Getting on & off the water

sterobloc · 11 April 2018, 09:48

I have been considering buying a RIB for sometime but two things are stopping me: (1) an hours tow to Solent area and (2) slipways to launch. Have researched slips but these seem to be restricted either by tide or limited parking. Have considered storing RIB and trailer at yards. Wilsons Hayling Island: but apparently this only has launch/recovery one and a half hours either side of high tide. In contrast Cobb's Quay Marina, Poole Harbour, more expensive and further to travel but the harbour appears to be little affected by tide. Might be worth mentioning, I'm not restricted to weekends.
Has anyone experience of using Itchenor Hard, tide limitation, cost, parking, etc.?
Any advice on these matters gratefully received.

allroad4 · 11 April 2018, 13:53

I'm based in Carshalton and keep my rib at MDL Northney Marina on Hayling Island. I have used Cobbs Quay many times and I can say that Hayling is a much easier and shorter drive. The slip at Northney is available at all states of tide. There is also Sparkes Marina at the end of Hayling though I have no experience of using it. At Cobbs you are likely to have to keep your rib on a pontoon mooring or dry-stack whereas at Northney you can keep your rib on its trailer in the boat park and self-launch. The cost of launching is included in your annual storage fee.

Starovich · 11 April 2018, 13:59

Parking Free, slip launch Free Access all but lowest tides (then only 30 mins either side of low water) Right at the mouth of Portsmouth harbor.Map

solar25 · 11 April 2018, 17:37

I keep my rib at Davis's boat yard which is the other side of the wall to Cobbs Quay and a lot cheaper. I keep my boat on a trailer on the hard standing adjacent to the slip. I have had no problems launching at any state of the tide although they advise avoiding 1 hr either side of low tide but I've not had a problem launching or recovering at low tide on my own. There is water for flushing and power available and a friendly cafe. I have a 6 m ribeye which incidentally is for sale if your interested.

t08yg2 · 11 April 2018, 18:02

I have kept my Rib at Wilsons on Hayling Island for the last year.

On the upside, Wilsons is pretty well priced. It's not too far from the harbour entrance if you want to get out in to the solent. Also very good service (although they did park their pickup in front of my rib over Easter so I couldn't take it out!).

On the downside, I always end up launching and recovering at Northney as the slip allows you access at any state of the tide and the Wilson slip has pretty limited tidal access. That means a short drive up and down the island to collect it and put it away every time and it costs £12.50 to launch and the same to recover at Northney, so £25 every time I go out.

This year I am shifting it to Northney. They have compounds where ribs can live on the trailer like at Wilsons. It's more expensive but unlimited launch and recovery is included and it's only a couple of hundred meters between the compounds and the slipway on a private road, so no more rigging up lighting boards and strapping the boat down every time I want to use it. Much more convenient!

Andy_Rs600 · 11 April 2018, 19:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starovich

Parking Free, slip launch Free Access all but lowest tides (then only 30 mins either side of low water) Right at the mouth of Portsmouth harbor.Map

Is this at Haslar? Free launch for berth holders?

Starovich · 11 April 2018, 20:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_Rs600

Is this at Haslar? Free launch for berth holders?

Never been charged any thing, been launching there for years.

https://www.gosport.gov.uk/sections/...blic-slipways/

Bucksribster · 11 April 2018, 23:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starovich

Never been charged any thing, been launching there for years.

https://www.gosport.gov.uk/sections/...blic-slipways/

Interesting. Which one are you taking about? The one by Camper’s marina, or Hasler Lake?

Starovich · 12 April 2018, 07:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucksribster

Interesting. Which one are you taking about? The one by Camper’s marina, or Hasler Lake?

Haslar Lake next to the dean a readyhoff - go though the marina carpark and it bahind it.

I sometimes leave the boat on the D&R marina for a saturday night if im weekending its, usual about £25 (7.8m), which is far beter then dragging it out and towing home, just to do the reverse in the morning

boristhebold · 12 April 2018, 08:24

I guess one of the main factors will be where do you want to use it and how often, if you use x slipway in area x and get bored after a few months then its not going to work, any slipway or marina that is effected by tide issues can be a real drag if your out having a great time and the weather is great and then you have to cut the day short to get back to the pontoon or slipway due to tide issues.

The solent is nice and has access to isle of wight etc but for me you cant beat Poole Harbour as a base due to access to the Jurrassic Coast and all the bays etc along that stretch, plus the harbour itself has nice routes around brownsea island or up the wareham river etc. If the sea conditions are not great studland bay is pretty sheletered to get to or the harbour itself can be enjoyed on not so good days.

I used to be at parkstone bay marina but due to some tide issues having to launch and recover x hours before or after low tide I swiftly mooved to drystack at cobbs quay so I can venture out whenever I want to, just phone em up or just turn up and boat is in water within a few minutes and your off.

Also bear in mind fuel costs in the area your thinking of, MDL marinas (including cobbs) if your a berth holder drystack etc you get fuel at cost, which if you actually use your rib a decent amount saves a big chunk of money over the year which may offset the more expensive berthing option.

So I guess main questions would be

Slipway or marina - costs vs hassles
which area - dependant upon what you want to do on the rib and where to venture
Fuel costs in area

sterobloc · 13 April 2018, 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by allroad4

I'm based in Carshalton and keep my rib at MDL Northney Marina on Hayling Island. I have used Cobbs Quay many times and I can say that Hayling is a much easier and shorter drive. The slip at Northney is available at all states of tide. There is also Sparkes Marina at the end of Hayling though I have no experience of using it. At Cobbs you are likely to have to keep your rib on a pontoon mooring or dry-stack whereas at Northney you can keep your rib on its trailer in the boat park and self-launch. The cost of launching is included in your annual storage fee.

I assumed all slips around Hayling would be tide restricted so this is good news. What is the access to stored boats? ie. If you are returning from a trip at say 9:30pm can you get your boat back on the trailer for storage and car out the yard for the journey home?

John Kennett · 13 April 2018, 19:45

Chichester harbour is beautiful, but not particularly RIB friendly. Northney marina is good, but it's a long slog at displacement speed to and from the open sea. Sparkes marina is right by the harbour entrance, but as far as I can remember they don't have a slipway.

Have you considered dry berthing, where your boat is launched and recovered with a crane or forklift? It's more expensive than launching yourself with a trailer but make life so easy that you may find you get more use out of your boat.

They do this at Sparkes, but a more central location might be better as it's a bit of a run back to Chichester from the middle of the Solent.

Southampton Drystack, Drivers Wharf (next door), or KB Boat Park in Portsmouth are all popular alternatives.

Curlew · 13 April 2018, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by sterobloc

I assumed all slips around Hayling would be tide restricted so this is good news. What is the access to stored boats? ie. If you are returning from a trip at say 9:30pm can you get your boat back on the trailer for storage and car out the yard for the journey home?

I have kept my Ribcraft 6.4 at both Sparkes and Northney. Sparkes is a dry launch (by crane) and so very convenient. Also it's right by the entrance to the harbour so saves half an hour at 8 knots getting down the harbour if you are going out to sea. Northney, at the top of the harbour, is for boat on trailer and launching each time. The slip is excellent at all stages of the tide, though there is sometimes a queue. The parked boats are accessible 24/7. But be careful which berth you pick in the trailer park. Some are very difficult to get in and out of, requiring you to weave around other boats, gates and then through the car park. My boat was either a bit too long or needed someone better at manoeuvring it around. So I’m now back at Sparkes.

John Kennett · 13 April 2018, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by sterobloc

Has anyone experience of using Itchenor Hard, tide limitation, cost, parking, etc.?

It's not bad to launch from, but best to avoid HW if possible as it's shallow a long way out which makes launching tricky. Parking is limited and the traffic can be a nightmare on days when the whole world goes to the beach at the Witterings.

allroad4 · 13 April 2018, 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by sterobloc

I assumed all slips around Hayling would be tide restricted so this is good news. What is the access to stored boats? ie. If you are returning from a trip at say 9:30pm can you get your boat back on the trailer for storage and car out the yard for the journey home?

As others have said, access is 24/7 and there is on site security. In 3 years I have not had a problem in the boat park nor with queues on the slip plus the slip doesn’t have a key-coded barrier like Cobbs where it drops at very inconvenient times!! True, it can take 30 mins to get to open water but that is also the case from Cobbs given the harbour speed restrictions. It all depends on where you want to go and what you want to do.

Bucksribster · 13 April 2018, 23:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starovich

Haslar Lake next to the dean a readyhoff - go though the marina carpark and it bahind it.

I sometimes leave the boat on the D&R marina for a saturday night if im weekending its, usual about £25 (7.8m), which is far beter then dragging it out and towing home, just to do the reverse in the morning

Interesting. Boatlaunch says it is half tide and a bit squeaky getting under the bridge at high tide. What’s your experience?

I have launched at Camber just opposite many times. Great ramp, but expensive car park.

Starovich · 14 April 2018, 00:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucksribster

Interesting. Boatlaunch says it is half tide and a bit squeaky getting under the bridge at high tide. What’s your experience?

I have launched at Camber just opposite many times. Great ramp, but expensive car park.

7.8 Ballistic - only once had a problem low water springs there is a mud bank at extreme low water only 6 inches over very soft mud. 20 mins either side.

Never had an issue with the bridge, but as sailing boat would.

Slip is gravel, so no high revs, ive never had an issue, 5.5 with a freelander and the 7.8 with a disco.