Solent marinas for a week or so in the summer

[wonkywinch]

I think rafting is fine as long as there is good communication about early departure

Our last visit to Yarmouth with us on the outside we let the insiders know we planned 0900 at the start of the flood to get us home. They agreed.

From 0630 next morning, lots of banging, line adjusting etc from the other boat. Got up to see what the fuss was about, they are all dressed in their oilies ready to go.

"We couldn't sleep so just waiting for you".

I did them a favour, untied, let them out, back onto the berth and went back to bed.

 

[flaming]

When rafting looks likely I always try and get rafted to whilst I'm on the boat and able to make sure they don't clash rigs or tie up to the wrong thing.

 

[Fantasie 19]

Good tips, but one correction. Chichester HM charges for anchoring, £10/11.

Harbour Dues and Charges:1 April 2026 - 31 March 2027 - Chichester Harbour Conservancy

...they're also getting hot on collecting day dues, and as of this year there's no reciprocal agreement with Langstone so you're Chi harbour plaque is no longer valid in Langstone and vice versa..

 

[westhinder]

When rafting looks likely I always try and get rafted to whilst I'm on the boat and able to make sure they don't clash rigs or tie up to the wrong thing.

And make sure they use springs. In French harbours we sometimes need to point that out. Vous voulez bien mettre une garde, s’il vous plait?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

About 25 years ago, we were rafted so deep in Weymouth, we had no lines long enough to reach the shore. We had a 24ft catamaran, so probably no great harm done, but we’ve never been back. We were the 6th boat out. We have 2 x 25 metre lines these days, that might still be marginal.

 

[Elessar]

We're based at Swanwick.

Our favourites, in no particular order:

Chichester Marina
East Cowes
Folly
Shepherds
Haslar
Universal
Bucklers Hard
Gunwharf
Lymington Town Quay
Yarmouth

That’s places to tie up. Now list the anchorages. I’ll start with east head and Newtown creek as being tenable in most wind states.

 

[ashtead]

If you want to party in the early hours East Head is the place to be -you can often wake up to find new friends alongside at 3am so choose your day/time carefully. It’s not that anchoring is an issue just that many seem to find it so hard to stay put and spin around like demented poll dancers on their anchors in the slightest breeze. As for Newtown creek there are buoys but again if you have any keel some challenges unless of course you have a Dragonfly I guess or lifting keel . I suspect the OP might find it somewhat alarming during summer weekends if new to the Solent concepts of how you make new boating friends

 

[Chiara’s slave]

If you want to party in the early hours East Head is the place to be -you can often wake up to find new friends alongside at 3am so choose your day/time carefully. It’s not that anchoring is an issue just that many seem to find it so hard to stay put and spin around like demented poll dancers on their anchors in the slightest breeze. As for Newtown creek there are buoys but again if you have any keel some challenges unless of course you have a Dragonfly I guess or lifting keel . I suspect the OP might find it somewhat alarming during summer weekends if new to the Solent concepts of how you make new boating friends

We do take advantage of our 40cm draft, and ability to sit on the bottom without drama, to avoid 3am drama in Newtown. We have a favourite spot, where we remain afloat but the depth on the approach scares people off.

 

[Leslie frank]

Marchwood Yacht Club £30 a night not very peaceful (container ships) but good food when the galley is open

Visitor Information : Marchwood Yacht Club

I used to keep a boat at Town Quay Southampton. I used to find Marchwood and the buoys at Eling very peaceful as the drone from the containers quickly became a sort of background hum. Lovely walking round there and always interesting

 

[Leslie frank]

The folly inn pontoons are worth a visit upriver at Cowes

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The folly inn pontoons are worth a visit upriver at Cowes

Take your own tender, you need a second mortgage for the ferry ashore. Otherwise, great.

 

[ashtead]

The only problem when you get ashore is the quality of the fare offered by the Folly Inn . I cannot comment on quality of wine and beer offered . A better bet if you can is to visit the Lifeboat Inn by the East Cowes marina if your dinghy/outboard is up to it .

 

[Sianna]

We are berthed at Beaulieu River (Bucklers Hard) it's the most beautiful mooring with fantastic facilities, but it's expensive for a pontoon mooring. A mid-river visitor mooring is cheaper but you need a tender to get to the pub The Master Builders is a lovely spot for evening meal or breakfast.



our favourites also include:

Bembridge, great atmosphere and pontoon berths, nice bar and evening food
Chichester Marina, has a lock to negotiate but lots of facilities, boat dealers, restaurant, etc
East Cowes, nice spot, The Lifeboat pub was good last time we were there.
The Folly, can be hit and miss and can be a lumpy overnight, depending on where you are moored, you can also head up to. Newport at HT.
Island Harbour, up the Medina, again accessed via lock so a peaceful night, just don't get locked in!
Newtown Creek, overnight bouys were £20 last year? no facilities but a superb spot, well worth a visit even as a lunch stop, lots of seals and wildlife.
Lymington Town Quay, lots of attractions / pubs / shops in easy reach.
Yarmouth, not much booking ahead and lots of rafting but it's a lovely marina and town.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[SimonX]

We are berthed at Beaulieu River (Bucklers Hard) it's the most beautiful mooring with fantastic facilities, but it's expensive for a pontoon mooring. A mid-river visitor mooring is cheaper but you need a tender to get to the pub The Master Builders is a lovely spot for evening meal or breakfast.

View attachment 207366

our favourites also include:

Bembridge, great atmosphere and pontoon berths, nice bar and evening food
Chichester Marina, has a lock to negotiate but lots of facilities, boat dealers, restaurant, etc
East Cowes, nice spot, The Lifeboat pub was good last time we were there.
The Folly, can be hit and miss and can be a lumpy overnight, depending on where you are moored, you can also head up to. Newport at HT.
Island Harbour, up the Medina, again accessed via lock so a peaceful night, just don't get locked in!
Newtown Creek, overnight bouys were £20 last year? no facilities but a superb spot, well worth a visit even as a lunch stop, lots of seals and wildlife.
Lymington Town Quay, lots of attractions / pubs / shops in easy reach.
Yarmouth, not much booking ahead and lots of rafting but it's a lovely marina and town.

Enjoy your trip.

Not far from us, we quite often go to Henry’s for lunch. The Montagu in Beaulieu itself is also very nice. We stopped at Buckler’s a couple of times when we had the boat but its home was in the Marina Village in Hythe which was convenient for what we needed but a bit cliquey.

 

[Sianna]

Not far from us, we quite often go to Henry’s for lunch. The Montagu in Beaulieu itself is also very nice. We stopped at Buckler’s a couple of times when we had the boat but its home was in the Marina Village in Hythe which was convenient for what we needed but a bit cliquey.

Yes I was in Hythe Marina village for a while, nice but can be a bit cliquey and it turns into a ghost town in winter.

 

[ashtead]

How can a `marina be cliquey? Surely this depends on the attitude of the marina saing club which I thought was fairly active there much like port Solent ? Never seen any cliques at Haslar BTW

 

[SimonX]

How can a `marina be cliquey? Surely this depends on the attitude of the marina saing club which I thought was fairly active there much like port Solent ? Never seen any cliques at Haslar BTW

Differences between people who live and moor there as opposed to just mooring or visiting, those who bought waaay back when it was first built as opposed to those that have come more recently, those who stay year round , those who only come for the summer, those who bought as investment and rarely show. Those who live in the £1m+ houses as opposed to the 'poor" people in the £500,000 ones. A lot of politics both abut the village and the country.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Differences between people who live and moor there as opposed to just mooring or visiting, those who bought waaay back when it was first built as opposed to those that have come more recently, those who stay year round , those who only come for the summer, those who bought as investment and rarely show. Those who live in the £1m+ houses as opposed to the 'poor" people in the £500,000 ones. A lot of politics both abut the village and the country.

Same as everywhere else then. A marginal improvement on London, where it’s possible to be born, grow up, grow old and die having never known your neighbours.

 

[SimonX]

Same as everywhere else then. A marginal improvement on London, where it’s possible to be born, grow up, grow old and die having never known your neighbours.

Again, it depends where in London you are. I lived in Wimbledon for many years and there was a great sense of community in the area. Likewise, when we visit, we use a flat belong to a friend in Bayswater and , again, the people nearby are always very friendly. I think the biggest problems are in new developments or the really deprived areas.

 

[newtothis]

Again, it depends where in London you are. I lived in Wimbledon for many years and there was a great sense of community in the area. Likewise, when we visit, we use a flat belong to a friend in Bayswater and , again, the people nearby are always very friendly. I think the biggest problems are in new developments or the really deprived areas.

I live in the badlands of sarf London. We know everyone on our street.