Can you boat more cheaply on the south coast?

[ontheplane]

So over the years I have had a marina berth, a "park and launch" type service a trot and a swinging mooring.

The park and launch (Rockley Park in Poole) was quite good and back then pretty cheap (£400 for a six month stay but that was many years ago).

Dry Stack would be perfect for me but as it's dearer than a pontoon berth these days so probably not an option for me.

I didn't mind trot mooring or swinging mooring, but it was horrible if it was windy & wet going from the shore to the boat.... and so forth.

I realise that any boating on the coast cheap will require some compromise and depending on how cheap depends on how much compromise I want to put up with.

Boat will be about 20' - 23' probably a sports cuddy or small cruiser. Probably can only afford a petrol boat, so availability of petrol in the area is important.

So I live in Bristol, I can tow the kind of boat I want to get as I can borrow a Ranger to tow it - but I don't OWN the Ranger, so guaranteeing it every weekend can't be done.

So I need somewhere to keep the boat that I don't need a car capable of launching it every time but I need to keep the cost down.

I live in Bristol, so have been happy boating in Poole, Weymouth and Portsmouth before now and I like those areas well.

I guess what I'm after is a "little gem" a little place I can keep the boat that doesn't cost the earth, but that can pop the boat in the water for me on a Friday so I can use it Friday night and Saturday and pull it out Sat night or Sunday morning and put it away. I don't care if it doesn't have proper berths, I can mooch up or down a river a mile or so to a marina to spend the night. I don't mind a mid-river berth as long as I can get to it without a huge dinghy ride (but would prefer to keep the boat out of the water to save on antifouling / anodes / maintenance etc)....

Does anyone know anywhere like that that might have vacancies for this year (probably buying the boat later in the year and won't buy one if I can't work out where to keep it.

Thanks in advance for the shared wisdom of here.

 

[colhel]

If you can launch yourself, Ridge Wharf on the river Frome might be an option. Many years ago I kept a boat at Redcliffe Farm and launched as and when, but although their slipway is still open, I'm not sure if they still do storage.
Ridge Wharf Yacht Centre & Boat Yard. Boat Yards Poole Harbour

 

[ontheplane]

Thank you yeh that’s exactly the kind of place.

I will be able to launch myself if I can get the Ranger, but not if it is being otherwise used - also I note they have a limit of 6.1m - not clear if that is the boat only measure or the whole trailer (which would limit to about a 14/16 foot boat. But I have noted it, it is just that kind of place I am after

 

[onesea]

Try Calshot:
https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/outdoorcentres/ourcentres/calshot/visit/boat-launch

 

[stelican]

Eastlands Boatyard top end of the Hamble River operate a trailer /sailor option dry storage launch yourself or they will launch recover for a fee. Limited spaces

 

[Thalassa76]

Have a look at Bucklers Hard.

 

[tetleys]

Dry stack at Portland ?

cheers
Tetleys

 

[ontheplane]

Dry stack at Portland ?

cheers
Tetleys

I was thinking of more like £1000 a year not £4k a year!! Dry stack is dearer than marina these days

 

[ontheplane]

I used to keep a boat on the little river near Weymouth, just before you get to the end of Portland - was owned by Blue Water Marine - but that’s gone bust now - does anyone know who bought the site and do they still do the yard and moorings there?

 

[FOP]

try the public ramp above the bridge in Weymouth or Ferry Bridge Marine in Portland Harbour . West Bay harbour or Lyme Regis might be an an option but not in strong onshore winds .

 

[colhel]

I don't think you can store boats above the bridge during Summer season? Might be worth giving the HM a call, for that size boat you may, depending on availability, get a summer walkashore pontoon for around £1,500.

 

[SimonD]

I understand that many owners of smaller boats take a berth at Weymouth for six months and lift out for the winter before renewing the following year. Definitely worth giving the harbour office a call for availability.

 

[Petertheking1982]

Cheap harbour / river moorings (for the solent) in cowes, langston, gosport boat yard, fareham creek, river hamble, proably a few places up southampton. Some of the pkaces will have waiting lists (like the hamble). Cowes, hamble and gosport boat yard have watertaxis so no dinghy. Have you tried clubs? ECA in portsmouth has cheap yard, car park, and self launching with winch or mini tractor, marina next door (with petrol and disel).

 

[ontheplane]

Winch no good as car I have weekly may not have a tow bar but a mini tractor you can use would work - do they drive that or do you borrow it?

 

[Petertheking1982]

No the winch is not attached to car, permantly fitted to slip (its big). Mini trac driven by club memebers. Give them a call.

 

[ontheplane]

Will do - sounds good - problem with winch is getting boat from where it’s parked to the winch with no towbar. I will call though as the Mini tractor would be ideal

 

[Petertheking1982]

Good point about getting boat to the winch. Im sure there will be other clubs with a similar set up on the south coast.

 

[baart]

I don't mind a mid-river berth as long as I can get to it without a huge dinghy ride

Mid river pontoons behind the bridge in Poole might be an option then? I think they are owned by PHC. Or River Itchen?

 

[FOP]

I believe Hayling Island SC have some moorings available . A ferry runs weekends and in August ……you do have to join the club though, which is easy .

 

[Adetheheat]

There's also Fareham Boating club have their own pontoons which are cheap around 1k but there's a waiting list.
Portsmouth marine engineering in fareham is also cheaper than most marinas.
Also Wicor in Portchester has river pontoons that are cheaper.