St Austell Launch Site ?

scar · 09 August 2020, 18:20

Hi

Can anyone help me with a launch site around St Austell please for my T38 ?

Not Pentewan Sands as I have a Dog.

TIA

Old seahorse · 14 August 2020, 15:03

There appears to be slipway at Polkerris, at Eastern end of St Austell Bay. Some details on boat launch in Ribs and ribbing section here. I’ve never been, but reads o.k.
Next time I am down there, I will take a look to check it out, but won’t be for a while. I’ve used Grove place in Falmouth, which is pretty good, but not sure if that’s a bit far away for what you want.
You could also try Carlyon Bay Hotel. I think they have access to the beach. They might let you launch there, if you ask!

Nos4r2 · 14 August 2020, 16:48

Caffa Mill, Fowey. Might be some parking issues though.

John Kennett · 14 August 2020, 16:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Caffa Mill, Fowey. Might be some parking issues though.

Can definitely need some ninja parking skills there in the summer. It’s a good spot though.

Fenlander · 14 August 2020, 17:11

Good call Old Seahorse as far as it goes... Polkerris is a great place to arrive by sea in a smallcraft. But I'm amazed Boatlaunch has it listed as a slipway.

Polkerris is a hamlet at the bottom of a narrow lane that slopes down from the main St. Austell to Fowey road. Unless you are a customer of the pub and qualify for their jealously guarded spaces there is nowhere near the beach to park. There is a pay & display car park on the way down some 300m back from the water.

There is no slipway... the single track road ends at the soft sand at the top of the beach. There is no area to have the car beachside to set up. Launch is across the initially soft sand then the firmer sand lower down depending on tide state.

See my picture showing the sweep of the sand at lower tide.... and another (credit. Laurence Associates Architects) that gives a better view of the way the road ends between the pub and Sam's cafe.

Fenlander · 14 August 2020, 17:28

>>>Caffa Mill, Fowey. Might be some parking issues though.

It's a great slipway... see my image below. Don't make a mistake and get faffing around on the adj wider ferry slip... that really annoys them.

There's actually enough room to pull up adj the slip not in a parking space and quickly drop off SIB and gear. Then assuming the usual zero spaces at Caffa Mill itself take the car 1min up the road to the other Old Station Yard unmade car park on the right... usually more spaces there.

Of course there are harbour and launch fees due... and often quite a lot of harbour patrol boat activity.

Limecc · 14 August 2020, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by scar

Hi

Not Pentewan Sands as I have a Dog.

TIA

We used to launch our SIB from a dog prohibited beach at Salcombe by keeping them off the beach until the boat was afloat then they were taken directly to the boat the shortest distance and placed inside. I don't think anyone could reasonably complain and nobody ever did.

Nowadays we have a RIB & trailer and most beaches prohibit unauthorised motor vehicles which would prevent beach launching if you were to obey the rules precisely. They were pretty laid back about enforcement in Devon, probably same for Cornwall. Common sense needed if it is busy though.

PeteG · 14 August 2020, 20:28

There's a slipway at Mevagissey, it used to be about £5 payable in the Harbourmasters office which is right next door. However, space is tight for set-up and manoeuvring a trailer if you have one, parking is chargeable and it can be quite 'mucky' at the bottom of the slipway. If I haven't put you off yet, the location on What3Words is:

latitudes.sprint.retraced

scar · 22 August 2020, 08:46

Thanks for all the info folks.

Livid · 23 August 2020, 13:13

St Mawes harbour has a slipway you could fit a t38 down free to use. Right next to a pub and a carpark so it's all sorted ��

scar · 23 August 2020, 15:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livid

St Mawes harbour has a slipway you could fit a t38 down free to use. Right next to a pub and a carpark so it's all sorted ��

Superb information !

I was going to leave the boat at home as it would have meant taking my van instead of the X5 which, did not please my Wife as the launching in the area did not seem that user friendly.

Now that St Mawes is on the cards and only around 30 minutes from where we are staying, I tried to fit everything onto the X5 and with a little assistance from my Wife, it all fits neatly. The fact that she will now have our Bulldog in the passenger footwell for the entire journey does not fill her with joy however, the use of the boat does !

Thank you one and all for the assistance, that is the first week of our stay sorted, the second week will involve finding a slipway into the Camel Estuary as we are there for the second week.

scar · 23 August 2020, 15:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livid

St Mawes harbour has a slipway you could fit a t38 down free to use. Right next to a pub and a carpark so it's all sorted ��

Just been on Boatlaunch UK and it states not for Public Use !

Confused now !

Livid · 23 August 2020, 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by scar

Just been on Boatlaunch UK and it states not for Public Use !

Confused now !

There are two slipways, a big one that's populated by a kayak hire business and a smaller one that you could fit a t38 down that leads onto the beach, the local authorities have a very light touch, we use it to launch our tender every year. I'm in town for the next two weeks so shoot me a pm if you'd like a hand getting it in the water

Livid · 23 August 2020, 17:53

There are also beaches, summers beack and tavern beack you can get a t38 down and into the sea

treerat · 24 August 2020, 11:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by scar

Thank you one and all for the assistance, that is the first week of our stay sorted, the second week will involve finding a slipway into the Camel Estuary as we are there for the second week.

Which side?W

For rock it's straight off the compacted beach by the sailing club, for Padstom two slips in town.

All three are tidal, with Padstow being worse then Rock.

scar · 24 August 2020, 18:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by treerat

Which side?W

For rock it's straight off the compacted beach by the sailing club, for Padstom two slips in town.

All three are tidal, with Padstow being worse then Rock.

It matters not really as, we are staying near Newquay so, an extra 10 minutes in the car is negligible.

Thanks for the tips.