Chichester Marina - The New Lock

[wombat88]

I used to be a longtime inhabitant of the marina but have been away for a while and am thinking of coming back.

I have heard tales that the new lock procedures, controlled by new automation, have slowed things down and queues longer than anything seen before have been building up on busy days.

The congestion is said to be much worse than I might remember it.

So...is this true?

 

[Mark-1]

Congestion has been far worse this year but that's due to increased daysails due to lockdown. Lock procedure is unchanged.

 

[wombat88]

Ah yes, I had forgotten the impact of daysails. And then the growth in boat size must continue to affect things.

I remember when...blah...blah!

 

[Mark-1]

Ah yes, I had forgotten the impact of daysails. And then the growth in boat size must continue to affect things.

I remember when...blah...blah!

On eday just after the strict lockdown ended they were locking boats out continuously from 7am until freeflow mid afternoon. They were still running the number system in freeflow. (Many ignored that, including me.)

It didn't take a genius to guess what would happen with an exodus from the marina lasting for most of the day, but everyone required to get back in the same day. Sure enough I was told people were still queuing at 4am the following morning to get back in. (I'd guess some of those were in open powerboats and dressed for the beach.)

 

[Lucky Duck]

On eday just after the strict lockdown ended they were locking boats out continuously from 7am until freeflow mid afternoon. They were still running the number system in freeflow. (Many ignored that, including me.)

It didn't take a genius to guess what would happen with an exodus from the marina lasting for most of the day, but everyone required to get back in the same day. Sure enough I was told people were still queuing at 4am the following morning to get back in. (I'd guess some of those were in open powerboats and dressed for the beach.)

Ouch!

Fortunately the metal sheet piling on the locksides has been covered by more topside friendly timber panels.

What is the score with Z pontoon and narrow boats now moored there?

 

[Ammonite]

Took me 3 hours to get out a few weeks back and had to cancel a trip to Southsea as a result. They were locking out about 10 - 12 boats an hour. We finally got out at free flow and it was chaos in the approach channel. Its put us off going back, at least at the weekend, which is a shame as its a lovely spot with great facilities.

 

[wombat88]

In olden days we used to reckon that only around 20% of the boats ever got used at one time...and always the same 20%. I suppose in a post lockdown world a far higher number are being used and many of those for day sails. Add to this an apparently slower process at the lock (no packing 'em in or opening the gates to speed things up) and the results are predictable.

Doesn't sound much like fun, which is a real shame but the locking facilities just don't seem to be able to cope with the current levels of traffic.

 

[Mark-1]

What is the score with Z pontoon and narrow boats now moored there?

I'd love to know. One the face of it they're stripped out 30ish berths and parked two very long boats there instead. Doesn't seem to make economic sense. Freaky caravan boat on the end, as well. I'd love to know the rationale, they're not idiots so I'm sure there is one.

 

[Lucky Duck]

I remember seeing something similar to the 'caravan boat' at Brighton marina so maybe it is a new Premier thing

 

[prv]

I remember seeing something similar to the 'caravan boat' at Brighton marina so maybe it is a new Premier thing

Square fibreglass houseboat thing on two hulls? They were building those at Shamrock Quay, with the first one moored there as accommodation for the company owner‘s father (the small company building the houseboats, not MDL obviously). Both have now moved out, but I believe they’re still building them at one of the other yards on the river. There was a documentary about the build of that first one on one of the obscure freeview channels a while back, afraid I don’t remember the name.

Pete

 

[Elessar]

Square fibreglass houseboat thing on two hulls? They were building those at Shamrock Quay, with the first one moored there as accommodation for the company owner‘s father (the small company building the houseboats, not MDL obviously). Both have now moved out, but I believe they’re still building them at one of the other yards on the river. There was a documentary about the build of that first one on one of the obscure freeview channels a while back, afraid I don’t remember the name.

Pete

That obscure freeview channel was called channel 4.

He was subsequently murdered.

The boat sits forlorn on the other side of the river.

Sex offender who strangled granddad star of Channel 4 show jailed for life

 

[prv]

Wow

(On the not-hugely-relevant point of the TV channel, I must have watched a repeat on More Four +27 or something. It was definitely a long way down the list.)

Pete

 

[Wynn]

We are chichester marina residents and hopefully the refurb of the lock which happened during lockdown will mean it is more reliable with no recurrence of the problems of last year. It is still a small lock though for the size of the marina and with the average boat size getting bigger all the time there is always going to be a problem. Fortunately, a very small percentage of the boats get used at any one time although the current increase in day sailing hasn't helped. The numbering system for going through the lock is a good idea in theory as it should stop too many milling around in the fairway at any one time (assuming people comply with it) but it doesn't take into account the sizes of boats so sometimes a small boat down the list could have been squeezed in ahead of other larger boats who happened to call up first. Being retired and able to go out during the week means that most of these 'problems' are pretty much irrelevant though!

 

[nicho]

I'd love to know. One the face of it they're stripped out 30ish berths and parked two very long boats there instead. Doesn't seem to make economic sense. Freaky caravan boat on the end, as well. I'd love to know the rationale, they're not idiots so I'm sure there is one.

Are they not the houseboats advertised for sale on their website?

 

[russ]

Having booked a berth there for Saturday night this is now putting me off going there for the first time.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Having booked a berth there for Saturday night this is now putting me off going there for the first time.

Russ I think I replied to you on the Sealine forum. Chichester is gorgeous and definitely worth a trip but seems to be busy at the moment. Lock is really easy don’t let that put you off, the issue of traffic seems to be a thing at the moment but won’t be permanent.

 

[Mark-1]

Having booked a berth there for Saturday night this is now putting me off going there for the first time.

You'll be fine going *in* Saturday and leaving Sunday.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

You'll be fine going *in* Saturday and leaving Sunday.

yes I think so too unless the lock logjam is uniquely busy ?

 

[Wynn]

Having booked a berth there for Saturday night this is now putting me off going there for the first time.

If you have not been into Chichester Harbour before then you must visit - it isn't an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" for nothing! I'm not sure where you are coming from but if you arrange to go up through the harbour with the last hour of the rising tide (it's about an hour from the entrance to Chichester Marina when you have the tide with you) and arrive at the marina just after HW you should be able to enter on freeflow against a slight current coming out through the lock. If you have to lock through call the marina when you get to Birdham and loiter in the entrance channel if required (the deepest water is about 20m north of the stakes) and enter on the green light. You just need to fender up and the marina staff will pass you down some lines, aft one first. Alternatively there are fixed vertical yellow lines down the side of the lock which you can hook then pull a mooring line down from the lockside. The staff are all very helpfull. Enjoy your stay.
Richard.

 

[wombat88]

I'd be interested to hear how this works out for Russ, hope that it is all OK. It's a convenient marina and I hope it will get sorted somehow.