Where to keep a boat?

[Babbers]

Retirement's just around the corner.

We're currently looking at 3 boats to take us further afield. Atlantic circuit initially, more if we like it and the body can cope.

They're all 'older' boats, so we envisage a year or so to get our floating home up to scratch.
As we live in Luton, both the south and east coat are equally far away.
South coast marina/mooring prices are some prohibitive. I've been led to believe they're more reasonable on the east coast.

So, my question - where to keep a boat on the east coast? I would prefer a mooring; boat will be between 40 & 43 foot LOA and drawing anything up to 2.1m (fin keel).

Thanks

 

[pyrojames]

Talk to ABP in Ipswich about a mooring on the river. They can issue you a licence and then you can lay, or have laid your own. By far the cheapest options if you plan to use it for 2-3 years minimum. Most of the other East coast options are going to be a bit on the shallow side for 2.1 m. Most of the marinas have waiting lists for berths, but SYH will probably offer a swing mooring. Last time I checked Neptune Marina in Ipswich thought they could get me in.

 

[Babbers]

Thanks.

Have you got a point of contact or phone number for them?
Had a look in Yell, 3 diffrent numbers or addresses.

Much obliged.

 

[pyrojames]

I think I spoke to Alistair McFarlane here, but on initial enquiry I asked for the harbour master.

 

[ditchcrawler]

I used to live in St Albans & the East Coast (I sailed on Blackwater) is much closer timewise than the south coast.You will always be fighting that horrible stretch on west side of M25 which is a pain.I could do Blackwater Marina in 80 mins most days.

 

[Babbers]

The boats we're looking at aren't exactly what can be described as 'typical east coast' boat's (bilge/lift keel or a shallow draft).
So whilst the east coast maybe slightly nearer the south coast offers plenty of depth. However, at a price. Money I'd rather spend on the boat than on a place to park the boat.

SYH has been suggested earlier and Neptune.
Any input? What are these please like? Are the moorings at SYH sheltered enough?

 

[pyrojames]

I have a mooring on the Orwell, which is fine for March-October, outisde that I normally use it in Nov and March, Dec-Feb I go into a marina. They tend to be exposed in a NWer or SEer though. Good for your dinghy skills, if you are planning long distance cruising, they are a good intro!

 

[MoodySabre]

My wife doesn't think our 1.7m fin keel is really suitable for the East coast but it keeps you alert at times! Plenty of bigger boats than mine in the Mersea Quarters (W. Mersea) of which I know nuffink.

 

[michael_w]

I moved to the Orwell this year.

March-November we're on one of MDL's moorings at Woolverstone. OK, it's a fair bit more money than the lay your own option, but there is a daylight launch service if it's a bit rough for the tender or the outboard is playing up . Plus the 30 free nights in any MDL marina and a good deal in the marina for the winter.

Though MDL offer free tender storage SWMBO and I decided to join the Royal Harwich YC and keep the dink and outboard there.

Royal Harwich have some moorings that I think would would be suitable for you. I looked at this option, but they're a bit far away. Would justify buying a RIB with a decent sized engine though. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[ditchcrawler]

You may have a misconstrued view about a typical "East Coast Boat".Although there are some Maurice Griffiths boats about,there are plenty of fin keel boats as well.It is true that you do have to take more care as generally the area is shallower than the south coast,but restrictions are mainly around river entrances like the Deben or Ore(Alde).There is full tidal access in the Stour/Orwell,Crouch,,Blackwater,Thames,etcI have 1.7m draught & have full tide access at Levington(Suffolk Yacht Harbour) as do the other moorings & marinas up to Ipswich.I have sailed many times in the Solent & it was enjoyable,but the east coast gets my vote every time.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

completely agree with Ditchcrawler.... we're 1.85m, and don't feel in the slightest restricted on the East coast.... like many above i've sailed in most places, including the Solent extensively, and wouldn't swap the East coast for any of 'em!

 

[pyrojames]

Like Morgana, I have no issue with a deeper draft boat and still cruise where I like although I do have to work the tides a bit more. I draw 2.3m although it is a long kell than does mind bumping the bottom occaisionally.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Try Tollesbury (woodrolfe) - very friendly, good on site mechanic and cheap(ish)

 

[Babbers]

Thanks - drawing 2.1m or thereabouts I think Tollesbury would severely limit our sailing. (entry HW +/-1)

 

[Saguday]

You should be ok in Mersea Quarters (moorings from West Mersea Yacht Club, Peter Clarkes Boatyard, West Mersea Marine and others).

Bradwell Marina is another possibility, a nice spot we always enjoyed visiting when we were east coasters - not sure about depth in and out, though. I recall there was a restriction but can't remember what it was - we had a little 1m draft twin keeler at the time. Don't have me charts - can anyone enlighten me please?

The whole Blackwater estuary is a great place to sail and keep a boat, lots of infrastructure to support you and lovely places to go. Highly recommended.

 

[MoodySabre]

Bradwell - I draw 1.7m so I'm restricted to about 3 hours before or 2.5 hours after (don't mind risking ploughing the creek on a rising tide). The creek is the issue not the marina. 2.1m would be half an hour less.

Kioni is spot on about the Blackwater. Not that I'm biased /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif You'd have to join a waiting list to get into the marina but there are swinging moorings in the creek controlled by Bradwell Outdoors Centre which were £300 a year last year. Nice and sheltered but with the same tide restrictions as the marina.

 

[Saguday]

Thanks for the update M-S - I do remember there was a shallow bit just outside the entrance but plenty of depth inside the marina, there's some big boats in there IIRC.

I remember the moorings outside in the creek but couldn't remember who owned them. We anchored out there as well a couple of times (away from the moorings!) and loved it.

I really miss the East Coast /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Zippysigma]

Neptune seemed to have quite a few empty berths at the end of the season. They are a friendly bunch and plenty of depth. Very well sheltered (surrounded by buildings!)

The only 2 issues really are:

1) "industrial" marina, so boat gets filthy just sitting there.
2) with the lock and distance to Harwich, can take a while to reach the sea.

 

[Gargleblaster]

I've kept a boat in both the Solent and on the East Coast. In both places with only my 1.5 metre draft I've had problems with depth. In both places it is possible to find a mooring where you are not restricted by depth but depending where you want to go and at what time you will find that things get a bit tight. Just off the top of my head in the Solent I have had problems with Bembridge, Chichester and Langstone. The difference is that what you hit on the East Coast is often soft and forgiving whereas the Solent tends to have a harder bottom. When racing on the East Coast I will let my depth sounder go a lot longer before tacking than I would in the Solent. The only advantage I could see in the Solent is that when you leave a harbour you seem to have more choices in which direction you go than you do on the East Coast or at least where I sail on the Crouch. Where you have to go as far as the Whittaker before you start getting much choice on which way to go.

The biggest restriction on the East Coast I find is trying to find a simple way over the Thames Estuary [which does have rather a hard bottom in places]. It's interesting that out of sight of land in the Thames Estuary you can have 1/8th of the depth you can have within 5 metres of the banks on some East Coast Rivers [specifically the Sunk Sand I cross at between 1.7 and 2.4 metres and then find 12 metres on the Horseshoe bend on the Roach River].

 

[cookjwm]

Moorings in Mersea for bigger fin keel boats are very hard to come by these days I'm afraid.