Opinions on Royal Clarence Marina

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SimonP85

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I've had a search through previous threads and the overall consensus for Royal Clarence sounds positive but the last post was a couple of years ago now so would appreciate some more recent feedback as we're considering a move here this year.

From some of the previous posts it sounds like they were planning improved, closer shower facilities and looking at their Facebook page it seems these are now under construction?

Any feedback much appreciated.
 
I was there just before xmas & saw no signs of any improvements work. When we were there 6 years ago they were talking & talking & talking about building a new shower & heads block............it turned out to be just talk.
They are aware of the problem but just keep making promises which they never fulfill. My oppo Peter was the manager there & that was his opinion. He spent months working on plans & when they saw the cost they cancelled it.
 
I have always found it a bit bleak and soulless and the hike to the showers and toilets is well known. However, it does seem significantly cheaper than the other Gosport marinas, and when I enquirer about a 10 metre berth a couple of months ago, they had no vacancies.
 
How does Royal Clarence compare with other Gosport marinas as clearly it seems to loose out in shower stakes? Is it that much cheaper to merit the facilities issues mentioned?
 
Spending this winter at RCM so no idea what it is like in the summer months.

Showers! A right PITA at the moment. The owners decided to close down the shower block BEFORE the new facilities were built (currently completion due March/April).

At the moment, the only shower, Yes, the ONE shower for both sexes for the whole marina, is in a disabled facility, still that long hike away. As are the limited number of loos.

Hey, we're only customers.

However, having said that, the new facilities will be right next to the marina and should be ready for summer which will be good. And the staff are doing their best to cope with this situation.

Souless? Yes, very, the whole complex is the sort of place you wouldn't be surprised to see tumbleweeds blowing across the squares, again though only seen it during winter. Lots of empty shops on site, not one open, pretty pictures of what the shops might look like in all the windows, albeit everything you need within a 15 minute walk, including a couple of chandlers. Two bars, one a nice small friendly place, the other new and cavernous, seems expensive, and several good pubs within cooee, the Clarence Tavern is very friendly.

It is very sheltered from the winds, waves and wake which is good.

The staff are great, really go that extra mile to help, especially to a poor blow-in like me.

No yard, no tradies to hand, but you've got those nearby.

It depends what you are looking for. IMHO, if you are just looking for a place to park your boat to use it at weekends in the Solent, it would be fine, indeed good. As far as I can see though, it is no more than a boat park. If you are looking for a community feel, well, I haven't seen it this winter though to be fair, have spent a fair time away from the boat.

Of the places I've stayed for a while with Hinewai in the UK, I'd say it's better than Brighton, not as good as Ipswich Haven and not a patch on Port Pendennis in Falmouth. Overall positive toward it though.
 
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HinewaisMan said:
Souless? Yes, very, the whole complex is the sort of place you wouldn't be surprised to see tumbleweeds blowing across the squares, again though only seen it during winter. Lots of empty shops on site, not one open, pretty pictures of what the shops might look like in all the windows
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My parents like to visit there for some reason, and I've been to meet them for dinner a couple of times. Based on those observations, I would say it's no different in summer :)

Like you, this doesn't mean I hate the place. Seems like it would be perfectly fine as a place to keep a boat.

Pete
 
HinewaisMan said:
Souless? Yes, very, the whole complex is the sort of place you wouldn't be surprised to see tumbleweeds blowing across the squares, again though only seen it during winter. Lots of empty shops on site, not one open, pretty pictures of what the shops might look like in all the windows, albeit everything you need within a 15 minute walk, including a couple of chandlers. Two bars, one a nice small friendly place, the other new and cavernous, seems expensive, and several good pubs within cooee, the Clarence Tavern is very friendly.

Soulless??? I don't recognise that description. The architecture of the former Navy barracks has a grandiose charm, makes you feel like you're mooring the boat to a piece of history. In my eyes much less utilitarian than the neighbouring marinas of Gosport and Haslar. Like the smaller scale of the place too.
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Excellent but a bit dull and that awful road to get there.

Excellent yard at the ferry port and plenty of boat shops.

I was there in snow for 3 months in 2008
 
scrambledegg said:
Soulless??? I don't recognise that description. The architecture of the former Navy barracks has a grandiose charm, makes you feel like you're mooring the boat to a piece of history. In my eyes much less utilitarian than the neighbouring marinas of Gosport and Haslar. Like the smaller scale of the place too.
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You're quite right about the architecture. But every time I've been there (even for a first aid course run in the Sea Cadets hut in the car park :) ) the whole complex has been utterly deserted. Closed up shops, no lights in the flats above them, nobody walking around. There was one almost-deserted restaurant, which I believe has since closed. A man-made place can't have soul without people.

Pete
 
We were there when Castle Marinas won the contract to run the place. The fees went up by 20% & 20 boats left within days. Soon became clear they had no experiece in running a sea marina. They were just after the money with the minimum of input, and it showed. Seems things have not changed.
 
T&C's

4.1. 2% plus vat charge if you sell your boat

16.3. No vessel movement after dark. S'pose if you've just arrived from France you have to go into another marina for the night. A tad inconvenient.

31.1. We've gone back to the 70's!

Upon arrival to the Marina from a country outside the United Kingdom, the Owner must immediately report to the Manager or Supervisor for that Marina and complete the UK immigration and Service Border, List of Passengers and Crew form.
 
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Bav34 said:
4.1. 2% plus vat charge if you sell your boat
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Particularly notable in this case is the following clause 4.2. The supposed justification for these charges, such as there is one, stems from the days when yard staff might facilitate the actual viewing on behalf of an owner or broker who wasn't present. But this lot explicitly say that you or your agent must be there for all viewings, thus confirming that they don't provide any service in exchange for their "fee".

Pete
 
prv said:
Particularly notable in this case is the following clause 4.2. The supposed justification for these charges, such as there is one, stems from the days when yard staff might facilitate the actual viewing on behalf of an owner or broker who wasn't present. But this lot explicitly say that you or your agent must be there for all viewings, thus confirming that they don't provide any service in exchange for their "fee".

See post 13. Should have stuck to inland waterways & marinas.

Pete
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All

Many thanks for the replies and input, useful as always. Will certainly have a good look over the T&Cs and have a trip down there to take a look for ourselves. All we're really after is a place to park the boat. We don't tend to spend much time on board just sitting in the marina so how soulless it is doesn't really bother me, but it would be preferable to have usable showers etc!
 
Sandyman said:
We were there when Castle Marinas won the contract to run the place.
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Presumably the fact that there's a tendered contract for a company to run it means that the marina isn't the core business of the outfit? I guess it's a property company whose architects thought a marina would look good on the plans of their harbourside development?

I got the same feeling when I stayed at Gunwharf just before Christmas. The ablutions block there for instance was clearly an afterthought, tacked on by a designer who hadn't been aware that such things are necessary.

Pete
 
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