Poole Lifting Bridges & Cobbs Quay

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rhino_mac

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It's come round to that time when the marinas are sending out their tariffs for next year and mine has come through pretty steep, especially as they did a deal when I bought the boat this year and knocked off the 20cm over 8m for the swim platform (it's 8.2m), dropping me into a lower tariff. It's nearly £800 more than last year.

The marina have just told me they won't negotiate the price so I'm seriously thinking of moving round the harbour to Cobbs Quay which is nearly £1300 cheaper for a pontoon, or £1000 cheaper for dry stack (and that's based on the full LOA of my boat!).

My question is, how much hassle are the bridges? My current marina is tidal so access is limited twice a day anyway, and I think if I drop the frame for my bimini I'd be able to sneak under the bridge anyway as long as the tide isn't too high.

Also, the boat has always been on dry stack, never in the water. What annual costs do I need to bear in mind for extra maintenance. I do anodes/bellows/impeller anyway. It's got antifoul on the bottom, but it doesn't look like it's working as it's gone slimey!

Thanks for your advise - shame, I like the people at my present marina but I just can't justify that sort of cost to keep the boat there.
 
I think compared to your current tidal access you would find the bridges to be a minor inconvenience.
We measure about 2.6m air draft and rarely need a lift to get under the new bridge, and need the old one lifted maybe half the time. ( I am altering the nav lights to loose 100mm height over the winter).
Our previous sports cuddy never needed a lift.
If we needed a lift from both brdges all the time it would be a different matter but it hasn't put us off the location.
They are improving the work pattern of the two bridges anyway for next summer.....apparently.
 
rhino_mac said:
It's come round to that time when the marinas are sending out their tariffs for next year and mine has come through pretty steep, especially as they did a deal when I bought the boat this year and knocked off the 20cm over 8m for the swim platform (it's 8.2m), dropping me into a lower tariff. It's nearly £800 more than last year.

The marina have just told me they won't negotiate the price so I'm seriously thinking of moving round the harbour to Cobbs Quay which is nearly £1300 cheaper for a pontoon, or £1000 cheaper for dry stack (and that's based on the full LOA of my boat!).

My question is, how much hassle are the bridges? My current marina is tidal so access is limited twice a day anyway, and I think if I drop the frame for my bimini I'd be able to sneak under the bridge anyway as long as the tide isn't too high.
Also, the boat has always been on dry stack, never in the water. What annual costs do I need to bear in mind for extra maintenance. I do anodes/bellows/impeller anyway. It's got antifoul on the bottom, but it doesn't look like it's working as it's gone slimey!

Thanks for your advise - shame, I like the people at my present marina but I just can't justify that sort of cost to keep the boat there.
Click to expand...

Depends on whether you fit under the bridges.. Ribs arent having an issue, I wouldnt think.
 
Hi DPB,

Thanks for your reply. Do you mind me asking what boat you've got?

I've got a Monterey 250cr with (I think) an air draft of 1.6m with the bimini dropped, so I'm, guessing that this should be OK.

Are you on a pontoon? Always fancied that so you can go for a drink on board in the evening and shore power is available. Is it something that is pleasant at Cobbs would you think dry stack would be better for a boat my size.

Thanks!
 
Hi There,

Cobbs has it's plusses (Cheap, relatively) and minuses (Bridges and a few others) but for a boat with an air draft of 1.6M you shouldn't have any issues with the bridges at all.

We are on a pontoon down there and we enjoy staying on the boat from time to time and find it quite pleasant. The dry stack down at Cobbs seems very well run, I think they need an hour's notice at most and your boat will be waiting for you on a pontoon.

Rockley park is the other option but they don't really have much of a marina to speak of, mainly just boat park.

btw, I find that anti-foul will keep the growth off your hull but non that we have tried will do anything about the dreaded slime, even coppercoat.

Cheers,
Andrew
 
I covered the issue in a recent issue of MBM. Personally the saving is worth the hassle, as Poole Council promise that it will be working smoothly in 2013. Your boat will fit under the bridge easily, and since they have a screen telling you the current air clearence they make it as easy as possible. Try a season, if it doesn't work, then go back.

Good luck what ever you do!
 
I think I'll try a season. It's too much money to walk away from, and £900/£1300 a year for 10cm of swim platform leaves a sour taste, especially as the boat has been charged at the lower rate for the past 2 years.

Shame, the staff are really nice where I am - even the guys working on the launch pontoon have got used the chaos I cause when coming in after a day out!!
 
rhino_mac said:
Hi DPB,

Thanks for your reply. Do you mind me asking what boat you've got?

I've got a Monterey 250cr with (I think) an air draft of 1.6m with the bimini dropped, so I'm, guessing that this should be OK.

Are you on a pontoon? Always fancied that so you can go for a drink on board in the evening and shore power is available. Is it something that is pleasant at Cobbs would you think dry stack would be better for a boat my size.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Mines a Portofino 31, if it wasn't for the radar arch I probably would never need bridge lifts.

As for the dry stack / pontoon thing well thats very subjective but if you are local, the pontoon gives the option of spontaneous evenings on the boat in the berth which you probably couldn't do if drystacked without paying for a berth.........unless they include some berthing in the deal.
 
rhino_mac said:
I think I'll try a season. It's too much money to walk away from, and £900/£1300 a year for 10cm of swim platform leaves a sour taste, especially as the boat has been charged at the lower rate for the past 2 years.
Click to expand...

Plus diesel at cost - approx 101p/litre (60/40), free nights at other MDL group marinas, a host of support services on site, and reasonably priced food .

Send me a PM if you relocate.
 
MBM_Greg said:
I covered the issue in a recent issue of MBM. Personally the saving is worth the hassle, as Poole Council promise that it will be working smoothly in 2013. Your boat will fit under the bridge easily, and since they have a screen telling you the current air clearence they make it as easy as possible. Try a season, if it doesn't work, then go back.

Good luck what ever you do!
Click to expand...

The screen is too small and you have to get close to read it which can be a pain if there is a queue of boats ahead- OK i spose binoculars might do the trick!. But really it needs to be the same size as the screen at St Helier marina.

There is a marker ( i think on each pontoon ) which indicates the airdraft for the old Poole Lifting Bridge. Add approx 0.5metre for the Twin Sails Bridge.
 
Will try to get there tomorrow to have a look around Beejay. If I can get under the bridge then the idea of no limits to the tides really appeals.

What are the facilities like re: bar and food etc? Parkstone Bay has South Deep which the wife and kids love.

And I currently use Saltwater Marine at PB marina to service/maintain the boat. Any recommendations at Cobbs?

I'm 95% I'll move next season (paid up till end of March currently). Tides and cost means it makes sense and my business partner has his Trophy in drystack there so we can go down after work and have a pint. He's happy there but I wanted other opinions as his boat is a little smaller than mine, although it seems height is the main issue.
 
rhino_mac said:
What are the facilities like re: bar and food etc? Parkstone Bay has South Deep which the wife and kids love.
Click to expand...

The bar and food have both improved dramatically in recent months. We had stopped eating there for quite a while but since the latest change of hands (back in the early summer I think) the food is really good (try the scallops when they're on) and the bar much more friendly.

It has really boosted the appeal of the marina.
 
dpb said:
Can anyone tell us more about these markers......?? Never knew they existed!!
Click to expand...

They are (or at least were) taped to some of the posts at the start of the pontoons.

We have suggested to Cobbs that they may want to display the air draft on their web site and also put daily air draft curves up so people can plan their day a bit better, especially for those of us who live some distance away. I know you could work this out relatively easily from an almanac but this would just make things a bit more convenient for us.
 
rhino_mac said:
Will try to get there tomorrow to have a look around Beejay. If I can get under the bridge then the idea of no limits to the tides really appeals.

What are the facilities like re: bar and food etc? Parkstone Bay has South Deep which the wife and kids love.

And I currently use Saltwater Marine at PB marina to service/maintain the boat. Any recommendations at Cobbs?

I'm 95% I'll move next season (paid up till end of March currently). Tides and cost means it makes sense and my business partner has his Trophy in drystack there so we can go down after work and have a pint. He's happy there but I wanted other opinions as his boat is a little smaller than mine, although it seems height is the main issue.
Click to expand...

If you are going to have a look at Cobbs, why not also look at Davis's which is a family run marina right next door to MDL. (They share the same entrance) Its even better value than MDL. They have around 80 pontoon berths. We had 10 very happy years there before moving to the Hamble. You can still access all the marine services and the restaurant at MDL. http://www.davisboatyard.co.uk/contact/contact.htm
 
rhino_mac said:
Will try to get there tomorrow to have a look around Beejay. If I can get under the bridge then the idea of no limits to the tides really appeals.

What are the facilities like re: bar and food etc? Parkstone Bay has South Deep which the wife and kids love.

And I currently use Saltwater Marine at PB marina to service/maintain the boat. Any recommendations at Cobbs?

I'm 95% I'll move next season (paid up till end of March currently). Tides and cost means it makes sense and my business partner has his Trophy in drystack there so we can go down after work and have a pint. He's happy there but I wanted other opinions as his boat is a little smaller than mine, although it seems height is the main issue.
Click to expand...

The Bridges are only really a problem for the bigger boats, flybridges and yachts.
My airdraft is 3m and i did not find them much hassle this year.

I soon got to know what tide height i needed to get under the Twin Sales Bridge and could often time my departure / return so that i would not be restricted by it - by looking up tide heights at Poole Town Quay on my plotter. The Twin Sales Bridge is approx 0.5m higher than the Old Poole Lifting Bridge.

There is talk of the Old Bridge being out of action for a few months for repair which would just leave the TSB to deal with -so might be able to go straight out / return with no delay whenever the repairs take place.

Someone else has commented on the bar and food. We also have the Quay shop which offers a selection of hot drinks and light bites. Pop in and have a chat with Ian, he can answer all your questions .

And finally, I also bought my current boat from NAUTIBUSINESS ! - and he also sold my previous boat.
 
RIN said:
If you are going to have a look at Cobbs, why not also look at Davis's which is a family run marina right next door to MDL. (They share the same entrance) Its even better value than MDL. They have around 80 pontoon berths. We had 10 very happy years there before moving to the Hamble. You can still access all the marine services and the restaurant at MDL. http://www.davisboatyard.co.uk/contact/contact.htm
Click to expand...


I believe Davis's is a bit cheaper than Cobbs, but IMHO inferior and a bit scruufy.Each to his own of course.
 
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