is a designated space where you keep your boat for an extended period, typically three months or more. Unlike visitor moorings (which are usually limited to 14–48 hours), long-stay agreements give you a regular, consistent place for your vessel.
Long-stay moorings are the foundation of the UK’s boating community. For liveaboards, they provide a residential base. For leisure boat owners, they offer a reliable home for a vessel between uses, often saving significantly on the cost and inconvenience of trailering or dry storage.
In the UK, long-stay moorings are available in marinas, on rivers managed by the Environment Agency and private landowners, along Canal & River Trust waterways, and at tidal and estuary locations around the coast. Each has distinct characteristics — in terms of cost, access, facilities, and what types of boat they’re suited to.
Types of long-stay moorings in the UK
Marina berths
Marina berths are the most common form of long-stay mooring in the UK. They are typically pontoon-based — either finger berths (where your boat enters its own slot) or alongside berths (moored side-on to a walkway). Marinas are usually fully serviced, with electricity, water, fuel, toilets, showers, and often on-site engineers and chandleries. They offer the highest level of security and shore-based facilities but are also among the most expensive options.
River moorings
River moorings include both EA-licensed berths on navigable rivers such as the Thames, Great Ouse, and Medway, and privately managed moorings on smaller non-tidal rivers. These vary enormously in character — from sophisticated pontoon berths at riverside marinas to basic riverside rings on quiet rural waterways. Access and facilities vary accordingly, and tidal rivers introduce additional considerations around depth and access windows.
Canal moorings
Canal moorings range from dedicated berths at canal marinas (which operate similarly to river marinas, with full facilities) to long-term mooring licences on CRT towpath moorings. Towpath moorings are typically lower cost but have limited or no facilities — no shore power, no water on tap. Canal marina berths offer much more, including pump-out facilities and dry docks. Canal moorings are predominantly used by narrowboats and wide-beam canal boats.
Tidal and estuary moorings
Tidal moorings are most common on the south and east coasts, in estuaries and harbours. Access is governed by tidal windows — you may only be able to leave or return within a few hours of high water. Costs are often lower than non-tidal marinas, and these locations are particularly popular with sailing boats and motorsailers making regular coastal passages. Facilities vary widely; some tidal marinas are fully equipped, others offer little beyond the mooring itself.
Swinging moorings
A swinging mooring (or pile mooring) is a buoyed anchor point in open water — your boat is moored to a buoy and swings with wind and tide rather than lying in a fixed berth. These are common in estuaries, harbours, and rivers where pontoon berths are limited. They are among the cheapest long-stay options but require access to a tender (dinghy) to get ashore, and shore-side facilities are usually minimal.
What to look for in a long-stay mooring
Berth dimensions vs. your boat
The three critical measurements are length overall (LOA), beam (width), and draught (the depth below the waterline). Always check a berth's published maximum figures against your boat's actual measurements — and add a margin for safety. A berth that fits your hull with 10cm to spare on either side is not comfortable in practice. Most UK marinas specify maximum length and beam per berth; minimum depth is often given as chart datum (CD) depth, which means the minimum water available at the lowest predictable tide.
Facilities
Key facilities to check include: shore power (240V single-phase is standard; some marinas offer three-phase for larger vessels), fresh water supply, WiFi, pump-out and elsan facilities for inland boats, toilets and showers ashore, laundry, secure parking, chandlery and fuel. For liveaboards, proximity to shops, transport, and a GP surgery matters as much as what's on the pontoon.
Security
Security quality varies considerably. At minimum, look for locked gate access to pontoons, adequate lighting, and visible CCTV coverage. Better marinas employ a live-in harbour master or have 24-hour security. Ask specifically about recent incidents — many marinas are reluctant to discuss theft or vandalism, but it's a legitimate question when signing a 12-month agreement.
Location and access
Consider access from your home to the marina — especially if you rely on public transport. Also consider access from the marina to navigable water: some canal marinas require transiting multiple locks to reach open water, while some river marinas are below a fixed bridge that limits vessel air draught. For tidal locations, consider how often tide windows actually permit departure at the times you want to sail.
How long-stay mooring contracts work
Long-stay mooring agreements typically run for 3, 6, or 12 months, with annual contracts being the most common. Some operators offer monthly rolling agreements, though these usually command a premium price and are more likely to be available at quieter or less popular marinas.
Most contracts require a deposit (commonly equivalent to one month’s fee) and then monthly or quarterly payments. Notice periods for leaving are usually one to three months — read this carefully before signing, especially if you think your plans might change.
It’s important to understand exactly what is and isn’t included in the mooring fee. Electricity is very commonly metered separately — you pay for what you use on top of the mooring fee. Water may or may not be included. Some operators include a pump-out allowance for inland boats; others charge per visit. Annual lift-out and bottom treatment, winter storage, and hardstanding costs are almost always separate.
Check whether the contract covers use of ashore facilities such as showers, Wi-Fi, and parking — and whether these are included or charged as an add-on. A low headline mooring fee can quickly become uncompetitive once extras are added.
How to find a long-stay mooring in the UK
The most efficient way to find a long-stay mooring today is through an online marketplace like MoorHub, which lists berths from marinas and operators across the UK with standardised specs, photos, and pricing. You can filter by location, boat dimensions, mooring type, and contract length to shortlist options that actually fit your vessel and requirements — without ringing individual marinas one by one.
Contacting marinas directly is still worthwhile, particularly for marinas not yet listed on aggregators, or when you want to ask specific questions about waiting lists or flex arrangements. Waiting lists at popular marinas can stretch to one to three years for a first-come first-served berth — it’s worth getting on them early even if you don’t need a berth immediately.
Boating communities, yacht club notice boards, and forums such as the Canal World forum and the Cruising Association’s members’ sections are also useful sources — particularly for swinging moorings and private berths that aren’t listed commercially.
Ready to find your berth?
Search published long-stay moorings across UK marinas, rivers, and canals — filter by your boat’s dimensions and compare facilities side by side.