Where should I base myself?

stu9000

stu9000

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Dear all
I need your help!
I am working up a plan to buy a boat, possibly in partnership with my sister and brother in law.

They live up the A1 near Welwyn Garden City. I live near in Worcester Park, near the A3 M25 junction.
We both have young children so long car journeys are a bit of an issue.

If I was financing the boat entirely on my own I would base myself in Chichester or there abouts.
A nice, relatively congestion free run down the A3 would take an hour and a bit and would mean the boat would get used more.

But this is a long way for my sister to drive.
Perhaps I should consider the Thames estuary. Preferably south of the Dartford tunnel.
But is the sailing any good there?
I don't wish to offend anyone but it looks quite industrial at a glance.

I am likely to be getting a 22 or 25 foot bilge keel boat and would be using it for weekend creek crawling.

I know the Deben well but it is too far.
The Blackwater is also just out of reach and I think the Crouch is too, although I have heard good things.

I am on a budget and would want a half tide mooring.
Club fees would need to be reasonable but I would like to be able to stay on board without loads of road noise.
I would be looking for some kind of lift out and winter storage facilities ideally without having to shell out for a trailer.

Gillingham looks geographically perfect for both families, but is there good local sailing and can any of you salty sea dogs recommend a nice friendly welcoming not to ostentatious yacht club?

Thank you
S
 
The East Coast (aka Mud Coast) is inexpensive and extremely friendly. But -- spoken as a foreigner with no regional attachments in this fair land -- there is not much of interest there for cruising by sail, at least, South of the Orwell or so. (Although, OTOH, a bilge keel will open up all kinds of possibilities I've never seen, so YMMV.) I would say the same thing of the South Coast East of the Solent. The sailing becomes dramatically more interesting from the Solent and West of there. More expensive, too. For me, it would be worth a bit more driving, very well worth it.
 
The Hoo Ness Yacht Club right opposite Gillingham ticks all those boxes! I'm certain that one of the members would happily take you out for a potter to view the river. There might even be a suitable boat for sale on the club hard but don't rush into buying anything.
Lots of creeks for poking around in. OK, so one bank of the Medway has 2 power stations and container port but not active and miles of wildlife on other side
 
Yep - second the Medway where we are based. It's an hour-ish from where you live (depending on traffic).

There's four main clubs and none of them are remotely ostentatious. They are Medway Yacht Club, Upnor Sailing Club, Hoo Ness Yacht Club and Medway Cruising Club.

If you really don't mind a narrow window to get on and off your drying mooring there's also Lower Halstow Yacht Club.

Although one side of the river is a little industrial, the other side is remote and full of wildlife as Spuddy says. There's also tons of interesting history. If you can take the ground it opens up a few nice country pubs which are difficult to access for the typical fin keelers.
 
Dockhead said:
The East Coast (aka Mud Coast) is inexpensive and extremely friendly. But -- spoken as a foreigner with no regional attachments in this fair land -- there is not much of interest there for cruising by sail, at least, South of the Orwell or so..
Click to expand...

No, nothing of interest at all

Apart from the entire River Blackwater (Brightlingsea, Tollesbury, Bradwell, Heybridge. Osea Island, Pyefleet etc etc)

Then there's the Crouch and Roach (Fambridge, Burnham, Paglesham, Brankfleet, Yokesfleet etc etc)

And none of the above needs a bilge keel, or even particularly shoal draught. With the ability to take the ground there are even more possibilities
 
The Medway is ideal if you're serious about sailing in sheltered waters with young children. The local 'destinations' are a bit thin on the ground but I guarantee you'll use the boat more as you won't be bothered by sea state and waves when deciding to go out.

Medway Yacht Club is a good place to start if looking for a mooring, their Oppie and Cadet fleet would be a good place to get the children interested.
 
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Erbas said:
No, nothing of interest at all

Apart from the entire River Blackwater (Brightlingsea, Tollesbury, Bradwell, Heybridge. Osea Island, Pyefleet etc etc)

Then there's the Crouch and Roach (Fambridge, Burnham, Paglesham, Brankfleet, Yokesfleet etc etc)

And none of the above needs a bilge keel, or even particularly shoal draught. With the ability to take the ground there are even more possibilities
Click to expand...

I didn't say nothing of interest!!
 
Thanks all.
Great tips. Hoo Ness indeed does tick all the right boxes. I fired off an e mail to my potential co purchasers and they are very interested.
If Google Maps is to believed we could get there within an hour and ten minutes. This is critical for those weekend getaways.

This seems to be bringing years worth of boat research to a head. Very exciting.

I love the East Coast. Love the mud. Love the creek crawling. But im used to The Deben and, to a lesser extent, the Blackwater.
For weekend trips there is a good chance that I wont leave the Medway.
I know the non tidal sections quite well through canoeing.
But for a quick n easy overnighter are there marinas, hard standing or nice yacht clubs to visit in the Medway?

Thanks again



S
 
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Hoo Ness is very much a self help club - the members do just about everything which keeps costs down. Means joining a work party on a Sunday but a free breakfast, jolly social time and bar open midday. Club members are particularly friendly and rally round if you have a problem. Trot launch available for members use to get out to moorings plus slip for a dinghy but access creek dries out. However possible to keep a dinghy a couple of hundred yards upriver for all-tide access.
There's the creeks to poke around in, the excitement of an overnighter at Queenboro and even the circumnavigation of Sheppey - anchoring at Harty Ferry and commanding the bridge to rise.
The marinas are Gillingham and Chatham - more choice of eateries at Chatham. At Queenboro there's landing options plus pubs. Further afield, as you probably know, theres Ramsgate and the Essex rivers
 
Spuddy - you've got me drooling. It all sounds lovely.
Having those nearby marinas will be a great way to develop my crew's skills, knowing there is a shower and a nice family meal at the end of it.
As their skills and confidence develop the surrounding rivers will open up for us.
I have great memories of crewing for my Dad river hopping on overnight voyages, seeing the phosphorus in our wake and the dome of a starlit sky.

Thanks

S
 
Stu, I've sent you a PM (private message) with a contact number in case you think it might be useful. Owt else you want to know- just ask.
 
Spuddy said:
Hoo Ness is very much a self help club - the members do just about everything which keeps costs down. Means joining a work party on a Sunday but a free breakfast, jolly social time and bar open midday. Club members are particularly friendly and rally round if you have a problem. Trot launch available for members use to get out to moorings plus slip for a dinghy but access creek dries out. However possible to keep a dinghy a couple of hundred yards upriver for all-tide access.
There's the creeks to poke around in, the excitement of an overnighter at Queenboro and even the circumnavigation of Sheppey - anchoring at Harty Ferry and commanding the bridge to rise.
The marinas are Gillingham and Chatham - more choice of eateries at Chatham. At Queenboro there's landing options plus pubs. Further afield, as you probably know, theres Ramsgate and the Essex rivers
Click to expand...

I cannot agree more. I have sailed on the Medway since the mid 1960's and it is a very interesting river to sail. It has full tidal access up to Rochester Bridge and a wide choice of moorings. I am a member of Hoo Ness, but moor in Chatham Maritime Marina. As someone relatively new to sailing, Hoo Ness would certainly be a good place to keep your boat. The membership is reasonable, the members are helpful and friendly, the moorings are cheap and there is also storage ashore as well. In the clubhouse there are full shower facilites.Your will be encouraged to join in club events as this helps gain friendships expand your sailing skills. http://www.hooness.org.uk/index.php. If you check out the racing page you can see Concerto under spinnaker.

As for place to go, the river has plenty of anchorages including the very popular Stangate Creek. For local places to visit, you can go to another club's moorings or call in a marina. These web sites will give you a better appreciation of what is available.http://www.visitmyharbour.com/harbours/north-kent-swale-medway/medway-anchorages/
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/harbours/north-kent-swale-medway/medway-marinas/

To get a good feel of the Medway then watch Keep Turning Left videos by Dylan of this forum.
http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/?s=medway

Hope this helps you in your choice.
 
Stu, I've sent another PM replying to yours. Perhaps this time its put down its iced coffee, got off the lounger and made its way to Blighty.
 
In the interest of balance other yacht clubs are available :)

http://www.medwayyachtclub.com/

A mixture of cruisers, cruisers that race, one design racing fleets and kids dinghies. Almost certainly the most expensive option locally but easily the best facilities, perhaps of any club that I've visited.

One of the great things is there is always something going on and the clubhouse is always busy at the weekends and Wednesday nights.

Don't be put off by the slightly posh appearance, they let me join!
 
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