Chichester Marina

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Sailing newbie selsey

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I am currently on a swing mooring near Southampton which has nearly doubled in price this year, this coupled with the 100 mile round trip to the boat and back has made me think about going for a mooring at Chichester marina which is only 7 miles away from me. The berth holder deal of 42 nights free at other premier marinas is also attractive and helps to offset the price difference for sailing around the Solent. Curious to hear from any berth holders at Chichester marina, would you recommend it.
thanks
 
Chi marina is lovely if you can exit/enter during free flow or a pensioner with many units of time on hands to sail during week. It also seems to some bird pollution on decks issues. It’s a fir way from Solent and you also have the bar to cross which might be challenging depending on vessel.
 
Like boats, marinas are a compromise. If you are used to a swing mooring why not look for a deep water mooring in Chichester Harbour ? All the benefits of being close to your home base without the jump in mooring fees or the restrictions a locked Marina bring.
 
Sailing newbie selsey said:
Fancy moving away from the swing mooring, as fancy the ease of walking aboard rather than tender out to boat. Maybe Southsea marina may be a better option?
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It's an idea, ring up and see if you can have a visitors fam trip free gratis. The tidal flow is considerable but doable, getting to the marina by road is dependent on when. Eateries and pubs are a bit limited from memory.
 
I spent a few winter months in Chichester marina a year ago. It was a clean, tidy, well managed and sheltered marina with good facilities and helpful staff. You usually have to lock in and out and I understand that summer weekends can be challenging in that respect. That didn't affect me as I was only there for the winter. Once out of the lock it would take around an hour to Chichester Harbour entrance and a further hour to get to the entrance to the Solent. But you can sail and anchor and swim and enjoy the water without leaving Chichester Harbour - particularly useful if the seas outside are a bit lumpy and you want a quiet time.

p.s. I didn;t suffer any tube worm but perhaps they hibernate in winter. My permanent swinging mooring is just downstream from there at Itchenor and there is definitely no tube worm there.
 
Aeolus said:
I spent a few winter months in Chichester marina a year ago. It was a clean, tidy, well managed and sheltered marina with good facilities and helpful staff. You usually have to lock in and out and I understand that summer weekends can be challenging in that respect. That didn't affect me as I was only there for the winter. Once out of the lock it would take around an hour to Chichester Harbour entrance and a further hour to get to the entrance to the Solent. But you can sail and anchor and swim and enjoy the water without leaving Chichester Harbour - particularly useful if the seas outside are a bit lumpy and you want a quiet time.

p.s. I didn;t suffer any tube worm but perhaps they hibernate in winter. My permanent swinging mooring is just downstream from there at Itchenor and there is definitely no tube worm there.
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A friend kept his boat there and this was pretty much his experience. Yes, tube worm was a problem, but a scrub off at the start of the season pretty much dealt with it. However, he had a gift for picking, err, interesting weather for a return from Cherbourg, which meant Chichester Bar was risky, so he quite often ended up in Gosport. You're also the thick end of an hour from West Pole, which is where your passage starts. That's two hours extra. Then there are the sailing dinghies on a Sunday :eek: :eek: You dodge one and a dozen others attack you! He told me to just hold my course, which seemed to work most of the time, but I'm never comfortable ignoring colregs like that.

The other reason I wouldn't keep my boat in Chichester is that it's such a lovely place. I prefer to keep it as a destination.

One last thought: Have you considered Port Solent? You have good access from the M27, a good bit closer than Southampton. Yes, you have to lock in and out, but I'd guess that most days, you'd be out in the Solent at least as quickly from home as Chichester, probably quicker, and you have a safe entry to Portsmouth Harbour in any weather you'd want to be out in. A cheaper alternative might be Wicor, though that's more of a hike down to the harbour entrance.
 
Been in Chichester Marina for years. Had no problems with tube worm, well nothing worth worrying about. Time to harbour entrance can obviously be reduced by choosing the tide.

The main problem is inevitably the lock. If you sail mid week or can arrange things to do so then it is OK. Also fewer boats transit the lock near LW. Queueing to lock in or out on a warm sunny weekend is not a good experience. 'Free flow' helps but can be erratic.

If the OP is based in Selsey then it is convenient and the time saved getting to Chichester Marina can be used in another manner etc etc. Saves all that A27 traffic.
 
I was in Chichester Marina for a number of years, and I like it. The staff are excellent, as are the services based there and locally (especially Birdham Pool ). The lock is an issue, especially at weekends, but if you are flexible, it is OK. I used the " free" - ie included nights - to go to Gosport and to Port Solent, and that was also usefully for going further West. For going to France, one option, depending on tides, is to go via anchorage at East Head, or via Bembridge - that saves about an hour for Cherbourg or CI on the crossing day.

If you are happy with a swinging mooring, why not check out Itchenor - I had a smaller boat there for 10+ years, and the flow means no tube worm. But you may need somewhere to overwinter depending on size, but Thornham Marina has a good reputation for that sort of service, or maybe winter in Chi or Birdham marinas??
 
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Get the chart out and you'll see it is a long way from the harbour entrance and if you have the tidal stream against it seems even longer. I moved for that reason plus the harbour entrance bar which might prevent you from getting back in if its windy, when it gets bouncy its like a fair ground ride.
 
Another Selsey sailor here : :)
Kept our boat at Chichester and while it was convenient, I hate that lock! Don't even think about going out on a sunny Bank Holiday.

We moved to Gosport. I would rather spend time driving there and have the option to go out whenever, and in the Solent, rather then face the lock
and then slog all the way out of the harbour while avoiding the many dinghy races.

As mentioned already, not so bad if you can sail in the week.
 
stephen_h said:
Another Selsey sailor here : :)
Kept our boat at Chichester and while it was convenient, I hate that lock! Don't even think about going out on a sunny Bank Holiday.

We moved to Gosport. I would rather spend time driving there and have the option to go out whenever, and in the Solent, rather then face the lock
and then slog all the way out of the harbour while avoiding the many dinghy races.

As mentioned already, not so bad if you can sail in the week.
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I am also considering Southsea marina, I know this has a cill but it will not have the added long transit to the Solent or the Chichester bar
 
Negative things about Chichester marina:
  • Hard to get to/from by public transport
  • The lock: not only is waiting for long periods annoying and makes your weekend harder to plan there's also that annoyance when people queue jump
  • Idiots in yachts coming back from solent racing who tack across the line of boats motoring back into the harbour on a sunday
  • Lunatics in dinghies etc.
  • An hour to get out of the harbour
  • No great day sail options turning left except maybe littlehampton if the tides are right
  • Nipping over to cowes for lunch is a long day's expedition
On the other hand it's quite peaceful, the lock staff are nice, and Chichester harbour in winter is lovely
 
stephen_h said:
Another Selsey sailor here : :)
Kept our boat at Chichester and while it was convenient, I hate that lock! Don't even think about going out on a sunny Bank Holiday.

We moved to Gosport. I would rather spend time driving there and have the option to go out whenever, and in the Solent, rather then face the lock
and then slog all the way out of the harbour while avoiding the many dinghy races.

As mentioned already, not so bad if you can sail in the week.
Click to expand...
As someone who sails from Gosport but who until recently had family in Prinsted I did consider a move to Chi marina but the small lock ,the journey down to east head and the bar put us off plus the tides don’t seem to do any favours if you want to go to Bembridge at least for us.
 
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