Buckler's Hard, Beaulieu - Ouch!

Carib

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Ouch indeed. That Beaulieu midriver pontoon used to be one of our favourite spots. Now it's joined to the shore, it's not only drastically more expensive as you say but also creates a culdersac at both ends on the shore side. The tide runs strongly there, so getting in and out will be much more stressful too.
 

BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo

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In my recent experience - apart from the last RTIR race where they were turning people away the place has often emptied out once the short stay visitors have left.
 

DJE

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One of a number of reasons I don't go there. Another is the "delightful" restaurant.

It'll be interesting to see if they're full at the weekends. If so, unfortunately, it means they've got their pricing right, but greed has closed down many a good business.
We often pick up a buoy in the lower reaches of the river but don't see the attraction of Bucklers Hard.
 

Quiddle

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Six blokes in a weekend charter sharing expenses will scarcely notice the cost.
Neither will a fund manager with a net worth of tens of millions but that's not really the point. I'm on a well maintained buoy in the Menai Strait at the moment. £5 a night. Citing demand is all well and good but I don't see what investment beyond laying the buoy has been made by the organisation profiteering in this way.
 

ridgy

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I don't think that anyone would consider camping and caravanning to be the preserve of the wealthy but for a family to stay at a nice site in a popular location in summer will not leave much or any change from £45. Often 2 or 3 night minimum stay. Even putting a tent up on a bit of grass with no electric can be 35.

I doubt that many on here became wealthy by selling their services cheaply!
 

xcw

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Now £4/m following the redevelopment. Provided you were happy to pump the tender up to go ashore then the old 'island' pontoon just upstream of the marina was a little over half that last season.

Visitor Mooring & Berthing | Beaulieu River & Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour
Oh well, another place that won't be getting my sailing $s any longer. A shame as I used to love it on the mid river pontoon. I see Lymington has closed the mid river piles to visitors this year (due to Covid - 19????) forcing people onto the new (expensive) pontoons.
 

wizard

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Apart from the lower river buoys and anchoring I have never felt the need to go upriver after all the negative comments that usually abound about the place.
 

laika

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Is there a picture of the new marina anywhere? Best I could find was a diagram overlaid on an old picture:
Buckler's Hard Yacht Harbour Redevelopment | Beaulieu River

I only berthed on the shore-connected pontoons once and it wasn't just the outrageous cost which got me as the way I had to force my 12m boat into a tiny space (with fenders literally compressed against the next boat) with minimal turning room between the rows. Maybe it was a busy day and they'd put me into a too-small space but I resolved that was the last time I was paying that much for low-end facilities, rickety pontoons and more parking stress than I needed. Hopefully the facilities and pontoons have been tarted up now?
 
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BH went downhill when the Master Builder's stopped doing pub grub so the choice was the restaurant or a burger from the outside grill.
 

Carib

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Hopefully the facilities and pontoons have been tarted up now?
The shower facilities are indeed very tarted up, with individual large shower rooms and a lounge-style waiting area outside. Unfortunately, they're wet rooms so you struggle to get dressed without getting wet socks, and they get steamy so you can't dry off properly first either. Definitely style over function.

One of the big attractions of Buckler's Hard, for us, is the very pleasant river walk into Beaulieu and back.
 

Ian_Rob

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The shower facilities are indeed very tarted up, with individual large shower rooms and a lounge-style waiting area outside. Unfortunately, they're wet rooms so you struggle to get dressed without getting wet socks, and they get steamy so you can't dry off properly first either. Definitely style over function.

I would rate them as one of the best I have used. They are Unisex and perhaps 3m x 3m. 1/3rd is the shower cubicle separated off with a full height glass screen. The remaining 2/3rd is for changing and has its own ‘private’ WC & WHB - which I like. I can’t remember if there is a bench or not but you can certainly use the WC as a seat if necessary. It is probably true that it is a bit too easy to poddle water through to the dry side but that really isn’t a problem and there is a long handled squeegee provided. Hair dryers and seats in the waiting area. I like them.
 
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