Gillingham Marina for sale

[Concerto]

Did you know that Fort Amherst (Discover Fort Amherst | Defending Medway with Pride | Chatham, Kent) was part of a chain of Napoleonic defensive forts defending the Medway Towns. They were all linked together by large tunnels. However a director of the fort told me there is a more modern tunnel was found beneath Fort Amherst that they had not explored but was large enough to drive a double decker bus through. I wonder if the Russians knew of this.

 

[cueball]

What’s the feasibility of getting a group of forum members together to put in a bid? Keep our pride and joys there?

 

[xyachtdave]

What’s the feasibility of getting a group of forum members together to put in a bid? Keep our pride and joys there?

Organising a dinner once a year is a real PITA....this would certainly be a 'moonshot'!

 

[cueball]

Organising a dinner once a year is a real PITA....this would certainly be a 'moonshot'!

Think about it, I know my mooring fees are monstrous and I don’t even get to own the dam thing! I would happily pay more if it was working towards ownership.

I take it that your in? ?

 

[Rappey]

I wonder if an existing marina operator

Would have though if it was an attractive proposition it would have been bought before it came to be openly advertised..

 

[Concerto]

This comment on the Medway and Swale Boating Association explains why the marina is for sale.
"Since the death of the owner, 103 year old Mr Parham, there have been rumours but now it can be confirmed that Gillingham Marina is for sale by Savills. The property is open to offers as a going concern but is said to have development potential subject to planning permission. " Gillingham Marina is for sale

 

[xyachtdave]

Think about it, I know my mooring fees are monstrous and I don’t even get to own the dam thing! I would happily pay more if it was working towards ownership.

I take it that your in? ?

Put me down for 1/64...

 

[Capt Popeye]

Having some first hand knowledge of Gillinham Marina plus the family owners , my bet is that it sells to a developer and many waterfront homes are built on it , poss with Marina for homes owners

Gillingham will eventuall change for the better , thats some but not all, of the local operators

When I was employed there friends and business personel living in Society London, some had their Yachts there (Power and Sail) gleefully stating, that the Marina was but a fast hour away from London down the M2 , no town traffic to contend with after Bexley area

So guess that Gillinham still beats any South Coast Marina for easy access

RIP Mr Parham - cor 103 years !

 

[RivalRedwing]

The locked side of Gillingham is a bit tight for modern 40' boats although it is great for boats of more modest length. The drying side is under used and is crying out for a cill or similar to make it more attractive by keeping some water back. The wet and drying sides would benefit from some reorganisation to accommodate more larger boats to better compete with Chatham Marina. In short, it needs some modernisation... I do fear that it may suffer an infill and housing development although it will likely need something of a land rise to comply with flood risk issues.

 

[Concerto]

I could not agree more. The lock is too small. 30 years ago my parents kept a Moody Eclipse 43 there for several years. There were only a limited number of berths that could cope with her size and the layout has not changed. Also they would not allow another boat in the lock with us as it was too tight. I visited in my Fulmar a couple of years ago and I found the lock was still as bad to tie up in having to pass ropes around hanging chains, at least there have big fenders to keep you off the steel shuttering. The lock was a tight squeeze with 3 Centaurs and last in my Fulmar. The wet basin is very shallow and tight to manoeuvre in. It really needs dredging and finger pontoons installed rather than posts, the few finger pontoons they currently have drop a foot as you stand on them, but you still have to moor to posts. All the larger boats on the Medway are in Chatham Marina. The lock is massive by comparison, once I was in there with a 42 ft yacht in front of me, the a 38ft motor boat tied up the other side and a 50ft motor boat tied up to him. There is better tidal access for almost all boats at all states of tide and 24 hours a day. Gillingham by comparison has restrictions at low water for most boats and only operates in daylight hours. Chatham has more space between th rows of boats and has substantial pontoon fingers. The other major difference is the depth of water as I have 9.5m under my keel and this reduces the amount of marine growth as the water is colder and has less mud inthe water.

If the commercial dock in Gillingham, the old eastern basin of the dockyard does close as planned and is turned into a marina, then I doubt if Gillingham will remain as a viable marina. The current drying section is under used and would certainly be a likely candidate for being infilled and built on, along with a lot of the current yard space including their massive sheds. Would I miss Gillingham Marina? Not really. I know plenty of people who do berth there and they like the friendly nature of the place. When it was built it was the premier marina on the Medway, but now for me it is a poor second choice that is likely to become 3rd choice.

 

[RivalRedwing]

I have many fond memories of it. We were based there for about 10 years until the kids need for sandy beaches took us away. I do hope the future has a positive outcome

 

[Capt Popeye]

Might ask, is there any issues, real or imagined, with suspect stray Electrical Curent in the Chatam Marina , caused i recall by Live Major Electrical supplies ; there was some reports years ago about Anodes being used up at abnormal rates ?

 

[John_Silver]

Might ask, is there any issues, real or imagined, with suspect stray Electrical Curent in the Chatam Marina , caused i recall by Live Major Electrical supplies ; there was some reports years ago about Anodes being used up at abnormal rates ?

Compared to the anode wasteage rate experienced in two of Poole’s marinas, I’ve noticed a significantly lower rate since moving to Chatham.

 

[ex-Gladys]

My one observation about visiting Chatham for a few days, it is the best free scrub available mid season. The amount of TBT within the mud must be something to behold!

 

[Concerto]

My one observation about visiting Chatham for a few days, it is the best free scrub available mid season. The amount of TBT within the mud must be something to behold!

It is not the TBT, but the deep cool water that has virtually no suspanded mud in it, plus there are a number of natural springs that flow into the dock reducing the salinity slightly. Muscles and limpits do not seem to dislike the water. During the warmer months some weed grows on the surface and can form large clumps that are then removed by the staff, but luckily this weed does not grow on hulls. I believe this dock was also where the nuclear subs were maintained, but I doubt there is any residual radiation as most of St Mary's Island had the soil removed before any building began. I expect the same was true for the dock being checked before it was allowed to be used as a marina.

 

[oldgit]

Been in them all.
Gillingham has several advantages over other marinas
It is not a dustbowl like Medway Bridge and Port Medway.
Gillingham has two proper lifts, not wobbly contraptions like Medway Bridge and Port Medway were a tractor is sometimes needed.
Getting your boat in to the lifting contraption is interesting on a windy day in both Medway Bridge and Port Medway getting it out again can be exciting.
You can forget lifting or launching at both Medway bridge and Port Medway if the tides are rubbish.
MDL not enough hard standing for their own boats let alone anybody else.
Gillingham has cafe AND a chandlery on your doorstep.
Gillingham has decent security , Medway Bridge has virtually zero.

 

[UK-WOOZY]

interesting read. im considering moving from my local 15mins drive away club to join somewhere in the medway as that is my favorite sailing area. plus my boat will be in the area soon anyway for repair at Gillingham marina. So why sail 8 hours back to my current club when i could stay in the medway which is half hour drive for me. I have a few friends now in Chatham and visited it last weeked and loved what I saw. Gillingham was nice too but smaller and not much cheaper, if not more than Chatham, but i follow a youtuber based there plus my boat will be in the workshop anyway.

I thought for non marinas, maybe seagas or the one next to it, or Upnor?

 

[mrming]

interesting read. im considering moving from my local 15mins drive away club to join somewhere in the medway as that is my favorite sailing area. plus my boat will be in the area soon anyway for repair at Gillingham marina. So why sail 8 hours back to my current club when i could stay in the medway which is half hour drive for me. I have a few friends now in Chatham and visited it last weeked and loved what I saw. Gillingham was nice too but smaller and not much cheaper, if not more than Chatham, but i follow a youtuber based there plus my boat will be in the workshop anyway.

I thought for non marinas, maybe seagas or the one next to it, or Upnor?

If you can work with a swinging mooring, Medway Yacht Club at Upnor has great facilities and is at one of the nicest bits of the river IMO. Cheaper than either Marina but you would need a tender at the club for times when the trot boat is not running, and obv you give up such luxuries as shore power. We used to do it until we had small kids - now we pay for a marina berth as we seem to carry the entire contents of our house to the boat each visit.

 

[UK-WOOZY]

im considering a marina as i have had back problems the past 2 years and sciatica. my club has swing moorings and its always nerve wracking if the outboard will conk out or not, and its aways hard word launching with the tractor and boat trailer, and the slip way is always muddy so always walking mud onto the dinghy and yacht, i have visited Medway YC numerous time and follow the Foxwell family from there on youtube, Medway YC is a lovely club.

 

[UK-WOOZY]

had a bad time getting the boat in at Gillingham marina so am joining chatham when its been repaired

At Gillingham, the lock was a nightmare and the flow of water kept pushing my bow towards the wall, once in there were strong winds that overpowered my engines power and pushed my boat towards other boats and then the boat lift concrete walls. Also the work shop have not returned my emails or calls for my request asking for some additional work to the insurance work