Ribbing in Northern Ireland

[soulman]

Hi all,
I am new to boating in general and ribbing in particular. Does anyone know of public slipways/access points to any suitable stretches of freshwater within easy reach of Belfast by car? I have a 9ft Aquamarina, with 4HP Johnson + electric troll motor. I also have a launch trolley, if that helps.
Thanks,
Soulman, Belfast

[tonymac]

Originally Posted by soulman

Hi all,
I am new to boating in general and ribbing in particular. Does anyone know of public slipways/access points to any suitable stretches of freshwater within easy reach of Belfast by car? I have a 9ft Aquamarina, with 4HP Johnson + electric troll motor. I also have a launch trolley, if that helps.
Thanks,
Soulman, Belfast

Hi Soulman. Welcome to Ribnet.

Take a run out of the city along the M1 to Exit 10. Follow signs to Oxford Island and then Kinnego Marina. Lovely slip there. Register in the office, pay your fiver and off you go into Lough Neagh. Do take care though to look at the charts - posted around.

Enjoy

[Slaphead]

Slipway at Antrim Forum N. end Lough Neagh
Kinnego marina off Lurgan exit off M1 S. end Lough Neagh
Drumahegliss (spelling)at caravan park near Ballymoney on N. River Bann.
Slipway at Saltmarine cars on the Coalisland exit M1 (seen from M1 on approach to exit) on S. River Bann.

Don't discount Strangford Lough if you have a trolley....even better than Lough Neagh. Launch from the stone slipway on the bad bend after turning left onto the Whiterock Road (road to Daft Eddie's bar)at Balloo House on the Comber to Downpatrick Road....dozens of islands to explore and the tides are ok provided you don't venture down the Strangford Narrows (7.8 knots south bound on Springs). If you speak nicely to staff at SLYC beside the slip they may let you use their concrete one provided it's not too busy.

[soulman]

Thanks guys...those are great suggestions.
Anybody out there with any more? Is Lough Neagh accessible from around Crumlin/Glenavy?
Thanks,
Soulman

[parm]

If you speak nicely to staff at SLYC beside the slip they may let you use their concrete one provided it's not too busy.[/QUOTE]

don't waste your time, going from past experiences if you are not a member forget it, the public slip will be fine for your boat

[parm]

Originally Posted by soulman

Thanks guys...those are great suggestions.
Anybody out there with any more? Is Lough Neagh accessible from around Crumlin/Glenavy?
Thanks,
Soulman

Sandy Bay Marina Glenavy i think has a slip

[surreycool]

Drive about 2 hours to County Fermanagh around Enniskillan. There are loads of slipways and most there are free.

Rib around Lough Erne from Portora to Castle Hume to Lusty Beg Island (idyllic)

I promise you on Lough Erne, you will not be disappointed and even in the river Erne south of Enniskillan most is unrestricted speed limit and only a few places of 5 knots

It's well worth a look, it's where the G8 Summit has just taken place. I spent 10 days there recently (awesome) !

[parm]

Originally Posted by surreycool

Drive about 2 hours to County Fermanagh around Enniskillan. There are loads of slipways and most there are free.

Rib around Lough Erne from Portora to Castle Hume to Lusty Beg Island (idyllic)

I promise you on Lough Erne, you will not be disappointed and even in the river Erne south of Enniskillan most is unrestricted speed limit and only a few places of 5 knots

It's well worth a look, it's where the G8 Summit has just taken place. I spent 10 days there recently (awesome) !

agreed

[soulman]

Thanks a lot, folks. There's enough there to keep me busy.
Let's hope the Irish weather sees fit to cooperate.
Regards,
Soulman

[miccheck1516]

you've got carrickfergus and bangor/groomsport/donaghadee on the coastal side of things, thought it was worth mentioning as most suggestions seem to be inland....

If you've not got one get a vhf and if your going lough neagh or enniskillen get yourself one of those maps with the marker buoys shown then do yourself a favour and stay within sight of the buoys until you know where you are. Id say at least 50% of lifeboat calls to lough neagh/lough erne are either people simply lost, or broken down/run out of fuel..... they'd be simple jobs if people could just explain where they are but alot of people take it for granted because they think they'll be safe as they are surrounded by land....

[willk]

Funniest ('cos it wasn't risky) rescue I ever heard was on the Erne system. Bloke got lost at dusk - couldn't find Lusty Beg. I swear to God I hurt something important from laughing listening to the comms...

Get the "map" thingy or whatever it is you freshwater rats have..

[miccheck1516]

Two in particular stick out to me, one when asked if he had flares the guy said 'eh no, but I have a few.....uh.....romantic lanterns here' (referring to chinese lanterns)

and another thought he had managed to get GPS working on his fone 'ohh yes! I think i've got it now im at position, two zero, zero eight'

Two zero, Zero eight, was the time.... Tube was looking at his goddamn clock!

[willk]

Originally Posted by miccheck1516

Two in particular stick out to me, one when asked if he had flares the guy said 'eh no, but I have a few.....uh.....romantic lanterns here' (referring to chinese lanterns)

and another thought he had managed to get GPS working on his fone 'ohh yes! I think i've got it now im at position, two zero, zero eight'

Two zero, Zero eight, was the time.... Tube was looking at his goddamn clock!

Good lord - same incident! I heard it live - thought I was going to pass out laughing.

I remember his GPS co-ords were somewhere outside the Erne system ... LOL

[willk]

...oh stop - it's all coming back to me - Christ that was funny...

[tonymac]

Originally Posted by willk

Get the "map" thingy or whatever it is you freshwater rats have..

You can't deny Willk, it nice to have a bit of strange now and then

[surreycool]

For your charts of Lough Erne (or are they maps), go to the large blue glass waterways building opposite Broadmeadow in Enniskillen. They produce some good guides and charts. The islands can be confusing, but you soon find your way around, after the 2nd day I knew the Lower Lough quite well. You have to visit Lusty Beg, it's beautiful. The marking stakes take about 30 seconds to get used to. Round post split vertically into a red side and a white side. Remember in the red your dead, in the white you are alright, (bit drastic I know), but it can get very shallow in the red area's. There's a 5 knot speed limit sign and when you exit the restriction (a National Speed Limit Sign-like on the roads), and that's it.....Easy! See the National speed limit sign on the photo when you enlarge it!

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by miccheck1516

Two in particular stick out to me, one when asked if he had flares the guy said 'eh no, but I have a few.....uh.....romantic lanterns here' (referring to chinese lanterns)

Do they have expiry dates on them...?

[Pottsy]

Soulman - if your new to boating I would recommend Upper Lough Erne. Lots of public slips and all free (Carry Bridge, Corridillar, etc, etc). The upper lough is much more sheltered as there are plenty of islands to keep chop down compared to lower lough.
If your new to launching etc might be best to try and go mid week as public slips can be busy at weekends. Mid week you will have them to yourself and you can take your time launching and recovering.
Get a the latest OSNI activity map (2008) for navigation on lough erne. It has both upper and lower (one each side) and is printed on water proof paper. ISBN 978-1-905306-26-8 under a tenner from a book shop.