Torquemada
New member
Hi everyone - new forum member, and soon (hopefully) new boat owner. I am looking to buy a sailing yacht and am looking for somewhere to keep it once I have it. All the sailing I've done in the Solent has been on charter boats or with sailing schools, so I've only been to either big chain marinas like MDL or local council pontoons. The latter seem impossible to get a hold of, and the former are very expensive. I was wondering:
1. Are there any other options I should be looking at?
2. If I were to bite the bullet and fork over the £££ for a chain marina, is there anything to recommend, say, MDL over Premier or boatfolk?
For context, I am looking at an older boat around the 30ft mark to sail two-handed, probably a Sadler 32 or something along those lines, almost definitely fin keel. I live in Berkshire so within easy driving distance of pretty much anywhere in the Solent. I am only considering places in the South coast for now, preferably in or near the Solent, but if I can't find anything reasonable there Bristol is also driveable. Swinging/pile moorings are not really an option for us, at least not for now, but a mid-river pontoon could work.
I realise it's a tall order, my partner and I have been searching and calling places for a few days but haven't found spaces anywhere outside the expensive marinas, but I'd be grateful for any pointers!
1. Are there any other options I should be looking at?
2. If I were to bite the bullet and fork over the £££ for a chain marina, is there anything to recommend, say, MDL over Premier or boatfolk?
For context, I am looking at an older boat around the 30ft mark to sail two-handed, probably a Sadler 32 or something along those lines, almost definitely fin keel. I live in Berkshire so within easy driving distance of pretty much anywhere in the Solent. I am only considering places in the South coast for now, preferably in or near the Solent, but if I can't find anything reasonable there Bristol is also driveable. Swinging/pile moorings are not really an option for us, at least not for now, but a mid-river pontoon could work.
I realise it's a tall order, my partner and I have been searching and calling places for a few days but haven't found spaces anywhere outside the expensive marinas, but I'd be grateful for any pointers!