sailorman
Well-Known Member
And the hrs of say RHYC with food
Shotley
- Thread starter Boz
- Start date
ex-Gladys
Well-Known Member
I don't keep my boat in a marina, but visit several. The best marina on the East Coast is by no way Shotley; it's Chatham. Shotley facilities are ridiculously under provisioned with 2 convenient WC's and 4 showers similar. The Shipwreck has had numerous chances from us and come up wanting every time. WiFi is poor, electricity for visitors is £2 a night. As I write I'm in Sovereign at £28 all in (we've used 60p worth of the free electricity, WiFi just works and I can shower at will without getting all my clothes wet in the large, well screened showers). The finger pontoons at Shotley are lethal if unoccupied by another boat, and my max waiting time to enter on a Saturday has been 2 hours. Yes, the staff are lovely but Felixstowe is hardly view of the century.
Chatham ablutions are first class, the staff are equally as nice, and I don't feel I'm taking my life in my hands getting on a pontoon. And the food choices immediately available are much better
Chatham ablutions are first class, the staff are equally as nice, and I don't feel I'm taking my life in my hands getting on a pontoon. And the food choices immediately available are much better
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Sniper
Well-Known Member
And there's me thinking that the mark of a high class facility is when you can land your dinghy on the end of the hard without having to wade through 5 yards of mud first!
sailorman
Well-Known Member
FMYC the whole yearEvery evening until 2100, except Sunday, 2000
In season.
We get waifs from RHYC in the wintertime
Boz
Well-Known Member
I'm in no position to defend Shotley, but there are showers and toilets and even a couple of baths in the main block.... the pontoons have never appeared any more 'Lethal' than anywhere else. I'm sure Chatham is splendid but sadly on the wrong side of the estuary when you live in Lincolnshire... Oh and £3.10 /Meter/day visitor charge not particularly inexpensive but then they are MDL - ever tried the WiFi at Woolverstone?
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
The toilet block midway along the pontoons has recently had a refit, but that's not the only ablutions here. There are public toilets in the Shipwreck and another set of bertholder ablutions too. Not sure what you mean about the pontoons, they are a bit narrow compared to some, but i never feel unsafe.
The wifi is, as you say, totally rubbish. Down here on J it doesn't work at all. I'm not too bothered as i tether my phone. Visitors electricity is now £2.60 per day, which i agree is a bit much. (OK a lot much)
pvb
Well-Known Member
True, it's free at Levington and Woolverstone. But, if you work out the daily cost for a typical 10 metre boat, there's not much difference between them.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Where is this advertised ? A google search uncovers such an offer, but dated 2014. I k now someone else who's thinking of a move and this might be the clincher.
pvb
Well-Known Member
I finally persuaded a mate to move to Shotley early last month. They gave him the balance of June for free.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Person i have in mind is paid up where he is until Oct, if the deal to waive his fee until Oct was still going i think he'd move tomorrow.
Otter
Well-Known Member
At least you have us beaten on the chandlery front
Edit : Hang on though, we have to drive past it to get here though.
Not my marina
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Where r u now ? Southwold ?
Boz
Well-Known Member
He should enquire.....
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Will pass that along, thanks.
stu9000
Well-Known Member
Spent three nights at shotley recently and loved it. Lots of points already made but no one had mentioned they have baths!!!! Wonderful to have a proper soak after a passage.
Food at Bristol arms was appalling. Tables sticky. Cost a fortune. I could not eve drink the beer . the place was like the grave.
Shipwreck food was excellent. WiFi on pontoon no good but fine in the bar.
I'm on the Medway at the moment but would consider it as a base in a year or two in spite of the drive due to fantastic cruising area .
Food at Bristol arms was appalling. Tables sticky. Cost a fortune. I could not eve drink the beer . the place was like the grave.
Shipwreck food was excellent. WiFi on pontoon no good but fine in the bar.
I'm on the Medway at the moment but would consider it as a base in a year or two in spite of the drive due to fantastic cruising area .
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Food in the Bristol Arms used to be good, but as you say, over priced rubbish now.
I'd heard the Shipwreck was good, but been too busy to go in there so far, must make the effort to try it.
Serin
Well-Known Member
Something I would like to ask Shotley folk.......
I have visited Shotley frequently for many years and always enjoy going there, not least because of the excellent, obliging staff. And I also enjoy the view of Felixstowe - the life of the harbour and the vast ships that visit it are always interesting.
Last time I was there, something happened that I have never experienced before. The lock was open and I was approaching to lock out. Suddenly there was a powerful surge through the lock - powerful enough that the boat was pretty much uncontrollable for a time - perhaps 30 seconds. I managed to avoid hitting anything, using the full power of my engine, although the boat is relatively under powered by modern standards. But it was pretty alarming at the time and the boat was certainly not under my full control.
I wondered if this surge could have been caused by the wake of one of the ferries from Parkestone, but I was a bit mystified, as it has something I hadn't encountered before at Shotley. Has anyone else had a similar experience at Shotley?
I have visited Shotley frequently for many years and always enjoy going there, not least because of the excellent, obliging staff. And I also enjoy the view of Felixstowe - the life of the harbour and the vast ships that visit it are always interesting.
Last time I was there, something happened that I have never experienced before. The lock was open and I was approaching to lock out. Suddenly there was a powerful surge through the lock - powerful enough that the boat was pretty much uncontrollable for a time - perhaps 30 seconds. I managed to avoid hitting anything, using the full power of my engine, although the boat is relatively under powered by modern standards. But it was pretty alarming at the time and the boat was certainly not under my full control.
I wondered if this surge could have been caused by the wake of one of the ferries from Parkestone, but I was a bit mystified, as it has something I hadn't encountered before at Shotley. Has anyone else had a similar experience at Shotley?
Stork_III
Well-Known Member
Was this on free flow. There is often a strong inflow if free flow has only recently started, on Spring tides, less so with Neaps.
pvb
Well-Known Member
The only time there's current through the lock is if it's on free-flow at high water. The lock-keeper will almost always warn if the lock is on free-flow, and advise that current may be encountered.
