Feasible costal marina for someone living in East Midlands

Chalk said:
We live near Sleaford in Lincolnshire (someone's got to) and we were torn between Bradwell and Shotley. We settled on Shotley about six years ago and have never regretted it. Apart from the Friday night A14 which, to be realistic will be much better in a year or so. It takes us 2hrs 20 to 2hrs 30 generally but that will be cut by 15 minutes when the A14 is finished between Huntingdon and Cambridge.
There's a titchy marina at Boston but like many of The Wash rivers it's too restricted and where would you go.
Ipswich is great but having driven two hours to get there I'd rather drive another 15 minutes than sail an hour and more the next day to get out into Pennyhole Bay. Ipswich is a great destination but not 'home port' for me.
Overall the drive can be a pain but anywhere from the Deben down to the Blackwater is worth it from the East Midlands.
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All good gen but I think all tide access and close to the sea (as opposed to up a river) is essential for the working man.

These criteria rather shorten the list of marinas on the East Coast.

Suffolk Yacht Harbour on the north bank of the Orwell could be another option but not as near to the open sea as Shotley.
 
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Live in Northampton and current boat in SYH. A14 is not an issue generally and easy journey straight to SYH. The difference in time to sea between SYH and Shotley is probably 10 minutes in the sort of size boats you are looking at. Less if you take in to account lock out and in time at Shotley
Also kept a boat on the Blackwater at West Mersea. The journey to there was more difficult but still very doable
 
Daverw said:
Wellcome on board, were in Lincoln and our boat is on the Humber at Winteringham Haven, Humber Yawl Club. Very friendly club with hardstanding, slip and full lifting facilities FOC for members. Your welcome to come and have a look.
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Do you have any experience of Hull marina?
 
If the OP is interested in the east Coast rivers, and is coming from the Midlands via the A14, he may be interested in a little analysis I did before settling on Titchmarsh. I used Google Maps to estimate the distance of each marina from home. Anyway, it showed that the difference in travel time for the marinas falling between Fambridge and Woodbridge was only about 30 minutes. The closest was Ipswich Haven; the furthest was Bradwell; Bradwell was 40 miles further than Ipswich Haven.
 
Just seems that a lot of boats for sale are on the south coast (I guess I meant south coast rather than south west). I would only keep it there for a few months.

In terms of type of boat - Im looking for a sailing boat. We have spend a bit of time on a westerly fulmar, and my other half felt that that was too small. She was much happier on a 40'ish AWB. I think having a single large aft cabin would really sell the whole living on a boat thing to her. That, if I'm not mistaken, would dictate a centre cockpit, and a loa of at least 40'. Does that rule out an AWB?
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I'm surprised there has been no mention of the North West as an initial cruising ground. Somewhere like Conway would be about the same distance, Liverpool would be an hour closer.

A lot of AWBs have a two cabin version so a centre cockpit is not essential, for example, have a look at a Jeanneau 42DS. My last boat was a 30ft bilge keeler, twin cabin. It was a nice enough boat, though the rear cabin felt a bit cramped. A more important consideration on the east coast is your keel, the deeper the keel the more restricted access you are going to have. I've moved up in size, but sadly I've also increased my draft from 1.1m to 1.6m which means certain parts of the east coast are no longer open to me.

I wouldn't rule out swinging moorings, they can be a lot cheaper. It would be worth your while to take a look at Fambridge's "Valet Mooring Service". If I didn't live next door to Fambridge I'd be considering this package.
 
I'm not sure that being close to the sea is that important for a newcomer to the area with a long drive. We were in Heybridge Basin for some years, with a nearly 2hr drive in pre-M25 days, and were quite content, though I am not suggesting this as an option. Ipswich might not be everyone's first choice, but I find the slow road to Shotley tiresome and would want to be on the boat as quickly as possible. From Ipswich, you have the Stour and Backwaters for an easy weekend, or even Brightlingsea and the Deben, though these are easier for a bank holiday.
 
I am always truly amazed at the "slow road to Shotley" comments.

It's 9 miles and takes just 15 minutes of driving though some pleasant countryside.

By river it's the same 9 miles, but at 6 knots takes 90 minutes of mostly motoring through the same pleasant countryside. So anytime you want to go further than Shotley Spit South cardinal you spend 3 hours in the river. The river is very nice for a trip to Ipswich, but 3 hours every single time you go out ?
 
PaulRainbow said:
I am always truly amazed at the "slow road to Shotley" comments.

It's 9 miles and takes just 15 minutes of driving though some pleasant countryside.
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Nothing personal, but I was thinking of a first-time user, for whom the passage down river would in itself be a novelty, and was similar to our early trips down the Blackwater. It may be only 15mins on the Shotley, but at the end of a drive I would be wanting to get out of my car as soon as possible.
 
johnalison said:
Nothing personal,
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Of course not John :encouragement:

but I was thinking of a first-time user, for whom the passage down river would in itself be a novelty, and was similar to our early trips down the Blackwater.
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Actually, that's a good point. When we first moved to this area (boating wise) we kept a boat at Pin Mill. It was lovely, beautiful scenery, peace and quiet out on the river, etc. By the end of the Summer the novelty had worn off and the trek up the muddy concrete path was a chore.

It may be only 15mins on the Shotley, but at the end of a drive I would be wanting to get out of my car as soon as possible.
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I must have done it so many times i'm doing it on auto-pilot, i don't notice. Sometimes in the Summer i did pay attention and looking across the river in various places, especially approaching Sunset, the view can be spectacular.
 
philld said:
I'm surprised there has been no mention of the North West as an initial cruising ground. Somewhere like Conway would be about the same distance, Liverpool would be an hour closer.

A lot of AWBs have a two cabin version so a centre cockpit is not essential, for example, have a look at a Jeanneau 42DS. My last boat was a 30ft bilge keeler, twin cabin. It was a nice enough boat, though the rear cabin felt a bit cramped. A more important consideration on the east coast is your keel, the deeper the keel the more restricted access you are going to have. I've moved up in size, but sadly I've also increased my draft from 1.1m to 1.6m which means certain parts of the east coast are no longer open to me.

I wouldn't rule out swinging moorings, they can be a lot cheaper. It would be worth your while to take a look at Fambridge's "Valet Mooring Service". If I didn't live next door to Fambridge I'd be considering this package.
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I do like Conway.

My heart say get an old english boat. The Jen 42DS does look nice, and probably easier sell on than your typical old english boat should I need to. A larger and more liquid market. I know what the other half would say.
 
It's the wrong time of the year, but it's worth checking out the local used boat shows. The biggest I can think of is Clark and Carters, but quite a few of the marinas such as Tollesbury have them as well. It's a good way to walk round marinas and see some boats at the same time. You may not see what you are looking for but it might give you some ideas about alternatives.
 
johnalison said:
Nothing personal, but I was thinking of a first-time user, for whom the passage down river would in itself be a novelty, and was similar to our early trips down the Blackwater. It may be only 15mins on the Shotley, but at the end of a drive I would be wanting to get out of my car as soon as possible.
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I disagree, that 15 minutes is full of tingly anticipation, I know that Shotley is really close, it’s like those few minutes after you’ve ordered a Starbucks Christmas egg nog latte and you’re watching the barista craft it; salivation, anticipation, that 15 minute drive is what makes Shotley so damn special.
 
Colvic Watson said:
I disagree, that 15 minutes is full of tingly anticipation, I know that Shotley is really close, it’s like those few minutes after you’ve ordered a Starbucks Christmas egg nog latte and you’re watching the barista craft it; salivation, anticipation, that 15 minute drive is what makes Shotley so damn special.
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I've nothing really against Shotley. I've been there a few times as a visitor, but usually the wind has been howling around the corner from the Stour. I've done more locks than you've probably had Fray Bentos, so the approach doesn't worry me, but the last time I was there I couldn't get my morning paper, which is serious.
 
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