New East Cowes Marina

[PurpleKate]

Is it just me, or does Cowes Yacht Haven, which I think unofficially considers itself as the home of British yachting, have the worst showers on the South Coast? I suspect this is a spin off from the fact that the rich racing fraternity rent houses in the town and do not have to put up with the on site facilitiwes!

+1 - The showers in Cowes YH are dire - small, damp, dirty and often a queue. No excuse for not investing if you ask me with the amount they charge. They seem to have space. They should look to Berthon or Southampton Town quay for inspiration on what a top price marina should provide.

 

[prv]

Pete, do you mean that you dried out on the beach to port just inside the harbour entrance and you didn't get charged?

Yep. I was quite prepared to pay, but nobody asked, and it's not like there's an office you can pop into.

I think it was while they were in the throes of going bust, so perhaps not paying for anyone to be out there collecting money.

Pete

 

[lustyd]

Not sure what needs "sorting out" about Yarmouth - it's all fairly new and clean as far as I remember.

Also sad to hear Yarmouth described as "a marina" rather than a harbour, though I suppose it increasingly resembles one.

Not sure why you think making it "as busy as Cowes" would be "nice".

Can't really comment on Bembridge as I've only been there the once, but will observe that it was nice to dry out on our own on the beach for free rather than pay to pack in among lots of others.

Pete

The showers need sorting for a start - buying tokens is crazy, as is putting the token meter quite far away on the outside of the cubicle, as it the fact that the shower stops dead rather than running cold like others do. They won't take bookings despite being hours from anywhere else to stay - this means it's always a gamble of a good nights sleep against more sailing after dark. The rafting culture there is unnecessary and could be solved at least partially with more pontoons, and the pontoon layout could easily be changed so that they are all walk ashore.

I'm happy for it to stay as it is, but if so then the pricing should be more realistic - it cost me more than a stay at Berthon this summer where it feels like a 5 star hotel when compared to Yarmouth's campsite ambiance.

 

[lustyd]

I for one would not like to see Bembridge developed with a big marina & deep entrance

I think that's where the problem lies - you are one person who wants it to stay as it is but there are probably 1000 skippers who'd like another Cowes just around the corner. I'm currently torn between the two but I think I'll be on your side once I get better facilities on board my boat