Time for a new marina

[jcwads]

So I get the dreaded call today from the marina to say my boats been hit. Don't know the full extent of the damage, but hopefully it is just a bent bow roller.

But, I am done with Port Hamble now. It's a nightmare. Only on Sunday a Yacht slammed into about 6 other boats being caught by the tide down an aisle.

Anyone had better experiences at any other Hamble Marina's. I don't care about the tide as I can handle my boat, but I don't trust others... I am getting the hell outta there!

 

[Blue Sunray]

As a visitor (sometimes for a few weeks) Mercury seems only just adequate. The place itself is pleasant and has an air of calm about it, but the staff are (in my experience and with one honorable exception) unimpressive, seeming to regard customers as an inconvenience, and since the Water's Edge closed (and it still seemed closed when we looked in yesterday) there is no onsite bar/catering.

 

[rafiki_]

Similar issues at Deacons Jonathan, people caught out by the strong rip. Only reason we stay is convenience, access off the M27. Mercury might be better for you, as the river is quite wide, so rip should be slower. Have a chat with James (Firefly625) as he is resident there. Prices lower above the bridge at Swanwick, but not for us due to height restrictions under the bridge. OK for you though?

 

[n.herring]

Come to Hamble point, lovely place, not joking we like it!

 

[mjf]

I had that twice in Puerto Solento and moved to Swanwick where I have 8m of empty pontoon ahead of me so as long as the bloke next door does mess his approach I am fine.

Issue now is the marina revap. Pontoons re-figured so all boats on each pontoon of similar size but pontoon more than boats length they say.............Lets see in Nov when i move to my new home berth.

 

[Boat2016]

As a visitor (sometimes for a few weeks) Mercury seems only just adequate. The place itself is pleasant and has an air of calm about it, but the staff are (in my experience and with one honorable exception) unimpressive, seeming to regard customers as an inconvenience, and since the Waterside closed (and it still seemed closed when we looked in yesterday) there is no onsite bar/catering.

Waterside was open a couple of weeks ago as I had a drink there whilst in the area, looked a lot smarter than before, barman said they were re doing restaurant and would open soon.

Not sure if it’s time of year but there were a lot of empty berths.

 

[superheat6k]

Waterside was open a couple of weeks ago as I had a drink there whilst in the area, looked a lot smarter than before, barman said they were re doing restaurant and would open soon.

Not sure if it’s time of year but there were a lot of empty berths.

MDL are playing another game with Mercury. By leaving the berths empty they have an argument that the place is declining, bolstering their long term ambition to build 80 flats / houses in the caravan site and across much of the yard hardstanding area.

This idea has been thoroughly rejected by the locals who are essentially sick and tired of the sheer volume of houses on the Hamble peninsula and completely inadequate roads, schools and doctors etc that are already stretched to the limit here.

They went through a large and impressive soft soap PR exercise last year to try to get local support for their plans. The idea is that Hamble Point will be the working yard, Port Hamble visitors and sea schools, and Mercury a residential marina.

They do have a fight on their hands against this one, although the present building could do with bull dozing and replacing, but sans 80 housing units.

On the subject of the upper river yards, Riverside Yard is delightful, although mostly full and a low flybridge boat can get under on top of a 5m spring tide (air-draft ~ 3m). Not so much of a rip current, especially compared to that at PH.

 

[Grubble]

MDL are playing another game with Mercury. By leaving the berths empty they have an argument that the place is declining, bolstering their long term ambition to build 80 flats / houses in the caravan site and across much of the yard hardstanding area.

This idea has been thoroughly rejected by the locals who are essentially sick and tired of the sheer volume of houses on the Hamble peninsula and completely inadequate roads, schools and doctors etc that are already stretched to the limit here.

They went through a large and impressive soft soap PR exercise last year to try to get local support for their plans. The idea is that Hamble Point will be the working yard, Port Hamble visitors and sea schools, and Mercury a residential marina.

They do have a fight on their hands against this one, although the present building could do with bull dozing and replacing, but sans 80 housing units.

On the subject of the upper river yards, Riverside Yard is delightful, although mostly full and a low flybridge boat can get under on top of a 5m spring tide (air-draft ~ 3m). Not so much of a rip current, especially compared to that at PH.

Words never ever heard at a planning meeting from a local "we need more houses/flats here" - no wonder kids can't afford to buy a house or a flat if everyone else is intent on pulling the ladder up behind them.

 

[Boat2016]

Words never ever heard at a planning meeting from a local "we need more houses/flats here" - no wonder kids can't afford to buy a house or a flat if everyone else is intent on pulling the ladder up behind them.

I cant imagine the kids would be able to afford these anyway, they were hardly looking to build affordable housing were they. MDL will only be interested in the high end market.
It beats me why they have to go taking the boating facilities away from a busy river when you can build houses almost anywhere now, something that will never get replaced once its lost.

 

[Grubble]

I cant imagine the kids would be able to afford these anyway, they were hardly looking to build affordable housing were they. MDL will only be interested in the high end market.
It beats me why they have to go taking the boating facilities away from a busy river when you can build houses almost anywhere now, something that will never get replaced once its lost.

It doesn't matter whether they are planning to build palaces or starter homes, the nimbies will always say not here.

 

[Boat2016]

It doesn't matter whether they are planning to build palaces or starter homes, the nimbies will always say not here.

The river Hamble like many other rivers is an area where people use and keep boats, I can see no locical reason other than for profit to transfer land which complinents the boating and provides services etc to housing when there’s plenty of other land that can be built on whilst leaving this site alone. Once all the land beside our rivers is built on and all the facilities have been lost there’s little reason to carry on boating. Nothing to do with being a NIMBY and anyway I don’t live anywhere near the village but do like to visit the area from time to time for what it now offers. I also find the road access isn’t great and will only get worse.

 

[Firefly625]

well my suggestion as an MDL berth holder just try both. A couple of weeks in HPM and a couple in Mercury probably will give you all you need to make a decision.

I have stayed at HPM overnight a few times... its OK. I come out there over winter every year and the boat yard is really big and busy, would I want to be there all year round? no..

I have known Mercury all my life, my parents had a boat there before I was born when Robin KJ owned it, and we only just sold their berth this year.
Good Points;
Its quiet and not a lot has changed for many years
Berth holders tend to own their boats - no rental/charter boats to concern yourself with. Not seen any mishaps for years
Toilet & shower Facilities are clean and well kept
Not a huge amount of activity but it is fuller than I have seen it for a few years
Waters Edge is now open, now owned by MDL and managed by Drift (who run Drift at Sparkes), bar only, restaurant to follow. Initial signs good
Force 4 Chandlery (Aerial who works there in the summer great for advice & finding stuff)
Staff are friendly (although a lot of swapping between all three Hamble marinas so you will recognise some of them),
Many different views depending on where you chose to berth - Badnam creek or River or trees..!
Security good
Badnam Creek, and up the river to Swanwick and beyond nice to investigate by dinghy/paddleboard

Down Sides;
Its quiet and not a lot has changed for many years..
Force 4 Chandlery (they never actually have what you want if Aerial isn't there)
Toilet & shower Facilities are clean and well kept... but in todays world a little on the basic side (compared to Berthons or Premier)
Tides can be a fierce on springs the further out you get (we are on D19 and tidal flow is minimal even on springs, and can berth without thinking about it)
Don't berth near the hoist as if the wind is in the wrong direction your boat gets covered in antifoul (we moved because of that issue)
Tumble down old boat yard sheds I suppose a bit of an eyesore..
And the threat of future plans to build which I think is stopping MDL spending much money on the marina as it stands..

 

[jcwads]

Thanks for the info. I may move to a far side pontoon at Port Hamble and see how it goes.

Had a trip down today to inspect the damage. Bow roller is bent and off centre, a chip in the gel coat, scuff on bow gel coat and the anchor has loads of score marks.

Bought the anchor brand new in August at quite a cost so gutted about that.

Link to images and vids here -

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FseDp8b59fBGxE4B8

The charter company are saying they will refurb the bow roller like new and are confident it’s simple for them. I did ask for a replacement.

Regarding the Anchor they are saying insurance likely won’t pay for a new one as anchors get marked anyway. Am a bit peeved at that as it’s pretty much brand new... it’s got a lot of marks and abrasions and I like my boat looking tip top. Am I being unrealistic asking for it to be sorted. The charter company says the marks and abrasions will discolour over time to be the same as the anchor.....

Any views welcome.

 

[Boat2016]

Thanks for the info. I may move to a far side pontoon at Port Hamble and see how it goes.

Had a trip down today to inspect the damage. Bow roller is bent and off centre, a chip in the gel coat, scuff on bow gel coat and the anchor has loads of score marks.

Bought the anchor brand new in August at quite a cost so gutted about that.

Link to images and vids here -

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FseDp8b59fBGxE4B8

The charter company are saying they will refurb the bow roller like new and are confident it’s simple for them. I did ask for a replacement.

Regarding the Anchor they are saying insurance likely won’t pay for a new one as anchors get marked anyway. Am a bit peeved at that as it’s pretty much brand new... it’s got a lot of marks and abrasions and I like my boat looking tip top. Am I being unrealistic asking for it to be sorted. The charter company says the marks and abrasions will discolour over time to be the same as the anchor.....

Any views welcome.

I would inform the charter company that you will arrange repairs yourself and they are to pay the bill, sounds like they are going to just bodge it themselves to avoid any payment, your anchor wasn’t marked before and no reason why it should be now. Totally unacceptable attitude from them.

 

[rafiki_]

Do you have any pics of the anchor and other bits in before crunch condition?

 

[jcwads]

Re Rafiki - Yep. All of it

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Get a surveyor involved. Imho replacing the anchor because of a couple of marks might be a bit of a stretch - but if those marks are actually the galvanising being cracked because the anchor has been very slightly bent then that's a different conversation.

The bow roller is *very* difficult to remove on the T40. Because of that the temptation will be to repair in situ; I wouldn't want anyone other than my own contractor attempting that, and even then I'd want to be there.

 

[volvopaul]

Thanks for the info. I may move to a far side pontoon at Port Hamble and see how it goes.

Had a trip down today to inspect the damage. Bow roller is bent and off centre, a chip in the gel coat, scuff on bow gel coat and the anchor has loads of score marks.

Bought the anchor brand new in August at quite a cost so gutted about that.

Link to images and vids here -

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FseDp8b59fBGxE4B8

The charter company are saying they will refurb the bow roller like new and are confident it’s simple for them. I did ask for a replacement.

Regarding the Anchor they are saying insurance likely won’t pay for a new one as anchors get marked anyway. Am a bit peeved at that as it’s pretty much brand new... it’s got a lot of marks and abrasions and I like my boat looking tip top. Am I being unrealistic asking for it to be sorted. The charter company says the marks and abrasions will discolour over time to be the same as the anchor.....

Any views welcome.

Hi Johnathan , first of all you are in control here , your the victim not the unprofessional cheater I mean charter company .
Perhaps you should let us all know who they are so boaters can ask the marinas not to allow them to berth there with that attitude.
You need to contact your insurer , I shouldn’t cost you anything, then get the highest quotes you can and tell this cowboy outfit you mean business.

Get the boat lifted out at there cost , employ a surveyor to assess the true damage and submit a claim, don’t let them do the work as they will only bodge it up , maybe even make it worse, if the roller is bent you must check the deck under it for damage and prove that the anchor was as new so they make it right .

The problem with all marinas is they are capitalists , they allow far too big boats to moor on small pontoons , the fairways between them are not big enough to safely manoeuvre in anything but slack tide.

I recently witnessed a yacht full hit a boat in an MDL marina , I won’t say which one but after they had moored up I walked by and asked had they informed the office of the damage , the reply from the skipper was that I should mind my own business, so I went straight to the office which showed me they had absolutely no intention of owning up at all.

Fight your case mate to your own satisfaction, it what your insured for, send a letter of intention to the charter company and a copy to the marina office .

 

[Bbroomlea]

Your boat should be put back to the way it was before their negligence. I would not accept their offer to do the work either.

Get the boat yard to assess the damage and quote to put it back the way it was - repaired correctly including the bits you cannot see.

You dont want water getting into places it shouldnt because of a distorted bow roller mounting etc. In a few years time a bodged repair could be costly.

Of course it may be a simple fix too, but if it were me I would let the experts decide on what is needed.

 

[jcwads]

Get a surveyor involved. Imho replacing the anchor because of a couple of marks might be a bit of a stretch - but if those marks are actually the galvanising being cracked because the anchor has been very slightly bent then that's a different conversation.

The bow roller is *very* difficult to remove on the T40. Because of that the temptation will be to repair in situ; I wouldn't want anyone other than my own contractor attempting that, and even then I'd want to be there.

It’s quite a few marks though. It just feels wrong that the anchor is damaged not through my doing. It cost me £550... even my old delta that was on the boat OEM didn’t have marks, scratches and scores in the metal!