New Harbour - Ventnor

Bittentobuggery · 25 August 2003, 23:55

They have built a small harbour at Ventnor, which will I suspect become very popular over time as they are planning to upgrade the slip and install some sort of pontoon arrangement.

At present you can moor up fore 'n aft to buoys and the harbourmaster, a very helpful guy by the name of Dan, will ferry you in and out while he's on duty.

Left the boat here on Sunday night and it was hugely preferable to the rib carnage at the town quay at Cowes. I found the arrogance and indifference appalling as people crash parked and disappeared, leaving their neglected boats to rub, chafe and gouge everything around. I had 3 fenders out but could have done with 15.

Harbour is sheltered to everything except an Easterly.

Make a good day out from the Solent, a few pints at the Spyglass then a spot of lunch and buy a pot of delicious crab on the way back from the hut on the front at Ventnor.

If your wallet will stand it, dinner at the Royal is hard to beat.

Richard B · 26 August 2003, 00:02

Hi Brian,

Thought you had been out on the Solent... spotted a RIBtec moored at Wavehumper's place this afternoon.

Talking of arrogance and indifference, we saw somebody who was short of a couple of fenders walk along to another boat, untie them and then re-attach them to his own... well maybe he owned both boats? I dunno!

Alan Priddy · 26 August 2003, 08:11

Cowes has to be on eof the unfriendliest harbours in the world.
It is full idiots who have just got into boating and have very little idea how to moor up let alone handle the boat.
After the BIBOA BBQ which was very poorly attended and not short of crap I found two cabin boats moored on the outside of Spirit. Both boats had only tied onto my hand rails and could not understand why I was upset. They refused to help me get underway so I let all of their lines go while they were laughing and drinking beer. I presume that they eventually came to see sense when they were drifiting down the Cowes river!
Cowes, you can keep it. The powerboat event was the worst ever and I suspect that it will never be run again. Alan P

Pete7 · 26 August 2003, 10:02

Whiteshoes, did you have to let the cat out of the bag? okay, so long as the secret stays within the rib world.

Spent Sunday doing powerboat training in the Medina, if they can drive a boat through all ferries, yachties and gin palaces they can drive a boat anywhere.

I agree Town Quay is a disaster, much prefer the Folly Inn higher up and although its £4 to moor for lunch at least you don't get the battering at Town Quay.

Are there any others ? UKSA perhaps ? do they do short stops.

Pete

Chris Murray · 26 August 2003, 10:32

Hi Guys,

I often used to go to East Cowes ("Cowes Marina" - I think it is officially called). In my experience, this is very much more civilised than Cowes Yacht Haven and gives access to "The Lifeboat", which does excellent steaks and is a great place to sit outside and watch all things "boaty" occurring on the Medina.

I think it costs £6 for a short stay, even less out of season. As with all marinas on this stretch of water, prices can increase dramatically around big events, such as Cowes Week.

Worth a visit!

Chris.

Julian · 26 August 2003, 11:54

Morning All

I've just got back from cowes as well, Went down on Sunday afternoon and came back on monday. The amount of boats moored up and damaged was unbelieveable, as for Cowes yacht haven thats a total wate of time, no one is of any help at all and the facilities are crap as well. Went to the town key a few months ago and it was total carnage, boats being smashed into each other as well as hitting the pontoons etc. Would never moor our boat up there. The powerboat weekend has been going down hill for years and judging by what people were saying on Sunday i would be suprosed if its run again as well. Someone should take over and get it back to how it was 10 years ago.

Julian

timw · 26 August 2003, 22:04

I'm very interested in visiting Ventnor as I'm bored with Cowes and the like.

Not having a chart to hand, are there any obvious dangers in getting there as I've never been round the back of the Wight further than Bembridge.

Is there a phone number for the Harbour master to get the times of operation if the only way of getting ashore is by him?

Many thanks in advance and promise not to spread the word to widely.

Bittentobuggery · 27 August 2003, 00:16

Hi Tim,

Very straightforward run around to Ventnor for a boat of your size. The final approach into the harbour should be on a South-North basis (roughly, as I also don't have a chart to hand) as there is a small ledge of rocks that extends to the East.

You will notice a change in water colour as you go over a sandbar approaching the entrance but Dan tells me that there is 1.4m at low water, so you will be fine for all normal conditions. He works with the local fishermen who use the harbour at all states of the tide.

Having checked out the harbour the day before, we went equipped with a couple of housebricks and some carrier bags to weight down the sternline to draw the boat back from the breakwater and I was busy attaching an additional line to go onto our painter to go around one of the rocks on the breakwater when he came out in his tender and offered his services. I was mightily pleased as there was a little easterly chop and the consequences of getting the calculations wrong would have been worse than fingernails on a blackboard. I guess what I am saying is, he will find you. He operates from a black pick-up on the harbour and I believe works for Panthercats. I don't have a phone no. for him but he was as good as his word and was in attendance exactly when he told me he would be there. I also came to an arrangement with him regarding the use of the fisherman's pram if he was not there.

Our rigs sound very similar, so hope to see you around someday.

All the Best,

Brian

Aging Youth · 27 August 2003, 07:50

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the info will have to take look, perhaps the next Biboa Easter Cruise to I.O.W

How are you enjoying your new toy? Are you going to Herm this Weekend? If so look forward to buying you a beer or two.

Cheers
Kevin

timw · 27 August 2003, 23:11

Brian,

I'm a little new here and don't quite understand why you would put bricks in the stern to weigh it down.

Sounds like a good tip, but wouldn't mind knowing exactly what it does when mooring!