Portland Marina - an attractive proposition?

[BlueSkyNick]

THIS UPDATE has just appeared. From a sailing perspective, its a good location, but a blighter to get to by road. I wouldnt want to move my boat there, but if 600 other people do, will this release space in the Solent to reduce waiting lists? Notice I didnt say anything about reducing prices - it will take more than one new marina to do that.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Nice sailing base, but a bit of a desert ashore, unless you want to drive into the fleshpots of Weymouth.

Good passage port, but you could always anchor there anyway.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Agree, a good passage port but they are not going to get 600 overnighters, 365 days per annum. So if they don't get sufficient residents, one wonders if its viable.

 

[Richard10002]

They might have to price it to fill it initially, and it might just create it's own pleasant environment.

 

[cnh]

I saw the plans at the Dean and Reddyhoff stand at the Southampton Boat Show yesterday. How much? I asked. £400 per m per year. 10m boat - £4000?? For Portland? The Hamble, maybe, but give its location both from the sailing point of view, and land access, I'd say it's wildly overpriced.

Nicholas Hill

 

[BlueSkyNick]

mmm. If work starts later next year, they will want to finish and capitalise on the Olympics, so I doubt they will be looking for long termers until September 2012.

 

[ccscott49]

Wildly overpriced! that would be 6900 a year for my boat!! in Portland??
Not a bloody chance. I pay that in the middle of Barcelona including water, leccy, parking and a storeroom!

 

[cnh]

Apparently they are going to let the berths as soon as they are built [if that is the right word], with full occupancy starting April 2009.

Nicholas Hill

 

[Becky]

We visited the Dean & Ripitoff stand and were told by Tim the new Portland manager that the expected pricing would be between E Cowes & Haslar.

Which would possibly be quite reasonable (in RELATIVE terms).

But like Nick says, while the position from the seaward aspect seems good, I am not sure how easy the road access will be, initially certainly.

Needless to say, there will be development. This to my mind is where the Brit municipal authorities seem to have a blank. A new marina will bring in money and jobs to an area, from service industries to supermarkets and restaurants.

Well it works in most places. Gosport is VERY slow on the uptake /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[michael_w]

What about the rumoured marina between Weymouth habour and the beach?

Methinks there may be a surfit of berths in this part of Dorset.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

[ QUOTE ]
.... pricing would be between E Cowes & Haslar.

Which would possibly be quite reasonable (in RELATIVE terms).

[/ QUOTE ]

About Ryde Middle then???

Reasonable is what it is relative to, if you'll excuse my grammar. We could be in Cherbourg for 2800 Euros per annum, and have the CI, Normandy and Brittany to explore from there. This would be preferable to travelling to sailing out of Portland, IMHO.

 

[bdsweeting]

Perhaps they are hoping that the new residents of the converted Navy flats will all be bringing/buying boats to go with their new found views.

 

[nigelhudson]

[ QUOTE ]
We visited the Dean & Ripitoff stand and were told by Tim the new Portland manager that the expected pricing would be between E Cowes & Haslar.

Which would possibly be quite reasonable (in RELATIVE terms).


[/ QUOTE ]
Relative to what? Solent marinas command a premium because of demand, communications links, sheltered water and a variety of places to visit.

They should use Brighton as a price comparison - it doesn't command the Solent premium. In comparison with Portland the immediate waters are less sheltered but the communications and shore facilities are in a different league.

 

[Allan]

I think the fact that there will be TV points along with the water and power shows a couple of things. They realise that there is nothing to do ashore. The type of people they expect to take up berths won't just turn up and go out sailing.
Allan

 

[KREW2]

I think the main idea is for people to permanently keep their boats moored there, as you say not much reason to visit unless you are going to the sailing academy, or perhaps they will introduce a berth and ride scheme.

 

[Richard10002]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the fact that there will be TV points along with the water and power shows a couple of things. They realise that there is nothing to do ashore. The type of people they expect to take up berths won't just turn up and go out sailing.
Allan

[/ QUOTE ]

Possibly a bit cynical?

As time goes by, more and more people want their "creature comforts" easily accessible at the berth and, as you suggest, dont just turn up and go sailing, (you could definitely class me amongst those types.

e.g. how many threads here talk about how to get TV on a boat.

It would also be progressive to have either a telephone connection, or just a hard wired broadband connection... and you would hope that they will definitely be installing a powerful wifi system.... many places seem to make a bit of a hash of this, when it cant be rocket science.

Having said that, the progress, and more competitive pricing, with mobile internet access may negate the need for this.