Essex Marinas - no room at the Inn at Bradwell

[xyachtdave]

…..The Medway is a dump to sail in.
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I think there’s a chance you could be underselling it a little!

 

[MK101]

We lived in SE16 and sailed from Titchmarsh in the Walton Backwaters. It was an average of 1 hr 45" to get there. Rotherhithe tunnel was a pain going home but apart from that it was fine. So a shorter trip than yours to Norfolk and a delightful area to sail. As said previously, you get very used to the tidal constraints.

 

[Concerto]

The Medway is a dump to sail in.

Havings sailed the Medway since 1965 I have to disagree. It has far less commercial traffic than in the past and no longer has the Royal Navy presence either. For local sailing it is interesting and plenty of anchorages to overnight in peace and quiet. Travelling to oher East Coast places involves using the tides by leaving at high water and places like Burnham, Brightlingsea are easy day sails. Personally I find the odd night in the Blackwater acceptable but not a permanent place to berth. We all have our own preferences.

 

[johnalison]

We lived in SE16 and sailed from Titchmarsh in the Walton Backwaters. It was an average of 1 hr 45" to get there. Rotherhithe tunnel was a pain going home but apart from that it was fine. So a shorter trip than yours to Norfolk and a delightful area to sail. As said previously, you get very used to the tidal constraints.

There are differing degrees of tidal constraints. There are places such as Tollesbury and Heybridge which are highly constrained to an hour or two either side of HW, and in the case of Tollesbury at neaps occasionally no access at all. There are others such as Titchmarsh which are half-tide plus, and yet others which are all-tide but with a long river to negotiate and currents to plan for, such as Ipswich and the upper Crouch, so it is no always a simple matter of one place being better or worse than another.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

We lived in SE16 and sailed from Titchmarsh in the Walton Backwaters. It was an average of 1 hr 45" to get there. Rotherhithe tunnel was a pain going home but apart from that it was fine. So a shorter trip than yours to Norfolk and a delightful area to sail. As said previously, you get very used to the tidal constraints.

This is one of my most favourite places on the planet. Home - Titchmarsh Marina is well run, with a lovely chandlery, lots of kind and wonderful boating folk, stunning sunsets and is not too pricey for what you get. The entrance is not alarming (I find Chatham lock approachs more alarming in a strong spring tide!) and you have at least half tide access. There are beaches, seals, swallows and amazons. Great place, great people, just Chatham is closer for me (they are great too, of course, just no beaches!).

They do have hoops rather than cleats that takes some getting used to . Good hunting.

 

[Fire99]

This is my historic home sailing area. I'm a little out of touch as I've been away a few years but have considered a return.. I know Heybridge Basin has a waiting list for big vessels but is there anywhere currently in the Blackwater region that can currently suffer a boat around 50ft with a 1.6-1.8m draught? Or is there no room at the Inn?

 

[PeterWright]

Probably more suitable places on the Crouch for a boat of that size tan on the Blackwater. Any of thec4 marinas could offer alongside berthing - Fambridge, Bridgemary Essex or Burnham and swinging moorings at either Fambridge or Burnham with the benefit of good water taxi services. On the Blackwater, you may find something in Maldon but it would be a drying berth with access only for a short period around high water.

 

[Greg2]

This is my historic home sailing area. I'm a little out of touch as I've been away a few years but have considered a return.. I know Heybridge Basin has a waiting list for big vessels but is there anywhere currently in the Blackwater region that can currently suffer a boat around 50ft with a 1.6-1.8m draught? Or is there no room at the inn?

The obvious alternative to the Crouch would be the Orwell over the border in Suffolk. Several marinas that can accommodate a boat of that size.
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[Fire99]

The obvious alternative to the Crouch would be the Orwell over the border in Suffolk. Several marinas that can accommodate a boat of that size.
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Thanks Greg.. That possibly would be a step too far if I headed 'home' with all my contacts being in South Essex, but worth considering.

 

[TomK]

Quick update. Went to take a look at Bridgemarsh Marina, chatted to them and have submitted an application form. Many thanks to @Lucky Duck , @Plum and others for the tip off. Fingers crossed I'll be down there from May.

 

[Plum]

Quick update. Went to take a look at Bridgemarsh Marina, chatted to them and have submitted an application form. Many thanks to @Lucky Duck , @Plum and others for the tip off. Fingers crossed I'll be down there from May.

Great, I will see you there!

 

[oldgit]

The Medway is a dump to sail in.
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This is a 24 ft craft ........
The Mudway .... a safe sheltered dump to boat in, no matter what the weather.
Just about any East Coast river or estuary would offer a better chance of a sail throughout year with somewhere for lunch not far away.
North Foreland is very exposed location, at least a day sail to Queenborough in one direction and Brighton in the other.
As for sheltered little bays to anchor just round the corner from Ramsgite .

 

[Parabordi]

. The Medway is a dump to sail in.
.

That's the ticket, put them all off, we like it the way it is and don't need it as over crowded as the Orwell.

 

[Johnny WAFI]

I was hoping to move my boat to Bradwell marina this year, but I found out this morning they're unlikely to have a space for me. Annoyingly if my boat was 7cm narrower in the beam I could have got a spot.

So - any other ideas? The boat is an 8m sailing yacht. I live in South East London and I'm looking to cut the commute to go sailing down from the current 2.5 hours I have to get to where I keep the boat on the river Yare in Norfolk, and also expand my sailing horizons a bit.

I'm after a safe, sheltered, floating pontoon accessible at all states of the tide rather than a mid river mooring or mud berth. Not too worried about electric hook up though.

I will give Essex Marina a ring and see if they have any availability. Burnham Yacht Harbour looks a bit pricy for me, and Brightlingsea also pricy, plus fear of jet skiers(!)

Help!

Hoo Marina?

 

[Concerto]

Hoo Marina?

Hoo Marina is a tidal marina of soft mud, however it is downstream of about 100 houseboats and can pong quite a bit. If you want a similar marina then choose Gillingham Marina tidal berths.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Hoo Marina is a tidal marina of soft mud, however it is downstream of about 100 houseboats and can pong quite a bit. If you want a similar marina then choose Gillingham Marina tidal berths.

We used to sail from Hoo Ness, travelling from SE16. It didn’t seem to smell in those days, or if it did, we maybe thought it was just the mud. And whilst it was always a long trip down river, prior to that we had not just a walk on berth, but a walk to berth…South Dock. There are lock gates, but it’s HW+/- at least 3, and theres a holding pontoon. Maybe not a serious suggestion in this case, but the London Thames marinas need a shout out every so often.

 

[Daydream believer]

Re Brightlingsea
A friend of mine has just taken a summer pontoon berth there, even though he will not need it for 3-4 months. I believe that he had to wait for it to come up. He keeps his winter storage ashore, well up the Crouch somewhere- Brandy Hole I think