Birdham Pool and Piles

[timmygobang]

....and I'm not referring to any medical issues

I've just completed a sale and bought a Halmatic 30 which is currently in Chichester Marina

I was going to move it with my Girlfriend to Birdham Pool this weekend to save on berthing costs as I don't really need all the things that come with premier marinas at this moment in time.

Though, I've just discovered that Birdham Pool uses piles, which fills me with dread as I've only ever done finger pontoons, and I've now bought a boat which will most likely have the maneuverability of a slug

So going from a fin keel to a long keel and tackling a new way of mooring on a new boat with just the lady only spells trouble to me. I normally like to tackle one thing at a time...

I wondered what peoples experiences with pile moorings and Birdham Pool in general are so I can weigh up whether its worth staying put or taking the leap.

..or if there's an old salt out there who'd like to show a new kipper thats its nothing to worry about this weekend I'd gladly welcome their company and compensate accordingly with food and refreshments.

Thanks for listening

Tim

ps I hope I've put this in the right forum this time.

 

[Daedelus]

Why not just go out for the w/e?

At worst you'll be paying for 2 places for a day.

Looks like Scandinavian mooring to me.

You drive between two posts, throwing a loop of rope over each post as you pass it, then moor up bows to, probably not stern to in your case. You can use the ropes to stop you hitting the wall but if just 2 of you I'd use gf at bows to tell (scream at you) when to stop.

This is why Malos, HRs and Naiads etc all have rubbing strakes. They can afford to sneer at the posts if they rub along them.

 

[PlankWalker]

It really is easier than it looks, I've wintered there a few times and managed to come and go single handed on a long keeled 36 footer.

Watch what the localls do. The secret is lines from the piles to the dock and leave your bow or stern lines coiled on the piles when you leave ready to pick up on your return. hang them from a nail on top of the pile.

Many people use running lines eye spliced around the fixed line from pile to dock, this keeps the bow central if you drive in to the dock.

Plank

 

[Seajet]

In Birdham Pool, unless there's a strong wind on your upper mast there aren't too many external influences.

The method would be ( space allowing ) to approach the berthing space 'from behind', slowly, shave the stern close to what will become the aft post then get your trusty crew to put a line through the ring on the post which will end up at your stern.

This line must be coiled to pay out easily, without drag on the boat;an old trick is to have the line coiled in a bucket, but I don't think you'll need that in Birdham Pool.

As this is being done with the boat at slowest possible speed to keep steering, aim the bow at the forward post; trusty crew is hopefully ready by now to put a line through the ring on that, as the stern line is paid out, without drag on the boat to affect steering...

- This is of course assuming from your description there aren't permanent lines on the trot with pickup buoys ! -

Once fore and aft lines are through the rings, engine in neutral then off, and sort the boats' fore and aft positioning at leisure.

As always, much easier to do than the description sounds, you'll be fine.

 

[[10753]]

Birdham Pool is a lovely traditional marina in pretty surroundings.

Once you have established which is your mooring you can put lines between the piles and shore (easy to grab with boat hook). You also then set up your own mooring lines which you leave behind attached to the piles and a similar set on the jetty- You can make these the perfect length with eyes to just drop over the cleats (allow for rise and fall of tide as the jetty's don't float and I don't think the piles have moving rings?).

Remember to fit bow horseshoe fender to stop any bumping on the jetty as you will need to get close to step off with or collect your bow lines.

Enjoy the new boat !

 

[geoid96]

Welcome to Birdham.

We keep our boat in Birdham Pool. So as to ease disembarkation and embarkation to and from the jetty, we reverse in. We have setup permanent lines on each of the four posts. Those on the outer posts are marked with magic marker where they need to be cleated onto the bow cleats. As we reverse in these are picked off the posts when amidships, walked forward and cleated on the marks. This means that boat can continue to be reversed but should stop just before hitting jetty.(a fender is still deployed over the stern just in case!). It should then be easy to step ashore and pick up the stern lines attached to the jetty piles.

As PlankWalker has described, many of the berths have permanent running lines between the outer and inner piles. Inevitably as you slow down, the boat will be blown one way or the other. These lines are very useful as they can be hooked with the boathook (have it to hand) and used to straighten things up again.

Our boat is not much narrower than the gap between the piles. As a fender will inevitably catch on the post as we reverse in, we lay them on the deck after leaving the lock, and kick them out again after we have berthed.

The first few times we berthed we went in forwards lassoing the posts, but since the lines have been setup and we gained a bit more confidence we now always reverse in.

 

[Steve Clayton]

Don't rely on Birdham Pool wifi. they are in the process of a new supplier and appear tp have turned off Openzone -which works well! Anywat Birdham has rustic charm and is a lovely location - as I sit here in the cockpit sipping a barcardi and coke. The sun is shining and the swallows are flying as I can see Goodwood and the cathedral from my berth. Come on in and I'll take your lines from the dockside ?

 

[Steve Clayton]

ps: the starboard hand channel marker nearest the lock is on it's side. There is a withy marker to look for

 

[Pleiades]

Birdham Pool

Hi Tim,
I recommend paying for a few days as a visitor in Birdham Pool - I don't think it will take too long for you to decide how it compares with Chichester Marina from your perspective. The cost saving is not huge but the setting of Birdham is much more olde worlde and you might prefer that charm to the somewhat busier Chi. Marina. The much more limited lock and channel access times at Birdham would certainly not have suited me. Birhdam is open to the wind and handling through the lock and onto piles can be tricky when the wind whips up so a berth in Chi would make for less stressful parking and less stress worrying about access on a falling tide with a deadline to get home for work next day. The Premier package is certainly comprehensive and the free visitor nights at other Premier Marinas is worth considering when you compare costs.

Fair winds and tides,
Robin

Pleiades of Birdham
MXWQ5

 

[dratsea]

How did it go?

Did you know it was the first "marina" in the UK (and I think some of the piles are still the originals). In 1930 most yachts were long keel so you are not alone!

Is it not the most wonderful place? SJ is long keel, big prop and only a couple of inches narrower than the berth we used for a couple of weeks in 2011. We loved it. I would have volunteered to help but sadly we are a few thousand miles away.

PS. The showers are NOT the originals and are the best we have found, bar none, anywhere in the world. Good choice of berth.

 

[PilotWolf]

I haven't been to Birdham for some years but for piles there is an easy way of doing it. Not as easy to explain but here goes. I am assuming they have sliding rings to allow for the tide.

Make up a perment bow and stern line and attach to each pile. Have a loop spliced in the vessel end that you can drop over a cleat or bollard. Join the two lines together with a light floating line and put a trawl float type bouy on each end and one in the middle.

This gives you the option of picking up from either side or either 'end' depending on what the wind and tide is doing. Simply grab the floating line with a boat hook and make then you can either make loosely fast (I know an oxymoron!) so you don't drift or blow away whilst you properly attach the uptide or upwind line.

Sounds more complicated than it is but I skippered a boat from Yarmouth, IOW and it worked well despite the tide that flows down under the swing bridge. And can be done single handed without too much effort.

The only risk is if someone tries to motor or sail between your piles - hence the idea of floating rope with marker bouys/floats on it.

W.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I was on piles for a few weeks when I first got Gladys - fore and aft piles for clarity - it took about the tenth attempt to realise the major issue was that the piles weren't aligned perfectly with the stream, it was a bit off and meant I clouted one or tother every time. Even sat the bi colour on top at highish water one time...

 

[Steve Clayton]

@Dratsea: How did it go?

Fine

 

[Steve Clayton]

@PWolf: Birdham is a locked marina so no tidal range to speak of although high springs can make lines a bit tight!

 

[PilotWolf]

@PWolf: Birdham is a locked marina so no tidal range to speak of although high springs can make lines a bit tight!

Ah, then it isn't the bit of Chi I was thinking of - it's been about 5 years, but the principle will still work!

W.

 

[timmygobang]

Hi,

Thanks for all the replies, I will put them into practice this weekend if we go for a jolly

Thanks again Steve for taking our lines, that was a big help and made us feel very welcome. The rustic charm of Birdham is right up my street.

I ballsed up my first attempt but just about managed second time around. Permanent lines would definitely help, and a head on approach would have avoided giving Excalibur go faster stripes (not sure if I did but it was close).

@dratsea the showers are amazing, and on par with Chichester marina! Its definitely somewhere you can sit back in the evenings and relax.

@Pleiades thanks for you opinion, I will stick with Birdham for a year and see how things go, but yes I understand the pros and cons, right now any savings is a bonus

 

[Malabar]

Surprised nobody has mentioned the option of driving in bows first. We kept boats on the pool for years and always moored bows to the jetty, as did most people 30 years ago. Lower freeboard boats then in general but it gave you more privacy in the cockpit.