North Wales moorings - facilities

[Simon__]

I posted a couple of months ago of my intentions to buy a boat and I’ve been very lucky in finding a well looked after Vega right on my doorstep. I’m now looking for a summer berth in North Wales for the summer and thanks to the great help from my original thread I have the following preferred options:

1) Mooring at Port Dinorwic via the marina
2) Mooring at PD via Caernarfon
3) Mooring at Menai Bridge
4) Mooring at Conwy
5) Berth at Conwy Quays..

I understand there will be other options, and please do share them if you think I am missing a trick. But my question is, if I choose to lay my own mooring or rent one from Caernarfon for £30, are there any facilities available (I.e shower)? Further to this, what are the additional costs; the marina is my least preferred option but I understand this would be one (large) payment and everything would be in (no need to join a club to use their facilities, pay a yard to use their slip / store my tender, no need to pay for a parking licence or weekly parking fees).

For those who moor in the strait on swinging moorings, how do you keep clean, store your tender & park your car?

 

[savageseadog]

I wouldn't moor my boat in the Southern section of the Strait, it can get mighty rough there. Menai Bridge is by far the better option. Conwy is nearer to civilisation but the tides are strong and the Conwy river is restricted access. Conwy Quays are probably on a waiting list. Best get on with it though, the boats not destroyed at Holyhead will be looking for somewhere to go.

 

[vyv_cox]

I suggest you join North West Venturers YC. I am not sure about the current situation with moorings in the bay but the moorings contractors at Gallows Point would advise. All facilities are provided including palatial showers, dinghy and motor storage etc., plus an interesting sailing programme throughout the season. http://nwvyc.org.uk/

 

[fifer]

I posted a couple of months ago of my intentions to buy a boat and I’ve been very lucky in finding a well looked after Vega right on my doorstep. I’m now looking for a summer berth in North Wales for the summer and thanks to the great help from my original thread I have the following preferred options:

1) Mooring at Port Dinorwic via the marina
2) Mooring at PD via Caernarfon
3) Mooring at Menai Bridge
4) Mooring at Conwy
5) Berth at Conwy Quays..

I understand there will be other options, and please do share them if you think I am missing a trick. But my question is, if I choose to lay my own mooring or rent one from Caernarfon for £30, are there any facilities available (I.e shower)? Further to this, what are the additional costs; the marina is my least preferred option but I understand this would be one (large) payment and everything would be in (no need to join a club to use their facilities, pay a yard to use their slip / store my tender, no need to pay for a parking licence or weekly parking fees).

For those who moor in the strait on swinging moorings, how do you keep clean, store your tender & park your car?

Well done on getting a Vega. Thats three on the Northern Irish Sea that I know about now including mine. A meet up on the Isle of man might be in order!

Keep us posted on how and where you get berthed.

 

[duncan99210]

If you go for a mooring at Port Dinorwic through the marina, I'd have thought you'd get access to their facilities, plus you may be able to park there as well. Any other moorings not too sure about facilities unless you join a club. PD is pretty sheltered as the strait bends round to stop the fetch being too long.
We looked at Conway but didn't follow it up because of limited access and a waiting list for moorings. No idea if that's changed. The marinas didn't offer a benefit to us over PD so we went there until we got a mooring off Indefatigable just south of the Britannia Bridge (mooring was for service personnel and overseen by the Joint Services Mountain Training Centre). We never had a problem with the weather there either but the boat was always ashore during the winter months.
Lovely sailing round there. Whichever option you go for, enjoy.

 

[Simon__]

Thanks all, it’s looking like it’ll be a mooring through Port Dinorwic marina - spoke to James on Friday and although it’s more expensive than the council moorings the use of facilities has swung it for me. NWVYC were another option but as I have a fin keel I think the closest comfortable mooring would be at Menai Bridge which would mean a 3mile dinghy ride to the clubhouse.

Fifer - Thanks there must be a few around as there’s at least two YouTubers (Andrea Fabi & SV La Viajera) who are North West based. First big trip will be to re-locate from Liverpool to Y Felinheli but I’m hoping to visit the IOM for the second May bank holiday.

 

[vyv_cox]

NWVYC were another option but as I have a fin keel I think the closest comfortable mooring would be at Menai Bridge which would mean a 3mile dinghy ride to the clubhouse.

Most members have moorings in Beaumaris Bay, no more than 10 minutes in the dinghy. The bay is largely sheltered from SW winds and usually comfortable. My opinion is that there are more cruising destinations north of the Swellies than south of it. I am not certain of the current situation for vacant deep-water moorings in the bay (there are many fin keel boats there) but one of the contractors would certainly advise.