Slips in Dorset - Wareham, Lulworth and Poole

rich222 · 29 November 2017, 10:00

Just getting into sailing a small 3.6m inflatable in Poole harbour.

Now the clocks have changed, the fees at Baiter Park slip are somewhat extortionate! £10.80 from 14:30 - so you get about an hour, or £13.80 for all day. OK for an occasional visit, but gets expensive on a regular basis. £200 for an annual ticket! (same as Ridge Wharf I think)

It's a bit of a trip to get there from home (near lulworth) but parking up is easy.

I've just discovered that there is a slip at Wareham (that's not on boatlaunch) behind the boat hire place on Abotts Quay. It appears to be a public slip, but there is no parking at all. I assume I might get away with parkiing in the public carpark across the road, but not sure about the trailer?

The run down the Frome to the harbour is going to be about 45 mins I guess.

Are there any other slips or beach areas I could launch a 3.6m with transom wheels?

I assume Lulworth cove is a no no, without permission from Weld Estate?

As I have a SIB, I could, if I really had to, just go in the car and inflate when I get there but that's quite a bit of a faff when I have a nice little trailer!

paulbrown22 · 29 November 2017, 16:50

Likewise, I believe the Wareham slip is public, but parking limited. As long as you can find somewhere to park the trailer, I don't see why you couldn't roll the SIB down that slip on it's transom wheels. It's a lovely trip down the Frome, but as you point out it is quite long, especially if you want to get all the way to the harbour entrance, and you keep to the speed limits!

There used to be a free slipway at Hamworthy people talked about, might be worth looking into that. There is also a public slip in Swanage that some of the guys on here use, which should be easy with a SIB on transom wheels. There's a slip by the dinghy park in Studland between Middle Beach and the National Trust centre, I don't know who owns it though, or what the usage is. YOu could possibly just roll it down the beach there anyway.

allroad4 · 29 November 2017, 17:28

There is a public slip at the end of Lake Road in Hamworthy. Likewise, there is a car park with limited access by Hamworthy Pier at the end of Lake Drive that I suspect you could pull a SIB across.

allroad4 · 29 November 2017, 17:30

The slip at Studland is on National Trust land and they do not allow powered craft to launch.

RichardinNZ · 29 November 2017, 18:24

In Wareham you may get parked on street in Pound Lane.

(Originally from Wareham and worked at the boat hire for many years... )

andyjcox1 · 29 November 2017, 18:30

The ‘slip’ in Hamworthy is free, but is restricted in width and height by a barrier. Ok for a standard car but anything bigger won’t get through. You can usually park on the street but not always. Unless you want to carry/pull it across mud and stones, I’d launch and recover close to high tide. Nice access to the harbour though for a sib.

rich222 · 29 November 2017, 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by allroad4

The slip at Studland is on National Trust land and they do not allow powered craft to launch.

Maybe I could row out to the channel!

rich222 · 29 November 2017, 22:54

Thanks for the info. Wareham is nice and close so I will investigate parking the trailer in the quay carpark.

Shame Lulworth Cove is restricted.

Ringstead beach is another option, but a bit of a trudge across shingle for a beach launch...

RichardinNZ · 30 November 2017, 01:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich222

Thanks for the info. Wareham is nice and close so I will investigate parking the trailer in the quay carpark.

Shame Lulworth Cove is restricted.

Ringstead beach is another option, but a bit of a trudge across shingle for a beach launch...

I think space in the Wareham Quay car park will be limited. My recollection is people parking in Pound Lane (as mentioned above) or the Streche Road car park (I guess you might get away with parking in the lorries and coaches area)....although my time working at Abbots Quay was nearly 30 years ago!

rich222 · 30 November 2017, 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardinNZ

I think space in the Wareham Quay car park will be limited. My recollection is people parking in Pound Lane (as mentioned above) or the Streche Road car park (I guess you might get away with parking in the lorries and coaches area)....although my time working at Abbots Quay was nearly 30 years ago!

I think Pound lane is all double yellows! The Quay carpark will probably be ok out of season and not on market day!

Before I had the 3.6m, I used to just get my little 2.2m out on the quay, pump it up and then carry it down the steps to the water, much to the amusement of the tourists sitting about there. I also had to dodge the boat trip guys who moor up there every 30 mins. That was was just for trips up and down the river though.

Budgie1 · 30 November 2017, 13:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by allroad4

The slip at Studland is on National Trust land and they do not allow powered craft to launch.

Think they still allow anything under 20hp to launch at Studland the problem the OP will have is if using a trailer they will charge £20 to launch!

Plenty launch SIB's there but they inflate when they get there hence possibly avoid the £20 charge

rich222 · 30 November 2017, 15:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budgie1

Think they still allow anything under 20hp to launch at Studland the problem the OP will have is if using a trailer they will charge £20 to launch!

Plenty launch SIB's there but they inflate when they get there hence possibly avoid the £20 charge

That's interesting! I thought that the whole bay was a no no for powered craft due to seahorses and other marine habitat issues?

Parking there is free as we have national trust membership, but never looked at boat trailers....

There is a rather knackered slipway with a lot of sailing boats, which I assumed was a sailing club.

Budgie1 · 30 November 2017, 15:23

The Bay is very popular for all types of boats and there is no restrictions, to park there is free for NT members but turn up with a boat on a trailer and it will cost at least £20 member or not

The slipway and boat park are for general public and controlled by NT

paulbrown22 · 30 November 2017, 16:13

Yep, definitely no limitations within Studland Bay itself - I often go there in both the sailing yacht and the RIB. Obviously there are certain marked swimming zones that should be avoided, but beyond that, just normal rules apply. You don't seem to hear much about the seahorses anymore, the voluntary no anchoring zone was only in place for ~1 year quite a while ago now, and no further restrictions since that I've seen.