Building a comprehensive directory of East coast moorings

[Sixpence]

It seems I'm not the only one looking for somewhere that's better than we have, Louise has given orders that we either find another mooring which has more potential for getting out there, or we give up on sailing completely
Any chance we can build a list of places out there ?
Looking at price, access times, access by road, on site facilities, potential sailing opportunities and anything else worth mentioning, like how dry does it get where you are and do you have to lift out over winter?.

Starting with current mooring

Fosdyke Yacht Haven, not the cheapest by far, restricted by the bar after Clay Hole so only possible for a couple or three hours at HW, right on the main A17 so easy by road, pontoon with power and water, crane out to hard standing, very restricted sailing because once you're out you have to wait for the next tide to come in again, and the pub isn't bad now it's open. Open all year so no need to haul out.

North and South please, no decision yet made about which direction we're moving to, so everywhere from Kent through to Northumberland, marina through to club, good points and bad. Shotley has even been mentioned but I think the price there might be the killer ?.

 

[Norfolknick]

River Orwell

Blimey an audacious request - but I am sure that you will be inundated on recommendations from the Forum members, who never cease to support fellow mariners!

For my part the Orwell is good as it is accessible through out all states of the tide providing you have a reasonable dinghy to get out to your boat. Road access is good through the A14 and A12 (I say good - good for East Anglia!) and it provides endless options North, South and East for very enjoyable sailing and suiting all levels of ambitions. If Shotley is too pricey, Suffolk Yacht Harbour is slightly more reasonable. You are unlikely to get a marina berth for a few years but they have very sound moorings that can be accessed within 5 - 10 mins dinghy time. Further down there is Woolverstone, with the RHYC. It is slightly upmarket of SYH but has some great river moorings. Then you have Ipswich with Fox's, Neptune and the Yacht Basin. There are also river moorings available from the council (I think) but they are slightly less accessible and incur a longer dinghy ride.

 

[Sixpence]

If Shotley is too pricey, Suffolk Yacht Harbour is slightly more reasonable.

To be honest we're not ruling out anything at the moment, I seem to have neglected to pay enough attention when at Shotley so not entirely sure what the good or bad sides are, apart from the bar of course

 

[Dizzy101]

Good moorings at Pin Mill from Harry Kings £19/foot all year + port authority fee c£100
They have hard standing for winter if required, car parking and dinghy storage + The Butt & Oyster Pub, Pin Mill Sailing Club and lots of Barges etc.

I am 4 minutes in a dinghy from the hard.

About 45 minutes drive from Thetford if that helps as it's in your direction.

John

 

[ChattingLil]

oh lawd. I think I am about to offer something I might regret!!

I am building a mini datbase of my own research on the Marinas I've been considering - so far this only covers those within 90 mins of the M25.

I can't promise when it will be done as I am in no hurry to make a decision this side of winter, but I would be happy to expand it and add more in if others think it would be useful.

I'm including:

Distance from my home (not relevant to anyone else! but I could make it distance from M25 for eg)

Distance from Marina to open sea

types of moorings available and costs

info on waiting list if applicable

Trot boat?

Dinghy storage

Marina facilities (lifts, workshops, etc)

access (HW +/-)

Contact details



Happy to do it and publish every now and then if people think it's useful. Just forward me anything you want to include.

 

[MoodySabre]

As an alternative to Bradwell marina there are the moorings in Bradwell creek. These are adminstered by Bradwell Outdoors Centre (Essex County Council). Last year they were £300 a year. You can lay your own ground tackle or they charge for that. Same tidal restrictions as the marina because the shallow bit is the creek not the marina cill. Sheltered. Dinghy rack and concrete hard. Dinghy storage also at Bradwell Quay YC, about which I know nuffink.

Dave - you need to add the cost of white socks and trainers and white stilletos for Louise if you are to be accepted down this way

 

[Sixpence]

Dave - you need to add the cost of white socks and trainers and white stilletos for Louise if you are to be accepted down this way

I shall pass on that advisory with care
Her grandmother is originally an Essex girl too

 

[paulburton44]

I know I've said it before....But

Come and join us at Boston on the Witham.....Saturday afternoon trip up the fresh water to Witham under sail. Spend a free night at Antons Gowt, have a pint in the pub. Sunday relaxing sail up to Langrick bridge and then back to Boston. Okay the lock and bridge is a small problem when you want to head out to sea, but we live with that. Membership is £60 and moorings £170 for the season. Club house with showers, local parking. You could even use a club sailing dinghy and do some Wednesday night racing.
The club is heading to Norfolk on Sunday for a summer cruise, 6 boats heading to Blakney first, I will be joining them on Wed.

 

[Koeketiene]

Dave - you need to add the cost of white socks and trainers and white stilletos for Louise if you are to be accepted down this way

And fluffy dice for the car.

 

[stewsam]

These are the ones i know on the Humber..

Goole, ABP
Brough Harbour
Hull Marina, BWL
Wintergham Haven
South Ferriby Marina
Barrow Haven
Grimsby and Cleethorps Yacht Club
Humber Cruising Association @ Grimsby

 

[alexrunic]

Blakney Pit
access +-2-3hrs depending on mooring
30 mins from sea
best out of Norfolk ports in a northley but not so good in SE winds so they say
need to use a tender

Wells
access +-2 but is about to be dregged just past lifeboat station
30 mins from sea
no good in northley wind above a 4 or 5 although will be better after dredging
need a tender
my second favourite port on the east coast

Brancaster
access +- 2-3 hours depending on mooring
20 mins from sea
no good in a northley but better than wells for this
need a tender

Thornaham
access +-2 good in most wind directions i believe but not sure
15 - 20 mins from sea
very cheap
moor along side a jetty

Kings Lynn
I believe there is a few yacht moorings but have never been in yet
at least 1 hr from sea
good in all wind directions
need a tender I think
very strong tidal flow

Wisbeach
access +-3hrs
2 hrs from sea
need to tell sutton bridge 24hrs in advance
good in all wind direction
expensive
pontoons
strong tidal flow

Boston
access +-3hrs
1 hr from sea
locks and bridges
crime etc

Wainfleet
access +- 1.5 - 2hrs although always best on rising tide
30 min from sea
£225 approx per year
jetty's
good in all wind directions

Saltfleet
access +-1.5 - 2hrs
15 min from sea
£90 per year approx
jettys
no good in any onshore winds

Humber mouth yacht club
access +-2hrs
20 min from sea
need tender
they are more of a social club than sailing club and run by idiots

Grimsby
access +-2hrs
5 min from sea
poontoons
very very expensive 1K + a year and have to loan them 3K approx interest free

Humber haven's including
Stone creek
Barton
Barrow
access +-1-2hrs
5-10min from humber
cheap if you can get a mooring
all use jettys

Hull
access +-3 i think
expensive
noisy
pontoons

South Ferriby
access +-3 i think
noisy next to cement works
jetty's

Winterham
access +-0.5-1hrs
very silted up
poontons
very good sailing club

Brough
access not sure

the down side of the humber ports is not much of a choice for places to sail to in a weekend I learnt to sail on the humber and chap i sailed with soon got bored and most places other than the haven's tend not to be very attractive

Bridlington
acess +-3
dirty and smelly
need tender
not good in SE winds

Scarbrough
access +-3hrs
pontoons
not good in SE winds
attractive town

Whitby
access +-2hrs because of swing bridge although extra openings at weekend in summer
poontons
not good in northley winds
personally my favorite port on the east coast

Can go on further but fingers sore now might have another go tomorrow

 

[Sixpence]

Happy to do it and publish every now and then if people think it's useful. Just forward me anything you want to include.

Got more time to reply now, so I'll leave it to you but I do think it's a good idea. Hope this thread helps as a starter and it's well worth noting the information provided by locals. What Paul is saying about Boston is worth elaborating on though. [Thanks for the offer again Paul].
For our purposes we would be more interested in areas like the Deben and Orwell or even Crouch, mainly because it's sailing on tidal waters with the advantage of some shelter. So we would get to sail and play the tide but wouldn't have to make a choice and stick with it. As in, once you're in The Wash, you're there until the tide changes and then you're better off on a surfboard to come in. Another reason is that there are more places to go.

Alex, excellent thanks, the more information the better I think

Oh, and to add to the info on Fosdyke, entry is best timed to arrive on the pontoon at HW, Fosdyke road bridge is just after the pontoons and can soon reduce mast height. Ken has a 10Hp engine and at full throttle it was still a bit touch and go to get on the pontoon. Tidal flow on this river is something you have to see to believe, as with other Wash rivers and I would imagine any other narrow river

Hope to see all the information when you have it ready, and yes, you did just volunteer

 

[wingdiver]

One or two additional thoughts about the Orwell.
Everyone forgets Debbages. http://www.debyacht.co.uk/ It in the New Cut (to port of the lock gates for Ipswich Haven). It's not the best but there are pontoons etc, it's closer to the town without being in amongst the activity and The Steamboat Tavern is next door and is a great pub. It's prices are far less than Shotley, SYH, Foxs, Ipswich Haven, Neptune.
Another possible idea is joining one of the local yacht clubs who have river moorings. As an example, Orwell Yacht club (next to Foxs) http://www.orwellyachtclub.org.uk/ is inexpensive to join and whilst there will be a waiting list for a 'pontoon mooring' there may be fore and aft ones on the river.

 

[Sixpence]

Everyone forgets Debbages. http://www.debyacht.co.uk/

That would be because I hadn't heard about them
No mention of access times on the site, any knowledge about that ?
The whole idea of this is to find as much information as possible, from people with local knowledge about places just like this. There are sites out there with information already, but they seem to be out of date so if people that are based at, or know about anywhere, add what they know we could have quite a useful directory of marinas along the East coast. Might also be useful for the East Coast Pilot
Surprised we haven't heard about Shotley or Crouch moorings yet though

 

[Norfolknick]

Shotley moorings

If I am honest - I would guard against Shotley for mooring, simply because of the amount of traffic and it can be quite exposed with a SE or E breeze. There are a couple of vesels that have been there a while (5-10 years) a 3 mast schooner springs to mind - that have really been battered over time. The Stour side of Shotley can be a bit better, but I have no idea who runs those (just opposite Parkstone Quay, down from the pub?) They used to be owned by GANGES, so may now be in the hands of the Suffolk Police who now own that site.

 

[Mandarin331]

As in, once you're in The Wash, you're there until the tide changes and then you're better off on a surfboard to come in. Another reason is that there are more places to go.


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We've been reading Henry Irving's guide and sort of came to the same conclusion about the Wash.

Try the Felixstowe Ferry Boatyard on the Deben, moorings now available. Sheltered water up the river (and plenty of shoreside attractions) or out to sea almost immediately with a short hop down to the Orwell or Walton Backwester or up to the Alde. Just watch the bar and the 3-4 knot current in the entrance channel.

Ramsholts nice, but road access is a nightmare down long narrow country lanes - not good after a long drive down.

Waldringfield, Boat yard. Swinging moorings again, half way up the river.

Anything further up river and you will have tidal restrictions again.

Buy a copy of East Coast Rivers or the East Coast Pilot, everything you need is in there and either one are essential pilots for the Thames Estuary.

Look forward to seeing you in these waters.

 

[wingdiver]

No mention of access times on the site, any knowledge about that ?

I spoke to Chris and he says there is no access for around an hour either side of low water neaps and around two hours either side of low water springs.

 

[MrCramp]

As in, once you're in The Wash, you're there until the tide changes and then you're better off on a surfboard to come in. Another reason is that there are more places to go.


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We've been reading Henry Irving's guide and sort of came to the same conclusion about the Wash.

Buy a copy of East Coast Rivers or the East Coast Pilot, everything you need is in there and either one are essential pilots for the Thames Estuary./QUOTE]

The information on marinas/moorings is in these pilots. I am definately not in favour of compiling detailed information about all the quieter, comparitavely unspoilt, spots around the waters that we sail and then putting it on the internet for every person who cannot be bothered to get of his backside to discover, maybe then to turn up in a noisey boat.

I got to know the coast by going to all the waterside localions by car and then spending time walking the coast and the ditches and marshes and by talking to folk in the marinas and boatyards. I put the effort in and it was well worth it. It is OK to respond on this forum about various places. People can spend time trying to go back and pick up all that information and if they are keen enough to do that then good luck to them. However to give all the detailed, intimate, information on a plate is not a good idea at all, in my opinion.

I make it clear I am very happy to supply infomation to individual forumites who seem keen (like Chattering Lilly, who I have never met but I have responded to her request for info). I am also pleased that those who in the past have hailed "The Wash" as the place to sail and who objected to my critical apraisal of it, have now come round to my way of thinking!!

 

[ChattingLil]

Ok, well I have already started on my compliation and have added in the details already given, but I won't publish it on here. If any one finds the thread while searching and wants to ask me for it, I'd be happy to send it via PM.

I make it clear I am very happy to supply infomation to individual forumites who seem keen (like Chattering Lilly, who I have never met but I have responded to her request for info).

Thank you!

 

[Sixpence]

I am also pleased that those who in the past have hailed "The Wash" as the place to sail and who objected to my critical apraisal of it, have now come round to my way of thinking!!

Nope, I don't think so
The Wash is an excellent place to sail, but other areas have thier own advantages
However, I'm not thinking of a complete list of places to go or see, just a list of marinas or moorings with the good points and bad. The East Coast Pilot is something I do have aboard, but the author does admit that it is mainly aimed at the South East and by its very nature, being in printed paper form, is very hard to keep up to date. The information from Alex comes from that of someone who has been to various moorings recently, which is a valuable resource on here IMHO. However, I do appreciate where you're coming from, and agree that some places are better when found individually. It's just that if I'm going to sign up to a years contract anywhere, I would like to know if it's a **** place to stay or not

Lisa, keep me on your mailing list please, in case people now decide to PM you the info instead of posting