langstone harbour anyone?

[steve2k]

Hi all,
I'm investigating possible places to moor a yacht and wondered if anyone had any experience of mooring their boat at langstone harbour at Portsmouth?

I know when the tide is on it's way in or out, it really flies through the channel between Portsmouth and hayling, but what sort of problems does that bring.

Is it worth the extra £350/year for a deep water mooring compared to a tidal mooring?

Thanks, Steve

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[gjgm]

cant help on the mooring. Main 2 challenges in the channel are PWC and the chop!
But the harbour seems to be getting a little less ahhh relaxed... I m sure the harbour master will be readily available to assist with specific mooring queries.

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[snowleopard]

the main problems with langstone are the poor shore access and the noise of engines. there is a designated ski area in the eastern channel but for years the limits have been disregarded and there is a constant whine of engines throughout the day.

i'd suggest a dummy run before you sign up - take your dinghy and go out to the mooring then decide if the savings make it worthwhile.

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[Matthewb]

Have been over to Langstone many times from Sparkes in Chi harbour - other comments are spot on, it gets very noisy, esp at the weekend with ski boats up at the designated skiing area and PWCs everywhere. Access can be tricky sometimes and there is often bit of a chop. Last time I was there in September, we picked up a buoy so we could have lunch, fantastic hot day but very noisy and huge chop - quite uncomfortable really. The Jetskis pay little notice to the speed regs and I think the HM fights a losing battle.

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[alahol2]

I'd be inclined to try the sailing clubs around Portsmouth harbour. Several have drying moorings available and there may even be some deep water ones. It doesn't hurt to ring around, but don't ONLY ask about the moorings, clubs are looking for members not absentee mooring holders.

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[bigmart]

I kept my boat in Langstone for a few years, both on a Deep Water HM Mooring & a Drying Sailing Club job.

One thing to bear in mind is that the Deep Water Moorings are laid by the HM. Drying Moorings have to be laid by the owner.

The main problems are the chop. Particularly awkward if you have a long trip, in the dinghy to your mooring. People have died.

Parking around the Harbour is poor & there are problems with vandalism.

On the up side it is pretty well positioned & there is no bar to speak of, unlike Chichester. All in all I enjoyed my time there. It was petty arguing in the Sailing Club & the poor access that made me move to a more convenient berth.

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[Guest]

LH after Falmouth is the largest natural harbour on the south coats and reason for the Mulberry there.
It literally can be like a mini sea area and has some rough water at times.
The Jet-Skis and speedboats near the Ferry Inn part of the entrance channel often go outside their area and cause havoc amongst morrings.
BUT you have some good clubs in there .... and also good moorings by either Club or HM. If you can dry out - the Sinah Lake is OK for the pub, but is based on Hayling Island access and that can be a pain. There are possibilitys towards Havant Quay - via fishing clubs etc.
Note that the islands / banks in the harbour are protected areas and no landing / bbq's - as they are Bird Sanctuary's.

I was in Langstone for quite a number of years and then decided to take up Marina slot in Chichester Harbour .... but enjoyed LH and would not object to going back there ..... either Southsea Marina or to a club such as Locks.

As someone else said - give it a try ...... Tudor Club, Locks etc. have visitors buoys to hook onto .... and Southsea Marina is not a bad place to tie up in .....


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[steve2k]

Thanks for your comments.

I don't have a boat yet and I don't have any experience, this will be my first yacht (I have windsurf boards, I've sailed dingys and powerboats).

Someone suggested I do some research on costs and types of moorings before taking the plunge and buying a boat.

As 2 people have said LH was OK then I think that's enough research, time to look at boats.

Thanks Steve

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[tome]

<<LH after Falmouth is the largest natural harbour on the south coats>>

Poole? Chichester?

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[bedouin]

I moored on a swinging mooring at Langstone for a season; and on the whole I would say it is underrated.

It is the least busy/commercially exploited of any of the harbours on that part of the South coast. Away from the entrance it is quiet and IMHO more peaceful/relaxing than it's neighbours on either side.

Although the tide does run fast through the entrance I think it is an easier entrance than Chichester - it does not have very shallow bar. I have never experienced conditions in the entrance that I would describe as rough, but I would hesitate to attempt it in a southerly gale with Wind against Tide as there would be potential for a very nasty chop.

We found we were always able to make headway against the tide, but it was slow progress with the Spring tides against you and we usually tried to time our trips to avoid the channel when the tide was against.

The downside - and the reason we left - is that access is not too good. There was (is?) no form of ferry / taxi to the moorings so we had to beach - launch the dinghy (=wet feet) and motor some distance in what could be choppy conditions (=wet everything else too).

As to Tidal vs Deep Water - that must depend on your pattern of usage. If you add avoiding contrary tides in the harbour entrance and with the need to get back to say a half tide mooring then you begin to find your window for arrival getting quite short

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[steve2k]

Thanks for this advice.
I think a deep water mooring is the way to go, especially considering the HM lays these ( I wonder if this makes a difference to insurance).

As for access, if I went out in a tender to collect the boat, is there anywhere I can motor to before picking up my family?

Also, as I'll be in a sailing boat, and therefore will only have a small outboard propelling me, will the tide be a problem?

Thanks again,
Steve

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[bedouin]

I don't think there is any insurance implication in having a deep water mooring - particularly not one that is professionally maintained as they are in Langstone.

There are jetties on either side of the harbour entrance just inside the entrance itself which the ferry uses. You are allowed to use these for loading and unloading. Most people launch tenders from the Portsmouth/Southsea side rather than Hayling as it is possible to leave the tender on the "beach" and car parking is free.

It is worth saying that for a mooring in the main part of the harbour, an outboard and reasonable tender are essential - rowing against the tide is next to impossible.

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[bigmart]

Watch out with the Car parking though. If you leave your car in the park at the top of the Ferry pontoon, on the Portsmouth side, I does flood at high water springs. As I know to my cost.

Martin

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[freebird1]

I've been a member of Tudor sailing club at the north western corner of Langstone for something like 15 years. My mooring dries on springs but costs peanuts (I couldn't afford to sail if they didn't). The comments about the noise in the water ski area are true, but noise often depends on wind direction which is predominantly blowing from the entrance toward Havant.
It is half an hour from my mooring to the entrance, but there are evenings when i have a good sail without even leaving the hearbour. The chop at the entrance can be rather fierce, but local knowledge will soon help you dodge the worst of the tide. At peak flow on springs, i would not even try and motor against it, but that just boils down to planning. The deep water moorings are cheap for what they are (compared to other harbours) but i have found them a bit choppy.
Try www.tudorsailing.org.uk and you will see what we have. It has an OS map for reference too. Road access is excellent and we park our cars in the club yard.

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[Guest]

Outboard powered .... and as you mention small .... then you should hug the channel sides to get as much benefit from counter currents..... and avoid full flood / ebb conditions. Approach to entrance in wind against tide conditions are rough ! My 19ft'r that I had there before used to really buck about in it.

Landing / picking up ..... SouthSea Marina have a Fuel pontoon outside the marina and as long as you are on / off quick and don't do it every day ...... car can be parked just outside marina .....


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[Guest]

Info was given with an article ref. the Mulberry Hbrs built Second World war ..... reason for Langstone being one of sites .....
Yes the others are big also .......


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/