Salcombe

Pete7

Pete7

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Salcombe has had some bad press on here over the last few years so with some trepidation we sailed in yesterday. Found a space on a visitors pontoon just upstream of the town without any problem, rafting on a buoy was another option. Cost a reasonable £18 per night and for that water is delivered to the pontoon each morning at 10am and the pontoon rubbish bin taken away to be emptied.

Met the assistant Harbour Master who seemed very friendly as did his staff, so the sun is shining and Salcombe is open for business.

Pete

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I was there last weekend and anchored just up stream from the moorings.
We had an idyllic night with about 3 other boats for £10 a night and no rafting up.
Just £3 for the water taxi into town.

salcombe.jpg
 
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West Country pricing has caught up with the Solent. I have paid £20 for a night on a rolling visitor buoy in Falmouth with speeding tripper boats cutting either side of me and £20 to raft on a Helford visitor mooring which was far better value. Charges were for a similar sized yacht to the OP's.
 
BlueChip said:
I was there last weekend and anchored just up stream from the moorings.
We had an idyllic night with about 3 other boats for £10 a night and no rafting up.
Just £3 for the water taxi into town.

View attachment 58969
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' Just £3.00 for the water taxi ' - I take it that's per person each way - in which case as suspected West Country prices have overtaken those on the Solent.

I know the shops in Fowey - which I remember as a relatively unspoilt place - now have different sets of price stickers whenever a ' cruise ship ' comes in !

I am really respectful of the fact there's not much work in the West and one has to make hay while the sun shines, but at this rate they will be driving me away; I have a project in mind heading West next summer, and with these charges in mind I might well end up paying a chum crew to help me hover offshore as they and their fare back from Falmouth would be cheaper.

Not great for West Country Chambers Of Commerce is it ? :rolleyes:
 
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Andy, to put this into perspective I paid £17 for a night in Newtown Creek on a bouy with no extras. So mid stream pontoon with water and bins etc for £18 I think is good. Torquay harbour master pontoon and Brixham also the same price. The booklet we were given on arrival does state that Salcombes prices haven't changed in 10 years. Perhaps it's a case of the Slent catching up with the West Country. Anyway full marks for the Harbour Master for trying. We will be back to Salcombes again I think.
 
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Pete7 said:
Andy, to put this into perspective I paid £17 for a night in Newtown Creek on a bout with no extras. So mid stream pontoon with water and bins etc for £18 I think is good. Torquay harbour master pontoon and Brixham also the same price. The booklet we were given on arrival does state that Salcombes prices haven't changed in 10 years. Perhaps it's a case of the Slent catching up with the West Country. Anyway full marks for the Harbour Master for trying. We will be back to Salcombes again I think.
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Two answers to that;

A, what sort of gun did the bloke at Newtown have to make you pay that ?!

B, Lately I always find I'm out of touch with prices even where I shop every week; obviously becoming a senile old git :rolleyes:
 
Yes but if one tries to put in Yarmouth into a plotter nowadays it has the same financial effect on one's wallet as uploading a virus to an alien mothership, achieving what was long thought impossible; eclipsing Buckler's Hard fees !

I used to go there often, sometimes - as I was coming from the Eastern Solent - I was too late and met by the ' Harbour Full ' sign; nowadays I don't think I'll even bother, just go straight for Lymington.

I doubt I am alone, and the actual number of berths / moorings has diminished; I wonder how the local traders & establishments feel about it...
 
Seajet said:
' Just £3.00 for the water taxi ' - I take it that's per person each way - in which case as suspected West Country prices have overtaken those on the Solent.

I know the shops in Fowey - which I remember as a relatively unspoilt place - now have different sets of price stickers whenever a ' cruise ship ' comes in !

I am really respectful of the fact there's not much work in the West and one has to make hay while the sun shines, but at this rate they will be driving me away; I have a project in mind heading West next summer, and with these charges in mind I might well end up paying a chum crew to help me hover offshore as they and their fare back from Falmouth would be cheaper.

Not great for West Country Chambers Of Commerce is it ? :rolleyes:
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That's a little unfair. If you're anchored up near the Saltstone it's a good 15 minute taxi ride into town, so I'd say £3 is pretty good value.

We spent 4 fantastic nights in Salcombe this week. The Harbour assistants are great, helped us onto our mooring, said they'd be back later for the dues, actually 5 hours later, none of the extricating money before you've even tied up. The dinghy pontoons are very much improved, plenty of space even now in mid July.

It's a great place to spend a few days on your boat.
 
And clean water instead of brown. Moorings in the West Country are also subject to the economic situation, with many moorings unfilled and waiting lists, almost empty. Salcombe is not so attractive now with the lack of decent shops, not tourist [well Yars] clothing/ shops. At least the fishing community seem happy there.
 
Mudisox said:
Moorings in the West Country are also subject to the economic situation, with many moorings unfilled and waiting lists, almost empty.
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Peak oil might be some years away but peaking yachting has passed and I am smiling about that. A flyer in the Helford village shop mentioned some mooring availability a few days ago.

Mudisox said:
Salcombe is not so attractive now with the lack of decent shops, not tourist [well Yars] clothing/ shops.
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I know a woman who would dispute your definition of decent shops.

Mudisox said:
And clean water instead of brown.
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In 2010 the Salcombe sewage problem was so bad the harbour should have been closed.
 
So this mornings preamble around town was interesting. What is this fashion of walking around Salcombe with a life jacket on all about? is it a status symbol saying I am not a tourist staying in a B&B, self catering or Yurt, but instead someone who has a boat and arrived by sea? They were even sat in the cafes wearing them. Quite odd.

Found a laundrette, traditional butcher and bakers all within 20 yards of each other. Topped up the Gin supply from the well stocked Off Licence, there is even a Salcombe Gin!

So found everything we need really.
 
Pete7 said:
So this mornings preamble around town was interesting. What is this fashion of walking around Salcombe with a life jacket on all about? is it a status symbol saying I am not a tourist staying in a B&B, self catering or Yurt, but instead someone who has a boat and arrived by sea? They were even sat in the cafes wearing them. Quite odd.

Found a laundrette, traditional butcher and bakers all within 20 yards of each other. Topped up the Gin supply from the well stocked Off Licence, there is even a Salcombe Gin!

So found everything we need really.
Click to expand...

SWMBO is averse to leaving her LJ in the dinghy due to risk of theft so wants to take it with us. That means wearing it or carrying it.
 
Seajet said:
' Just £3.00 for the water taxi ' - I take it that's per person each way - in which case as suspected West Country prices have overtaken those on the Solent.

I know the shops in Fowey - which I remember as a relatively unspoilt place - now have different sets of price stickers whenever a ' cruise ship ' comes in !

I am really respectful of the fact there's not much work in the West and one has to make hay while the sun shines, but at this rate they will be driving me away; I have a project in mind heading West next summer, and with these charges in mind I might well end up paying a chum crew to help me hover offshore as they and their fare back from Falmouth would be cheaper.

Not great for West Country Chambers Of Commerce is it ? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Pontoon price seems pretty good for area in peak summer.

Surely the water taxi is an optional luxury for southern softies who prefer not to use the dinghy
 
Dunedin,

it depends where the pontoon is, and what the weather's like; off the town is in perfectly feasible range, rowing an inflatable; further down or around in ' The Bag ' is a lot further than most would row, OK with a small outboard in good weather.

I admit I was subconsciously writing off the tender as the last few times I've been to Salcombe I've spent a week gale-bound each time, with the Zodiac capsized on its painter astern one night.

View attachment 58984
 
To give some recent prices (last fortnight) for a 37' boat.

Dartmouth river pontoon £19.58
Dittisham visitor's buoy. £19.58
Salcombe visitor's buoy outside the yacht club £22.20
Plymouth Mayflower marina £36.16
Fowey visitor's buoy - couldn't find anyone to pay.
Falmouth town visitor's marina £33.28
Mylor marina £39.94
St Mawes visitor's lunch stop £5.00
Plymouth Yacht Haven (Mountbatten) £38.42
 
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