Lamenting Yarmouth Harbour

Yarmouth is very restricted with not many spaces, even less now.

The tide across the entrance sometimes needs a bit of care too !

I used to turn up and occasionally find a ' Harbour Full ' sign and when catching the eye of a guy in a dory know they really meant it, if they could they'd fit my 22 or 30' boats in.

Now I get the impression it's ' we could fit in someone more profitable than you so stand by or sod off ' and the prices are from another planet for such meagre facilities and places to go...

I think I'll buy shares in everything in Lymington, they must be laughing their socks off !
 
Blueboatman said:
There is a new generation of marina using larger boat newbies that will not know anything different. Yarmouth, another walk ashore, pay as you park marina stopover.

So in a sense, with all progress,eh? Happy memories living in yarmouth, sailing ( yup) in and out, and thru the bridge, rafting, quaint charm despite its popularity. Modern marina architecture has succesfully removed all such untidiness. B O R I N G . No wonder people put up the canvas shutters and disappear below, Eber churning at the neighbours, then leave and off to the next exciting marina..
Its all a bit Mobile Home like. At least they do move I suppose.. ( and I aint that old)
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Sailed a dinghy over to Yarmouth today.
Quite a few large powerboats & 30'+ sailboats, but plenty of spaces.

Checked with HM & sailing into/out of/or in the harbour is banned.

Also asked about booked cancellations having to be paid for - "if you don't turn up for your airplane flight, you still have to pay" was the response.
 
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alant said:
...Also asked about booked cancellations having to be paid for - "if you don't turn up for your airplane flight, you still have to pay" was the response.
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On the plus side I think it focuses the mind and ensures that people only book spaces that they are really going to use - if refunds were just handed out regardless I could see some people booking spaces every weekend through the prime season "just in case", knowing that if they couldn't be bothered to turn up they would get their money back and in doing so prevent others from booking or just turning up in the hope of getting in.
 
l'escargot said:
On the plus side I think it focuses the mind and ensures that people only book spaces that they are really going to use - if refunds were just handed out regardless I could see some people booking spaces every weekend through the prime season "just in case", knowing that if they couldn't be bothered to turn up they would get their money back and in doing so prevent others from booking or just turning up in the hope of getting in.
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l'escargot

for once I agree with you, my idea of sailing is to turn up and see what's going then manouvre myself around it or elsewhere, not ' book a table ' !
 
Seajet said:
Alant,

good on you on several counts...

Where did you sail the dinghy from ( Lymington ? ) and what was she ?
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+1 ...I'd like to know, too. I believe my Osprey was at Lymington for many years. I reckon she must have been to and from the island often enough, because she'd lately been modified (arguably) to cross the Channel. Is there any decent parking for dinghies at Yarmouth? And, how did you enter, if not under sail? Oars?
 
Rarely a problem mid week unless you are >40ft, and you don't mind being on the non walk ashore.
Unfortunately though the harbour is full of marina like pontoons because this is what the majority of people who actually go to Yarmouth want. If people stopped lamenting and started telling the harbour (3 years ago) we wouldn't be in this position. Still, for those of us "up the river" we enjoy live as it used to be without the tourists!
I don't know what the agreement is, but it might be worth your while if you want to visit the 'old' Yarmouth to talk to the River Yar Boatyard. They may entertain overnight visitors in a very unspoilt location, if you talk to them in advance, I know there are a few empty berths ....
Also, Harold Hayles in the Harbour often raft up a few visitors on their work berths, usually rallies etc, but everyone needs to utilise their assets if they can!
 
Seajet said:
Yarmouth is very restricted with not many spaces, even less now.
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- Not true - there are actually the same # of berths available

Seajet said:
Now I get the impression it's ' we could fit in someone more profitable than you so stand by or sod off ' !
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- Maybe its true, but when "market forces" apply, what do you think the "shareholders" of Yarmouth Harbour want, lots of nice comments from people who want to visit once a year to see a quaint old place and spend £5, or the power brigade from Lymington coming over, because it's as much fuel as they can afford if they are still to afford dinner and champagne in one of the local establishments?
Seajet said:
and the prices are from another planet
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Is that Planet Commercial Britain? - Wightlink now run a reduced service, this hits the local economy in Yarmouth, if people are willing to pay for a mooring for their private vessel, surely the town should take their money?

Seajet said:
for such meagre facilities and places to go...
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And where else do you get a choice of 3 pubs, 3 good restaurants, and a couple of other drinking/eating establishments within 100metres of your berth?
Or for those who like something different, some great walking and a safe child friendly beach ?

Seajet said:
I think I'll buy shares in everything in Lymington, they must be laughing their socks off !
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Where do most of the boats come from that spend real money in Yarmouth, er Lymington! (

Rant over, sorry seajet!
I should say now, I loved Yarmouth with its quaint old piles and the old style approach to what happens on the water, and I'd love to see the culture remain, and not have a Chief Executive Officer, but a Harbour Master who cares as much about customers as money. BUT fundamentally, the place has to change and maximise its revenue potential for the good of the local community which is not as rich as some seem to think.
 
Genoa,

thanks.

Meanwhile I and a lot of other people will be in Lymington, which is sad as I really liked Yarmouth, but considering the tide by the entrance they should be payiing me to get in and spend my dosh at the pubs and restaurants ! :rolleyes:...
 
Seajet said:
Genoa,

thanks.

Meanwhile I and a lot of other people will be in Lymington, which is sad as I really liked Yarmouth, but considering the tide by the entrance they should be payiing me to get in and spend my dosh at the pubs and restaurants ! :rolleyes:...
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Isn't the tide the same as its always been?
 
alant said:
Isn't the tide the same as its always been?
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Yes, and while it can certainly catch out those who are not expecting it, it's hardly an insuperable challenge.

I guess if you were in a 22-footer beating to windward against a force 11 violent storm, a cross-tide to cope with as well could be the last straw? :p

Pete
 
prv said:
Yes, and while it can certainly catch out those who are not expecting it, it's hardly an insuperable challenge.

I guess if you were in a 22-footer beating to windward against a force 11 violent storm, a cross-tide to cope with as well could be the last straw? :p

Pete
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Pete,

you are an insuperable p***k at times...

I am a YM offshore, sailing dinghies since 1970 or earlier, instructor since 1976, Chief Instructor 1980-2000 and a cruiser skipper since 1978, I reckon I know when a cross tide is a pain.

I also know a blow-hard prat who talks loud but couldn't sail out of a wet paper bag when I meet one.:rolleyes:
 
Seajet said:
Genoa,

thanks.

Meanwhile I and a lot of other people will be in Lymington, which is sad as I really liked Yarmouth, but considering the tide by the entrance they should be payiing me to get in and spend my dosh at the pubs and restaurants ! :rolleyes:...
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The tide may be an issue....

....but when the ferry uses his bow thrusters to hold himself against the quay, well, that's when one feels really powerless entering or leaving the harbour.

Cheers

Garold
 
Garold,

realistically when one is off Yarmouth and the ebb is flowing to the West one only really gets one shot, ' ferry gliding ' in at a slant on full sail / maybe engine power too ; it's quite straightforward but I'd suggest as a matter of seamanship and courtesy one must be able to stand off and give way to the ferries, they are much more difficult to handle.

However I've seen tides off Yarmouth entrance which might easily see a yacht spat out to Hurst Narrows and the dangers of the Shingles etc, overfalls, lumpy seas and FATIGUE, quite unnecessary.

If in any doubt at all go for Lymington.

As a teenager I've spent 3 days there on an outer mooring in gales to save money before we decided we'd have to go in as we needed a beer and a shower, in that order !
 
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alant said:
Also asked about booked cancellations having to be paid for - "if you don't turn up for your airplane flight, you still have to pay" was the response.
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I've pre-booked (and pre-paid) for mooring at Yarmouth in the last year, and they made their "NO REFUNDS" policy very clear at the time. Personally, I don't agree with it and have generally avoided Yarmouth if I can.

This whole equating booking a berth to a plane flight is just nonsense. If the flight is cancelled due to bad weather, you can opt to get your money back.

The bit that really grated on me was that even though they now ask for top dollar to berth, you still have to purchase tokens to use the showers. Rip off.

Pity, because Yarmouth itself is great.
 
Cardo said:
The bit that really grated on me was that even though they now ask for top dollar to berth, you still have to purchase tokens to use the showers. Rip off.

Pity, because Yarmouth itself is great.
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Agreed but they only get away with it because they can. This country is in the frame of mind that we are all customers and everything has to be aid for. 20 years ago most town centre car parks were free and parking in many high streets was a first come first sever basis, or was restricted to 1 hour no return within 2 and that sort of thing. Now you will have a parking meter or worse, in some places if you don't own a mobile phone you can't park.

Yarmouth has the same mentality, it is not an amenity, save for commercial fishermen, it is a business, it is not seeking to recover its marginal costs but to make a surplus if at all possible and possibly fund the pilots pension fund!
 
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