Mud in Watchet

[ribdriver]

Apparently there are notices in some marinas and rumours that Watchet is closed to visiting boats due to Mud. This seems very unfair, and untrue.

Watchet is suffering massively at the moment from mud - to the extent that the majority of the berths are either extremely shallow or drying at low water, as are the fairways, but the marina is most definately open to boats!

You can see the marina is trying to sort the problem out - they have been having massive technical issues with the 'new to them' dredging machine which they have aquired (and it's an impressive bit of kit) - caused by external factors but the mere fact that they must have invested frightening amounts of money into this project clearly shows that they are taking the long term view seriously.

Anyway as a long term berth holder at Watchet I , along with many of my fellow boat owners, would hate to see one of the few marinas that we have in the BC struggle or even fail because of this. Personaly I can't see the problem - I keep my seacocks shut when not using the boat, use the marina washing facilities, and of course only actually go to sea when the marina gate is open anyway. The only annoying restriction for me is that the access times either side of HW are a bit limited until my boat is actually afloat. But as I have said, they are clearly taking this whole silly saga (which dates back for many years and blatantly wasn't the current marina operators fault) extremely seriously.

Some come on peeps - let's not limit our choices even more by not using Watchet!

 

[Morpheous]

We went down a few weeks ago and can confirm that it is open and it is muddy. We even touched bottom on the fuel berth. Having said that it didn'y cause us a problem and we are a reasonble size motor boat with out drives. The mud is extremely soft and we just sunk in without any problems. You jus thave to remember not to flush the sea toilet - which of course no-one would do in a marina anyway.

We like coming to watchet because its the best pub crawl in the BC (well that I have discovered so far!)

 

[paul.norton]

As a founding member of the Watchet Boat Owners Association I did what I could to stop the marina being built - at the time I questioned, and still do, the long term viability of the project.

At the time, I was in favour of a much simpler system of moorings which would have avoided the huge infrastructure costs. When it became inevitable that the marina would be built, I advised lowering the level of impounded water by 1/2 metre as the original proposed level meant the tide gate could not be opened on about 20 neap tides per year.

It is of great regret that the Washford River can no longer be diverted through the harbour. Close examination of levels will reveal that the river could have flowed into the marina at its present water level. That would have given the mud-clearing operation a much needed boost - just as that river had done for the previous 100 years.

Paul. WBOA first Hon. Sec.

P.S. My local was the Bell Inn

 

[sarabande]

and the consultants were Dean and Dyball I think ? The whole refurb and construction was the subject of much gossip in the corridors of County Hall where I was working at the time.

D and D are now owned by Balfour, whose recent maintenance of the M% surface was subject to an enquiry, which revealed that every 100m or so there was a ramp in the new surface. Their reason ? The supply lorries were not turning up regularly and this impacted the laying machines which had to stop and then start again. The specification called for the levels to be checked at 3m intervals, which by coincidence, were taken at least a metre beyond the mini ramps, so that the rise was not recorded.

 

[wotayottie]

D and D are now owned by Balfour, whose recent maintenance of the M% surface was subject to an enquiry, which revealed that every 100m or so there was a ramp in the new surface. Their reason ? The supply lorries were not turning up regularly and this impacted the laying machines which had to stop and then start again. The specification called for the levels to be checked at 3m intervals, which by coincidence, were taken at least a metre beyond the mini ramps, so that the rise was not recorded.

Why an enquiry? Why did they get paid if the surface wasnt right? Why didnt the authority check before paying?

 

[Sneds]

Because the authority has a guaranteed income and so any more money needed will be readily available.
AKA bank of you and me!

 

[graham]

mud at Watchet

I enjoy visiting Watchet and have done since before the Marina was built.

The mud is soft enough for any boat to sit in.If you ask the staff they will advise you where to moor to get away early as possible if you need to.

I really hope they get it sorted and only wish I could get there more often.

 

[Sneds]

We also like Watchet, it's like a proper little sea side town!
The mud does put me off though as I don't fancy my out drives getting full of the stuff and mal functioning. I know it should be ok but am a little snervous of the small risk, if there's a risk that is.
Looking forward to Cardiff and hopefully Swansea at the Jubilee weekend, is anything happening in the bay that weekend?

 

[trapezeartist]

We like coming to watchet because its the best pub crawl in the BC (well that I have discovered so far!)

I bow to your superior knowledge. I also like Watchet for all sorts of reasons, including the pubs. Each time we have been there we have sunk the keel into the mud, but not so far it caused a problem. Reports like this do make me a little wary, but I will just check with the marina office beforehand next time we plan to visit.

 

[PCUK]

Having spent 15 years in the Medway mud at Gillingham Marina the mud at Watchet has never been a problem to me or the boat! Watchet is probably one of the last privately run marinas not part of a mega, faceless corporation, with genuinely friendly staff and management so just for that reason I believe it is worth supporting and they will sort the mud eventually.

 

[Morpheous]

Funnily enough thats more or less was I was just sat reading this post Gillingham that is.

 

[wotayottie]

I enjoy visiting Watchet and have done since before the Marina was built.

The mud is soft enough for any boat to sit in.

Not correct Graham. I went in there a couple of years ago when they were about to start dredging and had cleared the berths near the crane. As a result there was no space for a visitor so they put me overnight on one of the vacated berths on the pontoon nearest the crane wall. When I woke up I found that my boat was impaled on a tump of mud with the root of the keel showing above the mud level and all the hull above the pontoon. I draw 1.8 metres.

I got away with it but want happy.

 

[kds]

Using Watchet

Several of our boats have been to Watchet this season - keel depths up to 5'6" - and plan to go again. Mind you - we are used to sitting in mud here in Burnham on Sea !
Very welcoming staff - clean facilities and the steam train passing regularly make for a great weekend.
Ken
"Old Rhodie"

 

[zlod]

I think people have a choice: a mud berth or a floating berth. If you're happy with a mud berth then Thornbury Sailing Club or Burnham on Sea are fine. If you want to float, then you can go to Cardiff, Portishead or Swansea. If you're happy anchoring, then somewhere like Blue Anchor or Porlock are fine. What market are Watchet trying to appeal to?

I think Watchet marina need to work out what their market is (for visitors at least). I think there is a market for facilities like those in Cardiff Bay and Portishead. If Watchet want to be part of that market then I think they need to ensure that boats have similar facilities to Cardiff and Portishead (like water to float in).

What Watchet need to do to achieve the level of facilities at Cardiff / Portishead is not my concern: they can dredge, they can have a river flowing through the marina, they can replace the flap gate with a lock. I think they just need to come up with a solution that differentiates them from Burnham and Blue Anchor.

I'd love it if Watchet got their act together. I just think that the ball is in their court.

 

[Chrusty 1]

I think people have a choice: a mud berth or a floating berth. If you're happy with a mud berth then Thornbury Sailing Club or Burnham on Sea are fine. If you want to float, then you can go to Cardiff, Portishead or Swansea. If you're happy anchoring, then somewhere like Blue Anchor or Porlock are fine. What market are Watchet trying to appeal to?

I think Watchet marina need to work out what their market is (for visitors at least). I think there is a market for facilities like those in Cardiff Bay and Portishead. If Watchet want to be part of that market then I think they need to ensure that boats have similar facilities to Cardiff and Portishead (like water to float in).

What Watchet need to do to achieve the level of facilities at Cardiff / Portishead is not my concern: they can dredge, they can have a river flowing through the marina, they can replace the flap gate with a lock. I think they just need to come up with a solution that differentiates them from Burnham and Blue Anchor.

I'd love it if Watchet got their act together. I just think that the ball is in their court.

Seems to me that Watchet are fully aware of who they are catering for, and maybe even who they want to cater for, people seem to visit there time and again, so I guess they must be happy with it. I doubt Watchet are missing your custom very much.

 

[ribdriver]

You also need to consider that this is not a permenant problem. Watchet has a mud issue but it's not year round. Granted it's taking them much longer this year to deal with, but it's not as though they have given up and resigned themselves to the notion of having a permenantly drying marina. If they had, then yes, it might be wise to reconsider the target market, but I think the sole fact that they are investing massive amounts of money and time into a long term solution is evidence enough to me that they have no desire to go down that route.

This cropped up in a meeting recently where some of the local district and town councillors had a real go at the marina operators until it was pointed out by a local boat owner that rather than keep moaning, it might make more sense to actually try and help. Again it's not a case of them standing by and doing nothing. And moaning achieves nothing.

 

[Madhatter]

You also need to consider that this is not a permenant problem. Watchet has a mud issue but it's not year round. Granted it's taking them much longer this year to deal with, but it's not as though they have given up and resigned themselves to the notion of having a permenantly drying marina. If they had, then yes, it might be wise to reconsider the target market, but I think the sole fact that they are investing massive amounts of money and time into a long term solution is evidence enough to me that they have no desire to go down that route.

This cropped up in a meeting recently where some of the local district and town councillors had a real go at the marina operators until it was pointed out by a local boat owner that rather than keep moaning, it might make more sense to actually try and help. Again it's not a case of them standing by and doing nothing. And moaning achieves nothing.

go for it Pete

 

[trapezeartist]

As a founding member of the Watchet Boat Owners Association I did what I could to stop the marina being built - at the time I questioned, and still do, the long term viability of the project.

At the time, I was in favour of a much simpler system of moorings which would have avoided the huge infrastructure costs. When it became inevitable that the marina would be built, I advised lowering the level of impounded water by 1/2 metre as the original proposed level meant the tide gate could not be opened on about 20 neap tides per year.

It is of great regret that the Washford River can no longer be diverted through the harbour. Close examination of levels will reveal that the river could have flowed into the marina at its present water level. That would have given the mud-clearing operation a much needed boost - just as that river had done for the previous 100 years.

Paul. WBOA first Hon. Sec.

P.S. My local was the Bell Inn

I think mud has been a problem for a very long time, far longer than the marina has been there. I found this in Somerset Harbours, a book written in about 1953:
I mentioned the mud problem to Cap'n Redd [the harbourmaster] because as I passed along the Promenade I had been surprised to see a steam shovel working right in the middle of the harbour bed. It was methodically picking away at a mud bank, and dropping the mud into small motor tippers. They were in turn slowly threading their way along "desert track" of wire mesh out between the piers to a dumping ground where the tide would carry away the spoil. It is a big undertaking, but has already greatly improved the accommodation for big steamers.
"Yes, the mud has been a problem since the end of the east pier was turned inwards," said Cap'n Redd. "That was done to prevent the seas sweeping into the harbour and throwing craft about at their moorings. The same action used to scour the mud away. "

It's not entirely clear in the book but I would guess the alteration to the east pier was done some time between 1905 and the First World War.

 

[wotayottie]

I was told that Bristol Uni had done a study of the mud in Watchet and found that each tide dumped 50 tonnes in the harbour.

I sometimes wonder how long it will be before the mud carried down into Cardiff Bay turns it into a field.

 

[graham]

I was told that Bristol Uni had done a study of the mud in Watchet and found that each tide dumped 50 tonnes in the harbour.

I sometimes wonder how long it will be before the mud carried down into Cardiff Bay turns it into a field.

Thats what I thought initially but it doesnt work like that.or so I am told.

The mud is silt from the Estuary settling in the harbours, very little mud comes down the rivers.I havent noticed any appreciable changes to depths since the bay was impounded. I imagine the silty water brought in through the locks would mostly get sucked back out through the sluices.