volvopaul
Well-known member
Oh dear another great way to annoy boaters, HP is the place from hell to work in, you struggle to park let alone get near a boat with the van sometimes. Retirement looms.
Haslar Marina - Your Thoughts Please
- Thread starter paultallett
- Start date
Oh dear another great way to annoy boaters, HP is the place from hell to work in, you struggle to park let alone get near a boat with the van sometimes. Retirement looms.
paultallett
Active member
Hey Steve, drift away with pleasure... I'll just make you pay with curry
As I've said, we love Mercury and have enjoyed all the years there. Indeed we may end up staying. If it wasn't for the boys I wouldn't really be considering a move.
But...
I fear you are right, there is change in the air. As Superheat6K points out, they may be on a thin ice with planning, but it's clear they are maneuvering to be in a better position should planning go through.
Interestingly I called Ocean Village as that's another destination which is closer to the bright lights of the city for those wet and windy days. As you know it's being reconfigured, turns out there are no berths less than 10M free as they have removed all the spare.
Now I totally understand if there is lots of unused berths and they have a waiting list for larger boats, makes total sense. But what has actually happened, should we decide to stay at Mercury, one of our 'bad weather' weekend runs up SW to OV for a walk in to town, cinema, meal and then run back to Hamble the following day will have to stop as they won't have a berth for us... So no real reason to stay loyal to MDL as far fewer usable benefits.
Time will tell...
Blue Sunray
Well-known member
Given that even with most of the pontoons gone there are still plenty of empty berths (or at least were last weekend), I'd be reasonably hopeful that your 'bad weather' weekend runs might still be on, provided of course you are willing to put up with the row from the rooftop bar in the new hotel (it's bad enough now that I hate to think what it will be like in the summer when there is decent weather and light in the evenings).
dj43
Active member
Ever considered east cowes Marina , staff great , we get all the benefits of free berthing in the group including weekends free at all other marines, for us the drive from the M3 to Hasler is similar to car ferry to Island,when we use the red jet Ferry 45min,s quicker, shortest distance from berth to Solent than any other marine ,loads to do on the Island when not using the boat, a very social club and pub on the marine what's not to like, we called in for a winter berth four years ago and have stayed,
Ho and the fees are the most competive in the area(read that as cheapest ), with no restrictions ,locks and tide, we use it as a base as tend to do most of our boating West Country or channel Isle's,but it's great for a quick blast to Limington or Portsmouth , as we are centrol,
We did over 30 trips over last year and still more competitive than Hasler let alone Hamble, for us being able to get out to sea and back with the boat is high on our list, our round trip from home to the boat is around 300 miles, we did consider Haslar but having sampled the carnage on a Sunday afternoon/ evening of all the boats trying to get through the small boat channel back up to the marines in and around Portsmouth, not for us .
Ho and the fees are the most competive in the area(read that as cheapest ), with no restrictions ,locks and tide, we use it as a base as tend to do most of our boating West Country or channel Isle's,but it's great for a quick blast to Limington or Portsmouth , as we are centrol,
We did over 30 trips over last year and still more competitive than Hasler let alone Hamble, for us being able to get out to sea and back with the boat is high on our list, our round trip from home to the boat is around 300 miles, we did consider Haslar but having sampled the carnage on a Sunday afternoon/ evening of all the boats trying to get through the small boat channel back up to the marines in and around Portsmouth, not for us .
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paultallett
Active member
Thanks for the insight... Madness when you consider I was told on the phone that if we really would like to berth at OV for 2018, they could start a waiting list and give me a call should things change.
Blue Sunray
Well-known member
It is of course winter, but I was also chatting to a lady last weekend who is an OV berth holder. They were moved out to Hamble to make space during the re-config then for some reason were being moved on from there (local dredging?) and Mercury was suggested, but they were then told that they could move back to their OV berth so they have. I suspect that there is a bit of smoke and mirrors going on.
Blue Sunray
Well-known member
Yep, some of their 'vision' is here: http://www.mdlmercuryforward.co.uk/links/MDL%20Mercury%20Banners.pdf (large file). Apparently no boat lift any more nor space for lifted out boats.
colhel
Well-known member
We've thoroughly enjoyed our stay this year.
PS.. Merlyn, any chance you can check I've unplugged my shore power please? If it's still plugged in just unplug it and sling it on the foredeck.
dj43
Active member
No problem buddy just to be on the safe side I have plugged our lead into your electric point , can confirm it works a treat
superheat6k
Well-known member
A key feature in the public softening up exercise in the recent meet the locals presentation to explain the plans was huge emphasis on providing new facilities for Hamble Sea Scouts, who have used the slipway for many years and have some basic facilities at the back of the marina. That is the only reason they will be keeping a slipway at all. Part of the "aren't we considerate and good contributing neighbours" PR effort. So I guess yes Steve, you may go forth and multiply with your road trailer.
ashtead
Well-known member
Lovely morning today at Haslar While I have nothing against East Cowes until there is a reliable service by FB 6 I would be wary of moving there permanently . It's become a tidal berth now as hard to cross from red jet at high tide as replacement service cannot cope with Medina crossing so while it fine if you just want to enjoy Waitrose and the lifeboat at EC you can become expensively stranded after a night out in West Cowes . If thinking of moving to Haslar lots of entertainment to be had by using the Gosport ferry on a Saturday night to visit gunwharf
colhel
Well-known member
Very goodNo problem buddy just to be on the safe side I have plugged our lead into your electric point , can confirm it works a treat
volvopaul
Well-known member
Looking at the site proposal to parking 130 allocated spaces , where will boat owners park at the weekend, I’m not sure how many berths are at Mercury but I’d guess parking will be a major problem. The other 157 are a walk away from the pontoons .
I’m wondering how they will get away with it surely they must allocate more spaces.
Working there I can tell you the site isn’t big enough now some days so how will it work in the future , if this goes ahead it will be one for me to avoid , looks like it will be another Port Hamble where you can’t park when attending someone’s broken down boat . I’m pretty sure this will rock the boat for existing berth holders .
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BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo
Well-known member
I'd bit rather annoyed if I had to park up by the main road each weekend.
The boat was ashore there for a fortnight earlier this year for new anti foul and a polish, real shame about the loss of the travel hoist and hard standing
The boat was ashore there for a fortnight earlier this year for new anti foul and a polish, real shame about the loss of the travel hoist and hard standing
lionelz
Member
Whilst I am not at at haslar marina I am in the premier one. I love it there. Plenty of parking good facilities. Also don't know how but my prices have stayed the same this year. The view is nice of old Portsmouth and not that much roll. Just throwing it out there as another option
Wavey
Well-known member
Paul,
I would be very surprised if your annual fees had increased by anything like 25%. I've recently had my renewal through from Mercury and the increase was modest. Also, don't be surprised at the delay in replying to your query. The lady who does this stuff is based at either Hamble Point or Port Hamble and only works part time.
Having said that I'm off to Haslar at the end of March/early April. Already paid to get a good rate plus introductory discount which was happily given (unlike MDL). The saving for me in year one will pay my fuel bill for the next few seasons. I've also found everyone at Haslar to be very friendly and very easy to deal with.
I would be very surprised if your annual fees had increased by anything like 25%. I've recently had my renewal through from Mercury and the increase was modest. Also, don't be surprised at the delay in replying to your query. The lady who does this stuff is based at either Hamble Point or Port Hamble and only works part time.
Having said that I'm off to Haslar at the end of March/early April. Already paid to get a good rate plus introductory discount which was happily given (unlike MDL). The saving for me in year one will pay my fuel bill for the next few seasons. I've also found everyone at Haslar to be very friendly and very easy to deal with.
paultallett
Active member
Thanks Wavey for the information, your dealings with Haslar are as I'm also finding it.
I can assure you my renewal quote is 25% higher than last years fees, but as I've said, I'm sure it's an honest error that will be sorted should we decide to stay. I'm at Mercury tomorrow so will stick my head in the office and see if they are any closer to confirming things for me.
paultallett
Active member
Thanks for heads up Lionelz. As a family we will pop to Gosport marina for another poke around before making a decision. We did use to moor at Port Solent before moving to the Hamble, Gosport was our 'go to' if the weather was too bad to head to sea, yet we still fancied a run out in the boat.
Cathy*
Active member
We had a similar apparent increase a couple of years ago. The bill had been worked out as 12 separate months ��. Qab fees have remained the same this year for smaller boats ( I think under 10m) Over 10m have increased slightly. I reckon they've put your decimal point in the wrong place.
paultallett
Active member
Thanks Cathy* glad to hear I'm not alone. I still haven't heard a peep out of Mercury in way of confirmation it's an error or not... but it looks like we'll be moving on anyway, so getting a little academic either way.
Paul.
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