New Dover marina - not open yet?

[Dan Tribe]

That video could have been very useful, but the editing into short shots and the accompanying irritating noise made it unwatchable for me.
No doubt it is arty.

 

[Daydream believer]

The whole idea of the new marina is to give 24 hour instant access and putting a lock at the entrance would stop that or make it inconvenient. They intend to charge mooring fees on that basis too so having a lock would mean less income. I always thought the new marina was a good idea but with certain reservations. The swell problem can be dealt with but I think it will require an extension to the outer marina breakwater to stop reflected waves getting in and bouncing around the pontoons. My other reservation is noise. The entire development is very close to and downwind of the new cargo wharfs with their attendant cranes and 24 hour activities. That has got to be noisy?

The marina will be virtually full regardless of access so it would not be an issue. The location would ensure a fairly high visitor rate as well

 

[Biggles Wader]

There already is 24 hour access to the marina, has been for years, you can tie up anytime in the tidal basin.
The Granville has some tidal moderate tidal restriction, and the Wellington dock is very restricted, but noticeably cheaper.
The noise is bad enough already, I have spent a week or two in the Wellington over the years and the traffic is continuously loud, with regular crashes, hooting and sirens when a lorry forgets to 'Links Fahren'
I still like it though, the place has a lot of character. I pulled in on Christmas Say 2019, it was spooky with all the ferries tied up, I was the day's only activity!

What Im getting at is they want unrestricted 24 hour access for many more boats than is currently available. The tidal basin is mostly taken up by small fishing/workboats and the border force. Much of it is too shallow for bigger yachts. The new lock will also give full access to the Wellington. The new marina is big and there is space for hundreds of yachts including biggies if they can sort out the swell.
Dover is an aquired taste. I was born and brought up there and I like it but I do understand those who dont get it. Incidentally, I have never seen Dover marina full so they are going to have to work at it to get customers in.

 

[Daydream believer]

What Im getting at is they want unrestricted 24 hour access for many more boats than is currently available. The tidal basin is mostly taken up by small fishing/workboats and the border force. Much of it is too shallow for bigger yachts. The new lock will also give full access to the Wellington. The new marina is big and there is space for hundreds of yachts including biggies if they can sort out the swell.
Dover is an aquired taste. I was born and brought up there and I like it but I do understand those who dont get it. Incidentally, I have never seen Dover marina full so they are going to have to work at it to get customers in.

As I understand it the revised layout does not increase the effective number of berths when all finished. just revises the layout. Pity really . Just property grabbing one off investments paying lip service to long term return from the boats.

 

[Tomahawk]

.
Dover is an aquired taste. I was born and brought up there and I like it but I do understand those who dont get it. Incidentally, I have never seen Dover marina full so they are going to have to work at it to get customers in.

A town destroyed by an interfering council. The pedestrian high street and war against car drivers has destroyed the centre by encouraging shoppers with money to drive to MacArtha Glen at Ashford.

 

[Daydream believer]

A town destroyed by an interfering council. The pedestrian high street and war against car drivers has destroyed the centre by encouraging shoppers with money to drive to MacArtha Glen at Ashford.

I quite liked one bit
I think the open area in front of the nightclub/pub makes a well designed ampitheatre. I was there late one night in 2014 with a crew & we sat on the (cold) bench seats eating fish & chips watching a drunken youth shouting at someone inside to "come & get it". When the bouncers released said target like lions at a Roman colluseum, the ensuing fight was fun. Opposing girlfriends joined in screaming & rolling around like Millwall football fans. Enough loose blonde hair to stuff a teddy. Quite how knives on chariots have developed over the ages into high heels, I am not sure. They do seem just as deadly though. ( reminder to self- make sure mistress is not wearing any when dumping her )
Fortunately no police were injured in the display & after a while the club bouncers picked up the pieces. ( presumably ready for the next act in one hour) I have never seen a fight where both sides loose before , but it was fun - until a seagull nicked my chips & a possible "illegal" was giving us hungry looks - so we went.

Apart from that Dover & the nearest pub to the marina, is pretty much s..te. Just a good stopping off place to jump over to Boulogne & start the holiday.
Get a good breakfast if the cafe facing the harbour is open- which it often is not.

 

[Charlie Boy]

Thread drift, but Dover Bronze Age boat museum is excellent
Bronze Age Boat

 

[Tomahawk]

First Officer worked for DDC for a week. She saw more than enough in a week to know her professional standing would be compromised if she stayed.

 

[pvb]

... encouraging shoppers with money to drive to MacArtha Glen at Ashford.

Didn't Richard Harris do a song about that place?

 

[Koeketiene]

As for harbours with tide running through them, I think the biggest I have seen is Roscoff. Not sure how successful it is & i have not been there in rough weather. the tide does get a fair lick though.

Called at Roscoff for the very first time last Summer.
A night arrival at a strange port is always a bit scary when you're singlehanded, but the tide added just that extra bit for effect.
Won't be returning there in a hurry. Or time my arrival better.

 

[Daydream believer]

Didn't Richard Harris do a song about that place?

Nahh.!!! If it had been then the words would have had to change from " Someone left the cake out in the rain" ----
to " Some bloody seagull had the cake away" or "This homeless guy nicked it when I was not looking"
& somehow it just does not have the romance.
Could possibly have made a West Mersea sea shanty out of it, but it would never have made the American charts

 

[Daydream believer]

Called at Roscoff for the very first time last Summer.
A night arrival at a strange port is always a bit scary when you're singlehanded, but the tide added just that extra bit for effect.
Won't be returning there in a hurry. Or time my arrival better.

The worse thing about going from the CIs etc to Roscoff is the pots weed & bits of net etc between the Sept Isles & shore on the approach. I have no idea what the fishermen do, but they must rip the sea bed to bits, as great chunks of weed tangled with nets have been floating around the area every time I have been there. So approaching at night under power against the tide would be hazardous to say the least. Once inside it is a doddle. Notably one of the longest pontoons that I can recall in that coast.

 

[Concerto]

Just seen this report that opening has been delayed further.
Dover's new boat-less marina has opening date delayed again

 

[Pye_End]

Looking at this today, with a brisk NE wind - they have restricted the inner part of the entrance entrance with some more piles, which indeed seems to have improved things inside. However there was still some swell about the place moving pontoons about, so extending one of the existing piers, or whatever they intend to do next, may well sort the problem out - let us hope so. It would be interesting to see the effect of the inner piles on more extreme weather. Can't help feeling that more use of 'white noise' structures would help rather than all those hard edges.

 

[Aquaboy]

Considering we have been building docks etc for a fair number of years, its the usual modern c--k up basically.
Bet the architects never went and chatted to the locals and said we want to do this, can you see any problems?

 

[Habebty]

Considering we have been building docks etc for a fair number of years, its the usual modern c--k up basically.
Bet the architects never went and chatted to the locals and said we want to do this, can you see any problems?

Possibly? But remember, when Dover Harbour was first built, there was no outer breakwater at all, it only had a western breakwater like Folkstone, was that a cock-up? Where did the Edwardian mail packets go in easterly gales? Dover has grown/ evolved into what is there now as it became more vital for trade and transport. The currents and send inside the modern harbour are quite complex, and I doubt the locals would have any more clue about a sound engineering solution than the marine engineers, who admittedly seem to have got the design “ a bit wrong”. People/ engineers have been making cock-ups as long as we have been making anything. I suspect the delay is more connected with modern legal contractual and liability issues rather than technical head-scratching.

 

[Biggles Wader]

They are now operating the new lock into the Wellington dock from the new marina so you can get in and out several times a day between the usual free flow period around high water. The marina office publishes a set of times for inward and outward transits. So I used it and it is an easy process, the only downside being the smelly water. How those huge fish and the seals manage in there I dont know!

 

[Habebty]

I take it the new berths are still not being used, and are visitors still directed to the Granville dock?

 

[Biggles Wader]

Yes although the marina office is now in the new building by the new lock and you can stay in the Wellington if that is more convenient. Still only the Border Force boats in the new marina though.

 

[Gary Fox]

They are now operating the new lock into the Wellington dock from the new marina so you can get in and out several times a day between the usual free flow period around high water. The marina office publishes a set of times for inward and outward transits. So I used it and it is an easy process, the only downside being the smelly water. How those huge fish and the seals manage in there I dont know!

Maybe it will refresh the water in the Welly? I have had some voracious fouling in there, there must be all sorts of creatures in those murky depths.