Somewhere to play in and around Milton Keynes

[oGaryo]

... I currently have nowehere around here where I can take the boat for a spin without having to pay a waterski club an arm and a leg to use their bit of water.. does anyone know a big bit of water in and around the Herts, Beds and Bucks area that I can take the boat for a test run or two as I continue to service the engine and optimise settings?

thanks Gary

 

[jfm]

Cosgrove lake? Standish, or some name sounding like that, near Witney?

 

[Firefly625]

Hi Gary,

I was going to suggest trying Stewartby Lake or Rushden Lake.... but I imagine you have tried both and I know they charge at both!

I have a friend who was a member at Rushden and did get a lot of use out of it, but it is £675 a year!... its also not that big, but is a great place to learn how to ski. Go weekdays and you will have the place to yourself. Its where I tested a couple of my boats..... If you are enterprising charge your friends to act as ski boat... would make it cheaper for you!

At the end of the day inland lakes that are large enough for a boat, which also have a slipway, are just not free to use as all are owned by someone!!

My only other suggestions would be to get the boat down to the salty stuff. Yes I know you just want to test and go home, but how about this for an idea; Make it weekend with a spring tide and take the boat down to Mercury Marina in Hamble. They have a slipway there you can launch (I think they charge £20..?) at High Water +/- approx 2 hours (hence why I suggest Spring's as they are always approximately in the middle of the day) camp overnight in the campsite which is beside the Marina, take your toolbox and a load of spares and you can get the boat sorted out once and for all, plus then have some fun once its working!!

Mercury Marina and campsite nextdoor!

I am sure there will be a few other suggestions of better places to launch and camp near by, but hope it helps

Just while I think of it, another website I should have mentioned right at the start is Boatlaunch.co.uk, this was my bible when I was trailer boating!

 

[oGaryo]

sorry mate, I should have replied to this one much sooner... thanks for the suggestions. I 've got in touch with the ski club at Tongwell here in MK and they're looking at £400+ annual membership which is a bit much for what I want.. had a chat with the guys at Grendon lakes in Northamptonshire and they're going to let me on that lake if I give then ten quid.. for a place to test run the boat without travelling to the coast, it's perfect (a little over 20 miles away from the front door). cheers

 

[jfm]

Confused ere. Cosgrove is much closer, just up the A5, bigger than Tongwell, and you pay by the day. Why would you wanna trudge up to Grendon?

 

[oGaryo]

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Confused ere. Cosgrove is much closer, just up the A5, bigger than Tongwell, and you pay by the day. Why would you wanna trudge up to Grendon?

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quote from their site:
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Please note: Water skiing, Jet skiing, Sailing and Canoeing is restricted to owners of holiday homes or seasonally sited touring caravans at Cosgrove Park.

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