Where to Launch 4.2mtr Zodiac Futura Trailered, Brighton, Newhaven, Shoreham areas

shaun2020 · 17 August 2013, 00:44

Hi all,

I am hoping someone can help me, I am looking on launching my Zodiac Futura 4.2mtr MK II on a trailer,

The areas I want to fish / play on my toy are Seaford, Newhaven, Brighton areas, or as close to, as I can always go by boat once launched close by hopefully, I have caught some nice Bass from Seaford off the shore! My Biggest was 6lb 6oz, what a night!

I know the website boat launch which I have surfed / purchased the app, and Shoreham is just up the road etc but you need to have a training certificate etc & a safety lecture off the harbour master as you are going out of the harbour entrance etc, I have spent too enough money lately, (more than the Mrs thinks) oops!!!

I have owned boats before so I have some common sense when it comes to boating so I could do without the extra expense of Boating courses at present as much as I would like to pay their expensive fees in the future,

Simpsons in Newhaven charge approx £28 to launch and retrieve but that is shop hours only 9am-5pm, so time restricted in theory which is no good to me, especially the length of time I will be towing the boat to the coast,

I will be driving on average 80 miles one way every time I go out on the boat, (I want bigger fish) So I want somewhere straight forward and easy to launch etc and not time restricted, I am trying to prevent putting my trailer in the sea water if I can get away with it, If I have to put the trailer in the sea water I will if it easy on my car, I only have a Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 two wheel drive,

Tide restrictions I can sort of deal with if needed, as all of the beaches I know are all pebbled which would be too hard to pull my boat (82kg unloaded) up the shallow gravel hills on the beach, we pulled it around today on concrete and it was quite heavy without the outboard on, so pebble beach’s are sort of out the question, especially if they have a hill effect, or more than 20 meters flat wide,

There must be somewhere close to the areas I want without having to pay or have a certificate, blah, blah, ooh, need somewhere to park the car and to lock the trailer & to chain up the trailer to stop the robbing Blah! taken it,

Please help I am desperate, Bloody gale force winds stopping my first launch day as I have just bought the boat recently and yet to test it out & I have bought a new Mariner 20 HP 4 stroke short shaft to test and play with the fish,

I personally think £28 is excessive to launch my size craft, £20 I could live with, All the beaches I know are pebbled and a few pebbled hills which would be a mission to get the boat back up (82kg unloaded) on the launch wheels,

All I want is somewhere I can reverse the trailer as close to the water’s edge as possible or into the water, so we can either lift the boat off the trailer on the launch wheels or reverse the trailer into water on long shallow solid concrete for example and I cannot have too much of a steep hill as I do not have a 4 x 4, I have a 4 metre steel tow rope which could be used somewhere if needed, Emerald Quay private flats Complex looks a good and perfect slipway but there is no where to park the car and trailer as it is all private parking / Public slipway, Someones bright idea,

Any help anyone can give, it would be highly appreciated, there must be somewhere! I am trying to stay over the Seaford / Newhaven way as they are my favourite shore fishing spots and I know the areas quite well,

Best Wishes & Thanks in advance,

Shaun

Max... · 17 August 2013, 07:10

It's a total PITA launching down this way, no slips really except Rye or Newhaven etc, 100s of miles of coast but they just don't make it easy to go boating. One of the reasons I use a beach launched SIB.

gennaro · 17 August 2013, 09:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

It's a total PITA launching down this way, no slips really except Rye or Newhaven etc, 100s of miles of coast but they just don't make it easy to go boating. One of the reasons I use a beach launched SIB.

So from what beach do you launch your SIB? Would Simpsons in Newhaven charge for using their slip for a SIB?

Sunstreaker · 17 August 2013, 10:17

Simpson do charge for a sib launch, a reduced rate if you purchase the boat from them. There are a couple of public slips in shoreham, one is not very well kept, and there is one in a new flat development, which appears little used but appears to be a challenge to find anywhere to park a trailer. Then there is the slip by the RNLI lifeboat. I don't know about the harbour masters requirements you mention. I am more familiar with Worthing & littlehampton.

TRevor Lawson · 17 August 2013, 21:00

Hi There are a couple of slips in shoreham rope tackle slip now in amongst the flats but useable for you, not sure where to park though, and emerald quay slip parking on side of road along main road,the slip is concrete and protected on both sides by walls, and not too steep, launch and moor boat on quay side then park car it's free to use but you should pay harbour dues ( never been asked ) depending on tides you usually get about 2 hrs either side of h/w thick black gloopy mud if water too low, should be an easy launch for your sib.

never heard of the harbour master test to use the river and harbour entrance ?

shaun2020 · 18 August 2013, 01:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

It's a total PITA launching down this way, no slips really except Rye or Newhaven etc, 100s of miles of coast but they just don't make it easy to go boating. One of the reasons I use a beach launched SIB.

Totally Crazy, even if I could find somewhere to quickly reverse in and out before anyone notices, lol

shaun2020 · 18 August 2013, 01:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by gennaro

So from what beach do you launch your SIB? Would Simpsons in Newhaven charge for using their slip for a SIB?

I havent used the boat yet, I have only owned it a month, then I had to purchase an outboard, then due to working 12 hour shifts time was restricted and now I am on holiday it is gale force winds down the coast, Can,t win,

The weather improves Wednesday but my friends are at work so I will have to wait until one of them is free to assist with outboard lifts & they hope they are able to come along for the ride as the boat & outboard is too heavy for me to handle on my own, I love shore fishing around the Seaford area and I am determined to fish in my boat there

shaun2020 · 18 August 2013, 02:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunstreaker

Simpson do charge for a sib launch, a reduced rate if you purchase the boat from them. There are a couple of public slips in shoreham, one is not very well kept, and there is one in a new flat development, which appears little used but appears to be a challenge to find anywhere to park a trailer. Then there is the slip by the RNLI lifeboat. I don't know about the harbour masters requirements you mention. I am more familiar with Worthing & littlehampton.

Hi,
Thanks for your message, Relating to launching at Shoreham it is only what I have read online that you require a RYA course / certificate (If I have the name right)
Then you have to pay approx £8 to the harbour master and have a safety briefing of some sort from the harbour master before you are allowed to launch, I maybe wrong but if I can just pull up, launch, enjoy the day out, come back no questions asked I would be happy,

As`I was lead to believe online they also have a radar and if you basically launch without complying with their requirements their patrol boat will track you down, I don,t know, just don't want to go breaking any laws and I don,t fancy the hassle, so if anyone can confirm the regulations at Shoreham it would be appreciated,
What is the score with launching at Worthing & Littlehampton?
Thanks

shaun2020 · 18 August 2013, 02:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRevor Lawson

Hi There are a couple of slips in shoreham rope tackle slip now in amongst the flats but useable for you, not sure where to park though, and emerald quay slip parking on side of road along main road,the slip is concrete and protected on both sides by walls, and not too steep, launch and moor boat on quay side then park car it's free to use but you should pay harbour dues ( never been asked ) depending on tides you usually get about 2 hrs either side of h/w thick black gloopy mud if water too low, should be an easy launch for your sib.

never heard of the harbour master test to use the river and harbour entrance ?

Emarald Quay looks an ideal spot for me to launch, sheltered, step on the boat, no need for waders etc, Is there not parking restrictions on the main road?, as I read it is supposed to be a haven for traffic wardens even though there is some sort of parking bays there, it is just what I have read on the boat launch website,
Regards Shaun

shaun2020 · 18 August 2013, 02:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by gennaro

So from what beach do you launch your SIB? Would Simpsons in Newhaven charge for using their slip for a SIB?

I found a great slip down Southampton, but I don,t want to be down that way

ChrisA · 18 August 2013, 07:59

Have you tried Andy Pace, his yard is past Simpsons at the end of Newhaven Marina, I think he is cheaper than Simpsons, again only 9-5 though.

Sunstreaker · 18 August 2013, 09:55

If you had launch wheels on the sib, I would suggest the small boat launch ramp in goring next to Worthing,it has a car park . Littlehampton harbour dues are not cheap, but there is a public slip and small car park. There is also a tractor launch at littlehampton marina. Or if you we're wanting to launch on a regular basis, I would suggest £100 annual fee to use littlehampton yacht club (not Arun yacht) slip.

Will75 · 18 August 2013, 21:24

You are wrong about Shoreham, there is a slip at rope tackle and a better one at emerald quay and there are no controls, safety certs, lectures from the HM or anything. Just launch and go...easy.

shaun2020 · 18 August 2013, 23:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisA

Have you tried Andy Pace, his yard is past Simpsons at the end of Newhaven Marina, I think he is cheaper than Simpsons, again only 9-5 though.

HI Chris,
Thanks for your info, I didn't know there was another place there that can launch and retrieve your boat for you, I can live with 9-5 for the right price if it makes my life a whole lot easier, I will drop them an email along with Simpsons and see what they reply with, Thanks again

shaun2020 · 18 August 2013, 23:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will75

You are wrong about Shoreham, there is a slip at rope tackle and a better one at emerald quay and there are no controls, safety certs, lectures from the HM or anything. Just launch and go...easy.

Thanks for correcting me Will, much appreciated, I am only trying to be a law abiding citizen without causing any hassle for anyone, I know you can not always believe what you read, hence a great deal of help greatly received from all you forum members,

shaun2020 · 19 August 2013, 00:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaun2020

Thanks for correcting me Will, much appreciated, I am only trying to be a law abiding citizen without causing any hassle for anyone, I know you can not always believe what you read, hence a great deal of help greatly received from all you forum members,

Will, where do you park your car & trailer after launching at rope and tackle and Emerald Quay? as I have read that Emerald Quay is a mission to park your car or trailer due to parking restrictions / private parking, Thanks in advance

Will75 · 19 August 2013, 07:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaun2020

Will, where do you park your car & trailer after launching at rope and tackle and Emerald Quay? as I have read that Emerald Quay is a mission to park your car or trailer due to parking restrictions / private parking, Thanks in advance

Hi Shaun, yes that is true although i never had a problem as I always parked completely off the road on an area of the pavement that was so wide I could get the truck and four wheel trailer on without restricting the pedestrians or locals. Cheers Will

shaun2020 · 26 August 2013, 15:22

Hi All,
Launch day went fine last Friday, Boat and engine seemed fine, I used Andy Pace @ Newhaven for £20 to launch and retrieve so I was quite happy to save the hassle for myself as well as the great customer service received from Andy, no question too big or small and he was quite happy to give advice, I will defantley use Andy again,