ctva
Well-known member
Ouch!!!
Three weeks on the west coast with six paid nights in marinas / moorings came to about £130.
A cold shoulder at Lymington
- Thread starter scrambledegg
- Start date
Ouch!!!
Three weeks on the west coast with six paid nights in marinas / moorings came to about £130.
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
No, not at all. They were excellent all round, very happy with the experience - and I'm not a berth holder in any related location. (Chichester is a Premier).
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
We paid about £51 a night at Lymington for a 12.8m boat. Very typical. Poole was more once you added the leccy (£3) and the relatively extortionate harbour dues (£8), and the facilities there don't compare at all well with Lymington.
Robin
Well-known member
AFAIK Lymington marinas have no visitor berths per se, only use ones vacated by berth holders avialabilty of which is by nature unpredictable. We like to be on the buoys/pontoon up by Town quay for convenience but also like the walk ashore facility at Dan Bran down by the entrance to LYH except when the RIB NUTTERS throw wash like a tsunami when going by. You have to book ahead for Dan Bran which is where they often put truly huge boats like training vessels and club rallies etc .We had a few weeks on there earlier this year, nice place very friendly staff, receipt gives access to LTSC bar/restaurant and small discount. drawback is a tidy uphill walk into the main town, taxis are available but get very busy during peak times
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
That's right. Booking advised...
Applespider
New member
If I really want to go to Lymington, I tend to book and have always found both marinas to be very helpful Most recently, when organising a mini-rally of four yachts where they found a spot where we could raft (and gave us a discount accordingly). The Saturday night mooring fee at LYH also includes a Sunday newspaper from the chandlery. There's something quite chilled about lazily tacking back up to Cowes on the Sunday morning on the flood tide while flicking through the Sunday papers. Although it's pricey, it does at least feel like they're trying make it a good experience - the showers, bar and staff are excellent.
The Lymington harbourmasters were talking through their plans for the Town Quay at a festival the other week. They're removing some of the fore-aft moorings and creating more walk-ashore pontoons as that's what they're getting most demand for. They are keeping some of the rafting at the Town Quay - but that will also be bookable - which might take some of the fun away from keeping your fingers crossed as you head down the river hoping for a spot to raft. I've had some lively evenings there with good company.
The Lymington harbourmasters were talking through their plans for the Town Quay at a festival the other week. They're removing some of the fore-aft moorings and creating more walk-ashore pontoons as that's what they're getting most demand for. They are keeping some of the rafting at the Town Quay - but that will also be bookable - which might take some of the fun away from keeping your fingers crossed as you head down the river hoping for a spot to raft. I've had some lively evenings there with good company.
agroundagain
Member
This is similar to my experience a couple of weekends ago. Tried to book for the Saturday on Thursday. Got a straight "No" from the yacht haven and a "we'll check and call back" from Berthon. So I started to look for alternatives but Berthon did call back and we slotted in there. Berthon very good but no bargain.
The booking thing extended into the town.
Two of us, me and a mate, with simple beer and curry requirement, found both curry houses on the high street rammed at 8 pm, "booking is advisable at the weekend, sir".
Ended up in the Thai, pretty decent.
Some good pubs (Bosun's Chair, Ship) and some others (e.g. a stealth Wetherspoons at the top of the hill).
Town Quay looked great at 1930 in the sunlight from outside the Ship but less attractive on the way back at 2330.
Would recommend Stanwell House hotel on the High Street for breakfast, 12.50 for a decent but smallish full English but loads of cereal, fruit, meats and cheese making it decent vallue and well executed plus kudos to the resident who had a Peroni with his at 0930.
The booking thing extended into the town.
Two of us, me and a mate, with simple beer and curry requirement, found both curry houses on the high street rammed at 8 pm, "booking is advisable at the weekend, sir".
Ended up in the Thai, pretty decent.
Some good pubs (Bosun's Chair, Ship) and some others (e.g. a stealth Wetherspoons at the top of the hill).
Town Quay looked great at 1930 in the sunlight from outside the Ship but less attractive on the way back at 2330.
Would recommend Stanwell House hotel on the High Street for breakfast, 12.50 for a decent but smallish full English but loads of cereal, fruit, meats and cheese making it decent vallue and well executed plus kudos to the resident who had a Peroni with his at 0930.
RIBW
Member
I think you may be witnessing a more general social change. It used to be possible to tour (by car) the Highlands booking by the day as the whim took one. Recently, trying to book a room in Pitlochry at the in-town tourist office, they had nothing to offer at about 3pm. The reason, according to the manager, was that most people book ahead using the numerous websites (booking.com etc ) on their smartphones or tablets. [He was particularly upset that US corporations are taking commissions that previously kept the Tourist Office financially viable]. So, some of the problem may be generational/technological - more and more people book ahead as the 'norm' and more and more people working in the marinas may have that expectation.
Obviously sailing imposes different constraints but it is just a thought
Cheers
Bob
Robert Wilson
Well-known member
Well, what can I say? If you will go to the busy, busy, busy parts of the British coast, what can you expect?
And if you had obtained a berth, would you have had free showers and gin?...………………
Well done for getting so far south - haste ye back.
Fair winds and kind waters to you both.
And if you had obtained a berth, would you have had free showers and gin?...………………
Well done for getting so far south - haste ye back.
Fair winds and kind waters to you both.
scrambledegg
Member
I would be only too delighted if I could manage a northwards shift...
Cactus Sailing
Member
im yet to get into lymington at the weekend, i either pick popular weekends or like you call on a Thursday when i know what im doing and always met with a "Sorry we're full, you can always try on the day" to which I've never really tried
i've been in a few times during the week though and that's normally without hassle, even without booking.
anoccasionalyachtsman
Well-known member
If you tried unsuccessfully last Thursday I'm terribly sorry. We rolled up, without booking, at about 16:30 and may have taken the last spare berth.
steveeasy
Well-known member
OK,
not read all the posts but I was going to post on this topic a few days ago. Three weeks ago prior to cows week starting I called Yacht Haven in Lymington. they did not have space but said they would try to sort me something. several calls in the afternoon and we had a space. I found them ever so helpful and friendly and the facilities were great. The restaurant was first class and with electric hook up included £35 was an absolute bargain. What most impressed me was they were just very helpful. I suppose you have to expect it difficult to get a berth in a busy time. I found the harbour commission hard work and not very helpful at all.
Steveeasy
not read all the posts but I was going to post on this topic a few days ago. Three weeks ago prior to cows week starting I called Yacht Haven in Lymington. they did not have space but said they would try to sort me something. several calls in the afternoon and we had a space. I found them ever so helpful and friendly and the facilities were great. The restaurant was first class and with electric hook up included £35 was an absolute bargain. What most impressed me was they were just very helpful. I suppose you have to expect it difficult to get a berth in a busy time. I found the harbour commission hard work and not very helpful at all.
Steveeasy
Babylon
Well-known member
Maybe he was still so relieved at having got a booking, but oiling yourself at breakfast isn’t exactly a kudos-worthy achievement.
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
Can't comment on the harbour commission but I completely agree ref LYH, they managed to get us in at short notice once in v poor weather, we were running back to the Solent for a bit of shelter and anywhere would do. Was mid summer so maybe peak-ish season (or alternatively, load of people out!). Tried them first, 2 mins later we had a space. Happy to pay for the privilege, and the showers are superb. Also recommend the food in the Haven bar/restaurant.
Channel Sailor
Active member
Over the weekend I spent two days in Lymington on the LHC facilities. I booked the first night with a few hours notice only. Very helpful team, they found me space even though it was very busy with rallies and those seeking shelter. First night was on the Dan Brun(?) pontoon (good showers, WiFi, walk ashore, quite enough. the 2nd night on trots opposite Town Quay. The trots being particularly sheltered in the strong winds and a very short row ( no tide stream up there) in my dinghy to the Town Quay. The LHC launch helped me with trots mooring up as well. The Town Quay pontoon did not look very attractive to me for berthing at the time because it was so busy being a Bank Holiday weekend.
st599
Well-known member
Didn't even get in the river last time I went. There was a harbour master launch near the first buoy turning people away.
Seajet
...
I think you have hit the nail right on the head there; it used to be that when one tried to book a marina berth in the Solent - or anywhere else I've been - there would be a haughty reply ' no, just call us when at the VHF calling point by the entrance '.
Now we have ' secure ' mobile phones, they can take a booking - and card details - and it's tough luck if weather or something prevents one getting there.
This is a significant erosion of the pleasure of sailing in my book, when people ask ' where are you going ? ' I happily say
' we'll see when we're out there '.
Now there is pressure to decide and go for a particular destination, which could even lead to carrying on in unsafe conditions - the consolation for me is I'm not a marina - hopper anyway usually, but it is a shame and should be resisted if possible.
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
I’ve never been asked to pay in advance. Or not in the uk anyway.
Lucky Duck
Well-known member
Yarmouth require payment when making the booking, non refundable...
