Moving to the Thanes but which marina?

Markhammond

Markhammond

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I'm moving my boat from Brighton to the Thames in the next couple of months and now have the predicament of choosing which marina to berth at. I'm planning to go with MDL but am unsure whether to go for Penton Hook, Windsor and Bray.

Is anyone currently, or previously, berthed at any of these?

Part of the consideration is that I have a young family so I am looking for good views on the river for a cruise and nice facilities at the marina.

I'd really appreciate any views.

[posted on the Thames forum as well]
 
Where will you be travelling from? When I was on the Thames I based myself at Penton because coming from the east of London it was the easiest to get to being just off the M25. Have to say, I quite liked Penton as a base.
 
Windsor Racecourse has a little Mafia of complete a*seholes.

They have a club commodore who swans around wearing his'n'her matching embroidered polo shirts and thinks he ownes the joint.

I'd avoid, they turn very nasty if they think your face doesn't fit
 
Whitelighter said:
Windsor Racecourse has a little Mafia of complete a*seholes.

They have a club commodore who swans around wearing his'n'her matching embroidered polo shirts and thinks he ownes the joint.

I'd avoid, they turn very nasty if they think your face doesn't fit
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Windsor Racecourse is a Tingdene Marina. The MDL Windsor Marina is slightly further upstream.

Freedom berthing will allow use of Penton, Bray and Windsor.

Penton is very large and is opposite Thorpe Park (theme park). This may or may not be an advantage with the kids. Penton is just off the M25, and can take much larger vessels than the other two marinas.

Bray & Windsor are accessible from the M4. The bridge between Windsor & Eton limits some very large flybridge vessels (but most seem to manage). Windsor & Bray are smaller marinas than Penton and in a more countrified area. They are both convenient for Windsor in one direction and Cliveden Reach in the other.

Best advice is to have a look at each marina to see which best fits your needs.
 
Whitelighter said:
Sorry, I meant Windsor.

Its definitely the MDL marina.

Marina is nice enough, little clique of berth holders are the pits






Avoid
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Wow! When was this? the Commodore of the club there has changed in the last year or so....

I am moored at Bray but have never had any issues in the Marina or Clubhouse at Windsor.
 
Ramage said:
Wow! When was this? the Commodore of the club there has changed in the last year or so....

I am moored at Bray but have never had any issues in the Marina or Clubhouse at Windsor.
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Aha, but you are part of the clique now Ramage, and now that we've enticed B1 as well, we shall rule the river!!

Mwahahahaaaa!!!!!
 
Thanks for all the replies, to answer some of the questions:

I've got a Sealine S29 and am travelling round from Brighton. I'm getting a MDL Freedom berth to give me some freedom as I liked the idea of travelling between marinas over the course of a weekend and then travelling back the next time. As it's quite a journey from Brighton, I plan to break it down so will either do a short trip to Eastbourne (I currently at a Premier marina so get free visitors berths at Eastbourne) and then on to Chatham. Making the most of the Freedom berth mean I can keep it there before I attempt the next leg up the Thames to Penton Hook (though that may be ambitious given the speed restriction and locks - what do you think?). And then on to the final destination.
 
Sealine S29. What its like around the area? Is it a nice place for a 1-3 hour cruise?

rubberduck said:
Penton Hook for me, if your going to be based there then as well as cruising on the river there are loads of family days out a short drive, or even walk, from the marina. What boat you got ?
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Cheers for the reply. I had hoped to get up to them all over the Xmas break, but a new arrival on the family front scuppered those plans. Penton Hook is the closest (I'm over in Chislehurst in Kent but Windsor is an option). I was going for a Freedom berth as I liked the idea of cruising between marinas, and will need to lay over at Chatham in any case.

Ramage said:
Windsor Racecourse is a Tingdene Marina. The MDL Windsor Marina is slightly further upstream.

Freedom berthing will allow use of Penton, Bray and Windsor.

Penton is very large and is opposite Thorpe Park (theme park). This may or may not be an advantage with the kids. Penton is just off the M25, and can take much larger vessels than the other two marinas.

Bray & Windsor are accessible from the M4. The bridge between Windsor & Eton limits some very large flybridge vessels (but most seem to manage). Windsor & Bray are smaller marinas than Penton and in a more countrified area. They are both convenient for Windsor in one direction and Cliveden Reach in the other.

Best advice is to have a look at each marina to see which best fits your needs.
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Have berthed at both Penton Hook and Bray. Penton is a large Marina and can take a little time to get out on to the Thames depending on the berth. Great staff and made good friends there. Felt that Heathrow and overflying aircraft may have added to the need for a regular boat clean. Good for down river to Hampton Court but up stream Windsor was always quite tight for a day trip. Moved to Bray, again great staff and friendly. Quicker out on to the River. Yes, Henley and back can be achieved in a day. Cliveden Reach is easy as is Windsor. Boat also seems to stay cleaner! MDL does have the advantage of freedom berthing and moving around. Have just debated whether we would move back to Penton where we spent four years before moving to Bray and the decision was to stay at Bray. However, if you can drive across and have a look. Junction 13 M25 right one marina, left for the other!

Best wishes
 
Personally I would stop at Teddington lock on the way up to Penton/ Windsor / Bray. Fun pub over the bridge with ok food. Perfectly doable though.
We considered basing there for a while but have now decided to explore where you're coming from, as the Isle of Wiggit as we call it, beckons. Yes it is nice & quiet, but we missed doing 38 knts lol
 
Whitelighter said:
Sorry, I meant Windsor.

Its definitely the MDL marina.

Marina is nice enough, little clique of berth holders are the pits

Avoid
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Have to say for the year we spent there we never saw any of this. Then again we didn't get involved with the club and just enjoyed using our boat, a good morning to other berth holders and that was about it.
 
We didn't get involved in the club either - we didn't have to.

The most obnoxious bloke owns a big(ish) 38-40ft flybridge (I think it's a birchwood but could be wrong) moored on one of the hammerheads close to the end of the cul-de-sac. If you aren't in the club they treat you with derision and he (and his miserable wife) aren't above making up defamatory stories and reporting untruths to marina staff.

Fortunately I was in a position to prove what he was claiming was a complete fabrication but I've heard from others it wasn't the first time his little clique had decided they didn't like something and had tried to force a change
 
We were at the MDL Windsor Marina for three years before moving to the Solent. Windsor is nice and central - trips to be had in both directions. I cannot comment on the residents now, but when we were there, everybody was very friendly, and whilst we found the Club a bit "cliquey" we were happy to be members. The Thames is lovely, but I got totally "peed" off with the 4 knot restriction, the constant arguments and shouting matches with rowers who obviously own the river, and the bl**dy weekend queues at Boulters Lock. Mid-week was great though. Windsor would be my recommendation.
 
Whitelighter said:
We didn't get involved in the club either - we didn't have to.

The most obnoxious bloke owns a big(ish) 38-40ft flybridge (I think it's a birchwood but could be wrong) moored on one of the hammerheads close to the end of the cul-de-sac. If you aren't in the club they treat you with derision and he (and his miserable wife) aren't above making up defamatory stories and reporting untruths to marina staff.

Fortunately I was in a position to prove what he was claiming was a complete fabrication but I've heard from others it wasn't the first time his little clique had decided they didn't like something and had tried to force a change
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Perhaps its you, try changing your aftershave and deodorant ;)
 
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