Drysailing Chichester

[rwoofer]

Well I've gone and got myself another boat again! Original plan was to get a Wayfarer size dinghy, but having test sailed a couple (eg. RS Venture) and tried to pull them up a slipway myself (I couldn't) decided I might as well go for a proper day sailer.

Had an offer accepted on a Jeanneau Sun 2000 and now need to look for mooring options. I really like the idea of drysailing as I did it many years ago with a Hunter 707 on the Hamble. However my preferred location is Chichester Harbour.

Does anyone know of potential drysailing places with all tide access or at least big tide access? I reckon I'll only be out 10 times a year at most, so want to be able to make the most of when I do.

I know some of the sailing clubs do allow drysailing, but they don't seem to have very good tide access from looking at Google Earth.

 

[Giblets]

I used to drysail my rib out of Chichester Marina and there were certainly quite a few yachts that did the same.

I'm currently dry berthed in Southsea Marina which is handier for the Solent. The folk there are very good and normally need 24 hours notice to put the boat in the water. Access is limited to 3 hours either side of high water though but if you miss the cill the staff will put the boat away from the waiting pontoon outside. They will also put it on said pontoon if your arrival does not coincide with cill times.

 

[Sans Bateau]

If my memory serves me right, Sparks marina offer, or at least used to offer dry sailing, that is with craneage. That was in the days before MDL took over, so things my well have changed. If you are going to keep her on a trailer Northney have an excellent slip with a secure boat park.

 

[rwoofer]

Did nip down to Northney today and their slipway is pretty good, but don't know if I can launch without dunking the trailer hubs. They did mention that Sparkes does drysailing still, so I will check that out next weekend if possible.

 

[seumask]

Sparks I'm pretty sure is a good bet.

 

[arfa]

Sparkes do still offer drysailing - not the cheapest but they're pretty efficient +just need to give them 1 hours notice).
It does get a bit busy on the visitors pontoon during the peak times over the summer. Their fees do include storage on the hard over winter if i recall correctly.

 

[rwoofer]

Have to say I think cost might be ruling out the drysailing option, so going to have to go back to either self-launching or a mooring.

 

[fireball]

In Chi Harbour the difficulty with self launching is going to be access. There are only a couple of places that have all tide access and not all these are suitable for a daysailor!

Just thinking around the harbour -
Dell Quay - HW - poss 1/2 tide.
Chi Marina - crane
Birdham YH - crane (if possible)
Itchenor hard - full tide access on shingle - HM office would advise on launch duration. There is a carpark for cars and trailers - not sure of rates.
Bosham - HW only
Thornham - HW plus a bit - not sure if they do self launching.
Thorney - top slipway only so HW.

Not sure what access there is up the Emsworth Channel ....

 

[Giblets]

Does Chi Marina no longer have the slipway to self launch from then? As I said before used to store and launch my RIB from there a few years back.

Southsea Marina's Dry Berthing charge from Oct 2011 for a small boat (under 8m) is £2739 per year. This includes unlimited lift and launch plus pressure wash on recovery. Also you don't need to antifoul the boat. They prefer not to do it from a trailer so you would need to store that somewhere.

 

[fireball]

Does Chi Marina no longer have the slipway to self launch from then? As I said before used to store and launch my RIB from there a few years back.

Southsea Marina's Dry Berthing charge from Oct 2011 for a small boat (under 8m) is £2739 per year. This includes unlimited lift and launch plus pressure wash on recovery. Also you don't need to antifoul the boat. They prefer not to do it from a trailer so you would need to store that somewhere.

Oh. Dunno. Chi may have somewhere to launch from. I thought it was sailing club stuff either way it's going to be hw only I would think

 

[northwind]

Have to say I think cost might be ruling out the drysailing option, so going to have to go back to either self-launching or a mooring.

If you can take the ground, church rithe just outside Northney is good, they are 3/4 tide, which for a lift keel means pretty much anytime other than a couple of hrs either side of low water springs.

For £200 a year, you can launch your tender from Northney & use their facilities and car park.

It's a good compromise, and not too pricey.

 

[wiggy]

Chichester Marina does have a slip, used it with my brother to launch his F27

 

[Seajet]

Emsworth Marina ( access say 2.5 hrs +/- ) has a decent slip, and a hoist, but getting them organised to carry out dry sailing especially at weekends may be another matter !

 

[northwind]

Emsworth Marina ( access say 2.5 hrs +/- ) has a decent slip, and a hoist, but getting them organised to carry out dry sailing especially at weekends may be another matter !

The entertainment in watching Statler and Waldorf, their crane drivers to launch would more than make up for time not sailing..

 

[KevB]

Chichester Marina does have a slip, used it with my brother to launch his F27

Yes, the slip is on the north side with plenty of trailer sailor parking.