Not wishing the season away or anything... however, Medway winter hard standing...?!

[MagicalArmchair]

At the end of this season, Triola, who lives on the Medway, will be waving farewell to MYC and we will be taking up a marina berth at Chatham.

Having no yacht club means no hard standing for winter, and Chatham marinas hard standing costs are pretty eye watering. About £140 for lift out, £140 for lift in, and £140 per month storage.

I have a few options really!

• Stay afloat! She is a 1970's boat, however, no Albin Ballad I know of has ever suffered osmosis. She is used to coming out of the water for five or six months of the year and being tucked up in the MYC yard. The thought of going down to an empty Sharfleet creek on a nice weekend in winter has its appeal! How can more sailing be a bad thing...?
• Come out at a different yard, I like the look of Mariners Boat Yard, and have requested prices but have yet to hear. I will need to come out to do some maintenance for a couple of weeks at least, so an option would be nice.

Ta

Mark
www.albinballad.co.uk

 

[Doineann]

Why not remain a member of MYC? Plenty there seem to keep their boats in Chatham for, say 6 or 8 months and then winter ashore at MYC.

 

[Behome]

Stay afloat. If you can get away with a quick haul out just anti foul etc. then it's not too costly. Otherwise Mariners Farm is fine and not too costly, I used to winter there when I was on the trots at Hoo.

 

[Cantata]

Otterham Quay is another option to haul out. Pals of mine have over-wintered there for years.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

To stay a member of MYC just for lift out would be pretty close to an eye watering £1,000 (including the services like the scrubbing trolley I would want to use).

I just spoke to Chatham and an amazingly helpful member of staff (Tracy) said that we effectively get three months free hard standing as part of our berthing (with Freedom berthing, we can either use 30 days of free berthing on the South coast, or each day of freedom berthing is worth three on the hard!!). Also a third off lifting, taking it to below £100 each way.

Thanks for all the assistance, I think the folks at Chatham have my vote for now.

Mark
www.albinballad.co.uk

 

[ROBMH]

You wont regret the move to chatham though the wait for the lock can be a bit fustrating at weekends.
if you have a trolley you could try The Hundred of Hoo sailing club plenty of smaller albins there.
Rergards
Rob