Looking for potential new home on the East Coast

ChattingLil

ChattingLil

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Hi all

Having done two seasons of day sailing on the Medway, I am now considering moving to Essex/Suffolk where I think there's opportunity for more interesting day sails.

Tollesbury was recommended and I'll be visiting there in the next few weeks. I've done some research, but would be interested to hear other recommendations and opinions on the options.

Ideally, I'd like to be not much more than an hour or so from the M25.

Thanks
Lisa
 
Lisa

My boat is on a swinging 12 month mooring at Pin Mill on the Orwell which is in range of a considerable number of destinations of a few hours sailing.

If you overnight you can easily reach the Aldeburgh to the north and Burnham to the south, with a number of options in between.

If it is rough out at sea the Orwell and Stour offer excellent river sailing and generally the area seems to have it's own micro-climate, which in my opinion is usually better than elsewhere.

Over winter the boat is ashore in Woodbridge on the River Deben at Larkmans Yard, where it is possible to do your own maintenance or they will do it for you at reasonable prices.

I am sure other wiser folk will be along soon with their own suggestions.

John
 
Tollesbury is a great place to visit but I think if you want to sail evry weekend you need to have no time constraints (don't work or retired) to be based there. I would try and minimise your travel distance. From the M25 I would definately try a year on the Blackwater and for convenience a marina berth if funds allow.

I agree with Cervina that Bradwell would appear to be the best choice as access is reasonably good and there are plenty of destinations both nearby and father afield. If the weather is iffy you can always stay on the Blackwater without really "going out to sea".

Brightlingsea would be another option, perhaps at Morgan's if you have a bilge keeler, or on the pontoons if there is availability, but it would be my second choice.

Try one option and move next year if you find a better one.

PS. Please don't tell anyone else about the East Coast, mention all the mud and lack of water. It is going to get too crowded if word gets round!
 
Because of the very limited access, as Cerviia has said. If you attempt to go in late you could end up in the middle of the access creak surrounded by mud!

Make sure you go and have a look at low water. Walk out on the wooden walkways to the Lightship to see the state of the channel. Very interesting place to visit by land or car, definately worth you going to have a look at it sometime. Kids love the enclosed swimming pool at the yacht club.

Well worth a visit on a weekend when you are not sailing.
 
ChattingLil said:
Hi all

Having done two seasons of day sailing on the Medway, I am now considering moving to Essex/Suffolk where I think there's opportunity for more interesting day sails.

Tollesbury was recommended and I'll be visiting there in the next few weeks. I've done some research, but would be interested to hear other recommendations and opinions on the options.

Ideally, I'd like to be not much more than an hour or so from the M25.

Thanks
Lisa
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I think you'd be pushed to get to any Essex berth in an hour from M25. Parts of the Crouch perhaps. Southend (Leigh), Maldon (heybridge Basin) just. Tollesbury, West Mersea, Stone & Bradwell are a further half-hour from Maldon.

Brightlingsea, Walton, Wrabness, Manningtree, Harwich, Ipswich, Levington, Woolverstone/Pin Mill are all between 30 and 40 minutes from Colchester, which is itself 45 mins from J28 on a good day.

Unless you have a helicopter, of course
 
rudolph_hart said:
I think you'd be pushed to get to any Essex berth in an hour from M25. Parts of the Crouch perhaps. Southend (Leigh), Maldon (heybridge Basin) just. Tollesbury, West Mersea, Stone & Bradwell are a further half-hour from Maldon.
Click to expand...

Bradwell takes me 1hr45 from Hemel Hempstead even with the M25 roadworks.
Its just under an hour from the M25 as is Mersea and no I don't have a helicopter and I do have a wife that moans if I drive fast.
 
I think I've timed Bradwell as being 40 mins from J28 (via A130/A12). In total usually 2hr 10 mins journey from the Reading area.

IanC
(on a very wet Thames trip)
 
J26 of M25 to Titchmarsh is a shade over an hour.

Have been known to put my toe down but you might want to trial run it.

Still getting used to Titchmarsh....don't know if it's "good" to be there or not.

Was in Burnham but found the 40 minute run to the mouth of the Crouch and then a couple of hours to go, erm, anywhere a bit tiresome.

Also found boatworks a tad unreliable.

Titchmarsh has a lot more on the doorstep...I think!
 
Another vote for Bradwell.... from the M25 its IMHO the best marina balancing facilities/access with sensible driving distance....

Either that, or go for the Orwell/Titchmarsh...

You are quite right about the improved day sailing opportunities in the Essex/Suffolk area...

Tollesbury is an absolutely delightful place, but suffers from severely restricted access as many have pointed out above...
 
Well I would recommend Tollesbury. You have a bilge keeler, so restrictions not that bad.
The club there is real kid friendly, and even has a covered swimming pool, as well as loads of grassy play area.
Its also peaceful, and the salting marsh areas are fun to explore. You can lie quite safely in the narrows waiting for the bar, and its not that onerous.
Club bar and restaurant very reasonably priced and family run.
Friendly.
 
FullCircle said:
Well I would recommend Tollesbury. You have a bilge keeler, so restrictions not that bad.
The club there is real kid friendly, and even has a covered swimming pool, as well as loads of grassy play area.
Its also peaceful, and the salting marsh areas are fun to explore. You can lie quite safely in the narrows waiting for the bar, and its not that onerous.
Club bar and restaurant very reasonably priced and family run.
Friendly.
Click to expand...

I would certainly rather be weatherbound in Tollesbury than Bradwell, especially if I had young children as there is plenty for them to do. If I was berthed there I suspect I might not sail as much because of the more sestricted access and because children will happily spend all day in the pool with the motley selection of mates that they will accumulate. The club is excellent.

So I stick with my selection of Bradwell as you will be more likely to sail when you visit and of course you can visit Tollesbury as it is nearby. Also being so near the Green Man might mean I didn't feel like setting sail next morning!!
 
Can recommend the Orwell.
We do St Albans - Levington in 01H15 (01H30 if traffic's bad).

The Orwell itself is very nice - Stour, Deben, etc... on your doorstep.

We spent a couple of months in Burnham and have been to Bradwell.
As yours is a bilge keeler the lack of water won't be as much of an issue as it was for us, but one thing to consider is that even though Bradwell may be nearer to you geographically, travel time will be longer.

Burnham is 35mls nearer to us than Levington, yet we rarely got there in less than 2 hours.
Once you get off the A12, roads are not that great - think winding country lanes and tractors.
 
Guapa said:
Can recommend the Orwell.
We do St Albans - Levington in 01H15 (01H30 if traffic's bad).

The Orwell itself is very nice - Stour, Deben, etc... on your doorstep.

We spent a couple of months in Burnham and have been to Bradwell.
As yours is a bilge keeler the lack of water won't be as much of an issue as it was for us, but one thing to consider is that even though Bradwell may be nearer to you geographically, travel time will be longer.

Burnham is 35mls nearer to us than Levington, yet we rarely got there in less than 2 hours.
Once you get off the A12, roads are not that great - think winding country lanes and tractors.
Click to expand...

True. Getting to Bridgemarsh/Burnham/Bradwell is slower.
 
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