seeking home port - suggestions

[ghost]

Hey guys,
we got our selve's a little boat, we're getting kitted out and we are looking for somewhere to base ourselve's. The original plan was to go to the Medway but for various reasons we have flip flopped and are hoping to go south coast, but we are not sure where.
My intention is to gradually warm up my son into life afloat, shwmbo wants marina life, I want to be able to explore interesting nooks and crannies where we can drop the hook and live the huckleberry fin style for the weekend, the boat draws 3'3'' - fin.
We dont really want to get involved in a club society or politic's, (reason for not being in Medway) we certainly would'nt object to sharing in club duties 'tho, somewhere 'fairly' sheltered within reasonable range of Londinium. Suggestions anyone?
Thanks guys.

 

[DavidofMersea]

The South Coast will cost you an arm and a leg, what about the East Coast? 3' 3" draft, no problem

 

[ghost]

where do you suggest, anywhere in particular.

 

[Koeketiene]

Burnham? Bradwell?

 

[FullCircle]

Try Bridgemarsh Island on the Crouch if you need a pontoon. Reasonable and nice people. River for an hour, then out to sea. Mainline station from London, 45 mins by road.
I am on swinging mooring on Crouch. Very nice. But its a wide ditch sometimes.....

 

[pragmatist]

River Blackwater is the nicest part of the E Coast, IMHO.

 

[boatmike]

Re: seeking home port - suggestions

Try Chichester harbour if you like the south coast. Check www.conservancy.co.uk for moorings or one of the smaller marinas around Emsworth for a pontoon berth. Agree large Marinas in Solent area prohibitive

 

[knotgood]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey guys,
we got our selve's a little boat, we're getting kitted out and we are looking for somewhere to base ourselve's. The original plan was to go to the Medway but for various reasons we have flip flopped and are hoping to go south coast, but we are not sure where.
My intention is to gradually warm up my son into life afloat, shwmbo wants marina life, I want to be able to explore interesting nooks and crannies where we can drop the hook and live the huckleberry fin style for the weekend, the boat draws 3'3'' - fin.
We dont really want to get involved in a club society or politic's, (reason for not being in Medway) we certainly would'nt object to sharing in club duties 'tho, somewhere 'fairly' sheltered within reasonable range of Londinium. Suggestions anyone?
Thanks guys.

[/ QUOTE ]

try http://www.wicormarine.co.uk/

I think Nick ("Castaway") would approve my recomendation of this family run boatyard and moorings.

(Solent, Situated in Fareham lake, a couple of miles from the harbour entrance) and offer "swinging moorings, pile moorings and pontoon moorings, winter storage, undercover storage, wooden and GRP boat repairs, marine engineering, rigging, yacht painting, second hand boat sales and a well-stocked chandlery"

 

[sailorman]

[ QUOTE ]
River Blackwater is the nicest part of the E Coast, IMHO.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not bin to Su /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gifffolk yet then ????. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[tcm]

the nearest moderately decent marina to london is Port Solent- blam down the A3 and near the end of the A3 - that's port solent, or porto solente as it's known elsewhere. Of course, relative to most western med marinas, it's between rubbish and okish, but that doen't stop the operating company calling itself "premier marinas".

The restaurants are okish in a pizza/mexican £7.99 sort of way. Main problem with port solent is that everywhere else on the solent is even worse. National govt and local councils seem not to recognise the huge value of helping developments in this area. Also, since we haven't has decent revolution in the uk, lots of private nerks own whole tracts of land (eg lord montagu at Beaulieu) so it's all just fixed up enough to charge you £35 quid a night, but still a bit crap.

 

[bobfrost]

I like Dover.

Easy access M2 or M20 or rail.

France (Boulogne Calais) a few hours sail away.

Ramsgate Eastbourne down the coast.

http://www.doverport.co.uk/marina/marina_facilities.htm

Web link should tell you all you need to know.

Cheers

Bob

 

[Evadne]

Depends on your definition of \"moderately decent\"

On the South coast within my range of knowledge we have: Northney Marina on Hayling Island is probably closer, but is quieter, and doesn't have the shops and cinemas at hand. Other marinas in Chichester harbour: Emsworth (pretty but less accessable) Thorney Island (very shallow, not sure what it's called these days as it changed hands a while back) which is very shallow, Sparks at the end of Hayling Island, which I'm not familiar with, but gets good reviews. Chichester itself has already been mentioned. Mud pontoon berths (a la East Coast) at Hayling Yacht Company (where we are) plus assorted swinging drying and pile moorings all over the harbour.
Langstone harbour has Southsea marina, Portsmouth harbour has, apart from Port Solent and Fareham as mentioned, two marinas at the end of the long and busy road in Gosport, both well appointed but prone to ferry wash.
Then there's Southampton where you have Shamrock Quay marina, which is smaller than most but seems well liked, Ocean village, which is like a Hamble marina but a tad cheaper and not on the Hamble and Town Quay (another ferry wash marina). Across the river you have Hythe marina, where the infamous Jimi resides, also moorings. I think you are too big to consider Hillhead.
If you're feeling flush you could consider the waiting lists for Hamble, Beaulieu or Lymington, all of which are very pretty, easily accessible and unbelievably busy.
If you want something different and don't mind a ferry trip then Cowes and Yarmouth should not be forgotten. Cheaper and with all the amenities, but they are overseas.
Outside the Solent (there is life there you know) Poole is one of the biggest harbours in the world with three marinas to my knowledge, and millions of other berths. Weymouth has a marina as well. East, there is Brighton, an Ocean Village clone (or vice versa) another in Newhaven that is less swish and pontoon (mud berth) moorings in Littlehampton and Rye. One is an unspoilt backwater or a dump, depending on whether you have teenagers, the other is 2 miles inland on a picturesque river with a chocolate box town. The waiting list is probably still slightly longer than most peoples' lifespan. There is also a marina in Dover and in Ramsgate, both of which have good links to London. Shoreham also has a marina but I've heard bad tales about getting in and out of the lock. Dover I quite liked, also Ramsgate but it has received some bad press on this board in recent times.

And then there's the east coast, which is cheaper and quieter and just as pretty as Chichester Harbour, but bigger.

 

[ghost]

Re: Depends on your definition of \"moderately decent\"

Big thanks to all the above for taking the time to tap out info for me,
your insights have been much appreciated.
Sunday was spent driving, driving,driving. We went there here and over there again, ( better than being banged up on the island by the marathon).
£40 worth of petrol and a head full of images later, we (read she) have opted for Brighton. I'm ok with it, it's only an hour away, to go anywhere vaguely interesting east or west means at least an overnighter- suits me- big open water right there - no freighters getting in or out- no mud- loads of pretty girls about- /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif good area to learn a lot of coastal stuff and the cursed black flag brigade serve to stave off young eyes boredom, they also provide nice fresh lobster cheap hmmm.
Once again thanks gang.

 

[Evadne]

Good luck

I hope you enjoy it there, it's reputedly the sunniest part of Britain. Rye, the Solent and Fecamp are all within reach. Just be careful in the entrance when there's a SW swell running with an F5 or more.

 

[Goldie]

I too would heartily recommend Wicormarine, but..... if "SWMBO wants marina life" then you should note that Wicormarine's mooring pontoons are accessed by dinghy and are not a marina in the conventional sense (and all the better for that say I).

 

[ghost]

Cheers People.
Now I just gotta sail her back from Plymouth on me own, the last few weeks the R.N.L.I. advert on sky has been haunting me /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif, I've been waking up with sore teeth hahaha.
Once again thanks all,
regards
Al.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Ghost,

Why on earth do you have to sail her back on your own?..... while I'm sure its not a problem, there would be loads of old hands on here that would help I'm sure if you asked.... its a great trip from Plymouth eastwards...loads of great stopovers...

 

[ghost]

Blimey your half right........
ok any fit toned females with or without tatoos/peircings available for an extended/slow cruise available this coming bank holiday..... dont want to leave your friend behind - no problem, bring her too
vino and something to eat provided ......apply here.
sheers nas wicked idea.