Clubs / moorings

[Kimaya]

Hi, I am relocating from South Africa and will be living in Cheltenham. I wish to bring my 40' boat with me and would like to know where the best moorings are (she has a fin keel 1.8 m / 6, draft) and best clubs to join.
I am currently a member of Royal Natal Yacht Club.
Thanks
Gavin.

 

[europe172]

Best yacht club?

Depends on what you want, it might be best to visit them to form your own view, we all think the clubs we belong to are the best

 

[Allan]

Unfortunately your boat is too big for the best club in the Bristol Channel (see comment on bias above!)
Cardiff bay yacht club may have space (http://www.cbyc.co.uk/). Cardiff marina have boats of that size.
Good luck with your quest.
Allan

 

[trapezeartist]

Really your choice is Cardiff (already promoted above) or Portishead. From the sound of it, your LOA would be a problem at CYC (if I am understanding Allan correctly) but you might be OK in CBYC or Penarth Marina.

You would definitely have no problem in Portishead Marina where you would also find Portishead Cruising Club. The marina scores 5 anchors in the marina rating system (like a 5 star hotel for your boat) and the PCC scores 5 stars for being a friendly club with plenty going on, and cheap beer in the clubhouse.

 

[Coaster]

The answer depends partly on your intended boat use - pottering, cruising, weekending, racing or whatever - and also on how far long you are prepared to spend travelling. If the maximum travel time is about an hour then your choice will be very limited. On the other hand, two or three hours brings lots of places into contention including Swansea and Milford Haven, or south Devon/Cornwall.

We live nearly as far from tidal water as one can be in the UK and choose to keep our boat in Milford Haven. It usually takes less than 3 hours 30 minutes to drive the 200 miles each way, we typically go to the boat on a Thursday night and return on Sunday evening. That gives us access to an excellent cruising area. But our arrangement would obviously be no good for someone wanting to sail each evening after work.

 

[Blue_Pearl]

Heavily biased but I'd go for Portishead ........ 30 minute trip down the motorway, no £5.80 bridge toll, excellent places nearby to visit (Cardiff ) and an active cruising / racing club www.portisheadcruisingclub.org.uk

Why not come down on a Wednesday night and have a chat with a few people here. Then go over to Cardiff on their club night (not sure when it is but someone here will fill in the gaps).

There are quit a few 40ft + boats in Portishead Quays Marina www.quaymarinas.com/marinas/PortisheadQuays

 

[Csail]

I would go for CBYC, CYC or Cardiff marina (not the Penarth one)
In your position i would choose portishead though.

 

[graham]

Hi, I am relocating from South Africa and will be living in Cheltenham. I wish to bring my 40' boat with me and would like to know where the best moorings are (she has a fin keel 1.8 m / 6, draft) and best clubs to join.
I am currently a member of Royal Natal Yacht Club.
Thanks
Gavin.

As you posted this in the Bristol Channel Forum I guess you are intending mooring here rather than on the South Coast.

I can recommend Portishead as the closest Marina to Cheltenham with easy access to the Channel/ Sea and run by friendly helpfull people in my limited experience as a visitor. Keen racing fleet at CBYC in Cardiff may interest you. Further West at Swansea or Milford Haven you get cleaner water and nicer scenery also short hops across to Ireland but a longer drive.

Good Luck .

 

[Kimaya]

Moorings and clubs

Thanks for all the feedback regarding my relocation from South Africa to Cheltenham.
Hopefully get to see you on the water.
Regards Gavin from Kimaya

 

[PCUK]

Don't forget Watchet. Gets a bit shallow at this time of year but will be dredged next week. Lovely old 1950s harbour town with a reasonably priced friendly marina and unpretentious club.

 

[Sneds]

1950s?

 

[JKay]

The Dark ages of the 1950's

 

[BobPrell]

Hi, I am relocating from South Africa and ..... am currently a member of Royal Natal Yacht Club.
Thanks
Gavin.

Welcome to the fora.

You have just added to my list of "Royal" organizations existing in countries which are republics.

see this thread

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262455

cheers

 

[JKay]

Royal Cape Yacht Club is a brilliant place as well

 

[Allan]

Hi, I am relocating from South Africa and will be living in Cheltenham. I wish to bring my 40' boat with me and would like to know where the best moorings are (she has a fin keel 1.8 m / 6, draft) and best clubs to join.
I am currently a member of Royal Natal Yacht Club.
Thanks
Gavin.

I spoke to someone recently who has just moved from Portishead to Cardiff. The reason they gave being that in the past, when heading down the channel, they tried to bring their boat down early to give them a better start.
Paying a quarter of the costs may have helped too.
If you come down to Cardiff, why not try coming via Gloucester, to avoid the tolls. You don't pay to leave Wales, so would have a comparison of time/distance.
Allan

 

[Csail]

Hi, I am relocating from South Africa and will be living in Cheltenham. I wish to bring my 40' boat with me and would like to know where the best moorings are (she has a fin keel 1.8 m / 6, draft) and best clubs to join.
I am currently a member of Royal Natal Yacht Club.
Thanks
Gavin.

No idea why your leaving SA it looks great
http://www.rnyc.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=51

 

[BobPrell]

No idea why your leaving SA it looks great
http://www.rnyc.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=51

Wow it must be exclusive . . . . . I looked at the "reciprocity" link and
.
.
.
.
There are no entries.

But really I hope you enjoy your new location.

 

[JKay]

Wow it must be exclusive . . . . . I looked at the "reciprocity" link and
.
.
.
.
There are no entries.

But really I hope you enjoy your new location.

You will never enjoy better hospitallity than in South African ports

 

[PCUK]

1950s
>>>>>>>>
The happy post war days before Windrush started the downward spiral!

 

[yrobert]

Welcome to the fora.

You have just added to my list of "Royal" organizations existing in countries which are republics.

see this thread

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262455

cheers

Do you have the RMYS in your list? (Royal Minquiers Yacht Squadron which as its name does not indicate is based in St Malo) Though, I can't guarantee that it is not aimed at taking the mickey out of respectable clubs across the channel!