Shotley Marina feedback/advice

[Johnny WAFI]

Hi all

Are there any pros and cons for having a berth at Shotley Marina that are not obvious? I understand it has the same owner as Burnham Yacht Harbour which always seems a bit tatty when I visit.

 

[PaulRainbow]

It's close to the sea, 24hr lock, lock staff and workshop staff good, but nothing much done in house, £50 per day to have a contractor work on your boat, even if they can't do the work themselves.

Toilets very, very dated. Pub closed more than it's open, food is pretty poor in my experience. Lots of building work going on.

Personally, i'd give it a miss, SYH or Ipswich much better choices.

Edit, forgot to mention the Bristol Arms, thanks Dan, it is good. Also forgot the sailing club next to the Bristol Arms, which welcomes visiting yachtsmen.

 

[Johnny WAFI]

It's close to the sea, 24hr lock, lock staff and workshop staff good, but nothing much done in house, £50 per day to have a contractor work on your boat, even if they can't do the work themselves.

Toilets very, very dated. Pub closed more than it's open, food is pretty poor in my experience. Lots of building work going on.

Personally, i'd give it a miss, SYH or Ipswich much better choices.

very helpful thanks

 

[DanTribe]

Good shelter in bad weather. Reasonable bus service to Ipswich. Ferry service to Harwich and Alma Arms (no good for evenings)
Shipwreck is OK when open, not haute cuisine, Bristol Arm is excellent. Some pleasant nearby walking.
Marina staff are friendly and efficient.
You can almost always find some local sheltered sailing in almost any weather

 

[Jokani]

I agree with the comments about the Shipwreck, other than that, all pros in my experience, and I have had 6 happy years at Shotley. I have stayed at all the other Orwell marinas, with the exception of SJH, and have not seen better. I may have gone to SYH, but they never responded to my berth enquiry.

 

[steve yates]

Shotley is the most miserable, unwelcoming, soulless place I have ever been.
Everyy visit, by boat or foot, the place has felt miserable, The village is too long a walk, the bristol arms is great, but has been shut 5 of of the 6 times I have been.
Its probably the last place on the east coast I would keep a boat.

 

[andystev]

As others have said, The Shipwreck is no better than average for food. All the staff I've interacted with have been very friendly. The shower block could do with a modernise, but it's functional. And I do like being close to the sea and the confluence of both rivers. Makes for easy sailing options.

 

[Koeketiene]

We've been at Shotley for two years and SYH for ten years.

Shotley is somewhat closer to the sea than SYH but quite often what you think you may have gained in time, you will lose at busy Summer times in waiting time for the lock to turn.
In particular around LW.

Depending on wind direction, you will get soot on your deck from ships berthed in Felixtowe.

Last but not least, the B1456 from Fox's to Shotley: in Summer you will spend more time on that road than you like.
Strictly no overtaking, and if you're stuck behind a tractor...

 

[Daydream believer]

I have read on this forum that thieves can get off the sea wall (which has public access)& in to the marina unobserved. When berth holders have complained about theft, the staff show no concern.
As a visitor, I have always found the staff very helpful & apart from the Shipwreck being shut, the rest of the place OK.

 

[Dee Bee]

I am a very happy berth holder at Shotley and it works well as a base. If you are unlucky on a peak summer day, you might wait 30 minutes to lock out. The Shipwreck isn't great but the Bristol Arms is pretty good. The Shower block is perfectly OK and clean. The boatyard is pretty good though you do have to pay extra for external workmen. Nothing negative to say about it and can't really understand the negative comments

 

[pandroid]

We've been at Shotley for two years and SYH for ten years.

Shotley is somewhat closer to the sea than SYH but quite often what you think you may have gained in time, you will lose at busy Summer times in waiting time for the lock to turn.
In particular around LW.

Depending on wind direction, you will get soot on your deck from ships berthed in Felixtowe.

Last but not least, the B1456 from Fox's to Shotley: in Summer you will spend more time on that road than you like.
Strictly no overtaking, and if you're stuck behind a tractor...

+1 to all that. Sometimes you also get people jumping the queue when waiting to get back in.

 

[ex-Gladys]

+1 to all that. Sometimes you also get people jumping the queue when waiting to get back in.

IIRC berth holders have priority over visitors.

 

[Lucky Duck]

IIRC berth holders have priority over visitors.

Charming

 

[Dee Bee]

I do not think that is right. It is always first come first served subject to the size of boats in the lock. If there is a smaller boat that can get in when you can't then it will be called in.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I do not think that is right. It is always first come first served subject to the size of boats in the lock. If there is a smaller boat that can get in when you can't then it will be called in.

That was how it worked when i was there.

 

[Koeketiene]

I do not think that is right. It is always first come first served subject to the size of boats in the lock. If there is a smaller boat that can get in when you can't then it will be called in.

Quite.
And with a 44' I did more than my fair share of loitering.

One Sunday afternoon in August I was made to wait for 1H45 before I was called to lock in.

If Shotley Marina ever wondered when I decided to leave: that was the day.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

The lock is the price you pay for the closeness to the open sea.

I found Levington and Bradwell an excellent compromise .

 

[MoodySabre]

The lock is the price you pay for the closeness to the open sea.

I found Levington and Bradwell an excellent compromise .

In another thread - no space at Bradwell.
It depends where you live. I’m south of the Blackwater so the Orwell is a long way, as would be Bradwell if you lived north of Ipswich.

 

[Daydream believer]

..wrong thread

 

[Snowgoose-1]

In another thread - no space at Bradwell.
It depends where you live. I’m south of the Blackwater so the Orwell is a long way, as would be Bradwell if you lived north of Ipswich.

Yes, the drive is an important factor when choosing a berth. At the time , I was within a 45 minute drive for both. The sailing compromises never seem to stop.