Sydney marinas

[robertj]

Anyone have experience of a good reasonable marina in the Sydney area?
Rob
Ps

I’ve visited one at bobbin head ‘empire marina’ very nice but $1200 month.
Is this the sort of prices I can expect?

 

[AndrewB]

I found the same problem when I visited Sydney for six months during a blue-water cruise.

Many of the 'marinas' around the Sydney and Pittwater area are what we would call mooring fields, though they are supervised and have facilities ashore. The cost even of these is high by international standards: can be up to $A80 per night in high season (January-February), though $A40 is more typical.

The Royal Prince Albert Yacht Club were obliging when I was unexpectedly called back to England for a couple of months, and their prices were below average. In Middle Harbour, a number of blue-water cruisers used Cammeray Marina for the same reason, though it was not greatly liked.

Anchorages are limited and not places where one would want to leave the yacht unattended for very long. The one in Blackwattle Bay is best, but the space is very restricted and it is crowded.

 

[One A.]

Aren't they quite anti liveaboard?

 

[Gypsy]

Anyone have experience of a good reasonable marina in the Sydney area?
Rob
Ps

I’ve visited one at bobbin head ‘empire marina’ very nice but $1200 month.
Is this the sort of prices I can expect?

You don't mention the length of your boat but for 40-45' $1200/mth is pretty much the rate for walk-on access. A mooring with marina provided tender access may be below $1000/mth. The next issue is availability. Convenient marinas are often full.
Bobbin Head is not strictly Sydney as it is in the upper reaches of the creek systems which feed into Broken Bay. It is still a great area for cruising but more favoured by power boats due the distance required to get to open sailing areas.
Most marinas are not allowed by local council rules/by-laws to provide 'live-aboard' berths although visitors are always allowed to stay short (maybe up to 30 days, not sure) durations and some marinas will accept longer liveaboards particularly for foreign vessels if you remain low-key.
There are also stringent laws about leaving a boat anchored without someone aboard. These are enforced by Maritime authorities in the favoured visitor areas such as Blackwattle Bay tho not as tightly as the law is proscribed.
Frankly the laws around anchoring in all of NSW are ridiculous! They prohibit any boat, including NSW registered boats from anchoring for more than 90 days in a year and not more than 28 days in a year in one location----AND--- they consider all of Sydney Harbour as ONE location or all of Broken Bay as ONE location.
Local boaties have protested but the powers say they are just protecting the waterways from congestion and stopping illegal liveaboard use. Hmmmm.
I don't know how they police the anchoring laws but you can be sure there are enough 'eyes' around that leaving a boat at anchor for long in any convenient location will not be tolerated.
Sorry, not much good news for casual or short time mooring here in beautiful Sydney. We can't even let a friend use our mooring if we plan to be away for a few weeks.
Rant over temporarily.

 

[Neeves]

I found the same problem when I visited Sydney for six months during a blue-water cruise.

Many of the 'marinas' around the Sydney and Pittwater area are what we would call mooring fields, though they are supervised and have facilities ashore. The cost even of these is high by international standards: can be up to $A80 per night in high season (January-February), though $A40 is more typical.

The Royal Prince Albert Yacht Club were obliging when I was unexpectedly called back to England for a couple of months, and their prices were below average. In Middle Harbour, a number of blue-water cruisers used Cammeray Marina for the same reason, though it was not greatly liked.

Anchorages are limited and not places where one would want to leave the yacht unattended for very long. The one in Blackwattle Bay is best, but the space is very restricted and it is crowded.

There are a large number of marinas in the 'Sydney area' with pontoon, fuel facilities, slipways etc. Some have swing moorings in addition to their pontoons (and the swing moorings offer security and sometimes a tender service) . Many private owners, like us, use private swing moorings. There are commercial swing moorings that can be rented (and some have tender facilities and offer formal security). I know of people who live on their boat, at anchor, in the Sydney area, but they do move around and keep a low profile. I also know of visiting itinerant who live aboard for extended period, a good few week. There are many safe anchorages - but I'd look to Pittwater (connects to the CBD by bus) rather than The Harbour.

Suggeting Sydney is expensive implies that places in the Riviera are cheap?

If you want more detail you would need to suggest why, for how long you want to leave your yacht and define its size.. You might then get better focussed answers. Having said that I have no idea of marina prices - we steer clear of them.

As with most capital cities on desirable water do not expect bargain basement marina prices. If you considered locations a bit further away you might find more reasonable prices.

Jonathan

 

[robertj]

That was a 40’ boat I was quoted for. Thanks for the info.
The period will possibly be every Ozzie summer UK winter.
I don’t mind outside of Sydney asking as I can catch the train to and from the city and surrounding area.

 

[Neeves]

People live on their vessels, yachts and mobos, on private swing moorings (the space being leased from "government'). There is a 50' steel ketch and a 55' large mobo I can see as I type (we overlook Pittwater). Both are within spitting distance of our swing mooring (and there will be others we cannot see). The Mobo moves with the wind direction, though he has his own mooring (but it is a bit exposed for comfort when a front comes through). I assume he also moves to refuel. I know of one person who lives at anchor on Sydney Harbour, he moves around. Visitors, non resident, are known to live at anchor for significant periods,weeks. None of these people are high profile, no noise, no parties - they do not annoy. People who have been an annoyance have been moved on (I can quote ). The Water Police will know of all of these people - and they obviously do not object - or they would have been moved on. Liveaboards offer a form of security to surrounding boats and the 'air' of disapproval ensures anyone who passes muster is not a 'risk'..

Again you are not entirely clear on your intent - but if you were at anchor on Pittwater there are plenty of safe anchorages (free), though you might want to watch the forecasts - the seabreeze is NE and can be 35 knots and the fronts tend to be southerly also 35 knots (and sometimes much more). Plenty of places you can land in a dinghy and leave it secure and there is good public transport to the CBD. You are near marinas, for fuel, get water at the same time, lots of waterfront restaurants from cheap to really expensive A decent cross section of boatyards, chandlers - you can walk to supermarkets.

If you had to leave on your yacht for a few days to a month then there are commercial swing mooring (and much more expensive pontoons (or slips) that offer security, Palm Beach Marine (being one) or check any of the marinas.

But - Our summer is our high season, surprise, surprise! and everyone (Sting was a regular) comes for the fireworks in their super yacht (sometimes simply chartered) and they often sit out in Pittwater and then move to The Harbour for the event - it can get a bit busy. This last summer was oddly quiet but we usually have 4 super yachts milling around (who usually anchor but one at least takes a commercial mooring) but there is room for all! They also move with the weather - size is not everything! The season starts before Xmas and can run till the end of January (not Burns Night, but Australia Day on the 25th Jan). Obviously visitor facilities get booked up early.

An alternative is the Hawkesbury, which you seem to know (but it would not be my choice) or The Harbour itself (but busy - ferries, weekend parties etc etc). Further afield - depends on how quickly you need to get into the City, Lake Macquarrie, Port Stephens, Newcastle.

Again - add a bit more detail of your intent and I, and others, might be able to refine.

Jonathan

 

[robertj]

People live on their vessels, yachts and mobos, on private swing moorings (the space being leased from "government'). There is a 50' steel ketch and a 55' large mobo I can see as I type (we overlook Pittwater). Both are within spitting distance of our swing mooring (and there will be others we cannot see). The Mobo moves with the wind direction, though he has his own mooring (but it is a bit exposed for comfort when a front comes through). I assume he also moves to refuel. I know of one person who lives at anchor on Sydney Harbour, he moves around. Visitors, non resident, are known to live at anchor for significant periods,weeks. None of these people are high profile, no noise, no parties - they do not annoy. People who have been an annoyance have been moved on (I can quote ). The Water Police will know of all of these people - and they obviously do not object - or they would have been moved on. Liveaboards offer a form of security to surrounding boats and the 'air' of disapproval ensures anyone who passes muster is not a 'risk'..

Again you are not entirely clear on your intent - but if you were at anchor on Pittwater there are plenty of safe anchorages (free), though you might want to watch the forecasts - the seabreeze is NE and can be 35 knots and the fronts tend to be southerly also 35 knots (and sometimes much more). Plenty of places you can land in a dinghy and leave it secure and there is good public transport to the CBD. You are near marinas, for fuel, get water at the same time, lots of waterfront restaurants from cheap to really expensive A decent cross section of boatyards, chandlers - you can walk to supermarkets.

If you had to leave on your yacht for a few days to a month then there are commercial swing mooring (and much more expensive pontoons (or slips) that offer security, Palm Beach Marine (being one) or check any of the marinas.

But - Our summer is our high season, surprise, surprise! and everyone (Sting was a regular) comes for the fireworks in their super yacht (sometimes simply chartered) and they often sit out in Pittwater and then move to The Harbour for the event - it can get a bit busy. This last summer was oddly quiet but we usually have 4 super yachts milling around (who usually anchor but one at least takes a commercial mooring) but there is room for all! They also move with the weather - size is not everything! The season starts before Xmas and can run till the end of January (not Burns Night, but Australia Day on the 25th Jan). Obviously visitor facilities get booked up early.

An alternative is the Hawkesbury, which you seem to know (but it would not be my choice) or The Harbour itself (but busy - ferries, weekend parties etc etc). Further afield - depends on how quickly you need to get into the City, Lake Macquarrie, Port Stephens, Newcastle.

Again - add a bit more detail of your intent and I, and others, might be able to refine.

Jonathan

Johnathan

I was there last week overlooking from palm beach (what a great place) I would be interested in keeping a boat there. I came to the same conclusion that moving into Sydney for events or a change is very appealing.
What are the commercially rented moorings charged at?
The marinas all seem to be about the same cartel price.

Regards

Rob

 

[Neeves]

Palm Beach, Pittwater - glad you liked it, it is rather nice especially with the current run of weather, but a bit chilly just now.

Commercial moorings are not something we have worried about -so am calling in some local knowledge. You need wait for me to get a reply or 2.

Palm Beach Marine was one I did think of, who operate out of Careel Bay, its the little bay immediately south of Palm Beach, the suburb. Avalon Sailing Club (on Clareville Beach) have commercial moorings but they might only be for members, might be all taken up - but worth investigating (it might be cheaper to join than pay cartel rates).

If you are living on the yacht then you could safely anchor between Scotland Island and Church Point, southern end of Pittwater (very sheltered), its safe to leave a dinghy (the inhabitants of Scotland Island leave their dinghies) there is a local bus to Mona Vale connecting with the express bus to the city. There are other locations at the southern end that might also appeal if anchoring suits you.

If you want facilities - you need be restricted to Yacht Clubs and 'formal' Marinas and the cartel prices.

Commercial moorings, any vacant moorings, are going to be under increasing pressure over the next few weeks as the Sydney Boat Show is early August and display yachts from Queensland need somewhere to be held before/after the show.

Still not being clear of your intentions, Lake Macquarrie, a bit further north might be an option. If you had transport the inland water of Port Stephen might be interested ting, Lemon Tree Passage (don't be discouraged by the fact it call itself a 'marina') would be very cheap - a bit rustic (think of the Blackwater).

Bear with me,

Jonathan

 

[robertj]

Palm Beach, Pittwater - glad you liked it, it is rather nice especially with the current run of weather, but a bit chilly just now.

Commercial moorings are not something we have worried about -so am calling in some local knowledge. You need wait for me to get a reply or 2.

Palm Beach Marine was one I did think of, who operate out of Careel Bay, its the little bay immediately south of Palm Beach, the suburb. Avalon Sailing Club (on Clareville Beach) have commercial moorings but they might only be for members, might be all taken up - but worth investigating (it might be cheaper to join than pay cartel rates).

If you are living on the yacht then you could safely anchor between Scotland Island and Church Point, southern end of Pittwater (very sheltered), its safe to leave a dinghy (the inhabitants of Scotland Island leave their dinghies) there is a local bus to Mona Vale connecting with the express bus to the city. There are other locations at the southern end that might also appeal if anchoring suits you.

If you want facilities - you need be restricted to Yacht Clubs and 'formal' Marinas and the cartel prices.

Commercial moorings, any vacant moorings, are going to be under increasing pressure over the next few weeks as the Sydney Boat Show is early August and display yachts from Queensland need somewhere to be held before/after the show.

Still not being clear of your intentions, Lake Macquarrie, a bit further north might be an option. If you had transport the inland water of Port Stephen might be interested ting, Lemon Tree Passage (don't be discouraged by the fact it call itself a 'marina') would be very cheap - a bit rustic (think of the Blackwater).

Bear with me,

Jonathan

Johnathan

Thanks for the info, I’ll wait to hear more from you,

Rob

 

[Neeves]

RobertJ,

send me an email, neevesip@bigpond.com

My mooring contractor has a mooring available now (I think) at Clareville beach, just south of Palm Beach. There is a local bus to Avalon, that connects with buses to the city and there are 4 or 5 express buses going to and from the city through Clareville first thing and returning around 5pm. If we go to the city we use the bus - parking there is horrendous. Supermarket/restaurants in Avalon - and it is easily within walking distance. Free BBQ on the beach, showers and toilets (though the showers might be cold!!!). There is free parking - but its down at the end of the beach at Taylors Point. Plenty of places to leave a dinghy, and outboard. With a dinghy you can commute down to the yacht clubs where there are boatyards and one chandler. There is fuel in Careel Bay or at the yacht clubs, I think the R Prince Alfred YC offers easiest access, fuel is on outside of the outer arm.

For a change you have immediate access to Cowan waters, solitude during the week, some courtesy moorings - much of the water is 20m deep, gooey mud bottom - but it is very sheltered.

We keep our catamaran at Clareville, (along with 500 other yacht) and have done for 20 years.

It a fairly quick sail down to Sydney Harbour, just go down on a northerly and back on a southerly - on no account sail down with a forecast southerly, sailing into 11m seas is not fun.

Send me an email and I'll give you the mobile number and you can pick up direct.

Jonathan