Marina recommendations Solent/South Coast

[Brookjames]

Hi everyone,

I currently have a 23ft/7m Maxum speedboat moored at Brighton marina. I only got the boat this summer but I’m finding the cruising around Brighton quite boring and the wind is a problem.

I am looking for recommendations for marinas along the south coast and Solent. Something not too expensive, with good sheltered cruising for watersports and beaches, and good facilities such as pubs and restaurants nearby. I’m based in Epsom, Surrey so looking for somewhere I can get to in 1-1.5 hrs. I like the idea of been able to go over to Isle of Wight for the day/weekend.

I’ve also been looking it to dry stack options.

I’d be keen to hear any tips or recommendations for marinas around here.

Thanks in advance!
James.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Have a look at the upper Hamble - Eastlands and Foulkes. Ideal for this I think.

 

[jamie langstone]

There is a dry stack in old Portsmouth called
Ken brown dry stack or you have Langston marina . Easy journey strait down the A3

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Hi @Brookjames just realised it was you that were asking a few months ago about Brighton to Solent planning and hazards for that trip... hope you're enjoying your boat.

 

[lisilou]

SWANWICK you can do in 1.15 from Epsom on a good traffic day. Add an extra 1-2 hrs if you have to do it on a Friday afternoon in summer. Drystack for that length will be around 3.5k pa. Half hour down river to the Solent. We’re drystacked there & can’t fault it.
L

 

[Sticky Fingers]

SWANWICK you can do in 1.15 from Epsom on a good traffic day. Add an extra 1-2 hrs if you have to do it on a Friday afternoon in summer. Drystack for that length will be around 3.5k pa. Half hour down river to the Solent. We’re drystacked there & can’t fault it.
L

I'm in Swanwick. Expensive but I like it.

But - OP wants "Something not too expensive..." hence my suggestions of Eastlands etc. Same location pretty much but half the cost....

 

[ashtead]

With a shallow draft surely a berth somewhere in Chi harbour eg Thorney maybe-then you can go to east head for the beach etc. . We start from not a million miles from Epsom and have been at Haslar gosport for some time but started out at Wicormarine . Maybe top end of Fareham creek will be far cheaper up near Trafalgar or hard way area ? Guess it depends on whether you can accept tidal restraints of cheaper locations.

 

[ST840]

Take a look at either Southampton dry stack , Saxon wharf and shamrock quay.
all are up the Itchen river off Southampton water and are a cheaper option than the Hamble river.
shamrock quay also have restricted access berths that offer a 20% discount.

 

[Offshore57]

Southsea Marina (Langstone Harbour entrance)...we are there and facilities are good with good Solent access. Nice mixture of boat types. Nobody up their own backside......and good staff.

 

[EugeneR]

Another vote for Eastlands Boat Yard. Cheaper than Swanwick because it is north of the bridge which means that "bigger" boats cannot go there at high tide. But that should not apply to you. It is beautiful open river from there... you can paddleboard, swim or whatever right from your boat. Two pubs within dinghy distance. Also, coming from the Solent you have 20-30 minutes for engines to cool down, as opposed to stopping them when hot. And his pressure washer is the best in the business which makes antifouling so much easier.

 

[Offshore57]

another Up for Eastlands, we were there in Voodoo Doll for 5 years before getting our bigger boat and moving to Southsea.

 

[ST840]

another Up for Eastlands, we were there in Voodoo Doll for 5 years before getting our bigger boat and moving to Southsea.

Does the motorway not get annoying or does it just become background noise in the end ?

 

[Offshore57]

you just tune it out after a while.....also depends on which part of the pontoon berths you are on probably. We were at the nearest point to the motorway for some time and it didn't bother us.......more of a problem on hot weekends can be swimmers from the bank to the pontoon and boats, but not often and they don't interfere with boats. (to my knowledge)

 

[Blue Sunray]

I'd look at Chichester as other have said, it's an easy journey down the A3 from Epsom to Northney Marina for instance, no dry stack though. A few options without leaving the Harbour for a short trip and not that far to the Solent for something longer.

 

[chillee]

Southamptin dry stack is probabky one of the cheapest dry stacks around. Might be a bit too far for you. Or Quayside marina opposite , owned by SDS was very competative too.

 

[chillee]

Or kemps key next door

 

[paradave]

Hi

I’m not far from you in Surrey and we’re at port Solent. I used to berth around Brighton and Port Solent is cheaper and way more interesting and Isle of Wight is quickly accessible. Would definitely recommend.

 

[paradave]

I'd look at Chichester as other have said, it's an easy journey down the A3 from Epsom to Northney Marina for instance, no dry stack though. A few options without leaving the Harbour for a short trip and not that far to the Solent for something longer.

On a hot summer’s day I used to find the traffic around the harbour prohibitively busy. Is that still the case?

 

[Never Grumble]

On a hot summer’s day I used to find the traffic around the harbour prohibitively busy. Is that still the case?

and the Bar that prevents you getting in and out of the harbour at times. Racing still happens at weekends less boats at the moment due to C-19 and at times East Head anchorage looks like the Spanish Armada have arrived ready to invade, so its busy like much of the Solent area

 

[ST840]

Or kemps key next door

I don’t think I’d want to keep a boat at Kemps. Two reasons for that, firstly the river rats that inhabit all the derelict boats and second the fact that it’s a tidal marina.
certainly is a cheaper option but think I’d go for shamrocks or either dry stack in that location.