Marina Awards

[Seajet]

Emsworth Marina


Nastiest finger pontoons - Emsworth Yacht Harbour ( very narrow and rings instead of cleats)

Also too true, and the berths themselves are very narrow, a lot of them requiring a sharp 90 degree turn at the last moment, no chance of a straight approach.

It's a lovely marina with great virtues like the short walk into town alongside the mill pond, but more could be done to warn strangers to the place;

cleats instead of rings on the finger pontoons for a start - and if it's your first time do have a boathook ready for the helmsman and crew be careful, if there isn't a boat the other side to hold these fingers steady, stepping let alone jumping onto one results in a wobble 'It's a Knockout' would be proud of, very high chance of going in, meanwhile the boat will crash...

Actually considering there may be visitors instead of the token, usually inhabited visitors pontoon would help a lot too, as would actually answering the VHF or 'phone.

 

[Poignard]

Nastiest finger pontoons - Emsworth Yacht Harbour ( very narrow and rings instead of cleats)

Also too true, and the berths themselves are very narrow, a lot of them requiring a sharp 90 degree turn at the last moment, no chance of a straight approach.

It's a lovely marina with great virtues like the short walk into town alongside the mill pond, but more could be done to warn strangers to the place;

cleats instead of rings on the finger pontoons for a start - and if it's your first time do have a boathook ready for the helmsman and crew be careful, if there isn't a boat the other side to hold these fingers steady, stepping let alone jumping onto one results in a wobble 'It's a Knockout' would be proud of, very high chance of going in, meanwhile the boat will crash...

Actually considering there may be visitors instead of the token, usually inhabited visitors pontoon would help a lot too, as would actually answering the VHF or 'phone.

Oh yes - I'd forgotten to mention the wobbly finger pontoons! I remember helping someone in a long-keeler to leave the berth by holding onto his pulpit and steering him in the right direction. Once he had got clear I found myself at the end of the finger which was beginning to oscillate. My sense of balance is not good and I'm ashamed to admit that I had to crawl back on my hands and knees
You would not want to fall in there as the water looks distinctly unhealthy!

Still, as you say it is a lovely place. I haven't been there for a few years but I hear the place is improving since the motor-yacht business left.

 

[Seajet]

Emsworth Marina

I don't think the water at Emsworth Marina is usually too unhealthy looking, though the only time I've tried it was when an idiot I was with tried twirling his car keys and lost his grip !!!

I agree with being on hands & knees on the finger pontoons, had to do that more than once, even when supposedly young & fit; I wonder how many unwary and / or more elderly people get caught out ?!

Good job it's a nice place once one's boat is secure.

 

[Daedelus]

Stayed in Sutton harbour this summer and while the lock keeper was fairly chatty with the fishing boats going in and out we didn't have any problems with him (them?) at all. Answered VHF promptly, suggested that by the time we reached him (5 minutes) we would have free flow, didn't grovel and "Sir" us much but that isn't required, so no problem for us.

Staff in the marina were very helpful and the free real coffee during office hours and free croissants and pain au chocolats on Saturday morning went a long way to making up for being stuck there in a NW 9.

 

[sighmoon]

I found the Sutton Harbour lock keeper a little gruff. We tried following another boat through (I being the only person onboard who could steer the boat or use the VHF, but arms too short to do both. He closed the gates, and then opened them again to give us an earful. Marina staff were very helpful though, and the event pontoon is the cheapest place I found in Plymouth

 

[[2574]]

I found the Sutton Harbour lock keeper a little gruff.

Yes I acknowledge that they can be "a little gruff" sometimes; good description.

Robert

 

[Giblets]

Worst for swell ~ mooring = Haslar visitors pontoon.
Worst for swell ~ refulling = Gosport Marina Fuel Berth

 

[Sandyman]

I would suggest you take them as being rude, gruff etc etc because you don't understand them. They are ex fishermen, no doubt with a great deal of sea experience, who probably look down on you as amateurs in plastic boats with poor seamanship standards, a superior attitude & to much money.

I quite often see their point of view.

 

[Seajet]

You haven't met the same 'professionals' as I have then !

Fishermen roaring past Poole & Weymouth quays deliberately, " that'll shake up them yotties " overheard, + coming back to my boat to find the rubbing strake smashed by a fishing boat which promptly cleared off; not had the pleasure of entering Sutton Harbour for years.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I would suggest you take them as being rude, gruff etc etc because you don't understand them. They are ex fishermen, no doubt with a great deal of sea experience, who probably look down on you as amateurs in plastic boats with poor seamanship standards, a superior attitude & to much money.

I quite often see their point of view.

So we're now expected to "understand" council workers whose job is to operate some locks?

The guy I saw was haranguing boaters in an intimidatory, bullying manner which was totally unnecessary. We wouldn't accept that kind of conduct from a traffic warden, a policeman, a tax inspector or even the local bishop so I see no reason why it should be accepted from a lock keeper.

There's a certain irony in the explanation that the lock keeper is "looking down" on others for having a "superior attitude".

 

[sighmoon]

Crikey Sandyman, everybody's looking down on everybody in your world. Point taken though; I nominate Sutton Harbour as having the most misunderstood lock-keeper.

 

[ripvan1]

Most pleasant - Southsea
Quietest - Southsea
Friendly staff and berth holders - Southsea
Oh, and best curry - guess (begins with S)

 

[Seajet]

Most pleasant - Southsea

Ripvan1,

you need to get out more !

Comments from me and others about narrow pontoons notwithstanding, try Emsworth Marina ( I know Southsea, I used to live ashore there and my Dad had a boat in the marina ).

 

[rwarnett]

Most friendly marina - Island Harbour.
Also friendly (and good showers) - East Cowes.
Least friendly - Yarmouth Harbourmasters.
Best showers - Port Solent.

 

[ripvan1]

Seajet

Was working on boat today, stopped and had cup of char and just looked around me and thought - this is [pleasant

Certainly don't need to get out more been there done that in loadsa marinas and count myself lucky to be close to this one - know all local ones and this ticks all the boxes (for me), followed by Penzance inner harbour.

 

[Seajet]

Whatever floats your boat, man !

 

[Cardo]

Most pleasant - Southsea

Ripvan1,

you need to get out more !

Comments from me and others about narrow pontoons notwithstanding, try Emsworth Marina ( I know Southsea, I used to live ashore there and my Dad had a boat in the marina ).

I enquired about berthing at Emsworth and the chap in the office couldn't have been less interested. First the door to the office was locked (during office hours) even though the chap was in there, then he initially didn't want us to come in, and then got rid of us as quick as possible.
Needless to say, won't be returning under any circumstances.

 

[Giblets]

Most pleasant - Southsea
Quietest - Southsea
Friendly staff and berth holders - Southsea
Oh, and best curry - guess (begins with S)

How very kind, sir.

And I agree with your other points as well.

 

[Sybarite]

It's the same part of the world, but I haven't been to Treguier and the rivers are similar in length.

This is up river from the marina.

We clocked it at around 4 knots trying to get into the marina. On the outside fingers it was doing the same, in the inside it was doing less, the fun comes because the tide doesn't run in line with the fingers (see here) when you go from the strong bit to the not so strong bit and find yourself powering towards the marina berth at 6 knots!

Benodet can be pretty fast at spring tides.

 

[alahol2]

Worst traffic to drive to must be Haslar?