Pros and cons of Orwell berthing locations please.

[NickRobinson]

I'm viewing a low value bilge keel yacht for sale in Ipswich ( I know, I know....)
I'd like people with local knowledge to share the pros and cons of possible berthings for 6/12 months.
Costs/access/friendliness/services etc.
Thank you-

 

[swatchways]

I'm viewing a low value bilge keel yacht for sale in Ipswich ( I know, I know....)
I'd like people with local knowledge to share the pros and cons of possible berthings for 6/12 months.
Costs/access/friendliness/services etc.
Thank you-

Does it have to be Orwell? We’re across at Halls in Walton Backwaters. Brilliant yard, we use Titchmarsh for dinghy access (you could obviously use the marina or the pond at WFYC if step ashore is desired) and it’s a generally lovely place to be.
Might be worth sticking this in the East Coast page, too, lots on there live in the Orwell as it were.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I'm viewing a low value bilge keel yacht for sale in Ipswich ( I know, I know....)
I'd like people with local knowledge to share the pros and cons of possible berthings for 6/12 months.
Costs/access/friendliness/services etc.
Thank you-

Would help if you narrowed it down a bit Nick.

Pontoon berth or swinging mooring ?
What area do you travel from ?
Want to be close to the sea and drive a bit extra to get there, or less driving but a bit further from the sea ? For instance, Shotley is 10 minutes from the sea, but a 20/30 minute drive from Ipswich, whereas Ipswich is an hour or so from the sea.

Another consideration is the type of facilities and amenities you want, some marinas have next to no facilities or are miles from the nearest shop, pub or eatery.

We keep our boat in The Haven at Ipswich. Staff very friendly,facilities are decent and clean, some services on site and contractors welcome at no charge, The Last Anchor onsite is a decent restaurant. More pubs, bars and restaurants within a 10-15 minute walk than you can shake a stick at and lots of takeaways that deliver. Generally 24/7 access, unless big tides/weather require the tidal barrier to be closed, in which case you likely don't want to be out anyway.

 

[Greg2]

Might be better posting this on the East Coast forum.

Paul has made some good points about location and the pros and cons of being nearer the sea (or not).

A swing mooring would be the most inexpensive and a mid-point on price would be a swing mooring at Woolverstone. Relatively sheltered with a boat taxi option - you pay a bit more but you also get more that your usual trot mooring. No storage ashore unfortunately as MDL discontinued it. Swing moorings down towards Felixstowe are a bit more exposed.

If it is a marina you want then Ipswich has all the benefits of being in town but is schlep from the sea, but then again sailing on the Orwell can be enjoyable. Woolverstone isn’t near anywhere aside from a pleasant walk to the Butt & Oyster with good food and beer, but moorings are expensive and MDL no longer provide shore storage during the winter.

Suffolk Yacht Harbour and Shotley are both options and the former is probably the more pleasant location.

I would suggest a drive round to visit each and see what you like.
.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Might be better posting this on the East Coast forum.

Paul has made some good points about location and the pros and cons of being nearer the sea (or not).

A swing mooring would be the most inexpensive and a mid-point on price would be a swing mooring at Woolverstone. Relatively sheltered with a boat taxi option - you pay a bit more but you also get more that you usual trot mooring. No storage ashore unfortunately as MDL discontinued it. Swing moorings down towards Felixstowe are a bit more exposed.

if it a marina you want then Ipswich has all the benefits of being in town but is schlep from the sea, but then again sailing on the Orwell can be enjoyable. Woolverstone isn’t near anywhere aside from a pleasant walk to the Butt & Oyster with good food and beer, but moorings are expensive and MDL no longer provide shore storage during the winter.

Suffolk Yacht Harbour and Shotley are both options and the former is probably the more pleasant location.

I would suggest a drive round to visit each and see what you like.
.

I'd second SYH as the better choice between there and Shotley.

Shotley is currently a building site with next to no services, they don't like contractors on site, facilities are something like 70's standards, the pub and restaurant are diabolical and there is nothing in the way of shops etc without driving a few miles.

SYH is a bit remote, not much in the way of pubs etc without a drive, but the marina is very well run, has a chandlery, a sailing club a really nice cafe on site.

 

[LittleSister]

Shotley, Suffolk Yacht Harbour and Fox's marinas all have uncannily similar prices. Woolverstone Marina is more expensive and doesn't (or didn't) publish its prices online. I don't know about the marinas in the dock in central Ipswich. Debbages have some pontoon berths in Ipswich at lower prices with less glamorous surroundings.

River mornings are lower priced. (Do check out availability/cost/hassle of parking, dinghy storage and launching for any you're considering.) Options include King's Boatyard (and the other one?) at Pin Mill; Royal Harwich Yacht Club at Woolverstone have moorings for members (there wasn't a joining fee, at least that was so a couple of years or so back); Suffolk Yacht Harbour have a few river mornings, but exposed and not so cheap; Woolverstone Marina has some river moorings, quite expensive a few years back; I don't know but suspect the cheapest option for moorings may be Orwell Yacht Club - I think a lot of their mornings are drying or shoal draft - but one hears strangely little about that club on here.

Note that with moorings insurance or terms of the mooring itself will usually restrict their use to April to October. If you want to have your boat in the water outside of that season you will likely need to use a marina. Several of the Orwell ones have reduced fees for winter months only.

 

[Yorkshire Exile]

SYH is a bit remote, not much in the way of pubs etc without a drive, but the marina is very well run, has a chandlery, a sailing club a really nice cafe on site.

Only partly agree with this. I've been at SYH for 4 years The pub at Levington village is a 30 min walk along the riverbank. .It's close to Harwich Haven and generally quite sheltered. Shower blocks are good. Some lovely walking in the area if you want a break from the boat. I have had a number of problems relating to my berth and boat lifts (inefficiency and poor customer service) However recent staff changes do indicate an improving attitude.

 

[NickRobinson]

Would help if you narrowed it down a bit Nick.

Pontoon berth or swinging mooring ?
What area do you travel from ?
Want to be close to the sea and drive a bit extra to get there, or less driving but a bit further from the sea ? For instance, Shotley is 10 minutes from the sea, but a 20/30 minute drive from Ipswich, whereas Ipswich is an hour or so from the sea.

Another consideration is the type of facilities and amenities you want, some marinas have next to no facilities or are miles from the nearest shop, pub or eatery.

We keep our boat in The Haven at Ipswich. Staff very friendly,facilities are decent and clean, some services on site and contractors welcome at no charge, The Last Anchor onsite is a decent restaurant. More pubs, bars and restaurants within a 10-15 minute walk than you can shake a stick at and lots of takeaways that deliver. Generally 24/7 access, unless big tides/weather require the tidal barrier to be closed, in which case you likely don't want to be out anyway.

Hi Paul, you make some good points. I do want a pontoon berth with some security, I don't need EHU.
After Preston with a day only lock and 14nm to the fairway buoy, Ipswich or similar isn't an issue

 

[pyrojames]

I have a private swing mooring east of Pin Mill. By far the cheapest option, but you will need a dinghy at a land base, either Pin Mill, SYH or RHYC/Woolverstone. I think Kings in Pin Mill also have some of their own which give a shore base too.

 

[fredrussell]

Shotley, Suffolk Yacht Harbour and Fox's marinas all have uncannily similar prices. Woolverstone Marina is more expensive and doesn't (or didn't) publish its prices online…

Just to add to this, last time I asked at MDL Woolverstone they offered two rates. A higher rate which gave you access to all their other marinas, and a lower rate for just using Woolverstone marina. When I enquired (2 or 3 years ago) the lower rate was a little bit more than the other Orwell marinas, but not much more.

 

[NickRobinson]

Thanks, all.
The boat was viewed this morning. No further action. The pics must have been years old. The search for that bilge keeler for not a lot anywhere in the UK continues.

 

[14K478]

I will just add another thought - if your bilge keeler isn't more than about one metre draft. The RHYC has some moorigs, some deep water and some half tide. My son's Squib sits on an RHYC "half tide" mooring; she has never taken the ground and we sail on and off without thinking of the tide. A Squib draws one metre. AFAIK some of these moorings are available.