Winter afloat in the North East

[SteveTibbetts]

My search for the right boat may have led me to the North East.
I am planning to sail the boat home to Wales via either Forth and Clyde or Caledonian canal. As sale completion and boat-ready-to-sail-that-distance and a weather window are unlikely to happen before 6th Jan closure of the canals I would need a cheap mooring for a 30' fin keel 1.4m draught boat until mid March.
Any ideas?

 

[Robert Wilson]

Free mooring in Loch Ewe (seriously) but I assume getting to the far northwest wouldn't be practical for you.
I'd be only too happy to oblige, and help. What size/type of boat?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

My search for the right boat may have led me to the North East.
I am planning to sail the boat home to Wales via either Forth and Clyde or Caledonian canal. As sale completion and boat-ready-to-sail-that-distance and a weather window are unlikely to happen before 6th Jan closure of the canals I would need a cheap mooring for a 30' fin keel 1.4m draught boat until mid March.
Any ideas?

North East England? St Peter's Basin marina, well up the Tyne, is cheap, secure, and very sheltered.

 

[dazautomatics]

Hi Steve

Welcome to the North East, not that I am there at the moment but the marinas in that area are a bit of a hidden gem. You will find the people incredibly friendly and welcoming and will help you out if you need it. As for the marina I would personally recommend Hartlepool although not the cheapest but cash in advance helps a lot! My recommendation is based on having sailed this area for quite a long time and have prepared 2 boats here for long trips. Hartlepool only has one down side and that is a very good social scene and you will find it very difficult to get any work done there as this can be a distraction, also many people have found if very hard to leave for the same reason, including Dame Ellen in the 90s when she popped in for a night on her around Britain thing and stayed for quite a few ;-). The marina is next to a large retail park and an ASDA and most things can be sourced in the town or Teesside just down the road. There is one chandlery about 2 miles away but sometimes can be limited on stock, but makes up for this with knowledge and helpfulness. The marina manager Allen is not apposed to liver boards but some of the showers need a bit of love. As for the previous poster suggestion of St Peters marina, yes I will agree that this is very cheap, but family had a boat in there for a season and were robbed on 2 occasions. And they also were living aboard and were not to happy about the noise from the nightclubs. Maybe this has changed since 2007, if it has then my apologies to the last poster. Royal Quays has a better boat yard than Hartlepool but the marina manager Matt is not that keen on liver boards and the marina has other problems (We had three years there).
You may get a space at Blyth but is very much isolated, but has a good floating bar (limited hours out of season), Amble and Whitby are a bit more expensive but also suffer from the lack of facilities. Sunderland has limited space and unless thing have changed can suffer from swell in the winter.

Hope this helps and if you need any more information don hesitate to ask.

Darren

 

[SteveTibbetts]

Loch Ewe looks very inviting but it's the wrong side of the country for this winter. Fascinating history looking at the web.


I've mailed St Peters Marina but their pricing on the web doesn't look particularly cheap by my definition..

Currently looking through piles of PBO for a NE marina guide. Knew I should have sorted them before.

 

[Magaz97]

Blyth in not actually a marina. It is home to Royal Northumberland Yacht Club. The floating bar is a club house (ship). LV50 The oldest floating wooden lightship in the UK. (unless anyone knows differently)
You may struggle to find a long term home, but Hartlepool is very good, and so is Royal Quays. I think there may be a couple of 'live aboards' at Royal Quays. There are plenty at Hartlepool.

 

[dazautomatics]

Haha. Very much know this and have visited yacht club since 1993 and thought you would appreciate the business and not be branded as pretentious as most of your members like to avoid. Sorry the post I wrote was just a general guide for the OP and not a factual report.
Say hello to boat yard Davey for us, Hope he is well and enjoying his retirement still

Best Regards

Darren & Vicki

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I've mailed St Peters Marina but their pricing on the web doesn't look particularly cheap by my definition.

Do some bargaining for winter only. They're very quiet in winter with plenty of space. Would probably rather have something than nothing.

 

[EdWingfield]

St Peter's is the best connected for public transport. There is winter space in all the marinas. Ask to speak to the Managers. Don't worry about the advertised rates. Ask for a 'special deal'.

If you settle with Royal Quays, at the bottom of my garden, I could keep an eye on her for you.

 

[Magaz97]

Davey is a staple. He is as ever in the boatyard; or the bar. I will say hello from you. Like the blog by the way. Living the dream.

 

[Magaz97]

Haha. Very much know this and have visited yacht club since 1993 and thought you would appreciate the business and not be branded as pretentious as most of your members like to avoid. Sorry the post I wrote was just a general guide for the OP and not a factual report.
Say hello to boat yard Davey for us, Hope he is well and enjoying his retirement still

Best Regards

Darren & Vicki

The only problem with extra business is where to fit them in. The club membership is doing really well. So well that we are running out of boat space (unfortunately). Visitors are always welcome, but for a long term option, Blyth is not great. Also, as mentioned the bar is limited through the winter. Sorry if I came across as being elitist. As you know Blyth is not really like that. Despite the nice Royal title.

 

[ashanta]

Ask someone at Hebburn on the tyne. Easy access from the A1. There is a local boating association there and the boats are moored in trots. I used to keep my boat there many years ago. I am sure the club would help you out for very little.

 

[BruceDanforth]

it must have been a wild night in the nightclubs as it takes me a good half hour to walk from the boat to the bit of town that has them.

Hi Steve

Welcome to the North East, not that I am there at the moment but the marinas in that area are a bit of a hidden gem. You will find the people incredibly friendly and welcoming and will help you out if you need it. As for the marina I would personally recommend Hartlepool although not the cheapest but cash in advance helps a lot! My recommendation is based on having sailed this area for quite a long time and have prepared 2 boats here for long trips. Hartlepool only has one down side and that is a very good social scene and you will find it very difficult to get any work done there as this can be a distraction, also many people have found if very hard to leave for the same reason, including Dame Ellen in the 90s when she popped in for a night on her around Britain thing and stayed for quite a few ;-). The marina is next to a large retail park and an ASDA and most things can be sourced in the town or Teesside just down the road. There is one chandlery about 2 miles away but sometimes can be limited on stock, but makes up for this with knowledge and helpfulness. The marina manager Allen is not apposed to liver boards but some of the showers need a bit of love. As for the previous poster suggestion of St Peters marina, yes I will agree that this is very cheap, but family had a boat in there for a season and were robbed on 2 occasions. And they also were living aboard and were not to happy about the noise from the nightclubs. Maybe this has changed since 2007, if it has then my apologies to the last poster. Royal Quays has a better boat yard than Hartlepool but the marina manager Matt is not that keen on liver boards and the marina has other problems (We had three years there).
You may get a space at Blyth but is very much isolated, but has a good floating bar (limited hours out of season), Amble and Whitby are a bit more expensive but also suffer from the lack of facilities. Sunderland has limited space and unless thing have changed can suffer from swell in the winter.

Hope this helps and if you need any more information don hesitate to ask.

Darren

 

[dazautomatics]

Was just going on the comment's my brother made when he was their in 2007. He commented on a lot of noise from pubs and a gay bar across the street. If I'm getting mixed up the I do very much apologise.

 

[BruceDanforth]

There is one pub - often closes early through lack of trade it is so quiet and there is no gay bar across the street.

 

[SteveTibbetts]

Looks like it will be Hartlepool

Thanks to all who have contributed here, especially Darren.. Done the deal on the boat, I now have more acres of boat than I've ever had before, and got a reasonable deal on a Hartlepool berth for 3 months.
I won't be living on board but will have plenty of overnights while I'm fettling.

If your in Hartlepool and you've worked out which boat, please feel free to come and have a cuppa with me when I'm about!

 

[dazautomatics]

Thanks to all who have contributed here, especially Darren.. Done the deal on the boat, I now have more acres of boat than I've ever had before, and got a reasonable deal on a Hartlepool berth for 3 months.
I won't be living on board but will have plenty of overnights while I'm fettling.

If your in Hartlepool and you've worked out which boat, please feel free to come and have a cuppa with me when I'm about!

Cool, Fantastic. Congratulations. A new boat is a very special thing and from looking at the pictures she looks like a nice one too. We also have a taylors heater and this is very important in the North east over the winter period.

If you are looking for some good company then the Small Crafts (Smallies) is located around the back of the North side of the marina and you will find Paul Gretton (Selora the sail training boat) and many other nice people having an after work drink from about 4pm. The beer is very cheap in here although the Bitter is questionable an looks like old dishwater (local brew) have to be careful saying this as death threats have been issued before and Vicki's family live in the town.
Saturday afternoon is quite good in the Old West Quay (Travel inn pub) look out for Ray, Nigel and there many stooges who normally sit opposite the bar in a big group and for all other times the Rapor bar on the front is generally busy on a weekend with yachties. Look out for Dave and Mandy (Godiva) Ian and Julie (Castle Tee Jay) and many others
Also the Moorings do a very good breakfast where you will meet most of the above and if you need advice on where to source any parts for the boat then look out for Andy Young (Who owns the small boat yard just north of the marina and Neil (Walking sticks) Who has most thing if you are stuck (Just mention our names)

Enjoy you stay

Best regards

Darren and Vicki x

 

[BruceDanforth]

i can't help but wonder if the death threats are as imaginary as the nightclubs/gay bars but, hey, if it is real for you then it looks like it helped you find a friend.

Cool, Fantastic. Congratulations. A new boat is a very special thing and from looking at the pictures she looks like a nice one too. We also have a taylors heater and this is very important in the North east over the winter period.

If you are looking for some good company then the Small Crafts (Smallies) is located around the back of the North side of the marina and you will find Paul Gretton (Selora the sail training boat) and many other nice people having an after work drink from about 4pm. The beer is very cheap in here although the Bitter is questionable an looks like old dishwater (local brew) have to be careful saying this as death threats have been issued before and Vicki's family live in the town.
Saturday afternoon is quite good in the Old West Quay (Travel inn pub) look out for Ray, Nigel and there many stooges who normally sit opposite the bar in a big group and for all other times the Rapor bar on the front is generally busy on a weekend with yachties. Look out for Dave and Mandy (Godiva) Ian and Julie (Castle Tee Jay) and many others
Also the Moorings do a very good breakfast where you will meet most of the above and if you need advice on where to source any parts for the boat then look out for Andy Young (Who owns the small boat yard just north of the marina and Neil (Walking sticks) Who has most thing if you are stuck (Just mention our names)

Enjoy you stay

Best regards

Darren and Vicki x

 

[dazautomatics]

i can't help but wonder if the death threats are as imaginary as the nightclubs/gay bars but, hey, if it is real for you then it looks like it helped you find a friend.

Na the death threats are real, the Hartlepudlians take there Cameron's beer very seriously as it is brewed in the town! It is actually very good but not my thing. If Hartlepool marina lives up to it's reputation then the OP will still be there when we return next year. but for now we are just stocking the boat getting ready for an Atlantic crossing. Wishing you good Christmas and hope that the imaginary gay bar is not re-opened in the marina ;-)

Darren n Vicki xxx