Christchurch Marina

Whitelighter

Whitelighter

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 Apr 2005
Messages
13,977
Location
Looking out of the window
Visit site
Is there such a thing? Cant find a web site for it. Anyone with any idea about rates, availibility, access etc etc?

Also, what other marinas are near Bournmouth, preferably Southampton side. i know about Salterns etc etc
 
No marina, as such, at Christchurch, just moorings in the rivers, AFAIK. Access very limited by shallow harbour and tide, for any thing of any size, i.e. bigger than beach dinghy /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Nothing near Bournemouth, apart from Poole, which you know about. Then as you go east, nothing until the Solent and Lymington, which I'm I sure you know all about, as well.
 
hmm,

Thats a shame. Whats in poole that doesnt cost the earth? I guess not much really. I wanted somewhere to stick the boat while maybe working in Bournemouth for about 9 months as a base to kip on during the week.
 
No such thing as a marina in Christchurch.

Elkins boatyard might do berths. CSC too if you have flappy bits.

... and there's my Mum's place, but you have to get under Tuckton bridge to get there /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
PM Wiggo. For Christchurch, he used to be there. Followed him in a few years ago. I was frightened to death, but it has very weard tides. Only goes up and down a few inches. We were ok, well just about. Overnight.
 
Not sure that really counts.

Last "non resident" that tried to moor there got burnt in a wicker basket atop Hengistbury Head.

dv.
 
When I looked into this, Davis's (next to Cobbs Quay) were the cheapest in Poole, esp. if you could cope with an alongside rather than pontoon berth. Being what you might call careful with money, that's where we keep ours
 
[ QUOTE ]
PM Wiggo. For Christchurch, he used to be there. Followed him in a few years ago. I was frightened to death, but it has very weard tides. Only goes up and down a few inches. We were ok, well just about. Overnight.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wuss!
You soon get used to depths of "0.5" (feet) showing on the sounder.

Even more fun going thru the run when it's bouncing up and down, as well as in (or out). Fishermen cast over your head as the ferry tries to ram you into the wall, all with an audience of grockles for good measure.

Then again, I have never done it in the current boat, only the 24.

dv.
 
try rossiters boatyard , maybe they can help but it is tight for depth into the run , followed a 35 footer ploughing its own channel once /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
Wiggo said, dont look at the depth sounder. It was quite rough when we went in. I would never have done it.but trusted Wiggo. All was fine, but could see the sand being kicked up behind. Dont know the details, but it looked fine with a one metre draft. Once you get the hang of it.

No marinas as such, They seem to park on a finger pontoon, up to the bank.
 
Rossiter's isn't a marina but does have berths on finger pontoons and jetties along the river bank. If you look at Google Earth that's on the triangle of land to the eastern side of Christchurch on the Avon. Rossiter's claimed they has 2 year waiting lists but that was a a year or so ago. Not sure of rates but I don't it's that much cheaper than Poole - I've been told around £4K for a 30 footer but not substantiated so may be doing them a dis-service. Don't think I've ever heard a bad word about Rossiter's as a yard. Certainly worth giving them a call - 01202 483250.

Tuckton also has some alongside berths which I think are owned by the Bournemouth and West Hants Water Company. You can probably walk ashore from a lot of the upriver trots though

You're talking about 30 mins at least to get to the sea and more from Tuckton, albeit a very beautiful trip. It can be very shallow (i.e. well under 18" at times and the channel further upriver isn't so clearly marked though you soon learn it. There's no buoyage at all in winter - all the buoyage is done by local people and local business sponsorship (the Harbour association).

Anything much more than 3' draft is going to be a bit restricted. A friend with a Targa 29 reckons on around 3 hours either side of high water but it's marginal - there's a double high tide which helps. Apart from Mudeford itself there's a spot about halfway upriver known as the Run. If you can get through the mud there you'll probably get through at the quay as well. The run through Mudeford Quay isn't quite so friendly on props and can get quite rough wind over tide so give yourself plenty of water the first few times through there and don't be tempted to follow anyone who takes a short on the way in....
 
[ QUOTE ]
...Apart from Mudeford itself there's a spot about halfway upriver known as the Run...

[/ QUOTE ]
I have only ever heard the entrance at Mudeford Quay called "The Run". There is a bar as you enter the river from the harbour at "Blackberry Point" which can catch the unwary.

Some more information here;

http://www.christchurchharbour.info/Aeriel_Photo/aeriel_photo.html
 
I know the spot you mean but I'm thinking a bit earlier than that, where the river bends to the East a bit and then round to the South again opposite Stanpit Marshes. A couple of people have referred to this as the run which confused me a little as the Run is the channel at Mudeford Quay too.

Thinking about what was said I suppose they could have meant it the other way round. The comment I can remember (which did involve alcohol) was if you can get through the run you'll be all right at the Quay. We were trying to get from a mooring by the confluence of the Stour and Avon (just opposite Priory Quay) to Mudeford (well to St Vaast in the end) so I was a little befuddled by the comment and as we had stirred up an awful lot of mud after around 1/2 mile run I was already doubting my appointment as Navigator.
 
I agree with all the comments so far.

No marina but moorings might be available at Rossiter's or Ekins. I know someone who took a mooring at Rossiter in the past few weeks.

I draw almost exactly 1m with sterndives down and need the tidal curves for the Christchurch Quay and Mudeford Quay to show 1.0m to go in and out, even then need to watch depth very carefully and be ready to put sterndrives into beach mode to get an extra 20cm of clearance. The long stand at high water is very helpful in extending access times.

There are three shallow areas. Going out to sea There Are three bars. The first is just after the Avon and Stour merge which comes up quite quickly. The second is at the end of Stanpit Marsh where the main buoyed channel starts and lasts for more than 100m. The third is after going through the run in the buoyed channel out to sea crossing the sandbar. This is the surprising one as you seem to be heading into deeper water.

Of course the channel may be completely different again this year depending on what the winter storms have done.

The water in the run past Mudeford quay is always very confused as waves bounce back off the concrete sea wall.

The other challenge is provided by the dinghy races taking place inside the harbour which criss cross the narrow channel.

After all those comments it is still a great place to keep the boat!



Harpsden
 
Re: Christchurch

[ QUOTE ]
No marina at Christchurch. The sailing club has a small pontoon and a couple of visitors buoys [ QUOTE ]


The sailing club doesn't tolerate MoBo visitors - they will turn you away!
 
I took my RIB into Christchurch last year and it was scary even in a 25 footer so heaven knows how bigger shaftdrive boats get in and out. We were churning sand from about 1/2mile out even though it was close to HW and the tide runs very fast past the quay. I wouldn't consider it for a permanent base, not only because of the shallow entrance, but also because the entrance is open to the south and west so any kind of onshore wind would make the entrance even more dodgy
 
I've sailed my Hurricane from the beach off Muddeford, Jez.
As such, we launched in the surf and at low water you can wade out to the edge of the channel and its a solid rock bottom all the way to the deep channel.
I believe from memory that they do have a small buoyed channel but, as hlb says, it would be very scary entering and you could do loads of damage to underwater gear. Also, it isnt that sheltered inside and again very shallow. Highcliffe Sailing Club is a typical south coast club though - well run from memory.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top