Chichester Marina berths.

O

Oldfellah

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 Jun 2015
Messages
289
Location
Live in France, boat in Chichester
Visit site
I will be moving my Moody 31 Mk11 from the Medway to Chichester Marina at the end of August and would like recommendations in selecting my berth. It would seem that there are plenty of options on pontoons A,B,C, D, E and J but local knowledge may narrow that down somewhat. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Depending on your draught prefer the berths furthest from the land - there is not much water in some of those closer in.

They are a helpful bunch in the office so I am sure would help if you want to change your berth once you had arrived.
 
Thanks so much for the responses gentlemen, much appreciated.
I was hoping that nearer the end of pontoons would be better for mooring if single handed but will have to consider the flow from the lock as mentioned. Has anyone any experience of the 'J' pontoon as it is at the far end of the marina and would appear to be a totally different situation compared to the others, perhaps a lot quieter ?
 
Oldfellah said:
Thanks so much for the responses gentlemen, much appreciated.
I was hoping that nearer the end of pontoons would be better for mooring if single handed but will have to consider the flow from the lock as mentioned. Has anyone any experience of the 'J' pontoon as it is at the far end of the marina and would appear to be a totally different situation compared to the others, perhaps a lot quieter ?
Click to expand...

We are on I pontoon, and it is certainly pretty quiet (but then the whole marina is pretty quiet anyway.) j is next to us and seems fine, but it is some way to the shower block, and the best part of half mile to the boatyard/lock office and Yacht Club. There are of course two set of pontoons, North side and South side, with South side seemingly more popular - no real reason for that other than the South side is more sheltered from any Westerly winds. To be honest, there's not much to choose between any of them, but it would be better to spend some time there looking at the various berths on offer - the staff are very helpful. The flow from the lock causes no problem whatsoever.
 
Last edited:
Oldfellah said:
Thanks nicho. I will be down there in a couple of weeks time to look around so all will become more clear then I am sure.
Click to expand...

That's what we did. The berthing staff are very flexible - we changed from H to I due to some unruly kids on the boat next door, the parents wanting them to "flourish" evidently! It's a lovely marina, 1200 boats, but the lock is only really busy on sunny weekends and bank holidays. The showers are superb, a good chandlery (Marine Superstore), a good cafe/restaurant and a very active yacht club, all in beautiful setting, with the lovely town of Chichester a couple of miles away.......and it's much cheaper than the Solent based marinas! What's not to like?
 
I have never been a resident there, but have visited a lot, and sailed from CYC next door in the winter ' frosbite ' dinghy racing.

A few observations;

the traffic on and off the single Witterings road is awful on most days, soaring to ' diabolical ' on sunny summer weekends - I don't know where you live but the backroads West Ashling / Midhurst then Hunters Race and Salt Hil Road will probably be handy to dodge the bypass - but you can't dodge the Witterings road unless you have some sort of 007 speedboat standing by.

On busy weekends it can be a right pain waiting to get out as the gin palaces jockey for a go at the small, somewhat turbulent ( but nothing to worry about, just tend your lines ) lock; when visiting Chris the excellent stainless fabricator there I was amused to see a big pile of mangled mobo pulpits ! :)

Chi Marina is lovely, lots of wildlife, but unless willing to fork out for a taxi - Chichester is way beyond walking range - you're stuck with the few local expensive eateries, and they know it.

More seriously, unless they've changed things recently the shrubbery around the shoreline made it a paradise for a mugger - or worse - when a lady friend came along we all felt it worth escorting her to the loos as it seemed frankly dodgy - this was embarassing and she's not a timid sort, she once chased and caught a nut who'd stabbed and killed somone at Brighton marina !

Chichester Marina is lovely - I cannot recommend too highly you get the excellent book about the harbour by John Reger - just as ever it's a case of keeping one's eyes open.
 
Crikey Seajet, a lot to think about there ! Traffic is not a problem as we will normally be down during the week rather than weekends. I live in France but my daughter only lives 30 mins away so we can spend weekends with family and enjoy the quieter weekdays for sailing or more probably just mucking about on the boat. We thought about having couple of folding bikes to get around locally and I think that you can catch a bus into Chichester at the marina entrance. The security issue, especially the mugger aspect gives my cause for concern as my wife and often my grandchildren will be with me at the boat. I chose this particular marina because I understood that security was very good. Perhaps other berth holders would comment on this.
Thanks for the information Seajet.
 
If you pick the berths on the North side vehicle access is via a barrier with keyfob access. That has the advantage that it's slighty more secure (but not much) and the disadvantage that it's slightly more hassle (but not much). It's also nearer the path to the Pub at Dell Quay. Also the marina road to the north attracts far fewer cars than the South side which might be beneficial depending on the age of your grandchildren.

The cycle into town is very easy. Either follow the Canal towpath (muddy in winter but alway passable) or take the Centurion way east of Dell Quay and past Apuldram to join the main road at Stockbridge (Donnington) which isn't muddy apart from a few yards by a cow shed. Road has a wide enough footpath to cycle on. Hardly worth taking the bus - by the time you walk to the road you'd be half way into town by bike.

Re muggers: I've sailed in and out of Chi Marina off and on for about 15 years I've lived a short walk away for 6 and I am pretty well informed about what goes on locally. I've never heard of anyone being mugged or ambushed in any way at all around the marina. I've not directly heard of anything getting nicked around the marina either but I'm fairly sure that *will*have happened from time to time. Chichester itself is a pretty civilized place and I only recall one mugging in the town itself which was a pair of teenage girls who were beaten off and apprehended by the person they attacked! Certainly people in the marina are happy to leave outboards in plain sight which is (to my mind) a sign that security is adequate. I go down there in the depths of winter on weekdays and I've never seen anyone acting suspiciously. It's well lit. There are so many walkers and passers-by all the time that I can't imagine a mugger finding a quiet enough moment to do any mugging. It's well out of town so the kind of passing lowlifes you *might* get in Brighton Marina are never around.

Also if there are grandchildren you might want to consider which of the shower blocks have family rooms. (Maybe they all do.) It's a real benefit for me to be able to take both kids in together with me. Shower blocks are incredible. I take a walk down there on winter nights to stretch my legs sometimes and leaving that underfloor heated paradise to go back out it is a real wrench....

Depending on your planned usage you should probably be aware the marina is fair way from the harbour entrance and the tide flows fairly fast past Itchenor so if you're punching tide it feels a very long way! (In my tiny bilge keeler with outboard it's just not worth trying to fight it - if the wind's on the nose I just wait until the tide's in my favour!)

If it's not to late you might want do the 'recommend a friend' with a berth holder in which case you both get a discount.
 
Last edited:
+1 north side, I would say marginally more secure. I have been both north and south, preferred north, in the middle. Not sure why. Depends on yacht size as to where you have a choice. The water apparently is more brackish at the eastern end. More chance of mozzies on south and eastern sides.

The water can be shallower near the root of the pontoons which for me meant I had to take care not to go that far down when manoeuvring with an ackward wind direction.
 
Channel Sailor said:
+1 north side, I would say marginally more secure. I have been both north and south, preferred north, in the middle. Not sure why. Depends on yacht size as to where you have a choice. The water apparently is more brackish at the eastern end. More chance of mozzies on south and eastern sides.

The water can be shallower near the root of the pontoons which for me meant I had to take care not to go that far down when manoeuvring with an ackward wind direction.
Click to expand...

Yes, I thought I would look for a berth nearer the end of the pontoon for the reasons you give. Mozzies, Mmm, never considered that ! I have enough of them around my lakes in France so the West end it must be. Thanks for the reply.
 
Oldfellah said:
Super information Mark, thanks very much. Good to hear your positive comments and the cycle route to Dell Quay sounds spot on for the wife and I. Is the grub good there ?
Click to expand...

The grub at the Crown and Anchor is terrific in quality terms but (in my opinion) poor in quantity terms! It's a lovely spot though. There's also the Blacksmith's in Donnington (a lovely walk down the Canal) which is terrific. As Seajet says all the places within a short walk know they can charge a premium and they do. (Or maybe I'm just stingy and greedy.)
 
Motor_Sailor said:
If you are, you're not alone!
The Crown and Anchor says most of its customers are Londoners on holiday, so they charge them London prices to make them feel at home.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Mind you, at high water last night this pint of Peroni cost me a fiver:

2jbo28k.jpg


I'd have probably got cheaper in town, but it felt worth the extra.
 
Last edited:
Oldfellah said:
I will be moving my Moody 31 Mk11 from the Medway to Chichester Marina at the end of August and would like recommendations in selecting my berth. It would seem that there are plenty of options on pontoons A,B,C, D, E and J but local knowledge may narrow that down somewhat. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

We're on D pontoon with our M31 II. There at least two other M31 IIs, plus some Eclipse 33s on the pontoon. Chichester is a nice spot, and one of those places where it is pleasant to visit in its own right rather than just somewhere to park your boat. We've not had any security problems, the parking at the end of D pontoon is barriered and it is only a short walk to your boat. Also the marina benefits from that rarest of things - decent wifi. If you don't want to go sailing there are great walks and bike rides. Downsides are already mentioned such as the traffic down to West Wittering (not really been a problem even on sunny weekends) and the prices in the local eateries - Dell Quay is lovely but you pay for the privilege.

As in any locked marina, you occasionally have to queue to get out or in - but it is easy to plan a return passage for free flow through the lock. If, like us, you are a bilge keel you can get out before others anyway :-)

Neil
Moody M31 II Sea'scape
 
NeilO said:
We're on D pontoon with our M31 II. There at least two other M31 IIs, plus some Eclipse 33s on the pontoon. Chichester is a nice spot, and one of those places where it is pleasant to visit in its own right rather than just somewhere to park your boat. We've not had any security problems, the parking at the end of D pontoon is barriered and it is only a short walk to your boat. Also the marina benefits from that rarest of things - decent wifi. If you don't want to go sailing there are great walks and bike rides. Downsides are already mentioned such as the traffic down to West Wittering (not really been a problem even on sunny weekends) and the prices in the local eateries - Dell Quay is lovely but you pay for the privilege.

As in any locked marina, you occasionally have to queue to get out or in - but it is easy to plan a return passage for free flow through the lock. If, like us, you are a bilge keel you can get out before others anyway :-)

Neil
Moody M31 II Sea'scape
Click to expand...

Thanks for that Neil. I will be down next week to look around and make a decision on my future berth so will certainly be checking out D pontoon. Sounds a very 'Moody' place I must say ! lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top