Advice on where to keep the boat

[markosy]

Our 18ft fletcher Faro is at the moment kept on the the Thames, the plan for next year is to keep it Portsmouth/ Southampton area, either in a boat stack, a marina that will keep it on the trailer and launch for us or a mooring.
Advice on suitable marinas would be welcome within say 1.5 to 2 hours drive from Guildford

 

[Chas25]

We're at Hamble Point, they have a brand new dry stack or a large marina (although not the cheapest) easily within 1.5/2hours from Guildford (we're based in Fleet and do the journey consistantly in 1 - 1.5hours) also means you get to miss the worst of the M3/A3 traffic and go down the A31/A32

 

[Whitelighter]

Sparkes is an obviuos candidate on Hayling Island. Straight down the A3. Journey time less than 90 minutes

 

[Solitaire]

With all due respect Jez, Sparkes is not really the ideal place to put an 18 footer for someone who is coming from the Thames to the sea! As Chaz mentioned Hamble Point has a new dry stack and there is also Southampton Dry Stack or Drivers Wharf . There is also an operation in Portsmouth - Seaway and another one whose name I can't remember at the moment.

 

[Whitelighter]

with all due respect I disagree. I have a very good friend who dry boats a 1961 Hunt 18 from Sparkes - and until then his only experience was the Great Lakes in Canada.

I mention it for a number of reasons, ease of access from Guildford (less than 90 minutes even on the worst day), the ability to just pootle around the harbour if it is rubbish further out, Pompy of Bembridge a meer 15 minutes away.

Chris regularly takes his girls out (6&9) to East Head and up the channel to Emsworth and Birdham Pool.

I agree the Hamble is sheltered, but Hamble Point is a bitch to get to in the summer, plus as you know the Southampton water can kick up, and in those conditions there is no-where really to go except up the Hamble.

 

[Solitaire]

Then we must agree to disagree! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Phew, good job there then, not good to agree on everything. While I except that there is a big area to "explore" getting in and out of Chi Harbour at times can be challenging. One of the reasons for coming down to the coast is to use it! I did all my initial boating out of Chi when I first started - I found it very frustrating. After pottering around I wanted more and lets face it, the cost of fuel when you have to travel to get anywhere!

Anyway, we could go on for ever debating the issues and boating is about compromise anyway! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Whitelighter]

Sorry, feeling grumpy this morning /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Solitaire]

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, feeling grumpy this morning /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

And you are only a young man! As to me, well I'm typical of the grumpy old men from the TV program /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Still, wait until you have been in the marine industry for a bit longer - and then you may be justified, irrespective of your age /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[markosy]

Thank you all for your advice, I will spend the next few weekends driving to the marinas to have a look, as I will not be out on the Thames