Rockley park

G

Gavin1

Member
Joined
31 Oct 2003
Messages
34
Location
Wokingham
Visit site
I am moving my boat to Rockley park in Poole this year due to obscene prices at Mitchells. Has anybody got experience at getting in out of Rockley with regards to tides. The bloke there told me I can get in and out all the time except on low spring tides. Not sure how much water my boat draws, it's only a 20ft Searay.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I got told by the broker down there that the depth falls below 1m quite frequently -- I'd say this would be the minimum you'd want to launch at.

He showed me some useful tide tables that represented the water depth as a line against a timeline -- easier to read than the usual numerical tables. Pop into the broker and see if you can get a copy (they're in the Portakabin).

This showed the tide dipping below the 1m mark for about an hour or two on some days, but not all.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I just thought it was a bit funny how the guy was so confident about getting in and out all the time, I know that the area around the Wareham Channel gets very shallow.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I use to use Rockley Park a lot when I had a small sports boat and from memory you can always get in and out, but it does get very shallow, and the tide around there was pretty fierce. It is a lovely spot though.

<hr width=100% size=1>There's no problems..just opportunities
 
Duncan is the expert re Rockley but as long as you keep to the channel then I guess springs would be the only major problem. Can get a bit choppy on the slipway but always blows the boat onto the wall so easy to get the boat off the trailer harder to get back on. If you launch yourself keep your trailer as close as possible to the wall - makes things much easier. The guys down there have a Tractor thing to lauch for you if you want.

Its a MUST to follow the channel.

<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>Kelisha</A> Nothing is better than a Holiday
 
grey haired bloke.... beard.... bit of a big bugger..... goes by the name of john?

if he says it's ok for you, it's ok for you (memories of apocalypse now!)

Duncan is your man, does alot of boating out of rockley... i suspect he's at weymouth do for the weekend. might be worth sending a Pm and see how you get on.

wareham channel should pose no real problems to you but keep the outdrive leg trimmed out, and don't cut the corner at ridge warf and redcliffe, the only other place is opposite the priory, take a wide berth and you'll be ok.

spose we'll see you at the wareham "do" later in the year?, oh... and welcome to the forum.

regards, steve.



<hr width=100% size=1>
 
you won't go far wrong.

are you based down this way or just mooring?

there's a fairly active boating "circle" with forum members, that meet quite frequently, usually to have a bit of a party, beer, late night feeding!...

venues vary from wareham quay, poole harbour, swanage, studland and bournemouth (if you want to stay local..

and "do's" arranged on the IoWight, and some of the south coats marinas (if you're more adventurous.

check out the MDL thread....

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/postlist.pl?Cat=&Board=Mercury>http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/postlist.pl?Cat=&Board=Mercury</A>

and when you see him, give John my regards (big steve from the silent woman)

best wishes, steve.


<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I'm afraid I can't agree with your comment of Mitchells "obscene charges". I have been there for years and although they are not perfect the charges are par for the course. Have you tried Salterns or Cobbs? It seems to me that if we have a boat we are fair game for high charges whatever we do. With the changes going on at Mitchells I think you are being unfair, compare what you will get at Rockley to what you will get at Mitchells, albeit not when they said it would be available!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh when saying obscene. I really liked being at Mitchells on the rack, I could turn up there, load the boat up and be on my way within 15 minutes which was great. The problem is that I like to bring the boat home in the winter and obviously nowhere does the racking system for just the summer season, you have to pay for a full year. Also I don't have the right vehicle to launch the boat with. I was left with the choice of finding somewhere with a tractor service ( which Rockley has ) or buying a half decent car to launch and recover with. Hopefully Rockley will be a good place for me to be !

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Moored down in Poole, but come from Bershire. Been going to Poole for about 5 years jet skiing mainly for the first 2 or 3 and messing about in friends 15/16 ft speedboats. This is the 3rd season with the boat and will hopefully be my first full one with no problems ( doubt it though ) ! Don't venture that far really, as long as the sun is shinning Studland is as good a place as any for me !

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
in that case... keep an eye out for "local" events in the summer..

swanage and wareham carnival weekends are dates not to be missed... with boats rafting off of swanage pier for the firework finale.. also live music on wareham quay with fireworks.. i can probably sort a mooring if you want.

and of course the autumn "get together" after the public river/harbour trips have finished, we have the alongside mooring to ourselves, so an afternoon ibn the quay, followed by taking over the upper floor in the italian resaraunt usually turns into a good party!

just keep an eye on the forum, it's all there!

regards, steve.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I've used Cobbs, Mitchells and Rockly.....

Rockly is fine - I kept a Shetland there, drew about 2ft ish...

Never ever had a problem as such getting in and out but had to be really careful on Springs to trim up engine - other than that all is fine - you get what you pay for I guess...


<hr width=100% size=1>Why can't we work 2 days a week and boat the other 5????
 
Had my previous boat (Searay 225WE) at Rockley for 14 months, as detailed earlier only really had problems on particularly low neaps or springs. Biggest problem we had with the channel is that the withy poles are miles off the actual channel. Good idea to sit up on the top of the cliffs at very low water and actually see where the channel is, you'll be suprised how far off the poles are. Former staff who had been there years and now at Cobbs, advice was "ignore poles, needed moving for years!". Like the rest of the place needs some attention and despite all the promises and gossip, Bourne Leisure simply don't seem interested if it doesn't involve Holiday Homes.
Great atmosphere though and full of characters, some very knowledgeable and a fair few without the slightest clue! Makes for some cracking sights though as they use the pontoons as "brakes", then when questioned we were told "how else do you expect me to stop it!!" True story ask Duncan. Paul.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
What, you mean those pontoons are actually supposed to be used for another reason. On a serious note, I was told that they are going to re-mark the channel for this year, don't suppose I'll find out till I'm high and dry

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
That'll be the same "Told" as when we were considering buying the F43 and we were "Told" that they were dredging the whole channel and basin, so we would get in there "no problem". Also at that time "Told" that they were installing a deep drop basin for the forklift so that launching etc was just "approach the wall, forks down, float off", now its a while since I was down there but I haven't heard thats happened yet, best part of two years later. Ask the guy in the beach shop how long they have been "promising" him new premises too, that'll be interesting.

Anyway I sound bitter, I'm not its a lovely spot, accesible and very friendly if we could have got the new boat in we would still be there, warts and all. You'll enjoy it, just expect to see things done when they are done, not before, Oh and one last point make sure you're boat is in direct line of sight of one of the security cameras, not up a corner or on the floor, ours was broken into, guess where it was? All the very best with it, Paul

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Forgot to add, ask Duncan to tell you the story about when "Big John" stayed on his boat and caught the "Lovebirds" partaking comfort on Phaetons sun cushions! You'll cry laughing. Paul

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Welcome to the forum and Rockley Gavin.

Firstly the little matter of "1 metre" and tidal curves raised earlier - the channel never completely dries so you get about 1m when the tidal curve shows 0.7 with the current silting. In practice you will find there are about 6 hours a month when you will not be able to make it down the channel against the flow - with the flow you just raise the engine and drift in about 18inches, and getting out and pulling the boat along is not unknown!!!!
Rockley does get busy and it will be interesting to see how they handle the seemingly large number of boats they have this year. I was amazed how well they did last year but it looks even more challenging this year. Fine if you are planning to overnight on the boat 'somewhere else' - a big problem if you want to come back late on a glorious summer's evening.
There are developments in the air, but prices will inevitably rise to cover those in due course - and they have been in the air for a couple of years.
Look forward to seeing you around - Phaeton's berthed on the T of the pontoon so pop over if you see us down there.

oh and yep - Paul wasn't exagerating at all. This weekend saw a couple of brand new boats polishing their props and a muppet in a brand new 26ft'er doing 12knots through the sailing school in the channel (which is a quiet zone - no wash/max speed 6knots) and another couple of new boats tied up on teh pontoons in a manner that would have deestroyed their bows if any breeze had appeared - but only resulted in damaged gel from the wake of above mentioned; amongst others.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Hi Duncan, thanks for the info. Glad you saw the post as I was told that you would be the best person to ask about this subject. I'm gagging to hear about some of these stories that Planty has been teasing me with, i.e lovebirds on your boat and people using the pontoon to slow down. What sort of boat is a Phaeton ?

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

W
Battery suicide
Replies
17
Views
580
Refueler
Refueler

Share this page

Top