Drying mooring in the channel

[Sean Carter]

Hi Sean
I’ve looked at CYC but I don’t like how you have to “buy” the mooring

If you are on a trot mooring you do not just annual fee. Non tidal mooring in the Bristol Channel £500.

 

[ash12]

Seeing you live in Studley I wonder why you are thinking of the Bristol Channel. Rather restricted cruising. Have you considered the East Coast.? More places to go. Weather in summer usually better. Moorings can be found, but more pricy than S.Wales. I live in Stourbridge and can usually make Ipswich in 3 hours. When I had the boat in Penarth for a couple of months on a deal I found it took me 2hr 15 mins if I did not get held up at the tunnel. I have kept my boat at Bristol and Saul in the winter so have sailed the Channel. Discovered the East Coast cruising area by accident 20 years ago when returning from a voyage to the Netherlands. still there!

Mainly because its where I used to go boating as a kid and I know it reasonably well and all the places along it. Also with it probably being the closest and cheapest place to home. With me also buying a boat I will want to do work on an extra 2 hours on a return trip I don't think is worth it.
What boat do you have to keep it at saul? The family kept the broom there for a while in the summer one year and I just presumed it was way too shallow for a sailing boat.

 

[38mess]

I forgot to say, if I had my time again I would go as far west as possible. Milford is great.

 

[bitbaltic]

With me also buying a boat I will want to do work on an extra 2 hours on a return trip I don't think is worth it

spend a couple of seasons in the inner channel and it’s likely that opinion will change. Some love it and we toughed it out for seven years (from the relative comfort of Penarth Marina) but in the end the 2hr drive to Milford Haven was worth every minute even though we live 20 minutes from our old mooring in Penarth. We took the boat there 3 years ago and aren’t bringing it back.

While you are doing up your boat you will probably be happy with the inner channel but when you want to do some sailing it would be wise to have a ‘plan b’ cruising ground in mind as your needs might change.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I used to keep boat at CDYC at St Pierre. Access walking over muddy field in winter and only drivable in summer. CDYC members have key to farmers gate. No clubhouse but club hut for bbq facilities and storage of oars and stuff. Some of us used to keep outboards there but as rowing to boat is only 20m I never bothered. Club meetings elsewhere used to be Wednesday. Really nice folk.

I love visiting St Pierre Pill but it was inconvenient to where I live in Bristol so went back to my old mooring at Uphill (Weston Bay Yacht Club) also cheap, on the River Axe. Nice clubhouse open Fridays except covid. Parking on beach by clubhouse except high springs, or footpath from road to clubhouse or staging.

I had 2 summers in Milford/Neyland and a great non tidal setup but way too far for regular use.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Seeing you live in Studley I wonder why you are thinking of the Bristol Channel. Rather restricted cruising. Have you considered the East Coast.? More places to go. Weather in summer usually better. Moorings can be found, but more pricy than S.Wales. I live in Stourbridge and can usually make Ipswich in 3 hours. When I had the boat in Penarth for a couple of months on a deal I found it took me 2hr 15 mins if I did not get held up at the tunnel. I have kept my boat at Bristol and Saul in the winter so have sailed the Channel. Discovered the East Coast cruising area by accident 20 years ago when returning from a voyage to the Netherlands. still there!

However great roads to the Upper Bristol Channel particularly the Welsh & Forest of Dean side

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Mainly because its where I used to go boating as a kid and I know it reasonably well and all the places along it. Also with it probably being the closest and cheapest place to home. With me also buying a boat I will want to do work on an extra 2 hours on a return trip I don't think is worth it.
What boat do you have to keep it at saul? The family kept the broom there for a while in the summer one year and I just presumed it was way too shallow for a sailing boat.

The boat was a Centurion 32, drawing 5’10”. She was lifted out by R&W Davis and stored ashore. 1997 if I remember correctly. They had a construction site type of crane. The alarm bells were ringing nicely at the extremity of the lift! Marina not built then.

 

[ash12]

Thank you for the recommendations everyone. I think the next step is to contact and possible visit some of them at some point