Plans for new marina at Herne Bay

[Capt Popeye]

Perhaps, but the local yachtsmen keep their boats up the Swale or Medway or Ramsgate - ie it is the facilities that drive the type of boating.

umm yep quite agree, the Herne Bay Harbour /breakwater are has a good car and boat park right on the slipway, so tis very attractive for the towers amoungst us, a good slipway accommodating two boats at a time, local access to fish n chip shops, Weatherspoons, Cafes, pleasure activities for the wives /children, local shops but 10min walk through the alleyways. Lots of ways to spend a good day there, oh, and the beach.
Local pleasure /seal watching trips from off the beach, a better landing place would improve these facilities no end.
The local Council lease out moorings, drying, in side the breakwater area.
All in all, Herne Bay has a good Holiday atmosphere for day trippers. The dueled A2 is but 10min away and about 1.5 hrs to outer London or the M25.
The main reason I suspect that Yachts are not popular at Herne Bay is the quite shallow waters plus with Whitstable and its Yacht Clubs nearer London and its up-market atmosphere its probably more suited to Yachtsmen.

 

[Pye_End]

The main reason I suspect that Yachts are not popular at Herne Bay is the quite shallow waters plus with Whitstable and its Yacht Clubs nearer London and its up-market atmosphere its probably more suited to Yachtsmen.

There have been a few yachts in there, but several times in bad weather the odd one has dragged, and occasionally ended up on the beach. Luckily it has been a few years since one has been lost in there, but the night one was, the harbour arm had virtually no effect on the waves. Suspect more people would be interested if boats could stay afloat, and with another metre or so on the arm height. At the moment the arm is designed to help break up the big seas over the top rather than completely block them out. Insurance is thus hard to get. Security is also currently sparse. Anybody with any value to a yacht therefore has little chance of currently leaving it there.

 

[Capt Popeye]

There have been a few yachts in there, but several times in bad weather the odd one has dragged, and occasionally ended up on the beach. Luckily it has been a few years since one has been lost in there, but the night one was, the harbour arm had virtually no effect on the waves. Suspect more people would be interested if boats could stay afloat, and with another metre or so on the arm height. At the moment the arm is designed to help break up the big seas over the top rather than completely block them out. Insurance is thus hard to get. Security is also currently sparse. Anybody with any value to a yacht therefore has little chance of currently leaving it there.

Humm, yes when I researched the insurance aspect of a drying mooring in the Harbour (?) there twas clearly not welcomed by various insurance companies.
Re any theft and vandalism on the beach there, yep, would not know how to combat it, the only way probably would be to fence any Marina fully in, to protect from locals and those of 'no fixed abode' who do settle on the farm lands and common lands around there. Talked to a few Farm / Yard owners who experienced thefts of boats from their lands over many years.

 

[hartcjhart]

perhaps the best solution would be to build a 'sport' facility at herne bay and then build a marina at hampton a better 'starting' point for building a marina

 

[Triassic]

...the Herne Bay Harbour /breakwater are has a good car and boat park right on the slipway, so tis very attractive for the towers amoungst us....

I've looked at Herne Bay as a suitable location for launching. As you say it has a great slipway and plenty of space to leave the car, but it's really only suitable if you want to go out for a couple of hours over high water, otherwise you can't get back out. You might get lucky in the summer and get an early and late high tide that suits but that's really starting to limit opportunity, the alternative is to launch one day, then go away for one or two days before coming back which is what I tend to do. Unfortunately you then need somewhere secure to leave your car and trailer, and they certainly haven't got that there yet.....

I live just outside Dover yet prefer to drive to the Medway where I can enjoy the facilities of an active and supportive yacht club.

 

[Capt Popeye]

I've looked at Herne Bay as a suitable location for launching. As you say it has a great slipway and plenty of space to leave the car, but it's really only suitable if you want to go out for a couple of hours over high water, otherwise you can't get back out. You might get lucky in the summer and get an early and late high tide that suits but that's really starting to limit opportunity, the alternative is to launch one day, then go away for one or two days before coming back which is what I tend to do. Unfortunately you then need somewhere secure to leave your car and trailer, and they certainly haven't got that there yet.....

I live just outside Dover yet prefer to drive to the Medway where I can enjoy the facilities of an active and supportive yacht club.

Humm, quite agree with your comments about the facilities provided at Herne Bay. Seems to cater for the 'day tripper' with speed boat, fishing boat or jet ski, quite well, but other, perhaps more serious boating, especially over night (s) not at all.
I notice that fishing clubs hold events there, mostly trailer boats, and do do out for a period, but bet its carefully planned with the tides first.