Mooring on the Hamble

Dockhead

Dockhead

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Today is a very happy day for me -- I have been allocated a permanent mooring on the Hamble. I never expected to get through the waiting list so fast, and so am feeling exceedingly blessed! It is one of the least desirable moorings on the river -- right up the river across from Moody's -- but I don't care!

Now I face the happy problem of how to get back and forth from my mooring. But in fact it's a real puzzle, so maybe some of you veteran Hambleites have some advice for me.

I was on a sublet mooring last season and used the water taxi. But now the fare to go up as far as Swanwick have quintupled, and besides it is a PITA being limited by the hours of the taxi service.

So far I have been able to to think of four options:

1. Rent a dinghy berth at Swanwick Marina. It costs about 650 GBP per annum and includes parking. Advantages: very close (almost swimming distance) from my mooring. Infrastruture in case I need it (showers, restaurant, place to send my mail, water, fuel). Disadvantage: seems kind of expensive for what it is. Not easy walking distance from public transport.

2. Try to agree with Foulkes (a little boatyard on the other side of the bridge from Deacon's) to let me keep a little rowboat on their grounds. Advantage: walking distance from Bursledon railway station. Disadvantage: a little far to row against the tide.

3. Join the Royal Southern (if they'll have me). Advantages: nice people there and lots of infrastructure. Incredibly cheap for overseas residents like me. Disadvantage: pay separately for parking; very far away (1.7 miles) from my mooring -- don't know if they will let me take the launch that far.

4. Bit the bullet and use the water taxi.


What do you veteran Hambleites think? I will be grateful for any advice.
 
Twister_Ken said:
You could also ask Deacons about keeping a tender on their shore pontoon. Used to be cheap(ish) eight years back.

Know nothing of them but there also some facilities upstream of the bridges. Maybe better value than downstream?
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Deacons was the first thing I thought of! Unfortunately they say that they have no space available -- all needed for their own bertholders, since most of their berths are not walk-ons. :( Deacons would have been perfect -- the Bursledon railway station is practically on the territory!!

Maybe I will go around to them and try to persuade them to let me keep a little rowboat on their grounds -- not on a pontoon.
 
Used to be a Bursledonite rather than a Hamble ite & think you have got one of the nicer moorings if it is on the trot down river from the Jolly sailor,plenty of history.
You could use the foreshore at either Lands end or over on the Swanwick side downriver from Moody's for free just get yourself a decent lock & chain.(& maybe not a too desirable looking dinghy) :cool:
 
kristifercolumnbus said:
Used to be a Bursledonite rather than a Hamble ite & think you have got one of the nicer moorings if it is on the trot down river from the Jolly sailor,plenty of history.
You could use the foreshore at either Lands end or over on the Swanwick side downriver from Moody's for free just get yourself a decent lock & chain.(& maybe not a too desirable looking dinghy) :cool:
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Yes, it's on the trot opposite Moody's, a short swim from the Jolly Sailor. I'm glad someone thinks it's a nice one -- we'll see. In any case, beggars can't be choosers, and I am just absolutely delighted to have my own spot on the river, wherever it is.

The foreshore at Land's End would be just fine, and I would buy a crappy little rowboat just for this purpose. But I heard that the harbourmaster will haul away boats left there?? Is that not true??
 
Dockhead said:
Yes, it's on the trot opposite Moody's, a short swim from the Jolly Sailor. I'm glad someone thinks it's a nice one -- we'll see. In any case, beggars can't be choosers, and I am just absolutely delighted to have my own spot on the river, wherever it is.

The foreshore at Land's End would be just fine, and I would buy a crappy little rowboat just for this purpose. But I heard that the harbourmaster will haul away boats left there?? Is that not true??
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Don't actually know never having left one there for any length of time.Every time I have visited over the last 40/50 years there have always been dinghy's there is all I can say.
Swanwick seems fine though some sod pinched one of mine about 20 years ago.
I reported it to the Harbour Master or some bod up at the round tower & he was helpful but could'nt help if you see what I mean.Maybe I should have got him put him on a rack ;)

Actually thinking about this I would think it is more a Council responsibility.
Correction again;though not at Lands end because spring tides cover that spot....may be a problem.I'd plump for Swanwick.
 
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I used to have a mooring just up from that location. Suggest the most cost effective way would be to purchase an inflatable dinghy and launch it where the carpark is, at the back of the Ship Inn, its a bit of a walk down the beach at low tide, but you can park free at the top if spaces . Launch dinghy on the R Hand side of the path,its deeper there!
They charge a similar amount at the Universal/Crableck area to keep dinghy on the beach!

Now you have a mooring apply for a move down the river,there's a waiting list for these too!

ianat182
 
Yes, loads of moorings but little access to the river! IIRC the RYSC launch does not go further up river than Mercury - you can check on their website. I don't know about the RAFYC launch, although I don't remember any limits being quoted. You could give them a ring to check. Their launches operate weekends and Friday pm during the main season. They also provide car parking, although it can get tight during events, including social events in the clubhouse. They can also offer dinghy parking on site, but it is a long way up to Bursledon from Hamble!

There is a public slip alongside the bridge at Deacons, but you'd have problems finding storage. Similarly there is a public slip immediately downstream of the Premier yard, with parking alongside, but that is often full during the season. I was quoted £1k to keep a dinghy at Universal - too rich for me although my mooring is directly opposite.

If you're intending to use public transport, you're pretty much at the mercy of the nearest yard to your point of arrival. I use an inflatable carried in the boot of my car and the outboard gives me the range to use whichever slip is available on the day.

Rob.

P.S. I reckon there could be a business opportunity to establish a taxi service for the upper river stretches! Or perhaps we should start a user group and have a secret hitch hiking signal...
 
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As a 'veteran' having tried various options such as using a Swanwick marina, carting and launching a folding dink, using a cartop dink and using Mercury, I reckon your best option is to bite the bullet and use Swanwick. That way, you also have convenient and secure car parking too.

The only other options and can think of are:

get a really tatty dink to leave on the foreshore next to the drying piles (there are a few there already) BUT car parking will be a hassle in the summer and you may get muddy each time you launch.

see if you can come to some arrangement with one of the householders who have foreshore. Although car parking is still likely to be an issue if you go this route.

try the Elephant boatyard - but car parking likely to be an issue there too.

BTW - nice place to get a mooring. I'm jealous!
 
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rob2 said:
P.S. I reckon there could be a business opportunity to establish a taxi service for the upper river stretches! Or perhaps we should start a user group and have a secret hitch hiking signal...
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Yes, I like both ideas.

Surely a taxi service is sorely needed. The existing service simply doesn't serve the upper part of the river practically. Maybe it could be suggested to Swanwick (or Deacon's). I don't know how their construction works are affecting their capacity for parking, but surely it could be mutually interesting for them to offer a park-and-ride service to upper river berthholders.

And a mutual assistance ferry society might have potential. I certainly wouldn't mind getting in my dink to give someone a ride from time to time if I'm on board -- just a good excuse to get on the water, as far as I'm concerned.
 
The public hard at Swanwick is owned by Fareham Borough Council. As previous posters have stated you can leave a dinghy there at your own risk. Would also look at RAFYC as others have suggested.

The taxi prices are OK for a couple, but for families it has got much more expensive as he now charges an excess over two people when before it was four. In 2010 my trip was £4 each way for my family, now it is £10 - so thats a £20 round trip. And there is still the problem of taxi not running Sunday eves.
 
ithet said:
The public hard at Swanwick is owned by Fareham Borough Council. As previous posters have stated you can leave a dinghy there at your own risk. Would also look at RAFYC as others have suggested.

The taxi prices are OK for a couple, but for families it has got much more expensive as he now charges an excess over two people when before it was four. In 2010 my trip was £4 each way for my family, now it is £10 - so thats a £20 round trip. And there is still the problem of taxi not running Sunday eves.
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It seems to me that the fares are higher still -- I was charged something incredible last time I went -- 15 pounds per person if I am not mistaken -- one way! Or maybe 15 pounds for two people, I can't remember exactly.
 
davidej said:
I don't know the area at all so feel free to ignore this but..

what about a rubby dubby which you keep at home and easily carry on the roof of your car?
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Would be a great plan except I live overseas and fly in to use my boat. I don't have a car in the UK and no place to keep an inflatable dink.
 
I know nothing either - but might somebody with a dinghy at Deacons let you borrow it on occasions? Depends how often you'd want it. Bottles of whisky are relatively cheap.
Happy to be ignored!
 
geoffcollins said:
Dockhead - Do you mind me asking - How long were you on the waiting list? What sort of boat do you have?

Cheers

Geoff
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I don't think that it is fair to the extremely kind harbourmasters for me to publish the details, so let me just say that my boat is over 50' and therefore a much shorter waiting list than for more popular sizes. I understand that the list exceeds 15 years for berths to accomodate 36 - 40 foot boats. There are relatively few moorings for boats of my size but apparently even fewer owners keen to have them, so the list is relatively short. I think the same thing is true for the other end of the spectrum -- small boats under 8 meters -- a year or two and Bob's your uncle.
 
A1Sailor said:
I know nothing either - but might somebody with a dinghy at Deacons let you borrow it on occasions? Depends how often you'd want it. Bottles of whisky are relatively cheap.
Happy to be ignored!
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That's actually a very good idea!! Anyone on here with a dink at Deacons? I can pay in single malt :)
 
Dockhead
With a fifty footer you are going to have a fair number of crew? So skip all the ideas of water taxis.
Re the Royal Southern idea, the launches get busy at weekends so you will have a long wait at times (and a long journey), no service after dark means no late returns to the mooring, parking at Hamble is very restricted, and you will be paying quite a lot in subscription. (It's a good club though, with lots going on and an excellent clubhouse.)
Premier marina at Swanwick is easy to access off the motorway, has loads of free and secure parking (for your crew?), and OK shower etc facilities. Probably your best bet if you cannot find a Deacons dinghy to share.
 
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