Marina Extension in Ipswich?

[Plum]

The OGA (The Association for Gaff Rig Sailing) will be in Ipswich on August 3, 2023. Over 100 boats expected! Hope there will be space for a repeat event in the future after the re-arrangement.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[PaulRainbow]

will this plan negate the use of the dock by visting tall ships? looks like it will

I can't see why, the stretch of quay from the lock the Neptunes travel hoist is unaffected.

 

[johnalison]

Surely it's possible to keep the pontoons close to the waterfront, and create a secure environment? Places all over Europe seem to achieve this without an issue.

Enabling visitors to berth and step assure directly onto a bustling waterfront instead of having to trundle assure, walk out to the main road and then back in to the town must better for Ipswich to attract visitors?

You may be feeling your age, but to the young and sprightly such as myself the walk round from the other side is no great hardship. Places in Europe, where I have often enjoyed townside mooring, don’t have British youth to spoil everyone’s pleasure. Over there, sailing is accepted as part of everyone’s heritage and not viewed with unfounded jealousy.

 

[Greg2]

Surely it's possible to keep the pontoons close to the waterfront, and create a secure environment? Places all over Europe seem to achieve this without an issue.

Enabling visitors to berth and step assure directly onto a bustling waterfront instead of having to trundle assure, walk out to the main road and then back in to the town must better for Ipswich to attract visitors?

In an ideal world perhaps but as mentioned unfortunately our society isn’t conducive to this and the risk of damage/loutish behaviour etc would mean that fences would be required as currently exist for Neptune.

All personal preference I know but I quite like Haven being opposite the waterfront instead of on it and we always choose it over Neptune when visiting.
.

 

[PaulRainbow]

The OGA (The Association for Gaff Rig Sailing) will be in Ipswich on August 3, 2023. Over 100 boats expected! Hope there will be space for a repeat event in the future after the re-arrangement.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

Again, not sure why there wouldn't be space, as a result of the proposed changes. They are putting more berths in and the quay between the lock and the Neptune travel hoist is unchanged.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I think fences are probably required these days. I always thought that Ostend was dangerous. A couple of weeks ago I sailed to Maningtree and noticed that fences are still up at Mistley Quay. I think I am right that you can still tie up on the Quay now ?

 

[johnalison]

I have mixed feelings about gates and fences. They are almost universal in the south of England, apart from places like the town pontoons in Lymington, Dartmouth and Fowey. On the whole I tend to prefer open access and the chance for lubbers to see that cruising is not a strange activity but just ordinary people going about their leisure. It is just in places like Ramsgate where male youth can't be trusted to leave well alone. I have had many happy times chatting to locals in places such as Haarlem where passers-by are often keen to talk to visitors. On our first trip to Poland it was common for locals to want their children to come aboard so that they could take a photo of them on a 'yacht'. This was quaint but seemed more natural than the them-and-us mentality of this country.

 

[Koeketiene]

I think fences are probably required these days. I always thought that Ostend was dangerous.

Why?
Over the years, there have been exactly ZERO cases of people falling in the dock in Ostend.
Ditto Amsterdam: more often than not, no fences along the canals.

 

[greylag]

Bottom line is you cannot polish a turd.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Why?
Over the years, there have been exactly ZERO cases of people falling in the dock in Ostend.
Ditto Amsterdam: more often than not, no fences along the canals.

Apologies. I'm getting confused. I withdraw the comment.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I have mixed feelings about gates and fences. They are almost universal in the south of England, apart from places like the town pontoons in Lymington, Dartmouth and Fowey. On the whole I tend to prefer open access and the chance for lubbers to see that cruising is not a strange activity but just ordinary people going about their leisure. It is just in places like Ramsgate where male youth can't be trusted to leave well alone. I have had many happy times chatting to locals in places such as Haarlem where passers-by are often keen to talk to visitors. On our first trip to Poland it was common for locals to want their children to come aboard so that they could take a photo of them on a 'yacht'. This was quaint but seemed more natural than the them-and-us mentality of this country.

As far as I'm concerned , security is one of the things I'm paying marina fees for. It was essential in my last marina, which was situated in a "development area" with high unemployment!

 

[johnalison]

As far as I'm concerned , security is one of the things I'm paying marina fees for. It was essential in my last marina, which was situated in a "development area" with high unemployment!

I take your point, but security comes in different forms. For many years we kept our boat at Maylandsea on the stagings and ashore in the winter. A public footpath goes through the boatyard and the numerous passers-by gave me some assurance that miscreants would be discouraged. At somewhere like Brighton it is the easiest thing in the world to get into the marina without the code; you just wait for someone to come out and look duly purposeful as you thank them for holding the gate open. I think that in the end it is the public that we want on our side.

 

[dolabriform]

I take your point, but security comes in different forms. For many years we kept our boat at Maylandsea on the stagings and ashore in the winter. A public footpath goes through the boatyard and the numerous passers-by gave me some assurance that miscreants would be discouraged. At somewhere like Brighton it is the easiest thing in the world to get into the marina without the code; you just wait for someone to come out and look duly purposeful as you thank them for holding the gate open. I think that in the end it is the public that we want on our side.

I couldn't agree more.

Almost every marina I can think of is easy to get into using the method you describe, especially if the miscreant is holding a trolley with a bag in it.

When they put the fences and gates in at Woolverstone I laughed. They are easy to climb round and would only stop a casual thief. Anyone who wanted to get on the pontoons could easily.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I take your point, but security comes in different forms. For many years we kept our boat at Maylandsea on the stagings and ashore in the winter. A public footpath goes through the boatyard and the numerous passers-by gave me some assurance that miscreants would be discouraged. At somewhere like Brighton it is the easiest thing in the world to get into the marina without the code; you just wait for someone to come out and look duly purposeful as you thank them for holding the gate open. I think that in the end it is the public that we want on our side.

Entirely agree that there's security and security theatre! And of course, you're quite right about tail-gating; it happens, and there aren't good ways to avoid it. I know at least one marina that didn't change its gate code for years; nearly every yacht on the Clyde knew it! But a marina at least has the potential to be secure, providing it has a fenced area. I'm a geologist and know how permeable most fencing is, but it does deter all but the most determined. I'm pretty sure I could get in and out of Titchmarsh without passing the security gate (I can think of two places to try, but both would entail a long cross country walks), but I think most casual thieves would not think it worth their while. And I think that insurers assume that even minimal security is better than none - I get a discount for being in an approved marina.

 

[Concerto]

About 5 years ago I was visiting Ipswitch Haven for a rally. Late in the evening 3 East European gentlemen jumped the fence and tried breaking into a boat and were scared off by so many boats being occupied. Other owners advised me of this the following morning, so I did not witness it, but it definitely did happen.

 

[Aquaboy]

The gates too the pontoons at Woolvestone made me smile, the last scumbag I'm aware of breaking into boats in the area was using a boat himself.

As to Neptune, I assume the lease has expired. It started way before the Island site was developed, I remember the lightship moored over where Havens office is now. Why would ABP renew it, a competing business within their own back yard.

 

[gippeswyc]

That looks a bit excessive. Glad there's a holding tank on my boat.

Birth M makes it tight and restrictive.

 

[Tomahawk]

Given the level of population growth of Essex and Suffolk planned over the next two decades and the fact that every boatyard is full to the fences (which can be demonstrated by google satellite) there is clearly a lot of need for a lot more boating facilities. The problem is as always the eco lobby who want everything their way.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Given the level of population growth of Essex and Suffolk planned over the next two decades and the fact that every boatyard is full to the fences (which can be demonstrated by google satellite) there is clearly a lot of need for a lot more boating facilities. The problem is as always the eco lobby who want everything their way.

The problem in this case is the lies and misinformation spread by a few people and the piss poor local press.

I have read reports by local press that 400 boats are being removed as a result of Neptune being taken over by ABP and it will spell the death of the waterfront. This is absolute nonsense !! Neptune has about 100 berths, which will be moved across to the redeveloped Haven Marina. The Haven has 320 berths, according to ABP, so to remove 400 boats it would empty both marinas, apart from 20 boats in the Haven! The distance between the redevelopment and the waterfront can't be more than 20 meters, to suggest this will lead to the death of the waterfront is ridiculous. Do the owners of the handful of boats on the waterfront seriously believe that the people visiting the waterfront only do so to look at their boats ?

 

[alandalus11]

Given the level of population growth of Essex and Suffolk planned over the next two decades and the fact that every boatyard is full to the fences (which can be demonstrated by google satellite) there is clearly a lot of need for a lot more boating facilities. The problem is as always the eco lobby who want everything their way.

Sorry Tomahawk I would have to disagree with that. Ipswich this year has been the emptiest we have seen it in over a decade. Titchmarsh used to look full but even that marina has had loads of spaces along with Burnham. I think a lot of owners this year and last have decided to just sell up either to get out of boating or due to the cost of living crisis in general.