Keeping a Yacht in Belgium or Northern France

[Wiltshire]

Hello All,
I have been offered a contract in land locked Luxembourg which means moving my boat from the Solent to probably Belgium or possibly Northern France although the latter is an even longer drive. It's only for 2-3 years then I will be heading back home to the Solent area. Has anybody kept a boat in Belgium (Ostend or Nieuwport look favourites)? She is a 31ft sailboat with 1.85m draft. Any information, hints and tips gratefully received. Thanks.

 

[Gwylan]

Hello All,
I have been offered a contract in land locked Luxembourg which means moving my boat from the Solent to probably Belgium or possibly Northern France although the latter is an even longer drive. It's only for 2-3 years then I will be heading back home to the Solent area. Has anybody kept a boat in Belgium (Ostend or Nieuwport look favourites)? She is a 31ft sailboat with 1.85m draft. Any information, hints and tips gratefully received. Thanks.

We did a tour in Brussels and had a similar challenge.

We ended up in The Netherlands at Terneuzen. Good accessibility and sailing possibilities. Inexpensive and nice little town.

The motorway between Luxembourg and Brussels can get very busy also between Brussels and The Coast.
The Belgian obsession with 'going to the coast' has to be seen to be believed.

Could consider RLYC at Antwerp, but sailing will be influenced heavily by tides.

Have fun. Off and on we did nearly 20 years there.

 

[westhinder]

On the Belgian coast you have a choice of Nieuwpoort, Oostende, Blankenberge and Zeebrugge
- Nieuwpoort is the biggest yacht centre, accessible at all states of the tide in all weather that you will want to go out in and has all the facilities you might need. Berthing is possible at the three clubs and waiting lists for a berth have all but vanished. All three are perfectly sheltered and have good facilities. Visitors tend to prefer the KYCN on the west side of the harbour as it is closer to the town and the beach, but the two clubs on the east side are quieter, you do not get stared at by passers-by all day long.
- Oostende is the biggest town, with all the advantages of shops, sports and musea. The railway station is literally 200 m from your boat. The harbour has lost its ferries but has recovered thanks to the windfarms, it is the main centre for construction and maintenance. Accessible in all weather and at all states of the tide. For a long term stay your best choice is the Mercator marina, perfectly sheltered behind a lock but you will have to take the time to lock in and out, with some restrictions at LW springs. The marina is in the middle of the town and can get noisy. Alternatives are the RNSYC in Montgomery dock, but the number of permanent berths is limited and you will get some swell, or RYCO at the head of the harbour, close to the main coastal road and next to a sand and gravel terminal. RYCO is a tram or bike ride from the town centre. Oostende has most facilities for yachts but no fuel berth.
- Blankenberge is the second largest town on the coast, its harbour only has yachting, no more fishing boats. There is a main railway station. The main drawback is its harbour entrance tends to silt up during the season and that can happen very quickly, one storm can be enough. Access for your draught would be HW +/- 4. In an onshore 6Bft or over you may have to divert to Zeebrugge, which is next door. Blankenberge has all the facilities you may need, including fuel. Berthing is with one of the 3 clubs and I would be surprised if the waiting lists hadn't disappeared.
- Zeebrugge is a major port, accessible in all weather and at all states of the tide. Seas off the entrance are always worse because of the current that is forced around the piers and the waves that are reflected. When big ships enter or leave, you will have to wait, which is not always a pleasure. The facilities are good, there are three marinas, perfectly sheltered but they are quite a long way away from the entrance. Shops in Zeebrugge are limited to the basics. You are a tram ride from Knokke, the upmarket coast town with more shops than you can imagine.
All four coastal harbours suffer the same drawback: the traffic from Luxemburg to the coast can be hell on Friday night, Saturday morning and Sunday morning, and is even worse on Sunday night, when everybody returns home. What is a 3 hours' drive may well become 4.5 or 5 hours
Many people from Belgium and Germany keep their boats in Zeeland in the Netherlands. There is a bewildering choice of marinas and you have sheltered sailing in the Westerschelde, Oosterschelde, Veerse Meer, Grevelingen etc. The trip from Luxemburg to Zeeland will be slightly longer in distance but not necessarily timewise. Berthing will be more expensive in Zeeland than in Belgium, but if you are used to South coast marina prices you will be pleasantly surprised.
If you have any more detailed questions, feel free to pm me

 

[Tomahawk]

Post this on the East Coast forum.
There is a wealth of knowledge there. And we really are a friendly bunch.

 

[Daydream believer]

Westhinder's comments are fair but omit the problems of parking in Ostend. I do not know if there are issues at Blankenburg & Nieuport but I expect there are.
If you can get there Ok I would look for a small marina in the Netherlands although I love Ostend. I would not want to leave a boat there long term. I would not go for the other North Sea ports either. Strong tides could be an issue esp near Breskens - which Westhinder did not mention-Expensive I expect.

 

[Wiltshire]

All,
Thanks for the information and particularly Westhinder for taking the trouble to provide an overview of options in Belgium. I have experienced the awful traffic in Belgium and up towards Rotterdam. The prospect of using the train is attractive but I fear that isn't very practical so travelling early/late is the only option. Like a lot of South coast sailors I tend to turn right when I leave the Solent and head for the West Country or Channel Islands/Brittany. The Eastern Channel will be a new experience. I think I will contact places in Nieuwpoort first and take it from there. Will also copy this onto the East Coast forum as information on sailing that piece of coast (tides, places to go etc.) will be helpful. I have already started reading my trusty Channel Pilot.

 

[sailorman]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...gium-or-Northern-France&p=6500737#post6500737

 

[westhinder]

Westhinder's comments are fair but omit the problems of parking in Ostend. I do not know if there are issues at Blankenburg & Nieuport but I expect there are.
If you can get there Ok I would look for a small marina in the Netherlands although I love Ostend. I would not want to leave a boat there long term. I would not go for the other North Sea ports either. Strong tides could be an issue esp near Breskens - which Westhinder did not mention-Expensive I expect.

Parking in Oostende is indeed a problem as you're in the middle of the city. There are underground parkings, but space is limited and not cheap.
Nieuwpoort does not have that problem, especially not at VVW or WSKLuM clubs.
Blankenberge may not be straightforward in July and August either, Zeebrugge will not have that issue.

I did not mention Breskens as it is a Dutch harbour. It is an excellent harbour though with first rate facilities, The currents in the mouth of the Westerschelde will be the limiting factor there, as going against the tide means sailing hard and going nowhere.
Speaking of Dutch harbours, there is also the new harbour of Cadzand, on the border with Belgium. Nice place to go in good conditions, but I would not recommend it as a permanent berth: too exposed to northerly winds.
Both Breskens and Cadzand would not be favourites when travelling from Luxemburg. If you are considering Zeeland, then Wemeldinge or Kats are closer to the motorway network.
I did not mention Antwerp either, as the tides and currents are too restrictive. Fine as a destination for a long weekend, not as a permanent base. Most people from Antwerp base their boats either in Breskens, or in one of the Oosterschelde harbours.

 

[Daydream believer]

I did not mention Antwerp either, as the tides and currents are too restrictive. Fine as a destination for a long weekend, not as a permanent base. Most people from Antwerp base their boats either in Breskens, or in one of the Oosterschelde harbours.

At least in the Oosterschelde & surrounding areas you can go for a short day sail in most weathers in nice surroundings with places to go for an overnight stop,so you would not waste a long drive

 

[Wiltshire]

I hadn't considered Holland largely because my only experience of the coast is based on the extremely busy area around Rotterdam and Amsterdam and working for a while near the Hague. The traffic was terrible and return trips to the airport on Fridays were always a fraught affair. I clearly need to do some reading in on Dutch options. Belgium is closest and remains favourite at least for year 1. The other option is an even longer drive to Boulogne or Dieppe. I am lucky in that I can drive to the boat in a little over 30 minutes now. Fewer but longer trips are likely to be the answer. Once again, thanks for the information it really is helpful. Anything on places to head for and currents, practical limitations off the Belgium coast remain welcome.

 

[westhinder]

I hadn't considered Holland largely because my only experience of the coast is based on the extremely busy area around Rotterdam and Amsterdam and working for a while near the Hague. The traffic was terrible and return trips to the airport on Fridays were always a fraught affair. I clearly need to do some reading in on Dutch options. Belgium is closest and remains favourite at least for year 1. The other option is an even longer drive to Boulogne or Dieppe. I am lucky in that I can drive to the boat in a little over 30 minutes now. Fewer but longer trips are likely to be the answer. Once again, thanks for the information it really is helpful. Anything on places to head for and currents, practical limitations off the Belgium coast remain welcome.

Places to head for? Daysails off the Belgian coast are perfectly possible without getting too close to the busy shipping routes to Zeebrugge and the Westerschelde/Antwerpen. No islands off the coast, I'm afraid, although there are plans to construct some. For sightseeing there are the windfarms or the cargo ships' anchorages. For weekend return trips there are of course any of the other Belgian ports, or to the SW Dunkirk, Gravelines or Calais. To the NE you have Cadzand, Breskens, Vlissingen (entrance to the Walcheren Canal to Middelburg and the Veerse Meer) or the Roompot Sluis (entrance to the Oosterschelde). If you have an extended weekend you can venture into the Oosterschelde and its endless possibilities, or go up the surprisingly beautiful Westerschelde to Antwerp, which is a very nice city. Or else across the North Sea to Dover or Ramsgate (60 nm from Nieuwpoort) or to the East Coast (Harwich 80 nm, coming out of the harbour channel of Nieuwpoort simply hold your heading and you end up in Harwich;-). If you have a week the possibilities include a return trip to London.
Sailing off the Belgian coast is sailing in open water, there is no shelter to be had (which is why the Oosterschelde is so attractive to many people, sheltered water in almost any wind). Lots of sandbanks, but with your draught you can cross most of them at all states of the tide. You will notice the changes in the waves, but they are not dangerous, except in the sort of weather that you probably would not want to be out in anyway.