Where is best (and available) to be based for a day/weekend sailor

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Youngsailorboy

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Dear All new to this forum and new to East Anglia. I have just purchased myself a Vivacity 20 and looking for advice on where to base out of. I would like to leave in the water from Apr to Oct for day/weekend sailing. Dont think I will have the time for longer cruises so need somewhere for relaxing sail and the occasional overnight. Happy with mostly inland water sailing if needed. Live in Bury st Edmunds so want it to be within reasonable drive. Have looked at Foxes in Ipswich and Tidemill in Woodbridge, although dont know about availability yet. All thoughts and advice welcome, help!
 
Shotley Marina offers quick access to the sea, and has two beautiful rivers on the doorstep. Good facilities, very secure, helpful staff.
 
Have you considered being on a mooring rather than marina based? Generally a lot cheaper, and more likely to find vacancies than in marinas. On the Orwell Pin Mill and Levington have moorings, also MDL at Woolverstone - tho' MDL v. expensive - also RHYC but you would need to join so that adds to the cost.
 
North Fambridge have some finger pontoons that would suit the Vivacity. People say that Crouch is not the prettiest of rivers, but we like it :)---- and there are loads of places to drop the hook for lunch or overnight. In my previous boat, we could easily make Brightlingsea or Bradwell for a two dayer there and back....

But I suppose we will all promote our own locale.......
 
If you really only have one or two days to go sailing each time then it makes a lot of sense to be based somewhere that has numerous options available to you within that time period, so I'd echo those that suggest somewhere like Shotley with the Orwell, Stour and Walton Backwaters right on your doorstep. If you don't mind travelling just that little bit further being based on the Blackwater would bring the Crouch, Thames and Medway destinations all within reasonable reach, plus obviously those previously mentioned to the north. I think North Fambridge is a great location and I've used it several times as a destination, but the only problem with being based there is that there really is only one way to go and you use up a big chunk of time and tide getting down river each time before going anywhere else. You can see why Brightlingsea area is so popular.
 
We looked at a finger pontoon when we had Brigantia. They're more than a bit tidal! (That's why they're cheap)

We decided a swinging mooring was a better deal (there's a free trot boat at weekends during the season)
 
All valid, but south of the Blackwater can be a bit of a trek around (I too live near Bury..) The idea of a swinging mooring makes a lot of sense, and somewhere close to a wide variety of places nearby......one of the swinging moorings at West Mersea, and a bit easier to get to, excluding the marinas at Shotley or Levington. Moorings on the Stour or Orwell too?

West Mersea creeks, such as Ray Channel, Strood,..........??

I have my mooring at Mersea, and that opens a wealth of choices available as a weekend cruising ground..........
 
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You menion two places you 're looking at, personally i would not go for either, Foxes is too far up river, a trek all the way down the Orwell before you can go anywhere else, Woodbridge is tidal, so you will be severely restricted when you can get out or get back, and again a long trek down river where you have the bar to deal with. How about Walton, either Titchmarsh if you want a marina or a swinging mooring in the twizzle, With your draft you have all tide access and cruising in the backwaters, stour, orwell and Deben are all options for a weekend.

Alternatively a swinging mooring at Brightlingsea, there's a availability and a water taxi.

May i suggest, if you haven't yet got one, that you first get yourself a good pilot (such as East Coast Pilot) and study it, that will give you every thing you need to know and you can see what potential each cruising ground has for your kind of sailing,
 
I've been in the Walton Backwaters since 2000. It's a good jump off place as both the the Stour and Orwell are a day sail away for a small boat. For a longer weekend a passage down the coast to the Colne or Blackwater. I'm guessing you don't draw very much so the Deben and Ore aren't going to give you too much of a problem.
Halls Boatyard (01255 675596) and Bendalls have swinging moorings though not sure of availability. You would however need to get a tender to get you out to the boat which you could store at Titchmarsh for a price.
 
Shotley - and although I'm based there, it's more than just partisan bias...
1. If you're travelling a distance you'll not want to hang around for tides so a 24x7 location seems sensible
2. Orwell, Stour, Backwaters and Deben in v easy reach; Ore, Blackwater slightly further afield.
3. If mooring preferred to marina (for aesthetics or cost) then somewhere all-tide in the Orwell
4. If ease of access is paramount - Ipswich is closer to you, but you have a longer sail to get anywhere. We tried both and concluded that an extra 15mins in the car (to Shotley) is worth an extra 90 minutes each way up and down the Orwell which, however pretty, gets boring after you've done it for a while...
 
It varies depending on whether yacht club (YC1 or 2?) or "Lady Grace" owned and run by Stacey Belbin, who can come by prior mutual arrangement...
Channel 72 "Lady Grace"
07791859624.......................£2 a run, really convenient and helpful.

( just in case, the 40 mins -1hr bit referred to journey times to Mersea???:confused:)
 
Brightlingsea has plenty of fore & afts available as far as I'm aware. Ideal as it's close to the sea, Blackwater & Crouch plus northwards for Walton, Stour, Orwell & Deben for longer trips. It's basically in the middle of the Essex/Suffolk rivers. Cheap too if you don't mind tidal as it's council run and charged by the boat rather than per metre. £180/annum including harbour fees. It also has decent hard for trailer sailers.
 
I'm relatively new to the East Coast Rivers, well parked up nearly 12 months now having come down from the Wash. I'm moored up at Felixstowe Ferry, which for me works well. Swinging moorings, so you can go sailing whenever you want. If the weathers good head out to the Orwell, Stour, Walton Backwaters or Ore for a few days. Or if the weather is dismal and you just want to poddle around on a day sail, then you have the whole of the Deben as your playground. I've joined Felixstowe Ferry Sailing club which is very friendly and has good facilities, I think they are still running an offer of first year membership is 1/2 price to see if you like it. My mooring and hard-standing has been with Felixstowe Ferry Boatyard. Again a friendly bunch with all the kit and skills required of a Boatyard. Perhaps worth a wander down there. Ask to speak to Andrew or Mandy in the Boatyard or anyone will assist in the sailing club.
 
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