Pwllheli marina or North Wales generally

[PEJ]

I am thinking of relocating the boat to North Wales, Pwllheli is top of the list.

Can any one tell me if getting a 10m berth there is easy enough or is there a long waiting list?

Is any one thinking "nah! you don't want to go there you want to go to........."? (alternative location in N. Wales )

 

[blueglass]

did a lot of boating around there a few years back and Pwllheli had quite a waiting list even then. As did Conwy. The latter is a far better location IMHO, - anglesey, Menai straits and Lleyn peninsula all on the doorstep. IOM not far and Conwy is a much better town to be located in. PW is a bit rough around the edges, although the marina is fine.

 

[Searush]

Caernarfon still has some fore & aft trots available at a reasonable rate. Very safe mooring. Free parking place on the quayside and locked dinghy store. Need to be able to dry out tho'. Lots of places nearby to explore.

 

[tetleys]

Pwllheli marina and facilities fantastic, well maintained and a great team of staff. Pwllheli town is ok but not very cosmopolitan as far as good restaurants etc go, so go to abersoch, llanbedrog etc , but right on the doorstep is cardigan bay which is breathtaking and typically much more sheltered than the anglessey area, easy access to south wales and beyond. For day boating pwllheli offers 24 hour access whereas conway and deganwy have tidal gates. BUT Pwllheli has a very long waiting list, probably at least 4 to 5 years to get 10 metre berth. We where at Deganwy until two years ago and much prefer Pwllheli.
What about Holyhead as a shorter term bet, again not a great town but plenty of nice places close by.

 

[Kipper]

We have been in Pwllheli for 5 years and love it. There is a waiting list but we know of people who have got berths after a couple of years. We did have the boat in Deganwy for a year but got bored of the cruising grounds and the Tidal gate access. The day boating in Pwllheli is much more to our liking with better beaches and places to stop for the day. If you are intersted you should give ther marina office a call and have a chat about your requirements, see what they have to say. I am told that a few berths will be changing hands this year so you never know what they might suggest.

 

[mjkinch1]

I spent Saturday looking at Deganwy, Conwy, Port Dinorwic and Holyhead. Deganwy gets my vote for the winter, although its a bit of a trot out to the channel.

 

[Searush]

You're only looking at Marinas aren't you?

Pity, really, rules out all the good places!

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Hmm - you will get all sorts of replies but you will have to answer a couple of questions for yourself - i.e.

1) How much do I want to spend each year?
2) Do I need access at all tidal states?
3) North Wales is a big place, where will be my cruising ground?
4) Is the the right fuel available (Petrol / Diesel / LPG)
5) Do I want a marina or moorings?
6) Do I need shelter or not?

Not a limitless set of questions by any means - but narrow it down and you will start to build the picture that you want.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Hear hear!

 

[hlb]

Pwllheli, my view, from about 12 years ago. Nice marina, few facilities. Town is awfull. Spent about four years there. Pick yer pubs carefully. There Welsh with avengence.

Ok for days out to Abersock and round the island. Other than Portmadock, still tidal theres go for the night. Changed a bit now, but I think tidal most places. So nearest place worth visiting. Wicklow. Ireland, 65 miles. Loved it round Ireland and Scotland. Sold the boat there by accident.

Bought new boat in South west, with the view of taking it north. Still there ten years later, does that answer the question.??

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Nice to see no one has mentioned Port Dinorwic with its totally protected dock. Don't want too many of you Solent 'deck walkers' spoiling the peace and quiet here. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[blueglass]

Holyhead - not a great town as stated. It has to be said boat crime/vandalism was something of an issue when I was in those parts (7 or 8 years ago admittedly.), things may have improved. You need to be aware of the boat's security. I have kept boats in several places around UK and have only suffered criminal attention twice - both near Holyhead.

 

[LittleShip]

I have been boating around North Wales for 20 years and have previously had a boat in Pwhelli for some 5 years. I visited Abersoch this year and I will never go back. It is full of water fleas (skis) and prats with speed boats. If you like solitude PWH may not be the place to go.

That said the facilities are good but you will only get "we have a waiting list" from the marina. If you are set on going there talk to the harbour master about a trot mooring.

I moved to Holyhead a couple of years ago and now the marina is finished it is worth considering. I don't stay over winter due to it's exposure to NE winds but for the summer it holds great cruising grounds within easy reach, but you need to watch the tides as they can be quite fierce around the stacks. It is all states with no tidal flow and is from my experience probably the cleanest marina in the UK (water wise)

As Dave Snelson said.... " it depends on what you want" for me and many others PWH holds now pleasure but if you like bouncing off waves pretending you are on the Riviara, well! go and have a look.

PM if you want to talk.

Tom

 

[Coupe]

We stayed two nights at HH this summer and I would say that the security measures were on a par with most.

Electric gate with access code etc.

Nice marina and staff.

Plenty to see nearby and Ireland only across the lake.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

[ QUOTE ]
Electric gate with access code etc.

[/ QUOTE ] Which is a security flaw as I managed to get onto the pontoons, and some big boat, four times by just following someone through. At busy times, the gates very rarely close.

I wasn't good enough to keep ne're do wells like me out.

 

[blueglass]

Great, sounds like the place has had a makeover. there were only swinging moorings when I was there and the yacht club ashore, with no security at all. dinghys were the main target for local lowlife

 

[Dave_Snelson]

I liked my stay in PD. I also liked the variety of boats there, the range is wide and varied. Very interesting. Hopefully see you next year when I do the trip again.

 

[PEJ]

Thanks for the replies so far.

To answer Dave's questions

1) How much do I want to spend each year?
As long as it is less than the solent I'll be happy so about £4K
2) Do I need access at all tidal states?
Yes
3) North Wales is a big place, where will be my cruising ground?
Along the southern side of the Llyn Peninsula at first then maybe further afield.
4) Is the the right fuel available (Petrol / Diesel / LPG)
Diesel
5) Do I want a marina or moorings?
Marina
6) Do I need shelter or not?
Yes.

The situation is that my wife is welsh, proper welsh speaking welsh, and is on about a holiday home up there. I am not forking out for a holiday home unless I can go boating when we are up there. Her family are Harlech / Dolgellau area so to be nearish to them and near a marina makes Pwllheli first choice as I see it.

 

[PEJ]

[ QUOTE ]
Nice to see no one has mentioned Port Dinorwic with its totally protected dock. Don't want too many of you Solent 'deck walkers' spoiling the peace and quiet here. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Well....

I did look at Port Dinorwic, but as you will see from my previous post it's a bit out of the chosen area. In any case is there not a long hike before you get to the open sea?

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Pwllheli town much improved over the past few years and the improvement, in my opinion, is largely down to Butlins closing. Seriously...that place and its inhabitants was just a ferocious hell-hole which blighted the town. Its now a Haven caravan park and sanity returned the day Haven arrived.