Spike Island marina, Widnes, on Sankey-St.Helens canal

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Does anyone have recent experience of using Spike Island in Widnes? (Not the other Spike Island on the other side of the Mersey!) It's more convenient than Fiddlers Ferry, which is really only suitable for long term storage, whilst being closer than North Wales! I'm trying to get a reading on facilities, security, general impressions. Most of the opinions I've been able to solicit are several years old. Thanks.
 
Not recent but 10 years ago FF was more accesible than Spike which had many issues with the lock and, I have to say, the club which controls the basin was far from welcoming in stark contrast to Mike at FF.
All of which may have changed, of course.
These are the delights which await you there, bilge deep in gloopy mud:

widnes.jpg
 
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To be fair that photo is of the unused lock hole to port of the entrance of the lock that is used.:cool:
 
I haven't explored spike but brought a boat from FF after 6 months+ of storage on the Sankey canal and cannot recommend Mike at Fidlers highly enough- from advice on rigging, servicing outboards, to the eventual departure up the mersey. There is also an excellent pub next to the boatyard.
I don't get the impression that people at spike are locking in and out any more than those at FF, but I may be wrong.
I'm in the marina at liverpool this summer but next year may forgo the convenience of mooring near to my work and just plan longer journeys from FF and back- even regularly lifting in and out would work out cheaper than the marina, and the trip up the river is actually pretty interesting going.
 
Has the new Mersey Bridge made a difference to the mast heights that can go up to Fiddlers Ferry?
 
it's the service bridge that causes problems, but that lifts on hyrdaulics at one section- you need to arrange a lift with the bridge crew though, which can be done by mike or I assume some one at spike? no issue with mast height for the main bridge, not for anything that is going to make it into the lock at fidlers anyway.
 
EddBee said:
it's the service bridge that causes problems, but that lifts on hyrdaulics at one section- you need to arrange a lift with the bridge crew though, which can be done by mike or I assume some one at spike? no issue with mast height for the main bridge, not for anything that is going to make it into the lock at fidlers anyway.
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Thanks for that. I have quite a soft spot for FF as we over wintered there 4 times in the 1990's. There often seemed to be problems getting the gates open at that time, silting up I suppose and Eric (Berquist of Folksong and those lovely little gunter rigged GRP cruisers fame) sometimes had the tractor to the gates.
Is the river trip better or worse than it use to be?
I was once late setting off to FF so decided to dry out in the channel between the main channel and Spike Island as I clearly was not going to make FF. That was before I realized there was actually a bore there on springs. The returning tide took the boat ( a heavy old Macwester 26) over to about 45 degrees before it refloated, which was a little fraught as I was not sure what the angle of vanishing stability was for one of those!
 
C08 said:
Is the river trip better or worse than it use to be?
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(not sure that quote will work...) I have only made the trip once so can't really comment, but give the way locals seemed to speak about it I was convinced i was in for something hellish. And when I told them i was doing it with a 2stroke 5hp outboard they were pretty convinced too. in all honesty, as long as you wait for what constitutes slack (low to high water at FF is only about 45 mins to an hour- it's a huge tidal spike) and follow the most recent waypoints (no more than a month old i would say) it's fine- just annoying that you can't make liverpool on one tide, at least not with 5hp. I did it with a non sailing mate, so no great seamanship other than decent planning required. Just don't ask what happened when we got to burbo bank. let's say the plan to anchor for a while was rendered redundant.
 
C08 said:
Thanks for that. I have quite a soft spot for FF as we over wintered there 4 times in the 1990's. There often seemed to be problems getting the gates open at that time, silting up I suppose and Eric (Berquist of Folksong and those lovely little gunter rigged GRP cruisers fame) sometimes had the tractor to the gates.
Is the river trip better or worse than it use to be?
I was once late setting off to FF so decided to dry out in the channel between the main channel and Spike Island as I clearly was not going to make FF. That was before I realized there was actually a bore there on springs. The returning tide took the boat ( a heavy old Macwester 26) over to about 45 degrees before it refloated, which was a little fraught as I was not sure what the angle of vanishing stability was for one of those!
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I "ran a muck" several times on the way up to FF in the 90's usually no problem, Hale Head is mind concentrating when one hull is in the channel and the other half way up the bank drying out. Unable to fit through the lock at FF I had to wait settled into the mud in the lock entrance to await the crane to lift me over the gate. Spike Island outer gate opens wider but the inner not so wide, as I found out.
 
Was that at the very basic pub there? I always wondered if the pub in 3 pints.... was that pub?
 
C08 said:
Was that at the very basic pub there? I always wondered if the pub in 3 pints.... was that pub?
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I think the 3 pints pub is on the other side of the bridge in Runcorn.
The "legendary" stone roses gig was on the island between the canal and the mersey. I went to a boat jumble there also.

I cannot comment about getting in and out of the river, but I am sure Fiddler's Ferry is quieter and safer. Spike island is right in the town, so plenty of people passing by and hanging about. Its a rough area (relatively speaking).

I would definitely recommend the Ferry pub, especially fish and chips on a Friday evening.
 
EddBee said:
I don't get the impression that people at spike are locking in and out any more than those at FF, but I may be wrong.
I'm in the marina at liverpool this summer but next year may forgo the convenience of mooring near to my work and just plan longer journeys from FF and back- even regularly lifting in and out would work out cheaper than the marina, and the trip up the river is actually pretty interesting going.
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Is this really practical? How long does the trip up and down river take, and how often can it be done? I have visions of being stuck in Liverpool, anyway, after having missed the tide.
 
Internet Sailor said:
Is this really practical? How long does the trip up and down river take, and how often can it be done? I have visions of being stuck in Liverpool, anyway, after having missed the tide.
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TBH, FF is set up very much for over wintering or long term storage. Often the lock entrance needs blasting with a water jet to get the gates open so entry/exit is no small matter. If you plan to lock out more than once every 6 weeks, say, I'd look elsewhere. Passaging the upper Mersey can be very rewarding, though, if somewhat fraught.
Rule of thumb is depart Pluckington WCM HW-2 and make 4 knts water speed to arrive at FF at local HW (L'pool+1.5). SOG will often be in double figures.
Return trip is harder on the falling tide. I've succeeded on 3 attempts out of 5 in a bilge keeler, otherwise drying safely on Hale Bank until the evening tide. Anchoring afloat off Pickerings Pasture is an option.
 
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