solent swinging mooring - will this determine our keel choice (fin v bilge)?

[niccapotamus]

Hiya

after about a 15 year lay off (we previously shared a boat) we are looking at re-entering the fray and buying a boat next year.

life is much more complex now with bloody teenagers, and a whole raft of responsibilities that we didnt' have during our hayday of sailing in our early to late 20's - and interim experiments with shared boats didn't work with the kids as the eldest has turned out to have autism/aspergers (which explains why sailing was such a nightmare experience).

so the boat will have to be cheap (ish) so 10-15K I guess and running costs also low(ish) so that it can fit guilt-free into life.

so after that long diatribe - on to the knub of the question.....which is kind of twofold

given that we need to keep costs down I'm guessing a swinging mooring (or piles - we have always had a marina berth in the past). We are the types to sail throughout the year and try to get on the boat in windy conditions so I guess we'll need a (very) sheltered mooring to avoid drowning in the dinghy before we even get on the boat.

1. Given the above do you think we will sensibly need to buy a bilge keeler to make a swinging moorings significantly cheaper/and more practical (ie closer to the shore/more up the creek).

2. How do you guys fare with your swinging moorings? Are there top tips regarding dingys which make them more sensible and less of a nightmare proposition (only guessing of course but the idea of motoring out to the boat on a pitch black windy November evening in the piddling rain isn't that inviting...but needs must etc)

we will be either poole or solent based (preferably)

cheers

Nick

 

[Scarboroughsloop]

Have a word with Gosport Boatyard - they run a very good ferry service out to their swinging moorings.

 

[Sandy]

I am not on the Solent but am on a swing mooring with a bilge keel. The bilge gives us far more freedom to go where we want to on both sides of the channel.

Never have had a problem with the dingy, think about how many (and their kit) you want to transport at the same time, how often you will do this and where you're going to store this when you are sailing then select one to suit. A good outboard is a must - rowing against wind and tide is no fun and takes time. Make sure you have good waterproofs otherwise you might start your day with a wet bum.

 

[[10753]]

For the Solent area a drying mooring has to be the cheapest option so therefore a twin/bilge keeler. For your budget plenty in the 26 -30 foot region. A half tide mooring in Chichester c.£600, some you can even walk to.

 

[niccapotamus]

Have a word with Gosport Boatyard - they run a very good ferry service out to their swinging moorings.

they were my first thought as I remember them from the good old days when we were at the camper and nicholson marina in gosport - and then I remembered that their very good ferry service only runs during the day and their moorings are often a very very long way out in a big harbour - hence the concerns about needing a 12ft rib to get there in the first place ( a slight exaggeration but you get the gist); so their moorings are the type I'd rather avoid due to our habit of arriving at the boat in all weathers and at odd times of the day or night

 

[derekgillard]

You could try Wicormarine near Fareham where I am, there are swing moorings further down stream which I believe are cheaper.

Fully agree with the bilge suggestion, I have a fin keel but pay for it with mooring costs and not being able to get into some of the smaller harbours, if I had my time again it would be a bilge

 

[VicS]

Hiya

...........

1. Given the above do you think we will sensibly need to buy a bilge keeler to make a swinging moorings significantly cheaper/and more practical (ie closer to the shore/more up the creek).

2. How do you guys fare with your swinging moorings? Are there top tips regarding dingys which make them more sensible and less of a nightmare proposition (only guessing of course but the idea of motoring out to the boat on a pitch black windy November evening in the piddling rain isn't that inviting...but needs must etc)

we will be either poole or solent based (preferably)

cheers

Nick

Bilge keels will allow you to use drying moorings which are less expensive than deep water moorings

Chichester harbour mooring charges are on their website http://www.conservancy.co.uk/ They range from about £340 to over £2000 depending on boat length, drying height and location. Other harbour authorities should have their mooring charges on their websites.

You may find boatyards a little cheaper The mooring charges in the Chichester yard where I am based certainly are although I also pay an annual charge that covers winter storage, dinghy and car parking.

You will in many, if not most, cases need a decent stable dinghy and an outboard. My preference is a rigid dinghy to and from the mooring, that is not too attractive to then leave on the mooring, and an inflatable to keep on board to use at destinations to get ashore from anchorages or visitors moorings

You need to look not only at the mooring but such things as dinghy storage and launching facilities and car parking.

I have never motored out to my boat on a "pitch black windy November evening in the piddling rain" ( never been afloat that late in the year regardless of the other conditions). I'd recommend sticking to warm dry and sunny and preferably when there is not an "r" in the month.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

A twin/bilge keel boat will give you a much wider choice of cheap moorings (deep water of half tide £600 ~ £800 per year all inclusive) in Chichester, Langstone or Southampton Water and the ability to dry upright when going to little coves and some other places; but twin/bilge keel boats are getting hard to find. In regard to dinghy, I use a 2.9 inflatable, much lighter to move around than a rigid, more buoyancy, can plane easily on a 3.5 hp and much-much safer. I keep it permanently inflated.

 

[prv]

I believe Southampton Sailing Club are looking for new members and have moorings standing empty for (last time I looked) about £350 per year. They don't dry but they are relatively shallow so a bilge keeler would still be a good idea. They're not exactly up a sheltered creek but I sail past them on my way in and out of the Itchen and I've never seen conditions that would be dangerous for a dinghy (maybe I just don't go out in them ). They have a dinghy park where you'd keep a sizeable rigid dinghy for accessing the mooring, leave the inflatable in the locker for use on your travels. The main downside is that they don't have any kind of jetty or dinghy pontoon, you launch off the beach, but I guess tall wellies would do the job.

I'm not a member, but I did consider joining a couple of years ago so looked into this stuff.

Pete

 

[ninky]

We have kept a boat on a swing in Portsmouth harbour for a few years now, often all winter too. Some trips in bad weather / night. Like others have said, go for a rigid dinghy which will allow you to carry more stuff to and fro mooring, and an inflatable is useful for out and about. We got a grp sailing one that also has some built in buoyancy from ebay for £160.

It may seem like overkill but on the trip to and from the boat I like to have outboard and oars, bucket with manual bailer and flares. Have a good, strong torch when taking the dinghy out in the dark. Consider having a handheld VHF. Dry bags are useful for carrying clothes / mobile phones etc as you can get pretty wet if it's a rough day (you can get reasonable ones online or we got ours from The Range). Also wet weather gear is a must.

For the boat, consider how you will keep your batteries topped up given you won't have shore power - solar panel is good.

Being on a swing mooring is fun and certainly one of the most affordable ways of keeping a boat in the Solent.

 

[Quidi Vidi]

Have a look at this site http://www.hardwaysailingclub.co.uk/ they have a jetty so you can load up easily. Just bring your boat alongside to load crew and gear, makes an trip in the dinghy to the mooring much easier.
As said Wicor marine have very accessible mid stream pontoon moorings, only a short hop in a dinghy.

 

[chal]

2. How do you guys fare with your swinging moorings? Are there top tips regarding dingys which make them more sensible and less of a nightmare proposition (only guessing of course but the idea of motoring out to the boat on a pitch black windy November evening in the piddling rain isn't that inviting...but needs must etc)

We are on a swinging mooring and love it - much more peaceful than the marina we left a couple of years ago. Ours is deep water so can't really comment on keel, but I would suggest leaving aside enough money to get a decent dinghy. We too go out to the boat all year round in all weathers, and there have been times when getting there has been quite a hairy experience. We have a 2.7 metre inflatable with nice fat tubes which help with getting aboard when things are getting a bit rough. We have a 3.5HP outboard which quite honestly is not really enough in poor conditions: I'll get something bigger if/when finances allow. There are a few people where we are who have tiny little pram dinghies, but I have never seen them used in other than good conditions. Agree with whoever mentioned waterproofs, lots of wet bums otherwise.

 

[rob2]

I have experience of Southampton Sailing Club. It is a very friendly club with reasonable facilities for the weekend sailor, not so much during the week, though. They are currently completing a refurbishment of the clubhouse, by volunteer work parties. Launching a dinghy off the beach can be a bit off putting as the Westerky wind has more than a mile fetch onto the beach and I usually arrived on the boat with most of the nether regions quite damp. Boats cannot be left on the moorings during the winter, I believe it is a condition imposed by the Harbour Autority. Although the moorings don't regularly dry, much of the area can be exposed at a LAT, so once or twice a year at worst.

Rob.

 

[Marakei]

If you had a boat that could dry but didn't want a swinging mooring, there are some drying pontoon and marina berths at the top of Portsmouth Harbour, much cheaper than the deep water marinas further down the harbour. I think vacancies may be fairly rare, though, and I don't know if there are any others in the Solent. As well as fin or twin/bilge, you could consider a lifting keel.

 

[ostell]

Drying pontoon berths at Hayling Yacht Co , http://www.haylingyacht.co.uk/pontoons2008.html
Fore and aft moorings and swinging moorings at Wilsons http://www.wilsonsboatyard.co.uk/

Wilsons fore and aft are close to the pontoon and rowing is reasonable. Swinging are further down the creek and I would not like to row there but some do.

 

[greenalien]

Deep water swinging moorings available at Marchwood Yacht Club, at the top end of Southampton Water, on the river Test - some immediately available for smaller boats, waiting list for larger - the bigger your boat, the longer the wait, and there's a 40' size limit. Moorings are well sheltered except in a strong SouthEasterly, when they can get 'interesting'. Friendly club with good shore facilities, lifting rig, boat winter storage and dinghy park. There are a few boats of various sizes for sale in the boat park that may suit your budget. See http://www.marchwoodyc.org.uk for more details.

 

[ghostlymoron]

A bilge keeler can use a deep water mooring but a deep keeler can't use drying one. So i would always go for bilge keel around UK.

 

[Slackie]

Just down the river from Marchwood is Cracknore Hard Cracknore Hard Sailing Club - I've got a fin keel drawing 1.2m on trots (fore & aft) there. It's a short dinghy ride out there & pretty sheltered in anything except a SE. It costs about £350 pa, if I remember correctly.

 

[DJE]

You could try Wicormarine near Fareham where I am, there are swing moorings further down stream which I believe are cheaper.

Fully agree with the bilge suggestion, I have a fin keel but pay for it with mooring costs and not being able to get into some of the smaller harbours, if I had my time again it would be a bilge

There a quite a few of us forum types at Wicormarine. Don't know if that's a recomendation or not.

http://www.wicormarine.co.uk/

 

[Evadne]

We are on a swinging mooring and love it - much more peaceful than the marina we left a couple of years ago. Ours is deep water so can't really comment on keel, but I would suggest leaving aside enough money to get a decent dinghy. We too go out to the boat all year round in all weathers, and there have been times when getting there has been quite a hairy experience. We have a 2.7 metre inflatable with nice fat tubes which help with getting aboard when things are getting a bit rough. We have a 3.5HP outboard which quite honestly is not really enough in poor conditions: I'll get something bigger if/when finances allow. There are a few people where we are who have tiny little pram dinghies, but I have never seen them used in other than good conditions. Agree with whoever mentioned waterproofs, lots of wet bums otherwise.

I agree, I wouldn't want to go to a marina having been on a swinging mooring for so long. Given the choice of views (big white boats or mudflats) and sound track (frapping halliards vs waders) I have no desire to move.
We bought a larger pram dinghy and an electric outboard. The outboard comes with us and the dinghy stays on the mooring. At the moment,at HYC in chichester harbour they seem to have lots of empty moorings, half and full tide, but with half tide access from the yard (or the harbour).