Fowey moorings

A lot of people seem to be happy to spend several thousand pounds a year to own a yacht, then resent spending a few tenners on staying somewhere nice in it.
Fowey is £2 per metre per night.
£22 for the two of us.
I can remember going there when beer was less than a pound a pint, moorings have always cost money.

Compared to going away by car and staying in a B&B for a weekend, it's great value. Let's face it, £5 a day in car parking is not unusual these days.
Or if we camp somewhere it is usually over £10 a night, often to be a bit of a walk from where you'd choose to be.

Particularly when we eat on the boat, which is often the nicest option. We tend to mix eating aboard and ashore, so we don't mind paying the odd 'tourist price' for a meal.

It's different if you're lucky enough to spend 6 months of the year cruisng the UK, but most of us struggle to spend enough time away to put 'holiday' mooring charges in the top 3 costs of owning a boat.
 
Hello, we were down in Fowey last weekend with the Sadler Association, we couldn't pay the bloke because the wifi was down, he couldn't accept cash because he couldn't email a receipt, [what's wrong with a paper receipt?] . Have tried to pay online but you need registration code, from where? Have emailed them, but have had no reply. Anyway Fowey is still lovely despite going relentlessly upmarket. For a cheap pint the British Legion is good. I wonder what the cost is of maintaining all those visitors moorings which are only used for a few months of the year? Cheers.
 
The best cheap pint in Fowey, without a doubt, is Fowey Gallants sailing club. Turn right at the head of the dinghy pontoon, up the road to the corner, down the side of the old post office building and you’ll come across the club. Visiting yotties made most welcome.
 
I remember visiting a very friendly club in Fowey - Royal FYC ? - which had an internal door with, in gold leaf, ' Reading Room - Gentlemen Only ' - I dearly hope it's still there. :)
 
Robih said:
The best cheap pint in Fowey, without a doubt, is Fowey Gallants sailing club. Turn right at the head of the dinghy pontoon, up the road to the corner, down the side of the old post office building and you’ll come across the club. Visiting yotties made most welcome.
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The second best cheap pint in Fowey is to get some local bottled beer and sit on your boat with a view of the Troys racing. We try to pick the best moorings with this in mind!
 
lw395 said:
A lot of people seem to be happy to spend several thousand pounds a year to own a yacht, then resent spending a few tenners on staying somewhere nice in it.
Fowey is £2 per metre per night.
£22 for the two of us.
I can remember going there when beer was less than a pound a pint, moorings have always cost money.

Compared to going away by car and staying in a B&B for a weekend, it's great value. Let's face it, £5 a day in car parking is not unusual these days.
Or if we camp somewhere it is usually over £10 a night, often to be a bit of a walk from where you'd choose to be.

Particularly when we eat on the boat, which is often the nicest option. We tend to mix eating aboard and ashore, so we don't mind paying the odd 'tourist price' for a meal.

It's different if you're lucky enough to spend 6 months of the year cruisng the UK, but most of us struggle to spend enough time away to put 'holiday' mooring charges in the top 3 costs of owning a boat.
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£5 per day for car parking????

Your avin a giraffe!

Maybe at your local motorway travelogue.... ( I think I paid £15 for 24 hrs at the travelbodge Park Royal overlooking the a40...)
 
I've a wife and two young kids plus a dog. Taking them away and staying in a B&B for a night would cost me £lots. Even camping is more expensive. £20 a night is good value. Especially as I always sleep well when tied to a nice big mooring buoy.

Its worth saying though that we
a) always use the tender - I have to anyway as the dog needs to go ashore to 'mark his territory' with monotonous regularity
and
b) we slum it and don't shower for a day or two. Perhaps I'm lucky having a wife who is prepared to go without shower, hairdryer and straighteners, but we find that it hasn't killed us yet.

I don't much care for Fowey the town, but having spent a significant part of my childhood sloping around in Polruan, I do like that side of the river - and anyway 'The Lugger' is a better pub than those on the other side. The harbour is magnificent (although I think the Yealm and Salcombe are nicer) and is a wonderful place to go 'yotting'.
 
Some good tips here, thanks for sharing, especially the best pubs, and yes - I know it's ridiculous to get cross about paying for anchoring and for expensive mooring buoys & water taxis... if you can afford a boat etc... but it does rather feel like being charged for the use of the sea or for a nice view! I paid £17 (25' boat) last week to anchor in tranquil Frogmoore Creek above Salcombe, lovely spot, I'd have thought paying just a few quid for the harbour dues would have been a more reasonable exchange, I even paid downstream to save him the diesel to find me later.
 
! I paid £17 (25' boat) last week to anchor in tranquil Frogmoore Creek above Salcombe, lovely spot, I'd have thought paying just a few quid for the harbour dues would have been a more reasonable exchange, I even paid downstream to save him the diesel to find me later.[/QUOTE]
that does seem expensive. It is still low season rates in salcombe (until tomorrow). I paid £15 for 10m 3 weeks ago and £10 for anchoring in high season last year
 
Call me frivolous but I’ve just had three nights in Fowey, a very good breakfast in the cafe as you start to go up the hill, countless pints on both sides of the harbour and a bus ride back after a walk to Polperro.
A little advertised fact is they have a loyalty card in the harbour, buy 6 get one free, and I can attest they’re not too fussed about time elapsed between visits.
Gave up on the taxi a couple of years ago. Not only was it costly but one night he took our money then told us last one back was well before closing time.
 
smb said:
Call me frivolous but I’ve just had three nights in Fowey, a very good breakfast in the cafe as you start to go up the hill, countless pints on both sides of the harbour and a bus ride back after a walk to Polperro.
A little advertised fact is they have a loyalty card in the harbour, buy 6 get one free, and I can attest they’re not too fussed about time elapsed between visits
Gave up on the taxi a couple of years ago. Not only was it costly but one night he took our money then told us last one back was well before closing time.
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Your frivolous. Bit like me really. :)
 
I really like Brixham-we kept the boat there on a mooring for about eight seasons. I don't know if it's still as nice now.

I'm also a fan of Dartmouth and up the river at anchor or mooring near Dittisham is lovely.

Salcombe is pretty but crowded in high season and expensive.

I have to say I'm not a fan of Fowey, but I've only been there three times. The last two visits we picked up the last visitor's buoy up in Wisemans Reach. Very peaceful for most of the time.

The visitors buoys do not have a pick-up buoy so unless you have a fancy boathook to attach a line through the hook it can be difficult.

Facilities for provisioning are also a consideration. Unless things have changed since we were last there, Salcombe and Fowey had pricey restaurants, delis and small grocery shops. We sometimes eat ashore but our preference is to dine onboard enjoying just being onboard.

Falmouth is now our local port and has a lot to offer. Well worth going up the beautiful Fal.

Helford river is also woth a visit.
 
owen said:
! I paid £17 (25' boat) last week to anchor in tranquil Frogmoore Creek above Salcombe, lovely spot, I'd have thought paying just a few quid for the harbour dues would have been a more reasonable exchange, I even paid downstream to save him the diesel to find me later.
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that does seem expensive. It is still low season rates in salcombe (until tomorrow). I paid £15 for 10m 3 weeks ago and £10 for anchoring in high season last year[/QUOTE]


A few people, here and in the other thread, have mentioned that there is no anchoring in Fowey. This is so in the harbour. I remember (when I werra lad) that you used to be able to anchor off Penleath Point and the harbourmaster would ask you to move when a ship had to be turned. Anyway.

There is room to anchor beyond the moorings at the top of Wiseman's Reach, you can check this on the satellite images on Google Maps. Do not go too high up as there is a restricted fishery which you can see marked on Navionics charts.
In theory you would be liable for harbour dues but I don't think anyone would fret about it too much.
 
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Dartmouth water taxi is run by the Harbour staff, and cheaper than filling the outboard with fuel. Runs 0800-2300 too. Beware the one who looks like barnacle bill though.
 
And I thought it was us Scots who had a reputation for being careful with money.

Looking at the local camping and caravan sites they are charging about £20 per night. The Glamping sites are charging about £80 a night.

You can always enjoy the Devon roads if you want to, personally I enjoy the adventure of a voyage.
 
Robih said:
Fowey is firmly in Cornwall, not Devon.
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But you need to drive through Devon to get there.

Being currently a resident of Devon with its narrow lanes, high hedges and grockels (they become emmets in Cornwall) who have not used the reverse gear in their motor car since their driving test, they are challenging.
 
Salcombe now has a great co-op mini supermarket near the top end of island street, which makes re-victualling easier.
But the Dart is still my favourite; especially Dittisham for a quiet life.
Has anyone found a decent loo and shower in Newlyn? I love the harbour but not the public toilets there.
 
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