Wintering in the Bristol Channel 2014 -15?

[Gwylan]

We have been away from Portishead and the Channel for the last 7 years. During that time work requirements have meant that we have kept the boat in The Netherlands and now on the South East Coast.

We are currently based in the river at Rye.

This coming season [2014] we plan to head for the Irish Sea, or Scilly. My co-owner wants to go to Dublin, so that decides where her half of the boat is going. So I may as well take my half there too.

Looking ahead I need to think about where we might winter to enable an assault on the West Coast in the Summer of 2015.
There are family connections and hence some 'care-taking' available in Bristol and Cardiff.

So, where should I start looking and what can I expect from either?

I assume that Portishead development is completed and the fees have not reduced. Like Portishead, Penarth marina might also be pricey.

What are the options for a safe, secure, accessible berth in Cardiff?

Should I consider Swansea? Though that is even further for any possible sailing or maintenance work.
What about Milford? Really off the map for popping down to, but would save best part of a week in getting any voyage started.

I look forward to the wisdom of the assembled company.

 

[Allan]

I live in Bristol but keep my boat in Cardiff. From Bristol harbour to the channel takes about an hour, including the lock. As you point out Portishead is very expensive. Cardiff is also the first place that enables you to leave the channel on one tide.
I suggest you contact Cardiff marina. I understand they offer better deals than Penarth and they are nice people. The clubs offer lower prices but it seems you only want a winter berth.
I allow 18 hours for the trip to/from Dale and normally take less.
I hope that is some help. If you need any more feel free to contact me.
Allan

 

[Anwen]

Swansea is another 45 minutes along the M4 from the first Cardiff exit. There is plenty of room at present, and I can't see this changing in the next 12 months. Not sure how prices compare with Cardiff, but I can get to Dale in around 8 hours - leave Swansea to arrive at St Govans Head around slack water, and then a couple more hours from there to Dale. I live in Miskin and keep the boat in Swansea.

 

[bitbaltic]

You need to think about what you want from the boat while it is in the Bristol channel- as you are looking at wintering I presume you are not laying up.

Cardiff is the nearest thing in the channel to an all-tides access port for a boat of moderate draft (around 1.5m). Within the bay Penarth offers the most sheltered berthing and IMHO the better on-site yard in Wigmore Wright. But it is slightly more expensive than Cardiff marina which is really an extension of CBYC's pontoons up the river Ely.

Portishead is similar in cost. All three of these marinas will offer an immediate quote on their websites do go compare.

There's also a marina at Bristol but I've never been there. Bristol is very limited by the tides and, all of these marinas which are closer to your support/supervision options have immediate cruising grounds which are governed by very strong tides.

Further west you get an easier start for the Irish sea but if you are looking only at an early seaon trip rather than regularly cruising across that may not matter so much.

Shoreside facilities (shops and pubs and cafes) are better in the marinas up west. Portishead and Penarth are limited to very expensive insure restaurants and offsite pubs a bit of a tramp. Cardiff has less and it's quite a tramp from their pontoons to CBYC.

Plenty of pubs near Watchet and the new Porthcawl marinas but the former is full of silt and the latter half built as of now with a big waiting list.

Swansea and Milford have good on site services with shops and cafes in both marinas and the local cruising is blue not brown water. Tides less strong but access a bit more restricted.

Milford haven itself is the best option for having a decent chance of a sail whatever the weather when you're down at your boat because the Haven is so sheltered. You may get a good deal at neyland marina and there's also Lawrenny, although not sure about moorings there.

So basically facilities, tides (and I'd guess costs) get better as you go west, access and perhaps yard facilities are better as you go east. Really, though, the distances are not as bad by road as you might think from one end to the other. It's all about your own boating priorities.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Cardiff has 4 marinas - Cardiff Yacht club , Cardiff Bay Yacht club, penarth marina and cardiff marina. If you can get space in either yacht club it will be cheaper than the marinas which in turn are a bit cheaper than bristol. Cardiff marina do quite good boat work and are easy to deal with. Penarth are a bit more difficult IMO. Neither have the sort of facilities / skills you might expect in Plymouth say.

Milford really is a long way from anywhere if you want to work on the boat. And since its only a days sail from Cardiff, I cannot see why anyone would prefer winter storage there unless they lived in the area.

In the water or out?

 

[SteveSarabande]

Cardiff marina wont have a boat yard after february when the building work starts.

 

[Gwylan]

Thanks for the info. Do appreciate it.

Looks like Cardiff then, just have to see who has space.

Spent my teenage years there but have not lived there for over 30 years it has changed a bit. I do have a resident who would be caretaker. Knowing there is someone local who could check things out for me would make 'parking' the boat there a lot easier.
I remember when Pier Head was just a destination on the trolley buses.

 

[single]

I'm sure one of us would be a 'caretaker' wherever you put it, but i think Allan's comment is right. Atleast Cardiff has all the facilities/transport links etc. and as said less than 18hr sail to Dale/Milford ready to hop to Ireland.