Gosport swing mooring

[rowanloh]

Hi

I have been at Gosport Marina for a few years now and am umming and ahhhing about moving to a Gosport Boat Yard swing mooring.
Anyone have any advice - move / don't move, security issues (I have on deck plotter) or anything else (hidden costs) I should be considering?
I think ready access and car parking are what I will miss the most.
Has anyone else made this move and regretted it or otherwise?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Seajet]

I had a deep water mooring with Gosport Boat Yard, in Spider Lake.

Their service was very good, though I didn't have the boat ashore there.

There was virtually no security at all, either for car or the boat on her mooring; on one occasion I sailed my other boat around, went aboard a friends' boat there and left a gift in the cabin & stayed alongside all night, and no-one seemed to notice.

Those moorings are so far out, even a good tender with an outboard is not really up to it; you have to use their launch service, which in my day - 10+ years ago - was excellent even at evenings etc.

Beware also, like most deep water moorings the boat may be afloat but one can't launch a tender anyway if the tide is at all low.

I understand they may have moorings off Hardway now; those would be the ones to go for.

 

[Aries]

GBY Moorings

I have been on a GBY mooring for about 15 years. I find their sevice OK, both with the ferry and in the yard over the winter. Car parking is in the Green Lane Car Park. If staying more than a week GBY issue parking vouchers, otherwise you can leave your car in their yard. Never had any problem with this.
There is always the risks of being on a mooring, but perhaps we have been lucky with no problems.
The price difference between a marina and a deep water berth more than offsets the use of marina when required or necessary.
Quay Lane Boat Yard also operate deep water berths, so you could try them as well.

 

[Sandyman]

If your looking for moorings on the Hardway try giving Steve at Hardway Marine a call and ask his advise 02392 580420.

If you have security worries then would suggest a swinging mooring anywhere in Pompey Harbour is not for you. Tea leaves where ever you go.

 

[PaulR]

been at gby moorings for more than 15 years - recommend it hugely - the ferry service is friendly and easy (provided you can get there in time) , we have (thank goodness) so far never had any damage caused to our boat or car nor any thefts - we leave car in the green lane car park - even if we could afford it doubt we would be tempted by marinas , have nothing but praise for the GBY staff and set up

 

[Piddy]

Another recommendation for GBY but try and keep out of Spider Lake and the moorings at the entrance of Portchester Creek if possible as there can be a real seagull guano problem in those places. On the Hardway side it's more of a starling problem late season.

We've noticed that the MOD police do quite often wander up and down the moorings off Hardway and have stopped by me early one season when I had left stuff in the cockpit overnight.

I had 7 years in Haslar and consider the security there (and at most marinas) to be quite ineffective - no one ever (or at least didn't when I was there) asks anyone in a boiler suit carrying tools what they are doing on a boat. Getting through the gate without a pass is simply down to timing making access easy.

The walk to the car park is no different between Haslar and GBY as we always seemed to have to go and get a trolley (at Haslar) making the journey sometimes longer.

The biggest downside for me is the timing of the ferry - no collect on call, just a prearranged time or go and find them. Most of the drivers are really helpful, although occaisonally one of them will be a bit 'funny' and of course they don't run after 16:00 Mon - Thurs.

There is of course a forumite that unofficially watches over us all - that is when he''s not skiing or off sailing!

 

[rickym]

GBY fine as far as I am concerned, would echo spider lake bird fouling is terrible, best we have found is to net the boat off. But it is beautiful up there. Quay lane has no ferry service so you need a good tender and OB. If you are over 32' then their moorings are a long way away. In saying that we have been with Quay Lane & GBY for more than 10 years and have had no security problems. Swinging moorings are much kinder to boats in a blow than alongside in a marina. Sail on/off the mooring, by the time we get out to the boat are already in boating mode, rowing away with the sunset for a pint at the club on the way home- Paradise!

 

[Bav34]

There is of course a forumite that unofficially watches over us all - that is when he''s not skiing or off sailing!

You rang?

Agree with much that has been said.

Ferry service is excellent, Summer months, Mon-Thur 9 -4.30, Fri 9.30 - 8.30, Sat 9 - 4.30, Sun 9 - 7.30.

If we get back late we either sleep on board and get the first ferry in the morning or pump up the tender.

Spider Lake is TERRIBLE for bird fouling. We sometimes pick up a buoy there and have seen lots of cormorants on peoples boats. We are over by UHAF and get the occasional tern on board but he's friendly enough. No real problem.

Security? Never had a problem and as has been said ModPlod patrol regularly. I too find it really easy to get into Haslar and Premier marinas. Just lurk around the gates and look as though you belong

The moorings are constantly maintained and if you want to be hauled out in the winter they tow your boat to the yard for free.

The real clincher is that I pay about £1500 a year for the mooring vs '£5000' for a marina berth ... which I wouldn't be using 'cos we go off sailing!

No brainer.