P Nut
New Member
Hi - I heard that Tollesbury Marina had been dredged fairly recently, does anyone have any recent experience of creek accessibility and marina depths? My boat draws 1.6m.
Tollesbury Marina depths
- Thread starter P Nut
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mrming
Well-Known Member
We were in last year drawing 1.6m and had no problems. Went over the sill just before HW. Remained afloat in the marina although it’s possible the the tip of the keel was in the mud at LW. There is useful pilotage info on their site: TOLLESBURY MARINA | PILOTAGE
tillergirl
Well-Known Member
I am in the process of completely a comprehensive new survey of the Approaches, North and South Channels and the Leavings. On the next springs I hope to do Woodrolfe Creek. Practically little has changed. If you have seen Mrming's link you will see my old chartlets. Follow as before from the Nass and past the No 4 Mersea Quarters PHB head for the No2 Tollesbury (ignore two red circular race buoys). Then head for the 'pair' of cardinal and red No 4 - through the midde and head for the first green SHB. To port you will see Red No 6 which (in my view it is off station) should be ignored. Follow the line of greens and then in the Leavings the moorings are the easily guide until to get to the buoys leading you into Woodrolfe Creek. Don't expect the bottom to be even. Your depth-o-meter might frighten you as you pass the holes but if you are approaching at say 2 hours before HW you would be fine @ 1.6m draft. Comparing the Leavings chartlet you would find the bottom less even than previously but again you would be fine.
Woodrolfe Creek dries of course but at half tide on a Springs it will come to life. There is a tide gauge on the port side of the Leavings, another to starboard as you enter Woodrolfe and of course one close to the cill. Best water in the Creek is pretty much in the centre (which meanders).
You will be fine.
Woodrolfe Creek dries of course but at half tide on a Springs it will come to life. There is a tide gauge on the port side of the Leavings, another to starboard as you enter Woodrolfe and of course one close to the cill. Best water in the Creek is pretty much in the centre (which meanders).
You will be fine.
Plum
Well-Known Member
In addition to the good advice already, once in the marina and the level drops down to the cill some areas may dry out but the silt/mud so very soft and deep will not a problem for your keel. However, if you do settle into the silt ensure all your seacocks are shut as the silt is very runny and will otherwise get forced up into pipework but not run out again as the tide comes in.
www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
P Nut
New Member
Thank you all. Hoping to visit in a week or so.
Greg2
Well-Known Member
We were at Tollesbury last week. Apparently the marina has been dredged to a certain extent but their kit only achieves so much and an external contractor will be coming in to do a a proper job at some point. So said the permanent bertholder we moored next to.
Behind our boat (C pontoon) was a mud bank that was just below the surface at low water and there was another above the surface in the main fairway adjacent to the hammerhead on the end of C pontoon. At low water we were sitting on the bottom - we draw 1.2 metres.
We left with just shy of 5’ over the cill (two hours before HW nearly on spring tides). Lowest depth we saw in the creek was briefly 0.2m below the keel but had quite a bit more for most of it.
Still one of our favourite spots!
Behind our boat (C pontoon) was a mud bank that was just below the surface at low water and there was another above the surface in the main fairway adjacent to the hammerhead on the end of C pontoon. At low water we were sitting on the bottom - we draw 1.2 metres.
We left with just shy of 5’ over the cill (two hours before HW nearly on spring tides). Lowest depth we saw in the creek was briefly 0.2m below the keel but had quite a bit more for most of it.
Still one of our favourite spots!
Greg2
Well-Known Member
Update: We enjoyed our stay but didn’t read Plum’s advice about closing seacocks until after our visit. It turned out that the outlet for the fwd heads was blocked and I only managed to clear it on Friday in our home berth by donning the trunks and swimming under the boat equipped with a screwdriver and a wire coat hanger straightened out with a hook on the end. It took several ‘dives’ to clear it - pleased that we avoided the cost of a lift out but it wasn’t an easy job.
rgarside
Well-Known Member
Warning - Fred Drift!
Thought this might be an appropriate thread to ask whether anyone has any information on the ketch parked on the top of the seawall adjoining the Tollesbury North Channel? I noticed it on Wednesday as I was passing on the Blackwater, and it is still there today.
Thought this might be an appropriate thread to ask whether anyone has any information on the ketch parked on the top of the seawall adjoining the Tollesbury North Channel? I noticed it on Wednesday as I was passing on the Blackwater, and it is still there today.
tillergirl
Well-Known Member
Sadly very old news. She has been there since early season. It will only float on an extraordinary spring tide in the Autumn and hopefully with a surge as well. But she v. safe there.
Greg2
Well-Known Member
rgarside
Well-Known Member
Thanks! I must have been looking the other way earlier in the season!
Malish
Well-Known Member
Tollesbury alo seemed to have dispensed with monitoring Ch 80... not helpful when seeking confirmation that you pre-allocated berth is free (and wasn't... not good for yor average MAB with reversing 'challenges')
Rum Run
Well-Known Member
From experience of occasional visits to the marina shop, where the VHF was kept, there is seldom anyone there likely to have an operator's licence.
There is decent mobile phone reception in the Leavings though
Malish
Well-Known Member
Seems to sum the place up at present, I just got the answerphone (at midday) I feel that support and maintenance of the marina is not high on the list of priorities
Sailing steve
Well-Known Member
Seems not much has changed then.
I kept a boat in Tollesbury marina for a couple of seasons some 20 years ago and I too found out the hard way what had occured - but after the head had been used. Lesson quickly learned, but I also found repeated dunkings in the mud when the marina's chart of depths suggested I ought to have remained afloat at LW trashed my antifouling within weeks of launching forcing me to switch from my preference of an eroding to a hard type.
Parabordi
Well-Known Member
Surprised, would have thought an outlet would blast the mud out. Our toilet inlet was not usable while we were in there, but cleared by itself when we left. We were on hammerhead A by the fuel berth.
Greg2
Well-Known Member
Yes, I was surprised and with hindsight I wonder if the system got backed up and it wasn't just mud i.e. loo roll blocking the pipework as well as mud blocking the outlet.