Where To Keep A Boat Between London And North East UK

CaptainBob

CaptainBob

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A friend and I are thinking of going 50:50 on a small sailing boat. He's in London, I'm in North Yorkshire.

Any nice places to keep a boat (possibly shoal draft) which isn't a massive trek for either of us? I guess East Coast somewhere?

He'd ideally take the train out of London - I've got kids and would prefer to drive.

TY
 
With transport as the main criterion, Ipswich would appear to be the most accessible, or one of the other Orwell marinas or clubs.
 
I would go for Newcastle. Royal Quays Someone needs to be local and you could take a higher cost to make it fair.
 
With you both living so far apart, one or both of you are in for a trek wherever you end up.
 
Wells-Next-The Sea would be my choice. One of the few places on the E coast worth a visit in it's own right. 4 hrs from N Yorks, 3.2 hrs from London. Harbour Master is also a good guy.
 
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The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that it is a bad idea. You just live too far apart and will both end up not using the boat due to difficulties in getting to it. Buy one each, or share with someone local.
 
CLB said:
The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that it is a bad idea. You just live too far apart and will both end up not using the boat due to difficulties in getting to it. Buy one each, or share with someone local.
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+1 Sound advice
 
There isn't really anywhere ideal. The problem is that the East Coast is pretty much a desert for small craft between about Scarborough and Wells - the Humber does have harbours, but it is strongly tidal, and sailing means going one way with the tide and then back when it changes - which can get tedious after a while. Places that are readily accessible from Yorkshire are not so accessible from London and vice-versa. East Anglia has many possibilities, but none are readily accessible from Yorkshire; the cross country links from Yorkshire to the East Anglian coast are not wonderful; mostly single-carriageway A roads.

Form Yorkshire, most people would look at Whitby and points north; when I was a lad, we sailed first on the Humber (see above!) and then from Dunbar in Scotland. From London, people look at the South coast or East Anglia. But basically there isn't a good sailing location that is convenient for both.

For several years, I sailed on the Clyde despite living near Cambridge. The travelling was a pain, but the sailing was good! But the travelling became too arduous when we were faced with my wife having less flexibility in her working hours than I had when I set that up. But a solution that has both of you travelling to a desirable sailing location may be a better solution that a half-way house that is too much of a compromise sailing-wise.
 
Quiddle said:
3 & 1/2 hours is nothing extraordinary in travelling to a boat. My sailing commute for the last 5 years has been 18 hours.
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Im assuming you boat, or live, somewhere special. No problem with that, and understand why people fly out to their boats etc etc, but to travel half a day to get to somewhere that is no better/different than what you have in your doorstep seems a little silly.
 
CLB said:
Im assuming you boat, or live, somewhere special. No problem with that, and understand why people fly out to their boats etc etc, but to travel half a day to get to somewhere that is no better/different than what you have in your doorstep seems a little silly.
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I agree - although my boat is a flight away - in this case it’s just too much hassle and more expense travelling and less time sailing than buying and keeping two small boats more locally. Weirdly you would be better off keeping the boat a couple of hours away on EasyJet/Ryanair from Newcastle and London meeting somewhere sunny.
 
RupertW said:
I agree - although my boat is a flight away - in this case it’s just too much hassle and more expense travelling and less time sailing than buying and keeping two small boats more locally. Weirdly you would be better off keeping the boat a couple of hours away on EasyJet/Ryanair from Newcastle and London meeting somewhere sunny.
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Actually, I think you may have nailed it. Stick it somewhere hot and sunny and both fly out to it.
 
I doubt if the OP really means the North East of the UK, but there are some reasonable places in both the Forth and the Tay, and several further North.
 
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here are several owners from Yorkshire who keep boats at the Royal Quays. It is one of the few all-tide marinas on this coast.

London to Newcastle is a three hour ride on the intercity followed by a 15 to 20 minute taxi ride to the marina. Driving from Yorkshire will involve a quick run up the A19 and through the Tyne Tunnel which pops you out 5 minutes away from the marina.

The Royal Northumberland Yacht Club is based at Blyth, 10 miles up the coast where they have a regular race programme.

Cruising north takes you to some wonderful Northumberland coastline including Amble in 25 miles or the Farne Islands in about 40. Next stop is Berwick, Eyemouth and beyond.

Going south you have Sunderland, Hartlepool and Whitby to visit.
 
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