Plymouth Council Moorings (car parking etc)

[jakeroyd]

I have kept my boat at Mayflower for the past 7 years and am happy there.
However , I have also been on the waiting list for a council mooring for the same time.

It seems I am very near the top of the list now which creates a dilemma.

I am very gratefull for the opportunity but since I live 3 hours drive away this creates an interesting cost vs benefit option.
6 Months at Mayflower is about £1800 vs I think about £300 on a council swinging or trot , so there is serious money to be saved.

However , set against this is marina convenience , after driving for 3 hrs you get to park easily and get your stuff on easily in any weather. You also get access at any state of the tide.

It sounds a bit precious does it not to say a swinging mooring does not work for me but I have the idea of joining one of the sailing clubs to permit me the use of parking , dinghy stores and the bar etc.

I used to have a mooring at Starcross on the Exe so I have prievious on dinghy crossings of rough water at night etc.

This would work with the council moorings , North and South of Ballast Pound and those in Saltash and opposite Saltash on the Devon side.

I would not of course need a club mooring.

Looking at all 4 locations it seems that club moorings and council moorings are all intermixed in these areas anyway.

This plan would not work in some of the other council locatioons like West Mud and Covehead and possibly Wearde Quay.

I will make my own mind up at the end of the day but would appreciate any observations and comments ?
Do other forumites join clubs whilst using council moorings ? I guess they must do ?
Do club commadores frown on this or welcome it as another member contributing to the club without the problem of finding a mooring ?

The other aspect of this is that if you just have a council mooring without the "shoreside support " of a club it must make for a lonely existence ?

Any comments much appreciated.

 

[doug748]

I don't know what the position is with trots but with a PCC swinging mooring remember to factor in the annual maintenance. The owner of the existing sinker and chain will also be asking a price for his gear. I guess the upkeep will at least double the annual cost, or nudge it nearer to £1000 than 300. Even if no work is required the Council want to see an inspection certificate. I am sure you know the score from Starcross. There is probably only one reputable company, on the lower Tamar, for the work.

I think you will be restricted to off road parking for each of the clubs in the area, they all have some parking but not the space to allow people to use it for days on end. The exception may be Saltash, you would have to check it out. I am sure a dinghy would be no problem and your membership would be welcomed. Other facilities are pretty good but Torpoint has a slip that dries to soft mud and no landing pontoon.

 

[jakeroyd]

Thanks for the note Doug,

I had assumed that mooring maintainence was included but i may be wrong.
I will check.

Thinking of a drive down in November to check the possible clubs out

 

[Ru88ell]

I'm taking up JM's mooring in Saltash in a few weeks time, so will be joining SSC since we'll be down there a fair bit. It seems to make sense.

 

[TiggerToo]

I'm taking up JM's mooring in Saltash in a few weeks time, so will be joining SSC since we'll be down there a fair bit. It seems to make sense.

I an no longer a member, because we moved to Falmouth. But I thoroughly recommend SSC. Excellent facilities and position.

 

[Fantasie 19]

I will make my own mind up at the end of the day but would appreciate any observations and comments ?
Do other forumites join clubs whilst using council moorings ? I guess they must do ?
Do club commadores frown on this or welcome it as another member contributing to the club without the problem of finding a mooring ?

The other aspect of this is that if you just have a council mooring without the "shoreside support " of a club it must make for a lonely existence ?

Any comments much appreciated.

At my club Chi Harbour we only have drying moorings and 95%+ of the boats are bilge keelers but even so a fair number of the them use Chi Harbour conservancy moorings or are in Northney Marina, one mate is even in Port Solent... club doesn't mind.. they're still members and it frees up moorings for other (less wealthy, or less choosy) members...

Couldn't agree more re. mooring without club support... I'm not a clubbable person but even I recognise the huge benefits of being able to help each other out, shared lift out/lift in weekends are a prime case... and then there's the cheap beer in the bar...

 

[viago]

i was talking to a chap who has a deep water mooring just up the lynher. private moorings leased from the duchy. £200 + £300 annual mooring inspection fee, sheltered water with free parking/tender storage. may be some space there but may be a "waiting list" friends of friends jobby knowing the cornish.

 

[halb]

As a current member of SSC, I am sure that you will find a warm reception if you decide to join, they have both trot and swinging moorings, which are checked every year included in the mooring fee, why don't you go online and check out the web site, it should give you all the info you need.

 

[humbug716]

I would go in favour of Saltash SC. They have all the facilities previously stated together with the desire to help out when things go wrong for members. They will
frequently help recover yachts going walkabout. The safest moorings that I know of in the area is Covehead, I have never seen a boat go walkabout or have any
problems on moorings there. Its just a pain to get to.

 

[halb]

Yes we do try and help one another in times of problems, is it not the case in other clubs as well. I have helped out when walkabouts have happened and the Police patrol rescued my Halberdier when she went walkabout, failed swivel, luckily calm day and no damage done, except to my pride!!

 

[clyst]

Walkabouts ?. Broken swivel ? Reasons to avoid Saltash if not living in the area??

 

[halb]

Yes walkabouts, broken swivel, well I am sure that 'walkabouts happen in other anchorages, they certainly did when I kept a SCOD at Starcross despite living in Kenton 3 miles away, but my SCOD did not. As for the swivel, that's down to me not checking it regularly. It simply doesn't matter where you live C***p happens everywhere at least the River is very well protected by the Police, civil dockyard and military, the club is good and the cruising area superb, non of the overcrowding as seen in a certain other area.

 

[Ru88ell]

The SSC mooring I'm going on is just about to be completely renewed. That does give some peace of mind - and the fact that I'm actually moored at both ends.

 

[halb]

Will you be North of the bridge or South and do you know the buoy number as yet? I am moored at the north end on the moorings, 4 bridles checked yesterday by a livaboard mate, so am hoping for the best tonight and tomorrow.

 

[oldbilbo]

As a current member of SSC, I am sure that you will find a warm reception if you decide to join, they have both trot and swinging moorings, which are checked every year included in the mooring fee, why don't you go online and check out the web site, it should give you all the info you need.

This from the Commodore recently....

Moorings

· A busy season for Jeremy. We oscillate between having a small waiting list for moorings and sometimes briefly we have a couple of vacancies. Even the Henn Point drying moorings are currently in demand.

· The town pontoon finger berths are still giving trouble; this time over our inability to police the pontoon. It’s been bad this summer especially during school holidays with children diving, jumping around the berths, climbing over the security barriers, and causing damage to our boats. We now have direct phone numbers to the police to report anti-social behaviour but it’s always a difficult one. It’s term time now so I expect things to quieten down.

· We have persistent problems from one local resident who continues to moor his boat on the finger berths. This is accompanied by verbal abuse to members, trespass and damage to boats. We try our best to sort this out, as does the Council’s Marine Superintendent, but the legal powers are very weak.

 

[clyst]

Yes walkabouts, broken swivel, well I am sure that 'walkabouts happen in other anchorages, they certainly did when I kept a SCOD at Starcross despite living in Kenton 3 miles away, but my SCOD did not. As for the swivel, that's down to me not checking it regularly. It simply doesn't matter where you live C***p happens everywhere at least the River is very well protected by the Police, civil dockyard and military, the club is good and the cruising area superb, non of the overcrowding as seen in a certain other area.

Not wishing to labour the point but Humbug has indicated that walkabouts frequently happen . I know the area well having spent most of my life in the area and endorse your comments regarding how good the cruising ground is but I would find little comfort sort of relying on the mod plod and other mod resources to notice my boat taking a "walkabout "

 

[jakeroyd]

Interesting comments eveybody. Thank you