A little Marina help please!

[No Regrets]

Our old Shetland (Now for sale at T&K) and Shamby have both been berthed, very happily, at Thames and Kennet marina.

During the past year, we have enjoyed around 60 hours cruising, but SWMBO doesn't enjoy sleeping aboard due to an ear issue.

This limits our Sundays to around three hours each side of Caversham, taking us either up through Mapledurham to Pangbourne and back, after a nice lunch stop with copious amounts of free mooring along the way, or down between Henley and Windsor where moorings, and consequently lunch stops, are less available.

We fancy swapping Marina's next year, for a couple of reasons:

1/ Different scenery & new places

2/ Closer proximity to the Tidal bits, where Shamby can stretch her sea-legs (It seems such a waste having 24kt capability and never usiing any more than 5kt doesn't it?) and see the sights in the City

3/ It would be closer to home by 10-15 miles, lopping a bit off the fuel bill and mileage, not to mention travelling time to the boat!

OK, thats three reasons....

Now T+K is great, but we could swap FOC to any Ting Dene marina, or swap to MDL or whatever in May, when our pre-paid berth expires.

Would you kind folk proffer a few pros and cons for various locations please? Shamby is a 26' Sport cruiser with 0.5 gph fuel consumption and fully featured so Marina facilities are not a prime concern, other than security and safe berthing off the stream.

Thanks in anticipation..... /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[MiskinDriver]

Are looking to stay on the non tidal bit - or are you looking to come down into London?

I'm in South Dock Marina, which is in the old Greenland Docks, used to be in Gallions Point and live close to St Katherine Docks.

So, if you are interested in any of these, then let me know.

Let me know

 

[thechevychase]

A few years back I berthed at MDL's Windsor Marina. I found Windsor excellent, good moorings, secure and above all else excellent staff.

 

[trev]

A few years ago I berthed at Penton Hook which was handy for day cruises up to Windsor (appr 3 hrs) and down to Hampton Court (also circa 3 hrs) - you could also get to Teddington in a morning for an afternoon tide down to St Kats.
But you really need to be able to spend nights aboard to get the full value - as I'm sure you know.

I've been berthed at Windsor Racecourse for the past twelve years which is handy for day trips to Windsor (Dining out and Theatre) and a pleasant run up to Cookham for lunch etc.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

If you are time limited and want to get tidal then Thames Ditton?

 

[teddington_lock]

Teddington Harbour ... 0208 977 9978 or call in at The Boat Shop , Ferry Road , Teddington.

They have pontoon berths in the weirstream and outside the development outside the lock. Both have water and electric and are secure. Quite a few clubs stay there the night before they head off to the tideway usually.

Good luck.

H

 

[TrueBlue]

Sure -

"The caravan company" now own both of Walton Marine's marinas -

Purford, which is four locks up the Wey (take care the Trolls catch you if you cruise after dark), but the river is pretty. The marina is a reasonable size (150 boats?? - mostly narrow) so may have vacancies.

Walton, this is much smaller and caters for smaller boats.

There's also Shepperton marina opposite with prices similar to T&K. That's usually quite full.

If you want something "different" there's always D'oyly Carte island just downstream of Shepperton lock. Minimal facilities which is probably reflected in their prices. They seem to be upgrading the facilities in stages.

These are not just a list - I've had experience of all the above up to three years ago.

 

[boatone]

Re: Sure -

Forget Pyrford....it will take you too long to get into the Thames if you are restricted to day trips as there are several locks.

Bates Marina is just below Chertsey Bridge and we find it very covenient for up to Windsor and down to Teddington, usually for weekends but both are possible on a longish day. Otherwise Thames Ditton, Shepperton or Walton Marinas if you want to get down to the tideway or Penton Hook, Windsor or Bray.

Rule of thumb for time is 4mph plus 15mins per lock so you should find it fairly easy to calculate how far you can get and back in a day from wherever.

All goes tits up of course if you risk Boveney or Bray on a busy weekend!

 

[bradtarga34]

Re: Sure -

We are in Walton Marina and very happy with it's location for trips to London and weekenders up to Windsor, not to mention a ten minute walk from home! A nice marina with fairly basic faclities, but more than made up for by a really good social bunch of boaters and part of the Tingdene group as you know. Plenty of nice bits for cruising around and only 3 lock from the tidal Thames, meaning Chelsea Harbour in about 5 hours or so and St Kat's a bit further on from there.

 

[No Regrets]

Re: Sure -

Thanks for the replies so far chaps, I'm wading through the options, but will gratefully accept as much information as you can throw at me.....

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[DogsBody]

[ QUOTE ]
Our old Shetland (Now for sale at T&K) and Shamby have both been berthed, very happily, at Thames and Kennet marina.

During the past year, we have enjoyed around 60 hours cruising, but SWMBO doesn't enjoy sleeping aboard due to an ear issue.

This limits our Sundays to around three hours each side of Caversham, taking us either up through Mapledurham to Pangbourne and back, after a nice lunch stop with copious amounts of free mooring along the way, or down between Henley and Windsor where moorings, and consequently lunch stops, are less available.

We fancy swapping Marina's next year, for a couple of reasons:

1/ Different scenery & new places

2/ Closer proximity to the Tidal bits, where Shamby can stretch her sea-legs (It seems such a waste having 24kt capability and never usiing any more than 5kt doesn't it?) and see the sights in the City

3/ It would be closer to home by 10-15 miles, lopping a bit off the fuel bill and mileage, not to mention travelling time to the boat!

OK, thats three reasons....

Now T+K is great, but we could swap FOC to any Ting Dene marina, or swap to MDL or whatever in May, when our pre-paid berth expires.

Would you kind folk proffer a few pros and cons for various locations please? Shamby is a 26' Sport cruiser with 0.5 gph fuel consumption and fully featured so Marina facilities are not a prime concern, other than security and safe berthing off the stream.

Thanks in anticipation..... /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You could always come and join us at Bray:

1, Different scenery - Windsor one way and Clivedon (IMO one of the prettiest parts of the river) the other both within easy half day trips. Cookham, Marlow and Henley all within easy reach and well worth visiting - as I'm sure you know.

2, Can reach Teddington in one longish day when you fancy the tidal bit, or could split the trip at Penton Hook and make it two short hops.

3, Closer to home? Pass don't know where you live but its only five minutes from the M4 and only slightly longer from the M25.

4, Friendly people and great cruiser club (sorry had to get a plug in!)

Downsides are that its a busy bit of the river, get up early if you want to go through Bray lock on a sunny summer's day. Costs are not cheap and going up - like many marinas I guess. Security seems to be on the decline.

Did I mention the friendly cruiser club? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif


Darren.

 

[apollo]

"Security seems to be on the decline"

Yep, they let anyone in these days even me!!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Ramage]

Are you back for the winter or permanently? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[apollo]

Just lurking in the corner of I pier and hoping nobody notices me!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Seriously, just here for the winter, off again in April. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[No Regrets]

Well we just popped into Bray to have a look around, and it seems just fine, much the same as T&K, but without any realistic chandlers, although the Restaurant is all present and correct.

The trouble is, they quoted £2400 to berth the Birchwood, which is £400 more than at present, and more than Penton Hook quoted.

Sod that.... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Ramage]

See PM.

As Ting Dene clients, can you not use RYB at Windsor Racecourse?

 

[rr_123]

so will we be seeing you at Penton Hook then?

Nice bit of the river down here, bit more built up than the upper upper, but great for visiting places with a good selection of restaurants etc which should please SWMBO?

 

[Brayman]

That's quite a difference, you ought to have a WORD with them at Bray. For my 37' I'm sure there isn't that much difference.
But I'm not moving from T&K.

 

[No Regrets]

Ting Dene costs:

Caversham.....................£2246

Walton............................£2262

Windsor Racecourse........£2112


MDL:

Bray ...........................£2460

P.Hook.........................£2350


Both have 14 day stays at group Marinas, swappable berths to other group Marina's and all the usual facilities on the whole.

The locations vary, each offering some perks, and a few slight obstacles too, for example, Racecourse has the windy stream of death to navigate, Bray and Windsor have busy locks in the Summer, Penton Hook is a long way from the lovely Oxford countryside, and Thames and Kennet is a long way from London, and the tidal section.

None are clear winners of course, and several are tempting, so we may defer a decision until after April..... /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

We will certainly be popping down to Ting Dene at Windsor Racecourse for a few Summer soirees to meet you friendly chaps and chappesses a few times though.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Ramage]

Racecourse is on the same stretch as Windsor and Bray Marinas between Bray and Boveney Locks.

Which is why those two locks get so busy in summer.