River Dart: Advice on Boatyards and Moorings

[Dromedary]

Hello. My wife and I are looking to move to the Dartmouth / Totnes area next year after a spell in KSA.

We will also be looking to buy a sailboat, all being well.

I'd appreciate any advice on good boatyards/moorings for a 31-34 foot fin keeler in the area. The plan is to sail a fair bit during the summer and lay the girl up over winter. An all tide swinging mooring is preferred if these are available.

Thanks

Richard.

 

[Dromedary]

Hello?

 

[snowleopard]

Moorings on the Dart are hard to come by. You'll probably need to go on a waiting list. For layup, I used to use Dart Marina. There are also facilities at Darthaven, Noss and Baltic Wharf (Totnes).

Probably someone local can give you up-to-date info on availability and prices. If you get no reply, try a PM to Pragmatist.

 

[fastjedi]

Get your name on the Dart Harbour waiting lists ASAP. They will ask for a deposit + admin fee for each list you join. A good proportion of the 10m moorings are on the Kingswear trots + a few swinging moorings at Noss, Ditsham, Greenway etc.

You are probably looking at 5 years for a 10m fin keel boat. There are a few privately run moorings, for example, Dartside Quay, otherwise you are looking at the River Exe or the River Tamar in the short to medium term.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Hello. My wife and I are looking to move to the Dartmouth / Totnes area next year after a spell in KSA.

We will also be looking to buy a sailboat, all being well.

I'd appreciate any advice on good boatyards/moorings for a 31-34 foot fin keeler in the area. The plan is to sail a fair bit during the summer and lay the girl up over winter. An all tide swinging mooring is preferred if these are available.

Thanks

Richard.

We're on the Dart and has already been said almost everywhere has long waiting lists, particularly the Dart Nav moorings.
I believe that Noss marina are planning an expansion programme so maybe worth contacting them. I think they also have some moorings.

The Exe is a lovely river, only about 3 hours sail away, but quite different in character to the Dart. I know it well and have a couple of moorings there so please ask if you want any more info.

 

[photodog]

Brixham might be a good alternate... we were there for a few years and quite liked it.... Dartmouth was a nice day out.

 

[E39mad]

The Dart is quieter this year - doesn't mean that there are many spare spaces but it is more likely as things get tighter.

A best pal runs Mainstay Yachts in Dartmouth - a yacht maintenance and cleaning/polishing business which is cheaper than the yards. Could be worth contacting as is on the River every day and picks up the latest local knowledge.

 

[Dromedary]

Thanks everybody, much appreciated.