Ipswich marinas

LONG_KEELER said:
As mentioned, Ipswich Haven sounds the best bet but would the lock drive you bananas ?
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That lock is a doddle - the platform is normally down. Have gone through there single handed many times. If you time it right you can get at least one trip through on free flow.

Besides, if you can't make the lock single handed, how are you ever going to do a closed end pontoon without stuffing the stem?

PWG
 
We're in Shotley and apart from maybe a couple of five minute waits, we've never been held up with the lock. We tend to approach slowly, radio the lock and tell them we're approaching and by the time we get the fenders and lines out, we have a green light. We were expecting the odd wait when we moved there and my feelings were that i'd rather have the odd wait at the lock than take the long trek down the Orwell.

It's a 10 mile trip from Felixstowe to the wet dock and your still have a lock to contend with. I make that around 1.5 hours travelling along the same ole stretch of river every time you go out, both ways ! That's 3 hours of every day out puttering along the Orwell, plus the lock.

A thought on single handing a mooring buoy. Have a line fastened to the bow cleat, running along the side back to the cockpit, outside any handrails or wires. Pull alongside the buoy, grab the mooring line and pass the end of your line through it, head for the bow with the line and tie it off. When the boat settles, sort the lines out. We found that was an easy way to do it two handed with a 10m boat and a high bow, might help with anyone being single handed. Apologies if i'm teaching anyone to suck eggs :)
 
PaulGooch said:
A thought on single handing a mooring buoy. Have a line fastened to the bow cleat, running along the side back to the cockpit, outside any handrails or wires. Pull alongside the buoy, grab the mooring line and pass the end of your line through it, head for the bow with the line and tie it off. When the boat settles, sort the lines out. We found that was an easy way to do it two handed with a 10m boat and a high bow, might help with anyone being single handed. Apologies if i'm teaching anyone to suck eggs :)
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I've found this approach to work best too.
However, Guapa's 44' and I have to be pretty quick on my feet to avoid bumping into/going over the mooring behind me.
One attempt - in a blow - I was even unable to 'hold' the boat. That's when I had enough.
 
If I wanted to go into a marina I would probably go for SYH or the Haven. Berthing at SYH can be "interesting" in a blow, where as the Haven has much more space to cope when things go a bit pair shaped. Foxes is a bit cramped, and there are a lot of very expensive things to bump into!

I still prefer my swinging mooring though, for easy of sailing, even if single handed.
 
If twas just me I'd be 'swinging' ......oh er guvnor:) but Mrs Jomo likes the ease of access and I make it my business to be as helpful as possible. It's worked so far. Does cause some problems as I have to assume 'singlehandedness' as she is still a bit of a novice. Still WO is only 32', I'm sure Guapa would be a little more challenging!
However, if Mrs Guapa wants pontoons, then I guess you'd better knukle down and do as you're told :). I'd go for SYH or Shotley if I had any choice in the matter.
 
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