Anyone know Poole harbour?

[Theshipscat]

Ahoy. I'm thinking of moving the yacht out of Chi-marina and further afield. Poole looks interesting with lots of options. I've only sailed there once but would like to explore there more and further west. Where would one recommend for reasonable mooring with all tide access, club facilities perhaps, restaurant, bar, easy access? I have a bilge keel with 4ft draft but would prefer not to dry out.
Ta

 

[Tranona]

Big ask to get all those features. Plenty of suitable moorings at Hamworthy end, Parkstone Bay and Sandbanks, but poor shoreside facilities because there are competing activities for shore space. Parkstone Bay Marina and Lake shipyard are probably the best commercial locations.

The best overall are from the two major clubs, Poole Yacht Club and Parkstone Yacht Club. Both have excellent shoreside facilities and either marinas or deep water swinging moorings with launch service. However, for obvious reasons there are waiting lists, both to join and get moorings. Two smaller clubs, East Dorset and Lilliput Yacht Club also have moorings, but no marinas.

A downside for Poole is road access if coming from the north/east. The M27/A31 is a parking lot at weekends and getting through Poole to shoreside can be very slow. Better from north/west and perfect if you can see the harbour out of your bedroom window as I can - 10 minutes to boat!

 

[BarryH]

Cobbs seems to fit your list of requirements. The only drawback is that its above the bridge with the associated hassles of opening times etc etc.
Poole Harbour is a wonderful place, the only drawback is that Poole is on its northern shore, get rid of that and it would be idylic......

 

[Seajet]

G,

I have visited Poole quite a lot; one snag with harbours such as this compared to the Solent is the restricted choice of places to go on the average weekend; you can either go left to the Solent - a fairly long trip and the weather has to be right at Hurst - or right to Weymouth, again quite tricky re weather and going further West means a lot more time and thought...

I do like Poole very much, the trip up to Wareham Quay is quite magical, but I suspect the Solent is very hard to beat for choice, I only make up my mind where we're going once I get out of the harbour entrance and see how the boat and I feel !

Off the top of my head, and I don't know the fees, how about East Cowes or Island Harbour ?

The latter is also tidally restricted, only seems to suit when one is going West with the tide, but is very serene and peaceful, while not exactly having the facilities East Cowes has to offer...

Been to Cobbs Quay a few times, fine for a holiday but I'd think waiting for the bridges - plural now, while one waits for the tarmac to slide off the new one ! - would be a PITA for regular use, I trained a chum how to use the throttle and station keeping just waiting for the old bridge...

Andy

 

[Garold]

If you are going to try the Port of Poole Marina, then I suggest that you spend a week there and try it out before you commit to a year's fees.

Waves from passing traffic and weather roll through the marina and we vacated our berth there after suffering damaged ropes and popped fenders, regularly.

Poole harbour itself is fantastic, and on a sunny day there's plenty of enjoyment to be had just inside or outside the harbour.

Cheers

Garold

 

[Fergus]

Lakeyard.com will tick all your boxes and they have space!

 

[Theshipscat]

Andy I know what you and the others are saying. I want to sail in some new areas and getting further west in a boat takes so much time. Plus I can get a floating mooring in Poole for the summer for about £900 near Hamworthy. In the winter I can put her back in Chi for about £500 or move her further west or across the channel or who knows where? Eventually I'll get to Cornwall and Scillies without having to take three weeks off work.
I guess I'm a bit bord with the I of W and the Solent.

 

[peter2407]

Another vote for Lake Yard

 

[Carib]

I kept my boat on a mooring at Lakeyard up at Hamworthy for a while. There's a good taxi service to the moorings, and a restaurant/bar, and decent storage lockers. Approaches get a bit shallow at LW.

But: the marina itself is very tight, especially given strong tides - so if you want to go alongside occasionally, it's not great. It's really geared towards small motor cruisers. The bar's a nice place to have a drink. Most people there seemed to be wealthy powerboat types, which may or may not be your thing.

One thing to note, here and in some other places in Poole, is that some moorings are very exposed. My insurer would only cover me at Lakeyard in season on the basis that it's exposed to SW gales. I wouldn't have wanted to spend a night on the mooring - a bit choppy - but it's easy to go round the corner and anchor.

 

[Sailfree]

Andy I know what you and the others are saying. I want to sail in some new areas and getting further west in a boat takes so much time. Plus I can get a floating mooring in Poole for the summer for about £900 near Hamworthy. In the winter I can put her back in Chi for about £500 or move her further west or across the channel or who knows where? Eventually I'll get to Cornwall and Scillies without having to take three weeks off work.
I guess I'm a bit bord with the I of W and the Solent.

If on a mooring allow £500 for a good alarm system. PYC have set up a night patrol for their boats on moorings and in their marine due to the water bourne scrots that nick stuff off boats for jumble sales!!

 

[Theshipscat]

If on a mooring allow £500 for a good alarm system. PYC have set up a night patrol for their boats on moorings and in their marine due to the water bourne scrots that nick stuff off boats for jumble sales!!

I have one of the best alarms, i had to import it from the States. Step in my cock pit and a pressure senors will set of the deck lights and 130db alarm. Whether anyone will respond to that I have no idea? Lake yard or Stevensons is exactly where I'm thinking. May be I should just go further west?

 

[Seajet]

Andy I know what you and the others are saying. I want to sail in some new areas and getting further west in a boat takes so much time. Plus I can get a floating mooring in Poole for the summer for about £900 near Hamworthy. In the winter I can put her back in Chi for about £500 or move her further west or across the channel or who knows where? Eventually I'll get to Cornwall and Scillies without having to take three weeks off work.
I guess I'm a bit bord with the I of W and the Solent.

OK, moor her in Fowey - my all time favourite West Country harbour; when entering in another boat, we'd had a small gas fire on board so there was still stuff strewn around the cockpit - the Harbourmaster took one look then guided us to a mooring and directed us to a pub where we could get a hot meal...

I might even share fuel costs if you'll have me as crew !

Interesting you mention '3 weeks off work'; I know nostalgia is rose tinted but I used to take 3 week holidays and go through the Channel Islands to at least St malo, then back to Guernsey and onto Salcombe & the West Country - nowadays I feel very lucky to get further than Cowes, what's going on ?!

 

[bluemoongaffer]

Another vote for Lake Yard. Say hello to Pete the boatman - great service out to the moorings.
N.B. it can be quite rolly on their moorings due to power boats sticking to the speed limit - not

 

[robp]

- nowadays I feel very lucky to get further than Cowes, what's going on ?!

Those merchant bankers have caused us to work twice as long for half as much!!

 

[Seajet]

Those merchant bankers have caused us to work twice as long for half as much!!

I take it 'Merchant Bankers'is rhyming slang, that's certainly how I regard accountant types !

 

[Theshipscat]

Stevens anyone! Lake pier?

 

[GrahamD]

If on a mooring allow £500 for a good alarm system. PYC have set up a night patrol for their boats on moorings and in their marine due to the water bourne scrots that nick stuff off boats for jumble sales!!

Contact Parkstone YC to discuss (01202 743610) and come down and have a look at the club. There are moorings available, although there is a waiting list for the marina. It is an excellent club with good facilities including a regular launch service, and if you are going to be an active sailor who will support the club, it will not be difficult to join. The problems of stuff getting nicked is no worse than anywhere else in Poole and probably anywhere along the S Coast. The night patrols are part of a wider security initiative involving police and other clubs.

 

[colhel]

Stevens anyone! Lake pier?

A friend of mine is moored there. He draws just over a metre and has access at all tides.

Graham, is Parkstone Yacht Club the same as Lililput or are they 2 different clubs?
I'm moored at lake Yard, as has been mentioned it has a free (weekend) taxi service, restaurant, bar, toilets, showers, bosuns lockers and dinghy storage.

 

[Theshipscat]

Contact Parkstone YC to discuss (01202 743610) and come down and have a look at the club. There are moorings available, although there is a waiting list for the marina. It is an excellent club with good facilities including a regular launch service, and if you are going to be an active sailor who will support the club, it will not be difficult to join. The problems of stuff getting nicked is no worse than anywhere else in Poole and probably anywhere along the S Coast. The night patrols are part of a wider security initiative involving police and other clubs.

I stayed there last year and jolly pleasant it was too. I know one of the members (currently circumnavigating the uk in Seawolf30 so I can't get hold of him) there. His mooring is a long way from Parkstone though and I would not like to do that journey in a tender! I shall call them though.

It's a different club to Lilliput. Parkstone is the next one in land from Salterns.

 

[robp]

I take it 'Merchant Bankers'is rhyming slang, that's certainly how I regard accountant types !

The nautical equivalent would be steamers and tankers