Weymouth harbour taking the P***

fontmell

Member
Joined
5 Nov 2004
Messages
203
Visit site
Overnight 31 ft boat rafted (in the area called the Cove) 10 mins walk to facilities no internet electric extra £40 per night. I feel this is a total rip off
And won’t come back depriving the traders in town of income from food / beer expenditure.
Am I alone in feeling like this?
 

Bristolfashion

Well-known member
Joined
19 May 2018
Messages
6,202
Visit site
There seemed to be an adequate number of people consuming the food & beer when we were there.

Think how much the cheapest accommodation would cost in such a prime location in the season.

I enjoyed Weymouth in the sun and hang the cost! We paid £33 a night for a 29' boat in the Boatfolk marina (weekly rate) after the bridge - electricity & rather luxurious facilities included. Perhaps the Cove is now not the cheapest option?
 

johnalison

Well-known member
Joined
14 Feb 2007
Messages
40,654
Location
Essex
Visit site
Flippinek. It’s a long while since we were there. In the end we got a bit fed up with the kerfuffle in the Cove or the other side in our 10m boat and preferred the marina. As said, think about the cost of a hotel in town.
 

Bristolfashion

Well-known member
Joined
19 May 2018
Messages
6,202
Visit site
I can suggest a lovely little marina that, 2 years ago, was charging £5 a night, electricity included (coin operated shower).

Mind, it is a LONG way north of Weymouth!
 

jaminb

Active member
Joined
7 Jan 2021
Messages
430
Visit site
I went last weekend and thought it was great value at £50 for the night and I was solo. Had almost 24 hrs on the quay, a music festival, fish and chips, pubs, restaurants and provisions all a very short stagger away. I was amazed I could book a prime spot a few days in advance of the BH weekend. If I hadn't wanted the atmosphere and convenience of the quay I would have anchored in Portland for free. Sorry but I don't think your stay away protest will have the slightest impact to anyone other than you.
 

Boathook

Well-known member
Joined
5 Oct 2001
Messages
8,557
Location
Surrey & boat in Dorset.
Visit site
I paid over £40 for a berth on the Dan Bran pontoon in Lymington last Saturday. The marinas and harbours seem to be operating a variable pricing system based upon demand and whether a weekend or not.

I do like Weymouth and normally moor in the cove but haven't been there for a few years.
 

Bristolfashion

Well-known member
Joined
19 May 2018
Messages
6,202
Visit site
Portland is not free in my experience. They were all over me like the proverbial cheap suit.
Not seen anything like it since the dark days at Salcombe.

.
Yes, looks like a 40' boat is £12.09 a night harbour fees to anchor in Portland.

One could anchor off Weymouth (outside the white buoys) in suitable conditions.

Each to their own of course, but our view is that we have a small, cheap boat and a small rowing tender, so we can easily afford the pontoon fees - and a good feed / beer out of we fancy. And, I have say, the easy access to land - and the showers - isn't too shabby.
 

ashtead

Well-known member
Joined
17 Jun 2008
Messages
6,331
Location
Surrey and Gosport UK
Visit site
If you are at another boatfolk marina then free berths to be had at the Weymouth marina if there is space. Once past the bridge the facilities are quite good and restaurants and bars in Weymouth plentiful. Or go to Portland and visit the Lidl and catch the locals bus into town and a taxi home.
 

Bristolfashion

Well-known member
Joined
19 May 2018
Messages
6,202
Visit site
If you are at another boatfolk marina then free berths to be had at the Weymouth marina if there is space. Once past the bridge the facilities are quite good and restaurants and bars in Weymouth plentiful. Or go to Portland and visit the Lidl and catch the locals bus into town and a taxi home.
There is ASDA near the Boatfolk marina as well - or M&S foodhall for the prosperous.

The Ukrainian cafe does make very fine cakes and they are very nice ladies.

I believe fish & chips may also be available!😀
 

Sandy

Well-known member
Joined
31 Aug 2011
Messages
21,637
Location
On the Celtic Fringe
duckduckgo.com
Overnight 31 ft boat rafted (in the area called the Cove) 10 mins walk to facilities no internet electric extra £40 per night. I feel this is a total rip off
And won’t come back depriving the traders in town of income from food / beer expenditure.
Am I alone in feeling like this?
I've always enjoyed our visits to Weymouth. Looking at their website they charged you exactly what they should have. Did you check and know that the wiggly amps were an optional extra? Can you give examples of cheaper marinas?

I've found the facilities very good and extremely clean. Not use the laundry, but that looks good.

Premier Inn is just over £122 per night and the traffic getting there will be hell at this time of year.

I understand the sand is the best in the UK for building sandcastles - according to Prof Alice Roberts.
 

Ribtecer

Well-known member
Joined
23 Aug 2006
Messages
2,043
Visit site
£55 a night in Bembridge on Thursday, I thought it a bit steep, but it was packed, we had to book and they were turning people away.

£50 seems the going rate around here for 10m, Nucking Futs!!
 

Sticky Fingers

Well-known member
Joined
21 Feb 2004
Messages
6,246
Location
Home Saffron Walden, boat Swanwick.
Visit site
£55 a night in Bembridge on Thursday, I thought it a bit steep, but it was packed, we had to book and they were turning people away.

£50 seems the going rate around here for 10m, Nucking Futs!!
Don't know where you mean by 'here' or how big your boat is unless it's actually 10m, so not easy to compare. My boat is 14.2m, so about 48', paid £58 at Lymington (£4/m) and £75 in Yarmouth (£5.28/m) which seem to bracket your numbers.
 

mrming

Well-known member
Joined
28 Jul 2012
Messages
1,608
Location
immaculateyachts on Instagram
instagram.com
Another way to look at this is, how much does it cost to run a harbour with facilities, and where does the money come from? Costs have dramatically increased in most areas of UK life in recent years, and that will ultimately trickle down to berthing prices. I don’t think they’re spending your £50 in the pub.
 

Ribtecer

Well-known member
Joined
23 Aug 2006
Messages
2,043
Visit site
Don't know where you mean by 'here' or how big your boat is unless it's actually 10m, so not easy to compare. My boat is 14.2m, so about 48', paid £58 at Lymington (£4/m) and £75 in Yarmouth (£5.28/m) which seem to bracket your numbers.
Boat 34ft. (10m). By around here I meant The Solent.

I can see Yarmouth being more than Bembridge.
 

Ribtecer

Well-known member
Joined
23 Aug 2006
Messages
2,043
Visit site
Another way to look at this is, how much does it cost to run a harbour with facilities, and where does the money come from? Costs have dramatically increased in most areas of UK life in recent years, and that will ultimately trickle down to berthing prices. I don’t think they’re spending your £50 in the pub.
Yep, it was just when the lady said "that will be £55 please" I was amazed.

But as I said further up, the pontoon was packed out so they're doing something right.

To little old me it just seems alot. Never mind.
 

doug748

Well-known member
Joined
1 Oct 2002
Messages
13,199
Location
UK. South West.
Visit site
Overnight 31 ft boat rafted (in the area called the Cove) 10 mins walk to facilities no internet electric extra £40 per night. I feel this is a total rip off
And won’t come back depriving the traders in town of income from food / beer expenditure.
Am I alone in feeling like this?

Not alone at all but I think it's bearable for, say, a 10m boat with 2 or three crew just out for a weekend jolly. In fact it's a trivial expense looked at like that.

What galls is, as a singlehander, getting stuck in poor weather. Get trapped for 3 or 4 days and you easily run up a bill of 200 quid, just bored, cooling your heels. I think I have had quite enough of that.

.
 

Stemar

Well-known member
Joined
12 Sep 2001
Messages
23,503
Location
Home - Southampton, Boat - Gosport
Visit site
The £32 Weymouth charged us recently for an 8m cat struck me as being a lot when you're so far from the facilities. On the other side of the harbour, my Yorkshire accounting genes would grumble, as they do at any expenditure, but fair enough. OTOH, we were third boat out, so...
 
Top