Moving boat to Hamble from Dartmouth - marina help required

rwilson

rwilson

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 Jan 2007
Messages
212
Location
London, Alps & boat Lac leman
Visit site
Hi, after many years of keeping the boat in Dartmouth we have decide to move it closer to home (London). Long weekends going forward will now be limited, due to allocating almost all my holiday time to holidays in France, so Sat/Sun Dartmouth trips are just too long to consider with any sort of regularity. So we wanted a marina nearish to the good road links and also reasonably accessible by train, so I have narrowed it down to the Hamble enabling us to cut our journey times down dramatically.

Having almost got my head around the Solent prices, which even for a tiny 10m boat are pretty eye watering, I need some help with picking a suitable Hamble marina.

I'm not sure if being north or south of the river makes any difference and I'm not clear on the proximity off any off-site amenities; pubs/resto's/convenience stores.

I had thought of Universal as a starting point but can any forum members offer any advice, pit falls or even different locations around the solent? Needs to be a clean/smart marina, walk ashore, parking etc

thanks for reading, Richard
 
Hi Richard,

Basic rule of thumb is the closer you get to the sea the more the price goes up. You have good choice on the hamble, with MDL very well represented and Premier also on the river. There are also a number of independent marinas and boatyards as well as the ubiquitous harbour masters river moorings (if you can get one).

The marinas on the West side (MDL Hamble Point, Port Hamble and Mercury) effectively have 1 road in and out, from the main trunk roads which can be busy on a weekend but its never disastrous. Premier at Swanwick, and Universal on the East side fair better from a traffic point of view.

bear in mind that Swanwick has a lot of building work about to commence as they are putting flats in the old boat yard. I mention this in case it puts you off.

If I was set on the hamble, Id be looking at one of the MDL marinas as you get a very decent set of perks, not least freedom berthing at their other marinas, free lunch stops and fuel at cost. Of the three on the hamble Id pick Mercury. Hamble point is very busy yard and the most expensive. Port Hamble is nice but has a lot of charter crews and the fairways are very narrow and on a busy weekend it can be like getting out of the supermarket carpark on Christmas eve. Mercury by comparison is a bit more secluded, the shortest drive (though not by much) and has a nice outlook. Negatives are no fuel on site (but easy to stop at Port Hamble on the way out/back) and its sixe might mean there is less availability.

If the MDL rates stretch the pocket further up the river and beyond the bridges you have RK marine which is a nice yard, though not a plus Marina and further still you have Eastlands marina which is quite smart and due to the bridges and distance from the sea is quite a bit cheaper than the bigger marinas further down. No fuel discount or free stays though so its a toss up between cheaper berthing and how much you will use the boat (fuel)
 
Last edited:
Worth giving Haslar a call to get a price comparison.

You will get a bit of money off your first year with a recommendation as well.

Henry :)
 
Thanks whitelighter for a very comprehensive post. I hear you regarding Mdl, it does offer some flexibilty and worthwhile perks. I think I will scout out the area and see mdl at sbs along with a few other marinas who will be exhibiting. I had also considered Mercury but something about me prefers the independent marinas, but logically not sure why!

Glad to read you finally got a great boat sorted out over the summer, happy cruising and good luck with her.

Regards richard
 
There's Deacons just before the bridge at Bursledon. They're advertising spaces at the moment and from memory, I think it'd be around 6K pa for a 10m boat (check that tho' coz I may have that wrong.)
L
:)
 
Hi Richard hard,

We moved from Brixham to the Hamble March 2014, there is so much to do in the Solent or if inclined so little.

I would echo Jez's comments ref MDL. We are at Mercury after being at Hamble Point and Port Hamble, more relaxed and laid back and only an extra 10 mi s to the Solent.

Swanwick is great for trains and a bit closer to the M27, some nice pubs and restaurants but obviously a bit further to the Solent.

Can't comment on the other side of the river re premier but the marina looks nice.

Not sure what the availability is at Warsash but could be an option.

Good luck with your move.

Andy
 
Have you considered the Southampton marinas? Ocean village and Shamrock? Fall off the end of the M3 and its 10mins to either (avoiding Saturday mornings!) Because you're only a few minutes from the speed limit point it's just about the same time as from Swanwick to Cowes etc.
 
I recently heard that the flat development isn't on the cards at Swanwick.

A low air draught boat can get under the bridge at Bursldedon so try cabin boatyard as its half the price of Swanwick and other hamble marinas. Remember if you are coming before the winter do not take an annual berth until next year as all
As most marinas do cheap 6 month winter rates .
 
wonky said:
Have you considered the Southampton marinas? Ocean village and Shamrock? Fall off the end of the M3 and its 10mins to either (avoiding Saturday mornings!) Because you're only a few minutes from the speed limit point it's just about the same time as from Swanwick to Cowes etc.
Click to expand...


..or indeed Portsmouth fast links to London via A3?? Hamble must be one of the most expensive places in the (expensive) Solent to park a boat?
 
Echo your thoughts on the Southampton Marinas, Great links to motorways and trains and countless restaurants / bars / activities on your doorstep. Highly recommend Quay Fifteen Restaurant at Shamrock quay, absolutely superb food and rated No1 restaurant in Southampton on Trip Advisor.
Friends of mine keep their boat at Shamrock and pay in the region of £4800 for the year for a 10 mtr, Ocean village would be slightly more i imagine but its still a big cost saving from the Hamble and you can always visit/leave your boat at the Hamble Marinas for free for as long as you want with MDL`s Freedom berthing.
 
Ocean Village is lovely, so easy to get to and loads of good restaurants along Oxford Street. Not to mention walking distance to West Quay for shopping and the Southampton boat show.

You also don't get that high speed tidal flow that you get on the Hamble !!!! some really don't like that.
 
Any reason why it must be the Hamble? Gosport Premier is quite good and is literally 5 mins to the open water in the Solent, Great train routes from London (via Portsmouth and the ferry) Road routes pretty good as long as you miss rush hour. Much cheaper that the Hamble plus they now are fully intergrated with Port Solent, so if you want to spend some nights in Port solent marina, they do not come of your free 42 nights that you get with premier marina's Just a thought.
 
Whitelighter said:
I've been at gosport, and the run off the motorway sucks. Hamble isn't perfect but gosport adds at least 45 minutes it you are coming from the N/W direction
Click to expand...

Interesting never had that issue but of course I could just be lucky and in fairness I have not been to any Hamble marina
 
Gosport was a on the list but as Whitelighter says it does add more journey time. I would basically come straight down the A3 from Battersea, M27 then off at the Hamble. We are also a one car family so when my wife is in France during the holidays with my two little girls she has the car. Muggins is then left in the UK when working so on non France based weekends, I can hop on the train from Clapham Junction. So although the Hamble marinas are expensive its cheaper than a second car and also a nice place to be when i'm on my own. However, Ocean Village as mentioned earlier is a good option particularly with the Freedom berthing deal and perhaps more 'going on' in the immediate vicinity.

I really liked Dartmouth, it was a total change from London life but now with our new French retreat, if i need peace I can go there. The boat will play second fiddle in the holiday stakes but when I'm on my own in the UK, moving the boat to Hamble for example, will make it so much more accessible, and in turn be used more (he says optimistically.....).
 
Whitelighter said:
I've been at gosport, and the run off the motorway sucks. Hamble isn't perfect but gosport adds at least 45 minutes it you are coming from the N/W direction
Click to expand...

Yep, we had a summer in Gosport and the traffic could be very tricky. My own resolution was a motorbike, but in a car you have no choice but to sit in the queue.
 
I do have v speedy scooter but actually........

the train to Southampton from CJ is only 1hr 10 on a fast train, so perhaps its Ocean Village and use the freedom berth benefits, plus save a few £££......

decisions, decisions!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top