Brightlingsea

[Mariner69]

I was at a club rally to Brightlingsea last weekend.

The Harbour Master and his guys were great and extremely helpful. Dealt swiftly and efficiently with myself who was running late but pre-booked and with another yacht which had not booked and didn't call until well within the buoys.

The taxi boat was very efficient at ferrying us ashore in two loads and back at 2245 when everywhere was covered in dew.

The restaurant on the high street ( well it seemed like it, walk past the Harbour Master's Office, up the street until you reach the bright lights and turn left. called Victus Bistro was brilliant. Only been open about four weeks from all accounts but has a sister establishment in Colchester. We had twenty in our party, with pre-booked food orders but buying drinks separately and they did a sterling job; the food came out as one for each of the free courses. Wine selection was good and reasonably priced.

All in all, a great weekend meeting up with old chums and their partners. Will visit again this year or next for sure.


All

 

[jant]

Very pleased that you had a pleasant visit. The Bistro is a releativly new addition to the High Street, and is recieving favourable comment locally. You may well notice a change in the depth of water in the Harbour next year, as a dredging plan is being implemented by the Harbour Commission.

 

[bromleybysea]

I was berthed on the north pontoon in Brightlingsea about a month ago and on leaving, facing down-tide with a fast ebb flowing and quite a lot of wind blowing me on, I had taken the precaution of asking the harbour master's launch to stand-by in case I needed some help. On leaving the berth, accompanied by a horrible banging and rattling, the Aquadrive coupling on my propellor shaft disintegrated and I was completely without power. The harbour staff got us onto a berth professionally and safely. That same day, Gary Humm of Brightlingsea Boat Maintenance interrupted his holiday to arrange for us to be hauled-out, and John Collins, local mechanic, attended, and over the course of the next couple of weeks sorted out the damage efficiently and economically. It turned out that a replacement Aquadrive unit would have cost getting on for £1k and involved major structural surgery as, inevitably, it wouldn't fit the existing thrust bulkhead. John sourced and installed an alternative, re-aligned the engine and replaced the propellor shaft for a very reasonable amount. I was lucky. The disintegrating coupling had started to chew its way through the hull- I'm sure what saved me was the 1980's layup- and had severed my main bilge pump hose. To Gary and Bill of Brightlingsea Boat Maintenence, to John Collins, to the harbour master's staff, a really big thank you. Brightlingsea is brilliant!

 

[sailorman]

did you contact your insurers

 

[Tammany]

It's cheap too as it's a council run marina. My annual fees for a half tide mooring a 25ft bilge keel is only £190/annum