Which marinas to consider on the East Coast with a big cat

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fat80b

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We are looking at purchasing a 14m cat with a beam of 7.3m and would like to keep her on the East Coast but I'm struggling to find the information I need as to where to keep her so am looking for advice.

The problems ( as I see it) are that
a) The beam reduces the number of marinas that can take us in the first place.
b) Not all yards can lift her out for the winter.

Ideally, I am thinking the Orwell, or the Crouch ?

Based on the above, where should we be thinking of ?
 
I would be thinking of the walk-on pontoons outside Titchmarsh, though I'm not sure what their maximum beam is.
 
Debennut said:
Shotley
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Do check the max beam for the lock first, though!

I visited many years ago in a Fontaine-Pajot Athena (11.6m length, 6.3m beam according to one website). As we approached the lock we almost bottled out as it looked like it wouldn't fit in it. Chap in the control tower assured us it would. He was right, but only just - the boat fitted in but there was no room for our fenders! (Wasn't a problem in the circumstances due to the plastic floating thingies either side and calm conditions, but I'm not sure I'd want to be going in and out regularly like that.)

p.s. I don't know if the lock or its floating pontoons width have been changed since then.
 
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Thanks for the help so far - We would love Shotley (location wise) but will check the lock as it looks like it might be tight.

Titchmarsh looks good, as does Fambridge, so we've added them to the list to check out.

Has anyone got a view on Ipswich Haven (They seem to be able to take wider boats ? ) and there may be options on the hammerheads for us.

Or what about Fox's - although I'm struggling to see that they could take us ?
 
fat80b said:
We are looking at purchasing a 14m cat with a beam of 7.3m and would like to keep her on the East Coast but I'm struggling to find the information I need as to where to keep her so am looking for advice.

The problems ( as I see it) are that
a) The beam reduces the number of marinas that can take us in the first place.
b) Not all yards can lift her out for the winter.

Ideally, I am thinking the Orwell, or the Crouch ?

Based on the above, where should we be thinking of ?
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Go on, make some of us seriously envious: spill the beans and tell us what sort of catamaran you're thinking of purchasing?
 
Plum said:
Yes, Woolverton Marina at £3.60 per m per day versus Ipswich Haven Marina at £2.93 per m per day. I assume their yearly contracts will be proportionate as they do not publish what they are.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
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At Ipswich I had to pay just over 33 squids August last year for a 31 ft boat (I seem to recall that was after a slight saving, as we were a pre booked group of 4, but I cannot remember for sure). I asked why it had gone up from the previous year & the chap replied, "Brexit" ( obviously a remoaner). He said that as boats could not go abroad ( Did not mention covid as the real reason), they had more demand, so felt they could put the price up. Woolverton was -last year- less expensive, but the water at the upstream pontoon was very filthy, with scum & rubbish trapped between the boats 6 inches thick. Made a real mess of the topsides.
Perhaps they make the prices up according to visitor numbers & time of year.
 
Woolverstone have traditionally been the most expensive marina on the Orwell (at least annually) BUT they now do two rates; one for Woolverstone AND other MDL marinas, and one that limits you to Woolverstone. The latter rate, when I enquired a couple of years ago, was pretty much the same as Shotley, Levington, Haven etc.
 
Ipswich does appear to be the most expensive along with the Suffolk Yacht Haven (due to the multihull multiplier). I haven't looked at Woolverstone yet.

It seems as though finding a spot on a hammerhead or a side-to option is ideal but not that likely :( and I am trying to compile a list for the wife to go and enquire about.

My guess is the best we can hope for is a swinging mooring somewhere as options appear to be more limited than I first thought.. and I still haven't found anywhere that can lift her out.....
 
I don't think you'd get a berth in Fox's but you would probably be able to be lifted out there as they have had some biggish sailing cats in and also the Wind Cats have come out there.
 
Both Woolverstone and Levington have swinging moorings outside the marinas with a water taxi included in the annual charge.
 
My mates on Morpheus, the 40' racing tri, haul out each year at Mistley Marina. It ain't glamorous, but I imagine a fraction of the cost of some of the above.
 
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