will i get a mooring in Mersea next Friday and Saturday

[Burnham Bob]

Weather permitting SWMBO would like to go to Mersea next weekend for the Regatta. What do forumites think will be the availability of moorings?

I would hate to flog round from the Crouch to find I was unable to stay. Normally I'd just turn up and call YC1 but the regatta is obviously a time of high activity.

 

[MoodySabre]

I turned up for mid-week lunch last year not realising it was Mersea Week. There were no buoys available and they told me to go on the posts. My first time doing that - third attempt we got it and the scuff marks came off the hull eventually The current runs through them at an angle

 

[Burnham Bob]

thanks MoodySabre.......I was wondering if the new £10 a night charge would be putting people off........as I say I don't want to turn up and not find a place - excuse my ignorance but how does the post system work? i've never moored that way

 

[MoodySabre]

Piles - a good name if not a better one.

Fore and aft - lines from the bow and stern threaded through rails that run down the posts. Motor dead into current alongside the aft pile, putting on the aft line as you pass, then steer for the other pile with a line ready at the bow. This is trickier than it sounds. Someone versed in fore and aft technique may have a better plan - the diagonal cross current means you can't just get the bow line on and drop back.

 

[photodog]

So, going down there on my own next week might not be the best of plans..... Fore and aft are a non-starter for me... Any good anchorages near by?

And just what happens in "Mersea Week" anyways??? Is it 24hr Gerry and the Pacemakers with added Scoucers or what?

 

[sailorman]

So, going down there on my own next week might not be the best of plans..... Fore and aft are a non-starter for me... Any good anchorages near by?

And just what happens in "Mersea Week" anyways??? Is it 24hr Gerry and the Pacemakers with added Scoucers or what?

fore & aft pile mooring is possible single handed

 

[photodog]

fore & aft pile mooring is possible single handed

Yeah, but your Captain Birdseye...

Go on then, explain the technique for us mortals!





Hahahaha!

I had slight probs on the Piles @ West Mersea once.
got the bows on ok the wind then pushes the boat to stbd, it took me 1/2 hr to get the stern moored up


A Mortal Afterall!

 

[sailorman]

Yeah, but your Captain Birdseye...

Go on then, explain the technique for us mortals!

Troll along assess the wind / tide. tie up get a cold bier from the fridge

 

[photodog]

Yeah, and if your lucky the piles will be nicely alligned with the wind and the tide wont be running at 20 knots....

And your fridge will be working.


Well, I am gonna have to give that a go, just to prove my manliness... I just would prefer not to make a ass of myself like the person I quoted above...

 

[MoodySabre]

And just what happens in "Mersea Week" anyways??? Is it 24hr Gerry and the Pacemakers with added Scoucers or what?

see here

 

[photodog]

Sounds Great!

 

[Slow_boat]

I've used the piles at West Mersea quite a few times. The easiest one is (was?) the first as it has/had a bouyed line between them. Just like picking up a mooring, then sort yourself out.

Other times I've got one (usually bow) line on first by going alongside the uptide pile, dinghy the stern line out, then sort it out. I've not really found the tide to bad. I'm not keen on manouvering with lines over the stern, especially single handed, as if you need to pull it in on the hurry up, the chances are you'll have a load of other stuff going on.

 

[Cobra]

As an alternative, don't waste your time with Mersea and pop over to Brightlingsea (See Full Circles post!) a FAR nicer place altogether!!

 

[DanTribe]

As an alternative, don't waste your time with Mersea and pop over to Brightlingsea (See Full Circles post!) a FAR nicer place altogether!!

I doubt he'll see much of the Mersea Regatta from Brightlingsea

 

[Cobra]

I doubt he'll see much of the Mersea Regatta from Brightlingsea

Perfectly true, but surely all anyone would want to see of Mersea Regatta are the Fireworks, and for that, drop your hook outside the quarters, and THEN after the two catherine wheels and a roman candle (budgetry cuts so I have heard! ) have been let off he can head back to get a decent berth in Brightlingsea!

 

[DanTribe]

Perfectly true, but surely all anyone would want to see of Mersea Regatta are the Fireworks, and for that, drop your hook outside the quarters, and THEN after the two catherine wheels and a roman candle (budgetry cuts so I have heard! ) have been let off he can head back to get a decent berth in Brightlingsea!

What, and miss the greasy pole competition, shanty singing and dancing, shovel race etc? Have you no soul, man?
This is one of the East coasts major social events. Henley regatta pales into insignificance in comparison.

 

[Cobra]

What, and miss the greasy pole competition, shanty singing and dancing, shovel race etc? Have you no soul, man?
This is one of the East coasts major social events. Henley regatta pales into insignificance in comparison.

But its in MERSEA for heavens sake!

 

[DanTribe]

But its in MERSEA for heavens sake!

Yeah, there is that, good point.

 

[Captain Haddock]

What, and miss the greasy pole competition,

The pole is the favourite bit for me always funny when someone slips on the pole and does the nut cracker. The collective oooooooohhhhh followed by laughs is priceless.

 

[Burnham Bob]

okay - thanks for the advice - so weather dependent we might try it - but that depends on a minor repiar from Prior's boatyard and they can't start until thursday......assuming we want to see the fun ashore and might have to drive where do forumites suggest we park in Mersea?

i can never find anywhere on a normal day so heaven knows what it will be like on a regatta day