Watchet Marina Update...

It is a shame about Watchet. I live quite near and the leaseholder has struggled with the dredging for sometime. Someone told me that 40 tons of mud settles daily in Watchet harbour.

The management are making valiant efforts in difficult circumstances but they struggle to keep up with the mud settling on a daily basis. They have made some significant progress recently because many boat owners have taken their boats away to other locations. They have been frustrated with progress in dredging

In the very long term and with a lot of investment, I feel it needs a sea lock very much like Portishead. This will prevent the problem at source. Mud would not be able to settle on each tide. Only a tiny bit would enter when a vessel was locked in or out.

The problem is that Watchet Marina is not presently large enough to justify such an investment. It may do in future, afterall there is no other marina westwards on the North Coast of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. You have to go around Lands End to reach Penzance or Falmouth to get comparable facilities.

Watchet has the potential to be a much bigger viable marina but it needs a lot of investment to rejuvenate it for the longer term. I do hope that in the long term we can see some more investment in the marina which would benefit the Town and West Somerset.
 
40 tonnes of mud sounds a lot. Mud takes a long time to settle so something like a couple of mm x specific gravity of clay x area of the marina would be the appropriate number.

pleased to see progress at Watchet though I would (at a guess) agree that it reflects fewer boats in residence. Still if there'sa chance of staying afloat this spring we'll visit.
 
peterhull said:
It is a shame about Watchet. I live quite near and the leaseholder has struggled with the dredging for sometime. Someone told me that 40 tons of mud settles daily in Watchet harbour.

The management are making valiant efforts in difficult circumstances but they struggle to keep up with the mud settling on a daily basis. They have made some significant progress recently because many boat owners have taken their boats away to other locations. They have been frustrated with progress in dredging

In the very long term and with a lot of investment, I feel it needs a sea lock very much like Portishead. This will prevent the problem at source. Mud would not be able to settle on each tide. Only a tiny bit would enter when a vessel was locked in or out.

The problem is that Watchet Marina is not presently large enough to justify such an investment. It may do in future, afterall there is no other marina westwards on the North Coast of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. You have to go around Lands End to reach Penzance or Falmouth to get comparable facilities.

Watchet has the potential to be a much bigger viable marina but it needs a lot of investment to rejuvenate it for the longer term. I do hope that in the long term we can see some more investment in the marina which would benefit the Town and West Somerset.
Click to expand...
The problem didn't seem as bad for many years, it seems to have become worse in the last 3 or 4 years. I only started visiting in 2004 but never hit the mud until about 3 years ago. Maybe I was lucky?
I'm not sure it will ever be like Portishead, the lack of access from any large areas of population is a problem. Not enough boat owners within a short drive.
Whilst not termed 'a marina' I think you have forgotten Padstow in your comment about the lack of places. Watchet is a great place for a night or two but I can't imagine staying longer.
Allan
 
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I am on B hammerhead tonight, gate just about to close, only 0.5m of water below a 1.45m keel.

I quite liked it when there was mud, it was less rocky with the gate shut, after being in Penarth there is quite a lot of movement here.

Will be here through low tide tomorrow, so will see how dried out it is. They have finished dredging A and the gap between A and B pontoons according to the dredge operators.
 
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SteveSarabande said:
I am on B hammerhead tonight, gate just about to close, only 0.2m of water below a 1.45m keel.

I quite liked it when there was mud, it was less rocky with the gate shut, after being in Penarth there is quite a lot of movement here.

Will be here through low tide tomorrow, so will see how dried out it is. They have finished dredging A and the gap between A and B pontoons according to the dredge operators.
Click to expand...

Do you know if they have dredged between the finger pontoons? The hammerhead on B has often had that sort of depth when a couple of berths in were high and dry.
It sounds like they are making a big effort this year, which is commendable! I look forward to visiting.
Allan
 
Allan said:
Do you know if they have dredged between the finger pontoons? The hammerhead on B has often had that sort of depth when a couple of berths in were high and dry.
It sounds like they are making a big effort this year, which is commendable! I look forward to visiting.
Allan
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There are lots of missing fingers between A and B, it looks like they have been moving boats around and removing the fingers for access.

I realised my depth offset probably gives me a bit of a safety margin, So I used a weight to measure, 2m of water with the gate shut. Depth sounder recalibrated.

The gate is closed so I had a wander around, lots of water around A pontoon, hard to tell if the boats at the top of the pontoons are floating, but no mud visible. Once they finish it should be great in time for summer.

Photos on flickr, https://flickr.com/photos/75351251@N03/sets/72157662657058444
 
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SteveSarabande said:
There are lots of missing fingers between A and B, it looks like they have been moving boats around and removing the fingers for access.

I realised my depth offset probably gives me a bit of a safety margin, So I used a weight to measure, 2m of water with the gate shut. Depth sounder recalibrated.

The gate is closed so I had a wander around, lots of water around A pontoon, hard to tell if the boats at the top of the pontoons are floating, but no mud visible. Once they finish it should be great in time for summer.

Photos on flickr, https://flickr.com/photos/75351251@N03/sets/72157662657058444
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Thanks for the photo set Steve. This really shows the progress that has been made- well done Watchet. Let's hope they keep going- it looks like they've done about half the marina so far.

Is anyone able to comment on the depths at the inner end of the pontoons? If the approx 2m at the hammerheads was maintained say even as much as a 1.5m min throughout, it would put Watchet in-line with other small marinas in the BC, like Porthcawl.

Will now be top of our destination list this year. We've been wanting to go ever since we bought the boat!
 
Most visitors are going to be on the hammerheads or close by, unless you pick a really busy weekend. The mud is really soft, the keel just sinks in. It really isn't a problem unless you want to get out at first gate time. If you can leave at HW there is loads of water.

Problem is to go direct to Cardiff you need to leave early.

Sunny here today, perfect day for lounging around on the boat
 
Looking forward to visiting Watchet again but not happy about sinking into mud, really hope they get it sorted as Watchet is a great destination.
Looking forward to Portcawl this year.
 
Sneds said:
Looking forward to visiting Watchet again but not happy about sinking into mud, really hope they get it sorted as Watchet is a great destination.
Looking forward to Portcawl this year.
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If you check the latest posts in this and other threads it looks like they are progressing towards ? 1.5-2m with the gate closed across much if the marina.

Porthcawl about 1.5m anyway I think so not much difference this season.
 
bitbaltic said:
If you check the latest posts in this and other threads it looks like they are progressing towards ? 1.5-2m with the gate closed across much if the marina.

Porthcawl about 1.5m anyway I think so not much difference this season.
Click to expand...

Watchet bottom is very soft mud so with my 1.8m keel, touching is no issue. What is the bottom at Porthcawl?
 
It is now a rock bottom as all the mud has all but gone. Dries out to about a metre and a half. Not a lot to do there although reasonable beach and sea front and its a bit like going back in time! Marina is small and will only allow a couple of visiting boats. However its quite a nice change and quite a nice stop off kind of place. There is power and water and the staff there are very helpful (they used to be in Penarth so have had good training :-).).

rafiki_ said:
What is Porthcawl like? Anything there of interest? Nice Marina?
Click to expand...
 
I thought i would divert to Porthcawl a while ago in bad weather.........DON'T. It was horrendous as we got closer in so we went back offshore.
 
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