Launching at Baiter Poole

[Johno99]

We intend visiting Poole next week, towing a 4.5 valiant from Chichester. The intention is to stay somewhere for two nights with parking for a trailer with boat and a car and launch at Baiter to go round to Studland and Swanage. Problem is I’m confused about paying for parking, I know there’s a separate car park for trailers and tow cars but does the parking ticket include harbour dues, launch fees and parking, if not how do I pay them.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Johno99

We intend visiting Poole next week, towing a 4.5 valiant from Chichester. The intention is to stay somewhere for two nights with parking for a trailer with boat and a car and launch at Baiter to go round to Studland and Swanage. Problem is I’m confused about paying for parking, I know there’s a separate car park for trailers and tow cars but does the parking ticket include harbour dues, launch fees and parking, if not how do I pay them.

I often use Rockly Park for weekend trips which is easy launching ...has Pontoons ....security ..and plenty of Space/Parking
Have a good one!

[Johno99]

Hi Maximus, thanks for the reply. I’m assuming that you rent a caravan off them and they let you park you boat and trailer there and launch on their slipway. Is the launch facility included or is there an additional cost? Ta

[mickter]

Baiter is £15.00 to use slip this includes parking for car & trailer, also includes harbour dues, there is also free water taps to wash down boat.
ticket machine also accepts card payments.

[Johno99]

Okay we’ve gone for the easier option of Rockley Park. Further to motor through the harbour but should be okay. More expensive than Baiter at £51 for two days boat storage and launching but cheaper to rent a caravan than B&B. Also we were finding it difficult to find a place with space for parking a boat and trailer. When we’re down there we can suss out places for if we want to return. Just hope the weather clears up! Thanks for you help.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Johno99

Hi Maximus, thanks for the reply. I’m assuming that you rent a caravan off them and they let you park you boat and trailer there and launch on their slipway. Is the launch facility included or is there an additional cost? Ta

Nope...Just launch and recover...the slip is reached through/via the Caravan park,but not I think ...any part of the same business.
Either way it works for us.

[allroad4]

The price won't include harbour dues but you can actually pay that at the office in the boat park at Rockley.

[allroad4]

One thing to check for though - Rockley shuts the boat park quite early even on bank holiday weekends so if you're late back, you will have to raft up on the pontoon and get down first thing in the morning to retrieve your Rib!

[Johno99]

Bit of an update if anyone is interested or searching in the future. We used Rockley Park in the end, rented a caravan for a couple of nights and paid £51 for storage and launching for 3 days. We launched ourselves as you have to wait if there’re busy. Towed down to the ramp, easy decent angle, leave the boat there while wife holds onto it or drive around to the pontoon. Drive the trailer back up to the boat park and leave it there, move your car out and park outside the boat park. Coming back the boat park closes at 5, unless they’re busy, but you simply phone security’s mobile and he comes and opens up for you and waits while you get your boat and trailer into the boat park. Suited us but we found that Rockley Park is a long way into the harbour and you feel your wasting time and petrol if you intend going out of the harbour. By the way no fuel here at all, we had to get fuel from a garage a mile down the road daily. There is fuel at Parkstone Marine at 1.54 a litre between 8 to 6. Baiter is £15 to launch and park all day or £12 after 2.30 to midnight. You simply get a ticket from the machine and display it and park with your trailer connected to your car in the dedicated trailer parking spaces. Wash down taps are there but bring your own hose. Hope this helps.