birdham v chichester

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galsale76

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i am currently considering moving my boat from a swinging mooring in Chichester Harbour into either the main chichester marina or into Birdham Pool. Birdham Pool scenary is simply outstanding however it has 3 hour either side high tide lock system and therefore Chichester Marina may be more practical. Just wondered whether anybody who is based in a lock in marina had any comments about how restrictive this actually turns out to be ? Any advice much appreciated.
 
I have a freind with a boat in Chichester marina - There are two issues concerning the locking out arrangements, the theoretical availability and the length of the queue. With the latter, at a popular time on a weekend in summer, you might have to wait for an hour for a "slot" in the lock. (I gather that returning on Sunday evening at around 6pm is also a problem with queueing). So, if you are mainly a weekend sailor then this retriction might be very significant . However, during the week, this does not seem to be a problem.

They have dredged the entrance to the Marina this year, and it is available most of the time (queue notwithstanding). But Birdham Marina seems to have a horrible entrance, which is only available for a few hours each tide.

So I think that it all depends on how flexible you can be with times and weekend vs weekdays for sailing.
 
Birdham pool although nice has a VERY limited lock time (Chichester is 24/7 depending on draft), Also Birdham rarely has any free flow if at all.

only a few pontoon moorings in Birdham, mostly piles and a lot more showers and toilets in chichester.

I believe that if you intend to lock out either early or late in the day you have to arrange in advance at birdham as the lock isn't manned 24/7 where as Chichester just turn up and go.
 
Hi there new user, we have our boat in Southsea Marina, tidal lock, 3 hours either side. As a result we go sailing when the tide dictates as apposed to nice day, lets go for a sail. We stay at Southsea because the staff are excelent, the facilities are great(waiting for the increase) and it is quiet. No wash from passing boats, no bird scarers and now a good indian resteraunt (expensive), takeaway at the end of the road is good and they will deliver. So we have to balance between going to Campers or Haslar, then the god awful drive through Gosport, all the noise and wash, for more money but can slip our mooring at any time, or Southsea which enables us to use our floating cottage to relax in and when the cill opens, play in the relatively empty part of the solent. You would hate it so best stay where you are!!!!!
 
I think you are right, depending on draft, rather than Birdham go to Emsworth marina. You still have a restriction, with a sill, there is about 2 hours before 3 hours after with about 1.3mtr draft. You also dont have to suffer the high volume of traffic of boats that you do around Itchenor.

The five years we were in Emsworth we never had a problem we couldnt work around.

Deep keel? forget it.
 
We spent last winter in Chichester Marina and have mostly praise for the place. The staff are helpful and friendly. WiFi is available on site. The facilities are good. There is a bertholders' association to address issues. Car parking is easy and free. The on-site chandlery is excellent and if you buy a Peters Card you get a 10% discount. The marina is fairly well sheltered - no swell or surge though the winds do blow somewhat. Security is good.

Come to think of it, I can't think why we gave it up for Almerimar, on the Costa del Sol /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
ive been in chichester for three years and other than the sunday queue (depending on tides) i have no complaints. i try and use the free weekend stay at other premier marinas up. and will winter boat up in port solent (no extra charge) prior to selling her. the trip up river we use to get boat cleaned up and ready for following weekend. birdham is pretty but not practical. i think freeflow times are much longer in chichester.
 
With regards to Chichester, the lock may offer 24/7 access but if you're still a wage slave then you'll be wanting to use your boat at weekends. This is where there is a real problem with Chichester. They operate a queueing system for leaving before free flow. You radio up the marina and you are given a number and you will be called when it is your turn to leave. Radio too late and on a typical summer weekend you won't leave before freeflow. Add to this the fact that on certain weekends when there is is a neap tide and high pressure there is no freeflow at all and about 200 boats wanting to get back in to the marina, then you can have a 2 hour wait. I had to cancel a weekend cruise this year as I couldn't leave early enough to catch the tide. I mistakenly assumed there would be a freeflow but it was cancelled. The marina can be an excellent location if you're retired and can use your boat outside the busiest times. With regards to Birdham, theoretical access is much less, but as it's a smaller marina, the queues can be much less. Birdham is by far the prettier location. I keep my boat in Chichester and have done for the past 15 years and have on the wholer eally enjoyed it but the limitations of the locking system are increasing and I will be leaving as soon as retirement allows.
 
Thank you all for the advice and comments about the pros and cons of both places. Common sense suggests Chichester Marina the more practical option but may get my wife down to Birdham Pool more often! Sure not first to have to resolve such a dilema! Many thanks again all comments which much appreciated.
 
We lived aboard all winter and were very satisfied. Traffic is a problem, but as long as you don't try to leave until after 10am it isn't too bad.
 
Re: birdham v chichester - Roads & Draught

Road congestion around Chi and the Witterings road on a summers weekend is pretty bad both in the morning and evening.
Yes the Marina lock queue is bad but I try to mamange my leaving and approach times at low water ( draught is around 1.2m)
Mind you this does approach not always work - on the Scuttlebutt trip my crew got caught up in a bad accident on the Chi bypass and thus we missed the low water and had adverse tide down the Island till we called stumps.
The marina does offer to park your boat on the outer pontoon or vice versa but I have not tried this.
Birham looks pretty but very shallow
All in all I moved in from Itchenor reach couple of years ago and have not regretted it except at payment time!!

Brian
 
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