MDL -Saxon Wharf OR Premier -Swanwick

Ian h

Ian h

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As per title.
Looking at mooring options for Hunton 36
Having been at Saxon Wharf for 10 years with MDL,

with the change in manager things are changing . a few unhappy berth holders I hear.

Looking at other options Premier Dry Stack at Swanwick Marina.
Similar travel times from home - similar cost,

Looked at Gosport but its another 10 miles and 20 minutes

Not keen on Trafalgar Wharf - too long a trip to Harbour entrance,

Anyone have good or bad views of MDL Vs Premier ?

Only other issue is boat is currently up for sale ,
 
Hi Ian

I've been with Premier (but not MDL) and am happy to recommend Premier. We've been berth holders at Eastbourne, Chichester and Swanwick and have used all of the others except Noss on Dart. If I recommend you in we'll both get a referral bounty :)

It's comparable with MDL price-wise but Premier is a smaller organisation. I feel valued as a customer. The Marinas seem pretty well run and maintained although Southsea is in need of a makeover.

Swanwick - major pontoon replacement / refurb just finished.

If your boat's for sale you can go on the Premier 'annual pay monthly' contract, slightly more than annual pay annually, but only a modest penalty for early ending of one extra month.

Other Premier benefit is that the annual berthing contracts (of all types) start on the 1st of any month.
 
Ian h said:
As per title.
Looking at mooring options for Hunton 36
Having been at Saxon Wharf for 10 years with MDL,

with the change in manager things are changing . a few unhappy berth holders I hear.

Looking at other options Premier Dry Stack at Swanwick Marina.
Similar travel times from home - similar cost,

Looked at Gosport but its another 10 miles and 20 minutes

Not keen on Trafalgar Wharf - too long a trip to Harbour entrance,

Anyone have good or bad views of MDL Vs Premier ?

Only other issue is boat is currently up for sale ,
Click to expand...
i'd say swanwick is a much nicer location than saxon, I'm next door in shamrock.
Last time i looked there was a significant premium to move to swanwick. If the price is similar its a simple decision. Saxon is a working boatyard in an industrial area, not a destination.
More reciprocal marinas to choose from with MDL though.
Both MDL and Premier service very much down to marina manager. Shamrock is great. Can't comment on saxon but i do know of someone else who is leaving.
 
Scala said:
Yes my MDL pricing comparison was based on Hamble Pt / Port Hamble, vs Swanwick.
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That’s would be a much harder choice for me. MDL and premier are both good when the manager is good. Though I do abhor the premier phone system and electricity system.
I’m happy where I am as it great as a home berth and the saving compared with Hamble marinas buys a LOT of diesel so I don’t need my home berth to be a destination.
 
Scala said:
What's wrong (or different) about the Premier phones and leccy?
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If you ring them to get a berth you have to go through press this to get that nonsense and it’s hard to hear on a boat if it’s windy.
Hamble MDL tried it and took it away after complaints from customers.
The electric needs you to put in a number every time you disconnect and I hate it.
 
Elessar said:
i'd say swanwick is a much nicer location than saxon, I'm next door in shamrock.
Last time i looked there was a significant premium to move to swanwick. If the price is similar its a simple decision. Saxon is a working boatyard in an industrial area, not a destination.
More reciprocal marinas to choose from with MDL though.
Both MDL and Premier service very much down to marina manager. Shamrock is great. Can't comment on saxon but i do know of someone else who is leaving.
Click to expand...
I heard that a few not happy and leaving. Also heard that some are moving to Shamrock as it’s cheaper
 
Elessar said:
If you ring them to get a berth you have to go through press this to get that nonsense and it’s hard to hear on a boat if it’s windy.
Hamble MDL tried it and took it away after complaints from customers.
The electric needs you to put in a number every time you disconnect and I hate it.
Click to expand...
Oh, OK I see. The leccy is not like that at Swanwick (yet), you have to radio the office which is a PITA, I thought the Pin number system was OK though, we had that at Chichester.
 
I f heard about the new to Saxon manager , negative reports from other sources , perhaps a complaint to MDL HQ will bring something positive rather than you leave , bad publicity is the last thing MDL want .
I doubt you would get anything better from a Premier from what I’ve heard .
 
The frustrating thing with Saxon Wharf is no Fuel on the Itchen. It’s either through Hythe lock or halfway up the Hamble.
I like the idea of the fuel berth at Swanwick .
 
volvopaul said:
I f heard about the new to Saxon manager , negative reports from other sources , perhaps a complaint to MDL HQ will bring something positive rather than you leave , bad publicity is the last thing MDL want .
I doubt you would get anything better from a Premier from what I’ve heard .
Click to expand...
I know that the old Shamrock /Saxon manager used to have a look on these forums every now and again. He has now left and gone to Premier at Gosport . Seem to recall that Z1ppys other half worked for MDL
 
she did at one point but long ago, i tend to keep my views quiet these days. I actually have no idea who the Saxon manager is. as with all business they have turnover, some good leave, some good come in.

Mdl have a wider range of benefits and reciprocal offers but there are always downsides.

maybe try a season elsewhere and taste the grass, it might be greener? One season is easy enough to experience, you can always change back?

hope the sale moves on?
 
z1ppy said:
she did at one point but long ago, i tend to keep my views quiet these days. I actually have no idea who the Saxon manager is. as with all business they have turnover, some good leave, some good come in.

Mdl have a wider range of benefits and reciprocal offers but there are always downsides.

maybe try a season elsewhere and taste the grass, it might be greener? One season is easy enough to experience, you can always change back?

hope the sale moves on?
Click to expand...
To be honest the only benefit I use is the fuel at cost and the MDL lounge at the boat show.

Hoping that boat sells before end of March then its not a problem, But if not sell then need to have a look around
 
I was at Saxon for three years and towards the end a few things annoyed me like parking and H&S requirements when in the yard.
My boat was damaged there about 3 times but they tried there best to sort it.
I would say though that it is a very dirty yard and the boat was always covered in shit!
there is also a scrap metal yard near by and after a while my grp started to get rust spots where fine ferris filings fell on the boat then oxidised! I would definitely try hamble for dry stack and see how you go.
 
Scala said:
Hi Ian

If I recommend you in we'll both get a referral bounty :)
Click to expand...

Now I like that :) Swanwick is looking like the place to go to
Soco2 said:
I was at Saxon for three years and towards the end a few things annoyed me like parking and H&S requirements when in the yard.
My boat was damaged there about 3 times but they tried there best to sort it.
I would say though that it is a very dirty yard and the boat was always covered in shit!
there is also a scrap metal yard near by and after a while my grp started to get rust spots where fine ferris filings fell on the boat then oxidised! I would definitely try hamble for dry stack and see how you go.
Click to expand...
The old manager was very proactive with MDL and the scrap yard. I hear that they had to do some work or they were in breach of their operating license.
The scrap yard is the reason I have an all over cover fitted all the time its in the dry stack.


z1ppy said:
Mdl have a wider range of benefits and reciprocal offers but there are always downsides.

maybe try a season elsewhere and taste the grass, it might be greener? One season is easy enough to experience, you can always change back?

hope the sale moves on?
Click to expand...

To be honest only use the fuel at cost and the lounger at boat show.

Need to give Martin a nudge to get on with sale.
 
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