Northern Ireland advice

[shrkey]

I'm planning on trailering the boat (Merry Fisher 585) on the ferry over to NI for a week or so, later this summer, and do some cruising around the coast.

I'm initially thinking of heading to Ballycastle and launching there, and hopefully leaving it on a visitors mooring for the duration of the trip - do you think this would be a good base? Or should I look at Portrush or somewhere on the east coast?

My googling skills seems to have disappeared, or possibly it's because of a merge of councils (and websites) around the causeway coast - but does anyone have the current contact details for the harbour master / marina at Ballycastle? All I'm finding are broken links.

Thanks in advance.

 

[RB00]

Have a look at "welcome anchorages 2018" there is a section on marinas in NI.

Ballycastle Marina
Harbour Master: John Morton
Tel: 028 2076 8525 Mobile: 07803 505084 Email: john.morton@causewaycoastandglens. gov.uk
Website: www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk VHF: Channel 80

On the website click on "See and Do" then "harbours and marinas".

Also think about Belfast, Bangor and Carrickfergus Marina, depending on your time you could also fit in Glenarm, Ballycastle, Rathlin and Portrush.

Enjoy you trip.

 

[neil-c-8]

Hi Shrkey, when are you planning to come over to NI? I just came across this post as I was doing a search of local marinas here in NI to see what people were talking about.

I assume you won't be staying on your boat and you'll be in accommodation somewhere else? That means that most marinas would be fine for you. If you were staying on a boat I'd advise staying away from Portrush harbour because the swell gets into the harbour and makes for a slappy night. Ballycastke is fairly central for cruising and you'll be able to travel out to rathlin island from there and also round the the giants causeway. If you wanted to head to portrush you could leave the boat in the harbour overnight and check into a local B&B. There is an excellent set of restaurants overlooking the harbour in portrush, known as The Ramore. Worth a visit. If you go on round to portstewart there is a tiny harbour which I wouldn't recommend you try to get into- it's too small but you can enter the river bann. The bann has several very well sheltered moorings and coleraine marina has good facilities. The only thing to note is the entry into the river means you have to ride in the sea surf on the back of a wave - not a big problem for anyone with experience but not for a novice.

Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll try to help.