Where To Keep A Boat Between London And North East UK

[Daydream believer]

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.

Although you make it sound very good it is certainly not one that I would pick out of choice. I think destinations & variety are limited. I noted, when I sailed round Britain, what a disappointing place that part of the east coast is. The places you mention could be hard work to get to & some are tide restricted, which is not what you want after a long sail with no options to hand. The coast really suffers if there are strong onshore winds.
I agree that the towns themselves can be excellent. I lived in Berwick upon Tweed for many years.
But you have to get to them first.
But to each his own

I really appreciate further south where there are rivers including the Deben, Orwell,Stour, Colne, Blackwater, Medway & Crouch.In spite of comments to the contrary , navigation across the Thames estuary is quite easy, with modern chart plotters & is fun without. In any of those rivers one can go for a couple of hours of leisurely sail & actually go somewhere & stop, rather than turn back & go home, because one is on an unprotected coast, with no safe haven nearby. One will be protected from the rougher weather, if one wishes, or one can poke ones nose out & have some fun.
There is a host of different destinations depending on time & inclination. One can anchor in seclusion, or there are a number of marinas, if that is your preference. Another plus, is that foreign shores are only 18 hours or less sail away.

 

[chrishscorp]

Although you make it sound very good it is certainly not one that I would pick out of choice. I think destinations & variety are limited. I noted, when I sailed round Britain, what a disappointing place that part of the east coast is. The places you mention could be hard work to get to & some are tide restricted, which is not what you want after a long sail with no options to hand. The coast really suffers if there are strong onshore winds.
I agree that the towns themselves can be excellent. I lived in Berwick upon Tweed for many years.
But you have to get to them first.
But to each his own

I really appreciate further south where there are rivers including the Deben, Orwell,Stour, Colne, Blackwater, Medway & Crouch.In spite of comments to the contrary , navigation across the Thames estuary is quite easy, with modern chart plotters & is fun without. In any of those rivers one can go for a couple of hours of leisurely sail & actually go somewhere & stop, rather than turn back & go home, because one is on an unprotected coast, with no safe haven nearby. One will be protected from the rougher weather, if one wishes, or one can poke ones nose out & have some fun.
There is a host of different destinations depending on time & inclination. One can anchor in seclusion, or there are a number of marinas, if that is your preference. Another plus, is that foreign shores are only 18 hours or less sail away.

+1

 

[Crazy-Diamond]

Another factor is the type of boat, and how much work it may need, along with the two owners situations. If you are both working and have families then working on the boat yourselves will be hard, and more time consuming if it is kept halfway between each owner.
If the boat needs no work and you have plenty of free time, then I would suggest there are solutions to your problem. If you are in 9-5 work with small families and are planning on buying an older boat and planning to maintain her yourselves, this would present other challenges due to the distances involved.
After 10 years living next to the River Crouch in Essex we bought a yacht, 15 mins drive to the marina. I fully appreciate that this is not the usual commute to a boat - but the point is that without being so close, the amount of work I have been able to undertake myself (whilst working 9-5 with a family) is much greater than if she was on the Solent.

 

[differentroads]

+1

+2
I grew up sailing around the mouth of the Humber, then venturing further north as far as Blyth. But as a lad I'd read The Magic of the Swatchways and eventually migrated south to Ipswich, sailing the lovely, muddy maze of East Anglian rivers for around 20 years.
Mind you, the train link from London to Newcastle providing you both with cruising ground from Whitby to the Forth sounds pretty cool too.

 

[[3889]]

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.

Certainly, and if the OP and his partner lived in the Whitsundays that would be the case. However , they live live in Newcastle and London, no better than my own residence in Murkyside,, IMO, so travelling is a great option.

 

[dgadee]

Although you make it sound very good it is certainly not one that I would pick out of choice. I think destinations & variety are limited. I noted, when I sailed round Britain, what a disappointing place that part of the east coast is. The places you mention could be hard work to get to & some are tide restricted, which is not what you want after a long sail with no options to hand. The coast really suffers if there are strong onshore winds.
I agree that the towns themselves can be excellent. I lived in Berwick upon Tweed for many years.
But you have to get to them first.
But to each his own

I really appreciate further south where there are rivers including the Deben, Orwell,Stour, Colne, Blackwater, Medway & Crouch.In spite of comments to the contrary , navigation across the Thames estuary is quite easy, with modern chart plotters & is fun without. In any of those rivers one can go for a couple of hours of leisurely sail & actually go somewhere & stop, rather than turn back & go home, because one is on an unprotected coast, with no safe haven nearby. One will be protected from the rougher weather, if one wishes, or one can poke ones nose out & have some fun.
There is a host of different destinations depending on time & inclination. One can anchor in seclusion, or there are a number of marinas, if that is your preference. Another plus, is that foreign shores are only 18 hours or less sail away.

That was my feeling after going up the east coast, too. Exposed and the pot makers! Never seen so many. I would go somewhere a bit nearer the Thames.