Southampton Boat Show Marina

[xcw]

A huge effort and cost must go into building the marina every year. Does anyone know why they don't leave it there and operate it as a proper marina for the other 11 months of the year. The Solent could certainly do with the extra berths, even if they operated it as a visitors only marina.

 

[Magic_Sailor]

Brilliant idea

 

[Scaramoosh]

I guess its to do with planning permission. I know that the pontoons are often sold off "2nd Hand" to the commercial marina operators.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I think it rather hampers access to Town Quay and other berths and the operators there would probably get sniffy if it were to be made permanent.

Plus it's not actually very sheltered, if it blows from the wrong direction. I seem to remember they had to close the pontoons to the public for a while a few years back.

 

[twisterkai]

'.........operators there would get sniffy...'

Good!!

'Bout time they had some competition and brough the rates down to something vaguely resembling affordable / sensible.

 

[Peppermint]

Re: Kens right

It is very poorly sheltered. I've sat in the park in the past, watching waves break over the empty pontoons. During the show much additional fendering and imaginative rope usage is often required to prevent damage to boats.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: Kens right

"operators there would get sniffy"

I was thinking more of RedJet, the Hythe Ferry, ABP, etc

 

[DJE]

I worked for Walcon many years ago. The piling crew reckoned that they knew the boat show piles were in the right place when they just fell in to last year's holes and didn't need driving.

 

[alahol2]

We've spent a very comfortable night there once the boat show had finished.
Unfortunately there was no way ashore.