Heybridge help please

[mrsmurph]

Hi - I am a novice who has recently moved to Heybridge, Essex. I would like to buy a smallish motor cruiser (20' or so) as a family day boat and am trying to work out whether it's viable. A number of the sailing clubs between Heybridge and Goldhanger seem to accept motor cruisers but my concern is how much water you get either side of high tide. I am used to Falmouth where planning around tides is rarely a problem and I am trying to work out if you would actually get enough water to, say, motor over to Mersea for lunch, or whether you'd be limited to an hour either side of high tide. I'd be really grateful for any advice.

 

[Gumpy]

We used to sail out of Bradwell, you get much better tidal access there, with a boat that size it will only be around LW that you wont get in or out

 

[tillergirl]

I kept two yachts on moorings just outside the Basin for 30 years. Depending on the location of a swinging mooring affects the access but largely I got 2 hours either side of HW - BUT actually getting a dinghy out and back tended to be the limiting time: I could still get on and off the mooring with ease but the tide had either not covered enough mud (or the other way) to get a dinghy afloat. Using moorings on Clint Swann's or Stebbens moorings would only get about an hour either side of HW. Of course the timing always depends on Spring or Neap tides. If the boat is kept in the Basin, you can only lock in or out at HW.

All sounds a bit weird but it all worked quite well: an early morning HW would give us a 12 hour day out before returning at early evening. But for most of our time was slipping a mooring on a Friday and returning on a Sunday. A motor over to Mersea for lunch on the HW is unlikely. I am sure it is actually possible by careful planning.

You have to be further down river to ignore the tides, such as at Marconi or Stone.

 

[johnalison]

We were in the basin for a number of years and had a two-hour drive from Herts to get there. Although access was quite limited with out 4’ 6” draft, it was something that we got used to. I regard the discipline imposed by the tides as part of the character of sailing. There is something rather soulless about the idea of keeping a boat at, say, Brighton and being able to go out and back as one pleases. For someone actually living nearby, tidal constraints should be easy to cope with, and maybe in time help the owner to appreciate the character of the area. We were charged 5/- each time we went out of the basin but I believe it may be a bit more now.

 

[Major_Clanger]

If you want to stay afloat then, as others have said, the highest you can be is Marconi SC. Once you're past the Doubles there's very little water. If you're happy to take the mud then your options are much broader - I have a fore/aft mooring just outside the Basin which I rent from Maldon District Council for about £150 per annum (I maintain the ground tackle). My boat is long-keeled, draws 4ft and can be sailed on/off the mooring 2hrs either side of HW on anything but severe neaps. Getting out to her is simple - join the HBSA and keep a dinghy on their pontoon (again, just outside the Basin). The hammerhead conveniently floats about 2hrs before HW so it all works quite well. If that appeals then wander down to the Basin and ask for a chap named Derek Fox. He's a decent sort and very helpful.

Keeping a boat in the Basin is another option (mine's in there currently) and the prices are reasonable.

The boats often away for much of the summer so you'd be welcome to use the mooring while it's vacant.

 

[Fire99]

Hi..
I used to have an 18foot motorboat which I kept at the end of the canal at Heybridge Basin.. Was a very nice place to spend time but obviously you were restricted on when the sea lock operated to get out onto the tidal river, but it was a lot of fun.
I later moved it to Maylandsea marina which dried out but gave pretty decent tidal access (for a boat that had a very shallow draft and you could tilt the outboard up electrically to squeeze in at low-ish water.. Wasn't expensive either..
I later had a 23 footer in Tollesbury and the creek that fed it also dried out but was a posher marina..

 

[Dee Bee]

I would plump for Bradwell. Only about a 30 minute drive and then you have fare more choice of day trips.

 

[mrsmurph]

Thanks very much everyone - sorry for the slow reply, I think the notifications must have been going into the junk mail! It sounds like this may be more achievable than I’d feared. Really helpful information about the amount of water and the dinghy access considerations. I will let you know how I get on!