Yarmouth or Cowes or neither

[Stemar]

There's a drying pontoon at the top of the Medina in Newport. If you can't sit on the bottom, you can dry out alongside the wall. You'd be pretty sure of a place there but, of course you need to go in near the top of the flood tide. If you're early, there's the option of borrowing a mooring N of the Folly pontoons for a few hours (Lassoing optional ). Depending on draft, you may be able to anchor opposite Island Harbour.

Not the most idyllic of surroundings, but good communications with the rest of the island. Also easy staggering distance from the Bargeman's Rest. Adequate pub grub, a decent pint and live music most evenings.

 

[johnalison]

Unless it has changed from a few years ago, Yarmouth weekday rates are normal marina rates, unlike the weekend rates which are only for CEOs and oligarchs.

 

[James_Calvert]

Re Yarmouth arriving late evening I would look inside the harbour before committing to a buoy.

You shouldn't tie up to the fuel pontoon of course, but it is the first one you come to...

 

[GrahamD]

You are coming in midweek arriving in the evening. To minimise your bad weather / financial risk why not book one night initially at Yarmouth. I'm sure you won't have problems finding other a suitable place for subsequent nights if you talk to the staff once you have arrived.

 

[st599]

Problem is that it seems, on checking,Reeds, that rate is £4-00 perM of boat, so if I book for 4 days & have bad weather, or a problem, getting from Cherbourg, I could loose £160-00, if they do not allow refund. Compared to the French side it is VERY expensive-- if I have got that correct.
I will also be arriving late at night SH & tired, so looking for a berth might be an issue if there is a shortage. One of the reasons I have always stayed away from the Solent.
So it looks like Cowes for a day then try & book & move to Yarmouth from there provided they have a berth free
But thanks everyone for the heads up on the area. Once I am there I might have a look round some other places , but not at £40-00 per night I won't.

How big is your boat? Yarmouth is cheap compared to Lymington where a 13m boat will cost £56 at weekends.

 

[ip485]

As I said earlier, personally I really wouldnt worry too much, I would be amazed if you settle on Yarmouth if they could not fit you in, especially in June. As I also said, please do have a look at Bembridge - as you can tell I am very impressed with Bembridge, and I am guessing they will book you a berth before hand. It is in many ways a more interesting harbour than Yarmouth, perfect from Cherborough, and, I actually think a more interesting part of the I of W. There is a very long walk ashore pontoon with all the usual services. I was there last week as well.

I think over NY I paid about £65 for two nights in Yarmouth for 16m and about half that for two nights in Bembridge, albeit as the showers are being renewed in Yarmouth, there was a discount and free electricity which was lovely.

 

[mainsail1]

Problem is that it seems, on checking,Reeds, that rate is £4-00 perM of boat, so if I book for 4 days & have bad weather, or a problem, getting from Cherbourg, I could loose £160-00, if they do not allow refund. Compared to the French side it is VERY expensive-- if I have got that correct.
I will also be arriving late at night SH & tired, so looking for a berth might be an issue if there is a shortage. One of the reasons I have always stayed away from the Solent.
So it looks like Cowes for a day then try & book & move to Yarmouth from there provided they have a berth free
But thanks everyone for the heads up on the area. Once I am there I might have a look round some other places , but not at £40-00 per night I won't.

Remember that you can pick up a buoy outside Yarmouth if you arrive late. Also, why not go on the pontoons that are served by the water taxi? much less expensive. I have never booked in my life and only once been told the Harbour was full and even then they found me a berth after 2 hours on a buoy.

 

[PhillM]

I would be tempted to try for Yarmouth and if they are full (which I would not expect unless they had a big rally in) I would go to Lymington to rest up overnight and go back about lunch time the following day. No need to book and you are almost certainly going to get walk ashore and if you want, be on the inside of the raft.

 

[richardbrennan]

Just to confirm, you don't have to pay up front at Harold Hayles and you always have the option of an up tide approach regardless of whether the tide is ebbing or flooding. This is not the case with some of the Harbour Commission fingers that can have a very strong tide running through them po even across them, illustrated last year by me finding a large ketch pinned across my stern and several others at 4am, when he tried to leave early to catch the tide through the Needles for a Channel crossing.

There's not much shopping in Yarmouth or, for that matter, that many pubs, it's a small town. However, there is great restaurant called "On the Rocks" which I would definitely recommend for a 50th birthday celebration.

 

[Stemar]

I had a squeaky bum moment getting out of Yarmouth the last time I went. As we were committed to leaving on a 40 footer, a much smaller boat shout out into the end of our gap and started faffing around - an engine problem, I think. With the tide, I had nowhere to go except to turn right, deeper into the marina. The about turn to come out once the other boat had sorted itself out was, err, interesting.

 

[Daydream believer]

How big is your boat? Yarmouth is cheap compared to Lymington where a 13m boat will cost £56 at weekends.

Boat is 9.5 M with 1.8 draught. I have just found out that daughter has decided to to book Friday19Th -23rd so it will be Friday-Tuesday affair, as others cannot get time off work. That puts my marina charges up somewhat

 

[Daedelus]

If you go for a finger pontoon watch for the current, it is very strong at mid tide and runs diagonally. personally if arriving at some hour in the middle of the night I'd be looking to raft up and move the next day.

 

[maby]

Another vote for Yarmouth here! Cowes town centre is nice enough, but the marina and river entrance are a real pain - often packed tight with yachts. Yarmouth is a smaller town, but it has a couple of decent pubs and restaurants. Be aware that the currents rip through both at mid tide - think carefully before casting off! I've seriously made a fool of myself in Cowes and escaped Yarmouth without scratches by the skin of my teeth!

 

[sgr143]

A few others have suggested Bembridge.. I'd second (or third or whatever) that. It's our "milk run" across from Portsmouth and we never tire of it: a lovely place, lots to do nearby (walks, good pubs, eateries, beaches) The harbour staff are very helpful and friendly. It gets a bit busy at weekends, but if you book ahead you can get a finger berth, so will avoid the possibility of rafting. Approach is easy as long as you stick to the channel at HW +/-3. There is an online depth gauge which is reassuring.

 

[Resolution]

Daydream, how do you reconcile being unwilling to commit to £160 berthing for four days, yet prepared to let your wife loose on an IoW shopping spree?

 

[PilotWolf]

Its been many years but when I worked out of Yarmouth there was a really good bakery in town who sold the absolute best cheese and bacon pastries at breakfast time,

W.

 

[Daydream believer]

Daydream, how do you reconcile being unwilling to commit to £160 berthing for four days, yet prepared to let your wife loose on an IoW shopping spree?

Simple
She is wealthier than me

 

[ip485]

Daydream - any reason for rejecting Bembridge (if in fact you have)?

To entice you the coastal path to Seaview and beyond is really pretty, some quaint shops, coffee and places for breakfast, bus at the harbour to every where else around the island (the bus service is pretty good), walk up to Bembridge village itself is very pleasant and again a good little selection of unusual shops, there is always lots going on in the harbour (lagoon) to watch (more so than in Yarmouth, where it is essentially other boats coming and going), the crab and lobster resteraunt that floats in the harbour is ultra good (if you like crab and lobster) and the surrounding beaches are truly beautiful if anyone fancies a quick anchor off during the day and a dip given that the sun will have returned by then and the water warmed.

Plenty to like and do , and day trips to garlic farm (well worht a visit), or the zoo are both closer than Yarmouth. To be fair Yarmouth and it ssurrounds are much more touristy at that time of year as well, and some of the popular nearby spots frankly best avoided unless kiss me quick is your thing.

Just a thought.

If they want some serious shopping you could always then sail them across to Gun Wharf Quays (easier than from Yarmouth) and set them up on the Quay pontoon for an extra special treat of discount designer shopping, or they could catch the ferry over from the creek which is only a shortish walk from Bembridge or take the bus.

 

[DJE]

If they want some serious shopping you could always then sail them across to Gun Wharf Quays (easier than from Yarmouth) and set them up on the Quay pontoon for an extra special treat of discount designer shopping, or they could catch the ferry over from the creek which is only a shortish walk from Bembridge or take the bus.

It's about 5 miles from the Bembridge pontoon to the wet end of Ryde pier. You would probably want a taxi back with your Gunwharf shopping!

 

[maby]

It's about 5 miles from the Bembridge pontoon to the wet end of Ryde pier. You would probably want a taxi back with your Gunwharf shopping!

You do have to spend a lot of money in Gunwharf to come away with more shopping than you can comfortably carry!