Glasson Dock/Lune Estuary Familiarity

[Jim@sea]

Although I am not a novice as I had a mooring at Holyhead for 10 years, I have had a break from boating for a few years and I now have a 22ft Motor Boat which I am going to take to Glasson Dock later this week. Although I can study charts and Almancs there is nothing like someone showing you round, ie "local knowledge" and would be grateful if someone would be prepared for a few hours at Glasson Dock to accompany me out for my first trip into the Lune estuary. Jim Taylor. 07949-135331.,

 

[hlb]

I hope you realise that the lock gate is only open for about half an hour. It closes at high tide.

What you suggest is not really possible.

I'd go to Knot End where you can launch and recover nearly any time and the channel is less of a chalenge.

Perhaps you meant, launching at Glasson Dock sailing club?? Suppose that might be possible.

I've only been in and out of Glasson once and am more confused about where the channel is now, than before I started.

So cant help much. It's not the sort of place to go hairing about though. Timing is every thing.

 

[Davy_S]

If you simply want to have a play on the sea from the lakes, do as Haydn said, keep well away from Glasson, go to Knot end and launch or go to Walney and launch, Knot end you will get the boat back on the trailer 2 hours each side of low water, forget Glasson full stop!

 

[hlb]

If you simply want to have a play on the sea from the lakes, do as Haydn said, keep well away from Glasson, go to Knot end and launch or go to Walney and launch, Knot end you will get the boat back on the trailer 2 hours each side of low water, forget Glasson full stop!

I'm glad some one agrees, I hate to put the mockers on things. The channel is badly marked and charts are not reliable.

Most folk seem to do as I did and pick there way in and out around high tide.

Never know, some one might turn up, that knows the place well. We normally go by car.

 

[Jim@sea]

Thank you. What I may do is go down to Fleetwood and use the Marina for a week on a visitors pontoon. I dont like commiting myself to a Marina contract without trying it first. Any comments about Fleetwood please.

 

[hlb]

Never been into Fleetwood by sea. Mainly because the marina is a horible place and still only has the lock open for about an hour. If it's marinas you want. Glasson is much nicer, it's getting in and out that is the problem.

Both places are ok if you want to go out at High tide and sod off to IOM or Ireland, but yer not going to do that in a 22ft boat.

Look at North Wales. Some where up the Straits.

 

[earlybird]

As a raggie tiptoing into this forum, I'd have said much the same about Fleetwood as hlb. I've been there once. Access times are very restricted and the river flows at a rate of knots.
If you want to try your boat out, what about Whitehaven. Not too bad a road journey and there's a boat hoist and a ramp.
Access times for your boat through the lock could be almost 24 hrs at neaps.
Again, not many attractive nearby destinations, Kirkudbright say is 20 M. and bear in mind that the N. Irish Sea is an uncivilized place for boating.

 

[Jim@sea]

If you want to try your boat out, what about Whitehaven.

Thank you. I went to Whitehaven. Had an unfortunate experience on the slipway as to launch my boat the trailer has to be totally submerged and in order not to submerge the back axle on my 4x4 I have to put a 10ft tow rope between my car and my trailer and I had undone the rope fastening the boat to the trailer so the boat slid backwards, the trailer stayed where it was, the front of the trailer went up, and the skeg holding the rudder "bottomed" on the slipway. And it was a falling tide.
I would like to thank the 3 chaps who came to help me (all boat owners) for their invaluable assistance as with a mixture of "applied science" and sheer effort the boat was launched. That's the nice thing about boating, you meet some really nice people. Thank you.

 

[Davy_S]

It is about 7 years ago since I had a 6 month mooring in Fleetwood, It would be very easy to launch there. We used to launch my friends 24ft yacht. I would lower it down the slip with my Landy at low water, then rope the trailer to the Landy, as the tide rose, drag the trailer out, then motor the yacht onto the pontoons, job done.
The problem you have is only having a limited time, around 3 hours at the top of the tide, then the gates close. If you stay out past lock in, it means you cannot get back in, so you are commited, the only places of refuge are in the river (strong tides) or piel island around 12 miles away. Been to whitehaven, it would be my choice if I were in your position, plus its nearer to the IOM.

 

[AndieMac]

Thank you. I went to Whitehaven. Had an unfortunate experience on the slipway as to launch my boat the trailer has to be totally submerged and in order not to submerge the back axle on my 4x4 I have to put a 10ft tow rope between my car and my trailer and I had undone the rope fastening the boat to the trailer so the boat slid backwards, the trailer stayed where it was, the front of the trailer went up, and the skeg holding the rudder "bottomed" on the slipway. And it was a falling tide.
I would like to thank the 3 chaps who came to help me (all boat owners) for their invaluable assistance as with a mixture of "applied science" and sheer effort the boat was launched. That's the nice thing about boating, you meet some really nice people. Thank you.

Could somebody fabricate an extendable drawbar for you? This rope on trailer thing sounds dangerous.