Shoreham, worth a visit?

[chubby]

It is the time of year when I begin to plan new voyages and always looking for somewhere different. Based in Portsmouth the very strong pull is west and have rarely gone east. I did enjoy a visit to Littlehampton and quite like the idea of working ports even if a little shabby rather than purpose built marinas, so was thinking of the Sussex rivers: Littlehampton, Shoreham, Newhaven, maybe even further to Rye!

Is Shoreham worth a visit and yacht friendly? Is there really nothing in the west arm for a visiting yacht to save locking into the east arm and canal, is the lock reasonable for yachts? I an long keel and can sink into soft mud if needed but being likely to be SH don`t mind long jetties like Littlehampton but a bit wary of tight fingers.

Or shall I just go west?

 

[Sans Bateau]

Shoreham is very much a working port. There is a marina there, lady Bee, and the Yacht club has moorings just up the river Adur, but I am pretty sure they dry. By all accounts the YC is very friendly.

http://www.shoreham-port.co.uk/Marinas

 

[DJE]

We've been east from Portsmouth a few times but never been into Shoreham (or Newhaven for that matter). On trips up channel we have done Eastbourne in one tide by arriving at the Looe just as the tide turns east. It's best to do shorter hops on the way back as the tides don't work so well.

Sovereign Harbour at Eastbourne is a big modern marina with several pubs and restaurants and a big Asda. We once spent a couple of nights there, got the bus up onto Beachy Head and walked back.

Rye is well worth a visit. Very pretty old town and you dry out alongside the quay right in the middle and miles from the sea. Get your tides right and I seem to remember that everything closes on Tuesdays!

Brighton makes a good staging post on the way back. Massive marina and an interesting town to wander around.

On the whole there are greater temptations west or south but I don’t rule out going east if that’s what the weather dictates.

 

[Plevier]

The main clubhouse of Sussex YC is in the west arm but I'm afraid the visitor's berth there is drying. Good clubhouse and bar.
SYC has a second base in the canal a mile or two away and there is a deep visitor's berth there.
Nothing much around there but easy by bus into Brighton.
Usually yachts go through the small lock which is very good, has a floating pontoon. Occasionally you have to use the big lock - long warps, bollards on top, stone walls with attached baulks of timber, lots of fending off needed.
If interested in a visit you need to talk to Tim the Secretary about a berth, 01273 464868 mornings weekdays.

There is always room at Brighton of course.
Eastbourne as described already.
Rye is lovely if you can get up to it.

 

[Twister_Ken]

My memory of Shoreham (shore visitor only) is that the western arm is small craft only, and that in the eastern arm there are several sets of YC staging to which yachts moor, before the lock. Dries a lot. Through the lock, a small marina. As a town, it's not exactly a tourism hotspot.

 

[chinita]

There is an interesting chandlery at Lady Bee. All sorts of second hand stuff. Occasional gem found there in the past.

 

[Plevier]

My memory of Shoreham (shore visitor only) is that the western arm is small craft only, and that in the eastern arm there are several sets of YC staging to which yachts moor, before the lock. Dries a lot. Through the lock, a small marina. As a town, it's not exactly a tourism hotspot.

I'm slightly confused by that.
There are no moorings outside the lock even for short stop it's all commercial wharves.
Inside the lock you have SYC pontoons, Lady Bee "marina" run by the Port and a small private set of pontoons I think it's called Riverside. They are all contiguous.
I think only SYC has a visitor's berth but could be wrong on that.

 

[jimbaerselman]

For a brief comparison of ports along this coastline, see http://www.jimbsail.info/tidal-europe/channel/e-channel

Comments welcome if people have different views - it's a while since I cruised that coast!

 

[Twister_Ken]

I'm slightly confused by that.
There are no moorings outside the lock even for short stop it's all commercial wharves.
Inside the lock you have SYC pontoons, Lady Bee "marina" run by the Port and a small private set of pontoons I think it's called Riverside. They are all contiguous.
I think only SYC has a visitor's berth but could be wrong on that.

It's five or more years since I was there, but I remember yachts dried out against staging coming our at right angles from the shore. Maybe things have changed?

Pic shows how I remember it…

From this webpage…

http://www.westsussex.info/shoreham.shtml

 

[Plevier]

It's five or more years since I was there, but I remember yachts dried out against staging coming our at right angles from the shore. Maybe things have changed?

Pic shows how I remember it…

That's the west arm, the main clubhouse is the white building at the right of pic, left half of pic is storage and workshops. Off the right of the pic is the main boat park which has a drying pontoon parallel with the shore with a visitor's berth on it. Footbridge across Adur to Shoreham Beach off left of pic.

The lock is in the east arm. Maybe I misunderstood, I thought you were suggesting there was staging just outside the lock, there is nothing.

All clearly visible on Google maps.

Port authority leaflet here very informative http://www.shoreham-port.co.uk/write/Documents/Harbour Times final Nov 2012.pdf (and it says Lady Bee does have visitor berths, sorry.)

 

[Twister_Ken]

Troubadour - you're right , W arm for YC staging. I blame failure of my random access memory circuits.

 

[RAP77]

Was there in 2011. Locked though to West Basin.
If I remember the lock was quite narrow - we have 4m beam and it was a close fit though the gates.
We berthed at Lady Bee marina on hammerhead.
Easy entrance and call the lock keeper (can't remember the channel).
Town has left no lasting memories.
I would rate it as a pleasant stop along the SE coast

 

[MASH]

I lived in Shoreham for 6 mths. The town has left no memories. It's a pretty ornery place, and that's bigging it up.

 

[chubby]

Thanks folks for the information. I am not sure I feel that attracted to a visit but I do like the idea of visiting working ports with a mixture of leisure, fishing and commercial activity rather than artificial marinas that can be a bit sterile. For that reason I quite like Grandcamp in France which is a working fishing port.I fondly remember Poole town quay in the old days, rafted up and watching the coasters and fishing boats go past. I quite enjoyed Littlehampton and actually felt the HM was pleased to see me. I have hazy memories of Newhaven as a staging post heading to Holland once. I suppose in honour of Dylan of this parish and KLT, I could come out of Portsmouth and turn left! Anyway just day dreaming!

 

[masterofnone]

Chubby, we have met a couple of times in cborg, Lithampton ok, shoreham worth a visit I would rec sussex yc over lady bee, brighton busy goldfish bowl good facilities, newhaven defo industrial lewes only just up tracks; should you arrive here and want anything; even a clean shower pm me. eastborne similar to bton, rye well worth a visit, dover yeah ok, ramsgit cant complain too much.

 

[chubby]

Hi,

Is that Sussex yacht club through the lock and in the east arm or the west arm?

I have enjoyed cruising the baie de seine with a mixture of rivers, marinas, canals, some commercial ports and I have often wondered if the English side would be similar except for the lingo and food!

The pull to go west or south from the Solent is very strong so perhaps fun to break the mould, will Pm you if we head that way! I have a great photo from the Cherbourg dinner of Mrs Chubby rabbeting on and you fast asleep!

Chubby, we have met a couple of times in cborg, Lithampton ok, shoreham worth a visit I would rec sussex yc over lady bee, brighton busy goldfish bowl good facilities, newhaven defo industrial lewes only just up tracks; should you arrive here and want anything; even a clean shower pm me. eastborne similar to bton, rye well worth a visit, dover yeah ok, ramsgit cant complain too much.

 

[wiggy]

The main club house is on the river to the west of the entrance in Shoreham town centre ( lots of eateries and pubs) here there is a drying visitors mooring, club moorings, large slipway, club yard with travel hoist and scrubbing posts. Through the lock to the club has more mooring, a visitors berth and club house that is only used for organised socials , this is Southwick and has limited eating choices but a mainline station, banks etc. Great club, give them a ring, speak to Tim in the office.

 

[Gwylan]

It is the time of year when I begin to plan new voyages and always looking for somewhere different. Based in Portsmouth the very strong pull is west and have rarely gone east. I did enjoy a visit to Littlehampton and quite like the idea of working ports even if a little shabby rather than purpose built marinas, so was thinking of the Sussex rivers: Littlehampton, Shoreham, Newhaven, maybe even further to Rye!

Is Shoreham worth a visit and yacht friendly? Is there really nothing in the west arm for a visiting yacht to save locking into the east arm and canal, is the lock reasonable for yachts? I an long keel and can sink into soft mud if needed but being likely to be SH don`t mind long jetties like Littlehampton but a bit wary of tight fingers.

Or shall I just go west?

If you consider a visit to Rye contact me, or call the HM.
Timing and knowing what is around the corner can be most useful. You will sink into deep mud, wonder what all the runoff has done to the channels recently.

A daylight arrival for a first visit is highly recommended. Whatever happens make it as near to HW as reasonably possible for a first visit.
There is a video in one of Dylan's earlier offerings. But he came in in the dark?