Slipway for begginer

[Shamo75]

Hi all,

Having spent too many years watching ppl enjoy days out fishing on their boats I took the plunge (excuse the pun) and bought myself a 16ft pilot with 40hp outboard and back-up short leg all on on a trailer.

I am booked onto the RYA course with Essex but want to find a nice easy (not too busy) slipway where I can launch my boat with a a car. The slip at Mersea on the hammerhead is ideal apart from the fact that it has a short window of usage and being new to boating I want to be able to get out and pootle about for 3 or 4 hours and come back in.

If anyone has any advice or suggestions I'd really appreciate it. I'm based in epping and happy to travel an hour or so, that puts me on the black water as the closest piece of water but as far as I understand whilst it's calm water it has a narrow window with the tides.

Also looking into a place I can keep the boat near a slip way without it costing fortunes. - I realise I'm asking a lot and I'm very happy to be schooled!

Thanks everyone.

 

[dash300]

Try posting on the East Coast forum as well to get more slipway suggestions.

 

[ChrisJBSC]

Brightlingsea Town Hard?

 

[Hadenough]

Brightlingsea Town Hard?

Good suggestion! Plenty of room, not too steep and if you avoid weekends and holidays probably not too much of a spectator sport. Good luck to the OP.

 

[Cathy*]

Take a look at www.boatlaunch.co.uk

 

[bigshineybike]

Slipways , One of the subjects I am also looking up at the moment.
On You tube they all make it look so easy. I have just bought a 23 foot boat which weighs anywhere between 2 and 3 tonnes.
Its taken a lot of phoning around to find someone to move it for us. The previous owner used a single axle trailer ( yes illegal I know!) which suggested to me its as straightforward as it looks.
Many transport companies are turning me down suggesting I pay a boat yard to crane it in.
I checked out the public slipways around Walton and sunbury as shown on the boatlaunch website. upon inspection they are all rather historic and apparently not maintained at all.
I may be back next week to let you all know how it goes as we are using Nauticalia at Shepperton who have been very helpful.

Is there a good list of questions to ask of any slip way owner or things especially to look out for when surveying a public slip?

 

[rosssavage]

Nauticalia are very helpful - I have used them in the past. The slip is in good condition, but is a bit of a dog leg off the road. The traffic will have to stop to allow you to carry out the first part of the reversing manoeuvre, so no pressure!

Again, the guys are very helpful there, so a good choice for a first go.

Good luck!

 

[CJL]

So far we've used

1. Felixstowe Ferry Public Slip
2. Levington Marina
3. Bradwell Marina
4. Burnham Marina

All are pretty good to be honest.

1. Felixstowe Ferry Public Slip has very poor parking. Forget it during summer! Has public toilets at top of the slip and a pub/restaurant
2. Bradwell is friendly but can be slimey at the very bottom of the skipway. Loads of parking and wash down facilities. Toilets a bit rough.
3. Levington is good. They have a long wire strop you can use if you don't want your car on the slipway. Loads of parking, changing rooms/toilets and a bar/restaurant on the lightship.
4. Burnham Marina is nice. Big speed humps, gentle slipway, loads of parking and restaurant.

CJL