The future of Solent sailing

[ashtead]

To be fair I haven’t been this year but that is due to lack of berths to book?? but clearly if they have replaced the old blocks along the lines of marinas in Lym and cowes that’s good news . Just need someone to open some new eateries although the pubs aren’t that bad.

 

[ZBM2]

To be fair I haven’t been this year but that is due to lack of berths to book?? but clearly if they have replaced the old blocks along the lines of marinas in Lym and cowes that’s good news . Just need someone to open some new eateries although the pubs aren’t that bad.

II don't want to assume gender but the Gents were done for last season and the Ladies this one.

wrt 'eateries' I can recommend for differing tastes:

Cucina IOW

and

thebluecrab.co.uk

Though I wouldn't include the Bugle in the 'not bad' category for pubs.

 

[Tomahawk]

Bottom m line is we need far more boating facilities to serve the population. Butvwhen someone tries to build new a new marina the green NIMBYS all come out yhe woodwork to object... whet they ignore is that if people can’t keep a boat here, they can keep one a road and fly there and back... Now which causes more environmental damage? a marina or flying?

Answeres on a postcard, but it is a genuine auestion.

 

[dom]

Two themes here: (i) there’s a shortage of marina space in the Solent, (ii) marina fees are too high.

Then there‘s the operation of the free market, supply and demand and all that, which tells us that a fresh supply of berths will only enter the market at a price point where the marginal return on capital is attractive.

The market has found an equilibrium and it is what it is

 

[Boathook]

To be fair I haven’t been this year but that is due to lack of berths to book?? but clearly if they have replaced the old blocks along the lines of marinas in Lym and cowes that’s good news . Just need someone to open some new eateries although the pubs aren’t that bad.

I get the impression that there are plenty of berths to book in Yarmouth but just that the are booked months in advance. Personally I think that that have the mix correct between bookable and turn up on the day berths.

 

[Homer J]

I get the impression that there are plenty of berths to book in Yarmouth but just that the are booked months in advance. Personally I think that that have the mix correct between bookable and turn up on the day berths.

Yarmouth only allows booking two days in advance of arrival - according to their T&C’s

 

[Tomahawk]

Two themes here: (i) there’s a shortage of marina space in the Solent, (ii) marina fees are too high.

Then there‘s the operation of the free market, supply and demand and all that, which tells us that a fresh supply of berths will only enter the market at a price point where the marginal return on capital is attractive.

The market has found an equilibrium and it is what it is

Except is ts anything but a free market. The first condition of a free market is that anyone to enter and supply goods. We have a so called planning system that prohibits that from happening. The grant of planning permission is constrained by the environmental lobby who have succeeded in designating every bit of coast as some sort of environmental protection area. The provision of new boating facilities are prohibited in favour of people whose hobby and passion is looking at animals. In effect a people who look at animals have rights over and above the rest of the population.

 

[onesea]

worth trying Harold hales

they no longer offer visitors berths or host rallies….

 

[dom]

Except is ts anything but a free market. The first condition of a free market is that anyone to enter and supply goods. We have a so called planning system that prohibits that from happening. The grant of planning permission is constrained by the environmental lobby who have succeeded in designating every bit of coast as some sort of environmental protection area. The provision of new boating facilities are prohibited in favour of people whose hobby and passion is looking at animals. In effect a people who look at animals have rights over and above the rest of the population.

I‘m not sure this is a systemic problem.

Your point is no doubt valid in isolated areas, but no different to the general planning process .

 

[ashtead]

Shame about Harold Hayles -used to be quite a decent place to berth once you conquered the fear of drifting towards the bridge.

 

[DJE]

Two themes here: (i) there’s a shortage of marina space in the Solent, (ii) marina fees are too high.

Then there‘s the operation of the free market, supply and demand and all that, which tells us that a fresh supply of berths will only enter the market at a price point where the marginal return on capital is attractive.

The market has found an equilibrium and it is what it is

Utterly untrue - its all a conspiracy to fleece the yachtsman.

 

[Channel Sailor]

On a positive note. I was out sailing in the Solent yesterday. It was excellent “sailing”. Reaching, Close Hauled, spinnaker run and some motoring. Flat sea. I visited Yarmouth late lunch time for a Short Stay. Sailed back home in the evening. when the Solent waters were almost empty. Another really good sailing day for this season. But ssh, don't tell everyone because yes, the marinas can be busy some weekends.

 

[doris]

My mate has just decided to sell his boat for two reasons. The first is that he doesn’t use it enough because he lives too far from it.

But the second reason is the inability to go anywhere these days because there is no space in any of the harbours and I have to admit I’m having the same problem. Lymington, Beaulieu, Bembridge all booked.

I’m particularly annoyed with Yarmouth. I booked a berth with them on a Friday night and phoned them Friday morning to say the wind was too strong and I wouldn’t be coming. Thank you for letting us know they said but we are keeping your £50. Including the £4 for electricity - is this outrageous or is it just me?

so what do you think? As people are staying in the UK for holidays and foreign boats are repatriated due to VAT have we reached the stage where the Solent is overcrowded? Is it time to move / sell?

My mate has just decided to sell his boat for two reasons. The first is that he doesn’t use it enough because he lives too far from it.

But the second reason is the inability to go anywhere these days because there is no space in any of the harbours and I have to admit I’m having the same problem. Lymington, Beaulieu, Bembridge all booked.

I’m particularly annoyed with Yarmouth. I booked a berth with them on a Friday night and phoned them Friday morning to say the wind was too strong and I wouldn’t be coming. Thank you for letting us know they said but we are keeping your £50. Including the £4 for electricity - is this outrageous or is it just me?

so what do you think? As people are staying in the UK for holidays and foreign boats are repatriated due to VAT have we reached the stage where the Solent is overcrowded? Is it time to move / sell?

 

[ridgy]

I've made this point before but try to get a nice bit of grass to put your tent up in the Lake District (or other well known areas) in summer holidays and you will do well to get away with booking less than 3 weeks in advance for a minimum stay of 2 nights at 40 a night with no chance of refund.

You yachties don't know you are born having the chance to turn up on the day.

 

[Homer J]

I've made this point before but try to get a nice bit of grass to put your tent up in the Lake District (or other well known areas) in summer holidays and you will do well to get away with booking less than 3 weeks in advance for a minimum stay of 2 nights at 40 a night with no chance of refund.

You yachties don't know you are born having the chance to turn up on the day.

Are the roads to these campsites tidal? Are they sometimes impassable due to wind action piling up 6ft sleeping policemen? ?

 

[ZBM2]

Are the roads to these campsites tidal? Are they sometimes impassable due to wind action piling up 6ft sleeping policemen? ?

Neither of course is that a problem in the Solent (at least over the booking horizon for Yarmouth) as tide tables and good 48 hour weather forecasts are readily available. ?

 

[laika]

First time I visited portland marina some years ago it seemed practically empty. Now they are "fully booked" but thanks to the efforts of one on-the-ball berthing master (not all the staff there seem equally competent) frantically going round with a work boat making space in the early evening I don't *think* they were turning visitors turning up on the day away: at least they do in theory raft visitors, but there was no rafting when we were there.

Interestingly a ~13m very new looking jeanneau had parked in the middle of a ~30m space in front of us and hung a fender on their outside saying "No Rafting: Covid 19 concerns". Perhaps they had a vulnerable person on board and who knows what someone else's situation is but they were making frequent runs ashore, maskless and without attempting to socially distance on pontoons so not sure what threat they thought people walking across their foredeck were.

 

[Channel Sailor]

The future of Solent sailing for me is looking good, because I have just had another two days “sailing” in the area. NE wind and enough wind to sail at nice speeds. Also a thread like this will put some people off which means more room for me. The crew again throughly enjoyed the sailing so they will be back. As it happens I rocked up in Yarmouth again and got an overnight berth again, though it was rafted up third one out of four. But hey, from my 25 years or so of sailing along this coast, rafting up at peak summer is not unusual, not unexpected, is all part of the experience afloat and is another of those skills required/acquired by saillors.

One other approach to having more mooring berths available would be to return to shorter LOA yachts (and motor boats).

 

[wombat88]

Shorter boats and get more serious about abandoned/forgotten ones taking up space.

In olden days you could often get six sailing or motor cruisers into the lock at Chichester marina in one go. No longer...

 

[laika]

The future of Solent sailing for me is looking good,

My sailing future is looking is looking more solenty. We’re moaning about peak season but Winter Is Coming, and those crisp autumn and winter weekends when there *is* space in Newtown creek or wherever we fancy. Over the past 3 weeks I realised how much Ive missed sailing over the previous 18 months and so many places for weekend trips is going to make me use the boat more. Plus having recently antifouled I’m disinclined to accept spending 000s for a 3/4 tide berth. So goodbye Brighton, hello (again) Gosport