Judders
Active member
What is it like?
Bembridge Marina
- Thread starter Judders
- Start date
jhr
Well-known member
Don't know if you're familiar with The Tightwad Sailor? Excellent little site.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
It's got pontoons.
Not much else.
And I think is berthholders only.
Visitors park on the visitors pontoon which is elsewhere - North side of hbr, one shore connection which is miles from miles from nowhere.
I stand to be corrected - it's a coupla years since I was last there.
Not much else.
And I think is berthholders only.
Visitors park on the visitors pontoon which is elsewhere - North side of hbr, one shore connection which is miles from miles from nowhere.
I stand to be corrected - it's a coupla years since I was last there.
fireball
New member
We don't go in so much now the visitors pontoon (Duver pontoon) has become so popular ... also it is getting more expensive (30' ~ £20 over night - so similar to other more accessible marinas!).
Unless you can go in during the week you are most likely to be rafted out. We've been turned away when they've been pretty much rafted out 6 deep !!
Unless you can go in during the week you are most likely to be rafted out. We've been turned away when they've been pretty much rafted out 6 deep !!
S
Skyva_2
Guest
The mooring location is not what it used to be, but there is lots to see - the WW2 landing craft used as houseboats, wildlife, the walk along the foreshore to the Crab & Lobster at the Ledge, cliff walks. Nice fish/shellfish available, worth going to at least once.
davies
New member
Bembridge is a wonderful example of how a charming and unique though slightly inconvenient "old harry" harbour can be made just the same as every other boring Solent marina in just a few years. The owners should hang their heads in shame at what they have done, though doubtless they are laughing all the way to the bank.
stevecray
New member
Personally, I like it. Depends what you are looking for - as per comments already provided, it gets very busy and you are often rafted out 5-6 boats and could be turned away if full. On the bright side, only a 5 min walk over the dunes and along the beach huts to the "Bay Watch Cafe" (not a theme restaurant in case you are wondering) which I would highly recommend. The bay Watch Cafe looks out over the harbour entrance towards the fort, so you can enjoy the views and be alarmed at just how twisty the entrance channel is and how little (none on occasions) water there is as it drops. Also about a 10 min walk to the bus stop where you can get a bus in to Ryde among other places.
Giblets
Well-known member
As T-K says, the marina is for berth-holders only. Although it is very nice up there. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Moonshining
Active member
That seems a little unfair. They've extended the visitors pontoon to the shore and put in showers, which has increased its popularity with visiting boats.
You can't really blame them for that. The area around is still charming and the guys who work there are good lads.
You can't really blame them for that. The area around is still charming and the guys who work there are good lads.
NDG
Member
I really like it - its one of the few places in the solent with a bit of character. If you want loads of facilities and restaurants go to Ocean Village or somewhere. Its got a bit of character, the guys who work there are v friendly and its quite a nice walk along the beach or into town. Best off season or midweek though.
Judders
Active member
Are those saying that there are no visitor berths sure? Is their website out of date?
capt_courageous
New member
There are no longer any visitors berths in the old marina at the top of the harbour, next to BHYC. Visitors now moor to a long pontoon ( walk ashore )on the north side of the harbour. Used to be the best place in the Solent and is still nice despite everything. Gets very crowded at weekends. Go midweek if you possibly can.
mikemacdonald
New member
We are a cat so always go onto the beach just inside the entrance on the E.side. Nice pub, Pilot Boat Inn, has live music Fridays I think, good walk up to the village via little back alleys, posh houses. Brading YC friendly, dragged us off once when we almost got neaped,don't go too high on beach as the surge can push you up which was what hapened to us,just outside the harbour is Priory Bay, great for picnic, swimming etc, once again, watch out for the surge. Not so good as it used to be, but not bad. Big mullet if you can catch them! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
"Are those saying that there are no visitor berths sure? Is their website out of date?"
Very few websites are in-date. Plus, it's nasty shallow at the marina. Unless they've dredged it recently.
Very few websites are in-date. Plus, it's nasty shallow at the marina. Unless they've dredged it recently.
wooslehunter
Active member
If you can take the ground, then don't bother with the marina. Hang a left just inside & park on the beach. Do it on the fall & it's easy to lay an anchor for & aft.
There's a cafe on th ebeach for breakfast, a pub on the corner of the road & a loo opposite. If the harbour master doesn't ask, it's free otherwise it's a fiver - last time I was there a couple of years ago. Once you have your ticket then there are showers on the marina side but you need to take the ferry, wade/swim or a dinghy to get across.
There's a cafe on th ebeach for breakfast, a pub on the corner of the road & a loo opposite. If the harbour master doesn't ask, it's free otherwise it's a fiver - last time I was there a couple of years ago. Once you have your ticket then there are showers on the marina side but you need to take the ferry, wade/swim or a dinghy to get across.
Frontier
Active member
Went there last year, was our second ever destination with new boat. Had to raft up was the 6th boat out, so power wouldn’t reach, no sockets left if it did.
Had to rummage around in the locker for lengths of rope, had to tie them together, very embarrassing. Only had the boat a short time and the regular length ropes were fine.
Harbour Master was friendly and his team jumped onboard to do most of the mooring, showers were small but clean. (a bit busy) It’s on the wrong side of town but there is a water taxi that will take you over to the beach,
Current is strong when the tide is on the move. Boats were being washed in as they arrived, when I was leaving, direction of travel if going with the tide could be a bit of a gamble as the channel will be narrow and bends.
Not a bad place, would go again, but would hope it was not so busy. I don’t like rafting up so deep and tramping across 5 other boats is a bit of a keep fit task and I feel a bit embarrassed about walking over other peoples coacroofs.
The pontoon is at the top of this picture, although this picture is out of date, I think there is a longer pontoon there now.
Bembridge
Had to rummage around in the locker for lengths of rope, had to tie them together, very embarrassing. Only had the boat a short time and the regular length ropes were fine.
Harbour Master was friendly and his team jumped onboard to do most of the mooring, showers were small but clean. (a bit busy) It’s on the wrong side of town but there is a water taxi that will take you over to the beach,
Current is strong when the tide is on the move. Boats were being washed in as they arrived, when I was leaving, direction of travel if going with the tide could be a bit of a gamble as the channel will be narrow and bends.
Not a bad place, would go again, but would hope it was not so busy. I don’t like rafting up so deep and tramping across 5 other boats is a bit of a keep fit task and I feel a bit embarrassed about walking over other peoples coacroofs.
The pontoon is at the top of this picture, although this picture is out of date, I think there is a longer pontoon there now.
Bembridge
l'escargot
New member
[ QUOTE ]
... I think there is a longer pontoon there now...
[/ QUOTE ]
There is:
... I think there is a longer pontoon there now...
[/ QUOTE ]
There is:
gjbentley
New member
I think the confusion here is over the term "Bembridge Marina".
If you are visiting the harbour then the pontoon designed for visitors is good enough, albiet busy during the summer weekends. But it can be a rare chance to exhange sea faring tales with your yachting nieghbours in close proximity.
But I really like the Gaz Barbeques available just off the pontoon for cooking.
What is it with people who can not stand the thought of a night without being plugged in ashore to an electric supply ? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
If you are visiting the harbour then the pontoon designed for visitors is good enough, albiet busy during the summer weekends. But it can be a rare chance to exhange sea faring tales with your yachting nieghbours in close proximity.
But I really like the Gaz Barbeques available just off the pontoon for cooking.
What is it with people who can not stand the thought of a night without being plugged in ashore to an electric supply ? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
l'escargot
New member
The marina that doesn't take visitors any more is here (arrowed):
G
Guest
Guest
I used to love Bembridge ... it was one of my Fathers favourite places to go with the boat ... but in those days you could beach or anchor. There were no pontoons or marina.
There was the Smugglers - a pub on stilts that served fresh lobster straight from the boats ... 30 bob a half lobster with french bread ... famntastic .. But of course that was knocked down when taken over by the Hotel.
Later years I returned with my own boat ... and Brading Harbour Marina was there then .. with visitors berths ... A long walk to town ... but worth it and you could still beach if you wanted. Sometimes I would use the dinghy instead to the beach. The Yacht Club next to the Marina had an open door policy and were very good ...
Then they put in the Vistors pontoons not even connected to shore ... and the marina stopped taking visitors. That was the start of the decline for me ...
The character and style of the place was gone ... for me it was find somewhere else .. and only visit if others wanted to. In fact I would prefer to beach at Priory than waste money on a pontoon that is walk ashore but so far from reality to be daft ...
To me Bembridge is a harbour that much better could have been done ...
There was the Smugglers - a pub on stilts that served fresh lobster straight from the boats ... 30 bob a half lobster with french bread ... famntastic .. But of course that was knocked down when taken over by the Hotel.
Later years I returned with my own boat ... and Brading Harbour Marina was there then .. with visitors berths ... A long walk to town ... but worth it and you could still beach if you wanted. Sometimes I would use the dinghy instead to the beach. The Yacht Club next to the Marina had an open door policy and were very good ...
Then they put in the Vistors pontoons not even connected to shore ... and the marina stopped taking visitors. That was the start of the decline for me ...
The character and style of the place was gone ... for me it was find somewhere else .. and only visit if others wanted to. In fact I would prefer to beach at Priory than waste money on a pontoon that is walk ashore but so far from reality to be daft ...
To me Bembridge is a harbour that much better could have been done ...