Looking for easy dayboat sailing.

[Rayjive]

I have previously owned and enjoyed a Hawk 20 dayboat. The boat was kept on a mooring and overwintered ashore at a club on the Blackwater in Essex. As I'm getting a bit old the rowing out to the mooring, haul out at end of season, scrubbing off, crawling around underneath and getting covered in antifouling, launching in the spring etc. all got too much for me so I sold up. I just want to saiI, I don't enjoy any of the other stuff at all! I miss my Hawk 20 however and would love to get another if I can find an easy way to own and sail it. That presumably means a marina or a sailing equivalent of "dry stack". I just want to step on, go sailing in sheltered waters, step off, go home. I want someone else to do all the other stuff, yes, I know it will cost me.
Does anyone know of such an arrangement, preferably on the Essex coast area although could consider South Coast or must I just dream on?

 

[Boz]

North Fambridge offer a launch and retrieve service for MoBos. I suppose a trailer/sailor dayboat could be used in the same way? I remember when I crewed in Squibs on Rutland water we dragged them out after every race.....

 

[nigelm]

Besides the park & launch , Fambridge also have the "fingerette" berths on the inside of main pontoon of the marina , these are for the smaller 20ft types of boat , maybe that would suffice , and as far as antifouling goes it won't be long before we're all paying someone else to do the dirty work if the tree hugging swamp dwellers have their way ?

 

[ex-Gladys]

Brightlingsea do a "dry stack"

 

[NealB]

Is it possible to join a club which has club boats available for use by members?

I have an, admittedly vague, idea that it is possible, for example, to charter a Royal Burnham One Design.

 

[FulmarJeddo]

Is it possible to join a club which has club boats available for use by members?

I have an admittedly vague idea that it is possible, for example, to charter a Royal Burnham One Design.

If such a club doesn't exist at the moment, it is likely that it may be possible in the future. Most clubs are registered as Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASC) and the HMRC has tightened up the rules, and to make sport more inclusive to those on lower incomes, it must now be possible for an individual to participate for no more than £520 per year. That includes joining, membership, equipment etc. A suggestion from the HMRC is that clubs have boats and basic equipment available for non boat owners to be able to use.
To comply with this we are looking at our club to aquire a basic sailing dinghy for members use.

 

[NUTMEG]

Two thoughts occur to me.

I have a 14' Lune Pilot that has no center plate and a ballasted keel. It is easy to launch and recover on the trailer as she draws very little. I am told, but remain to be convinced, that they will not capsize. Just thought a cheap, easy, alternative to a 20 footer. Character Boats make them, they have a website and can be found for a couple of grand second hand.

I think Maldon Little Ships Club have,some dinghies for members to use. Beers good too.

 

[stuey_two]

Some of the major marina companies offer the "full service" solution you seek, one example being Premier Marinas - at several locations on the south coast.
I suspect that many of the East Coast marinas would also be interested in meeting your need - at a cost, as you say.
I think you should pick your preferred area then ask at each local marina.

 

[Bru]

There's several service providers at Fambridge who would look after your boat for you (for a price of course, but there's any number of bods on site who'll anti-foul etc. for sensible money)

Loads of options there (I ought to flippin' charge 'em for all the advertising!) - swinging mooring with weekend trotboat, valet berthing (see the website or the other recent thread where I explained that), the aforementioned cheap finger berths (max 7.0m and they are a bit tidally restricted, that's why they're cheap!) and, possibly most attractive to you, a park and launch service (for boats on roadworthy trailers)

http://www.yachthavens.com/fambridge/rates-and-booking/berthing-packages-explained/

I will concede though that Fambridge is perhaps not the best place on the East Coast to daysail from, yer pays yer money etc.!

 

[Gargleblaster]

Our club on the Medway shares facilities with Medway Water Sports which has been set up as a charity to provide sailing and other non motorized water activities for all.
http://www.medwaywatersports.co.uk/
I would be surprised if there weren't similar organizations on other rivers.

 

[PeterWright]

At Suffolk Yacht Harbour, the Haven Port Yacht Club have a class of Squibs racing regularly and the East Anglian Sail Trust use the same class of boat for their sailing for the blind - a worthwhile activity to support. The Squibs lie alongside pontoons at the outer end of the West harbour. Over the past couple of years, interest in racing Melges 24's there has been growing with the Harbour offering the option of berthing on Versadock Drysail systems as a means of avoiding fouling - appropriate for lifting keels, but that won't get a fixed keel out of the water.

I know it's a whole county away from what you're seeking, but might be worth a look, if only for ideas.

p.s. There's also Levington Park & Ride at SYH, but that's mostly focussed on small mobos.

 

[Guise]

Brightlingsea Park and Ride will do everything you want, even under cover storage.

 

[Rayjive]

Thanks nigelm, I was unaware of this and as a result I've been down to Fambridge to take a look, a strong possibility.

 

[Rayjive]

Thanks Guise, worth considering.

 

[Rayjive]

Thanks Peter, very interesting and I certainly will take a look.

 

[Rayjive]

Thanks Rhoda, worth considering. I think I've very likely seen you (your boat) on the water at Maldon.