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Old 01-05-2010, 12:58 PM   #1
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Brighton

Anyone based Brighton-way???

I am currently in Titchmarsh Marina, East Coast...whilst "okay" I get the feeling there's a lot more power-oriented stuff going on the South-coast Solent way.

Mooring fees are horrific, though (having said that DDB seems interesting) compared to the East coast.

Was thinking Brighton might give me a nice halfway-house....where I can run to the IoW in a few hours but also not pay the earth for mooring.

Anyone else got experience of the marina and local cruising ground?

And what's the town like for post-motoring beers (all cruising gags noted!!!)?
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Old 02-05-2010, 11:33 AM   #2
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We spent a few years there up to about 5 yrs ago.The town has everything any one could want.theres lots to do and see when its to rough to go out.
The marina also has all the pubs restuarants etc you might need without going into the City.

We had a slow boat at first and it was handy for going across to France about 60 miles.9hrs Not really much to do other than go along the coast.We did go to the Solent a few times in the Fast boat but its still a couple of hours and 800 hp got a bit expensive i cant imagine the cost of the fuel now.

That part of the coast especialy in summer can suffer from strong winds which makes life difficult in fact one year we got out more in the winter.The entrance can be exciting in bad weather but is open allways except in really low tides .

Car parking can be difficult as unloading is 20 min then drive to the multi storey where i believe now the marina has reserved parking,they didnt when we were there,its all a bit of a pain.Boatyard facilities were poor and out of water winter standing was limited.

After several runs to the Solent in bad weather which was fun for the helmsman but not the guests we moved to Gosport.It was more expensive but the fuel saving not doing the run which did become boring especially when the weather was bad but you just had to get back made up for it.

We did however enjoy our time there and some of the pubs are outrages have to be seen to be believed all in all a great place but it sounds like you need to be in the Solent to me,have fun CW.
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Old 02-05-2010, 12:27 PM   #3
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i'm based in eastbourne and used to work in brighton now and again, premier marinas now own the two. is a classic marina built by a building company with the berth holders n boats an after thought to land value for houses.

parking has been made a bit easier with a second berth holders car park by the hard stowage but still a considerable walk to any berth.

not sure on the comparision of prices but always seemed quiet high to me, another option is newhaven
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Old 02-05-2010, 12:28 PM   #4
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Steph, why don't you take a trip down there? It's only 3 hours for me so must be similar for you.

Done it several times on the way through and it's best description is a stopping off point. Loads to do on land there but the cruising is limited unless you go an hour either way.

Got caught there year before last on the way down to Weymouth and spent 3 weeks in there with no respite in the weather to get out. Not a problem for me as we left the boat behind and took holiday weeks later.

Coming back though we committed out of the Solent in not ideal conditions, rounded Selsey and got caught up in a gale force souwesterley. The swell was large enough that us and the squadron 55 I was running with kept losing sight of each other.

Progress was hindered enough that it was past sunset when we finally sighted Brighton. As Catweazle says the entrance in those conditions is ring tightening to say the least. Line up, Pick wave timing, Close eyes, Clench buttocks, Quick prayer to the throttle lord and push them full forward, Open eyes once the boat tossing stops and correct course away from the wall.

Got up in the morning having had a fill of all the marinas side bars and clubs and you would have thought it was a totally different location with not a ripple on the water.
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Old 02-05-2010, 03:31 PM   #5
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Hey Kerry!

You are absolutely right....and I have a cunning plan this year
  • Harwich 30JUL-1AUG
  • Take half-week-holiday
  • Motor to somewhere "South" (Brighton?????)
  • Do some work...
  • DDB Poker Run 7AUG
  • Then maybe leave the boat "South" (Brighton?????) for August to try out a new marina in "real life"
  • Take several long weekends and fool around a bit
  • Back to Essex before September and iffy weather

Just trying to find a good spot "South" to base myself out of....and somewhere that maybe I make a semi-permanent move to...

Would be easy to hole up on the IoW for August....but the fees are toppy and I don't think it's a long term proposition for me.

I live in Essex J26/M25...convenience is everything.

My knowledge of the south coast is limited to a few corporate sailiing days...not the best way to make a decision about 12 month mooring.
  • Titchmarsh costs me about £2,500 a year, nice spot, BUT incredibly dull if weather's bad, zero night life, very sail oriented...but I can get there in an hour from home
  • I think Brighton is £3,200...a lot more going for it judging by posts above. Even with traffic I reckon 1.5hrs on a Friday night (LATE!)
  • Gosport might be worth a look....I have no idea what it's like..but imagined ££££ as it's close to IoW
  • DDB is £4,300...may be the perfect spot...but £££££


Practical Boat Owner published a price table of UK marinas this month so I can do the maths relatively easily.

Just looking for somewhere to try this year for a month or so before committing to 12 months in 2011.



Ideas welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 02-05-2010, 03:35 PM   #6
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Catweazle says the entrance in those conditions is ring tightening to say the least. Line up, Pick wave timing, Close eyes, Clench buttocks, Quick prayer to the throttle lord and push them full forward, Open eyes once the boat tossing stops and correct course away from the wall.

Got up in the morning having had a fill of all the marinas side bars and clubs and you would have thought it was a totally different location with not a ripple on the water.
That discription brought it all flooding back.Just like to add as you open your eyes your own wash catches up with you.Most of our journeys back were like that.You do of course have to decide whether to take the looe channell or go right round the owers.as said before it was fun but with limited time and the price of fuel i prefer to be closer to the action now.Just remembered its been out of the water for a year better get on with it.cw.
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Old 02-05-2010, 05:30 PM   #7
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Not sure what you want from a marina but we have a boat in chichester marina. Only down side is low tides around the harbour.
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Old 02-05-2010, 11:40 PM   #8
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Steph,

mate of mine with a martinique decided to do the Brighton bit last year and soon changed his mind. He was back at Wallasea within six months as he just wasn't getting the use due to weather.

Strangely enough he left three weeks ago for Turkey with it and last I heard he was on gearbox number three somewhere in dusselldorf having spent all his fuel money.

Got to say Chichester is well worth doing as the protected waters mean you can always get out. And from experience if I'd arranged a weekend down there and couldn't get out of the marina I'd be pissed off regardless of the number of bars available.

A word of warning with Brighton, they have limited yard space and charge accordingly whilst it's out to convince you it would be better back in the water.

Check out the groups of marina owners as well. They invariably have a deal where you can scoot in to one of their other marinas for no extra cost if you are a bertholder and also do the cheap fuel rate wherever you are. I know Chatham is worth becoming a cruising club member for just for the single fill up.

I was up your way last week at Ipswich and if I still have the boat come end of July then I'll do the Harwich bit and meet up.

I may however have a plan coming together involving 46 feet, Ibetha, Majorca, Minorca, Barcelona, short road journey, Bay of Biscay, Channel islands and the South coast and about 8 grand of BPs' finest. So I could well meet you coming the other way.
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Old 03-05-2010, 12:50 AM   #9
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We have a formula 28 and have always been able to get out, but i refer to low water incase your boat has a deep draught., as with all marina hunting investigation is much needed.
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Old 03-05-2010, 08:50 AM   #10
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I may however have a plan coming together involving 46 feet, Ibetha, Majorca, Minorca, Barcelona, short road journey, Bay of Biscay, Channel islands and the South coast and about 8 grand of BPs' finest. So I could well meet you coming the other way.

Now that IS a plan!!!!

Hopefully see you at Harwich...if not mid-channel!!!!
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Old 03-05-2010, 08:56 AM   #11
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Not sure what you want from a marina but we have a boat in chichester marina. Only down side is low tides around the harbour.
Chichester £4,728 for me. Ouch.

Might still be worth a look, though.

I am moving to get more use.....if I am going to get less use 'cos Brighton is a bit iffy at times then I either spend more or stay where I am!!!!
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Old 03-05-2010, 01:05 PM   #12
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Isn't the problem with Brighton the limitations in choice of cruising grounds once you leave? I.e. turn right and its a couple of hours slog to the Solent before things get interesting or turn left and ditto Dover. I guess cross channel dashing to France is a bonus over Titchmarsh.

Your current location gives you lots of day cruising options (from Southwold to Bradwell, lots of creeks, rivers, pubs, quiet little spots) but isn't the powerboating mecca of the UK. The solent gives you many more options but is (or rather was last time I was out on it) rather like the M25 during rush hour at times. Which is not what I would go boating to experience. Plus of course it's mind-numbingly expensive.

Perhaps the best solution is the one you propose - take a couple of months in the summer and head south, staying in various marina's a week or month at a time. Then head back to Essex in late summer, early autumn. Even though you'll be paying for your berth at Titchmarsh when you are not using it, the visitors fees down south added to it will still be cheaper than a year round birth in the Solent/Brighton?

I liked Titchmarsh as a marina but it's a bloody long drive from Jctn 26 on the M25! (It was long enough from Maldon). Same problem as Bradwell - a long drag through small roads to get there. From an access point of view, Levington is better, although it gains you nothing over Titchmarsh from a cruising perspective.
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Old 03-05-2010, 08:58 PM   #13
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There's a lot in Atlantics post.

Having done the south coast for years in either trailing to poole etc or cruiser all the way I still come back and find somewhere else on the east coast with character.

And actually I think we are closer to France than Brighton just.

Lets make a list of east coast stuff worth doing and see how much you've done.


Thames - St Cats, Hampton Palace, Greenwich, Leigh on sea (Cockles), All Hallows racing, Dome Red Bull Air Race, Southend Air Show,

Medway - Queenborough creek for good sheltered skiing and general messing about. Tie up to the concrete lighter overnight with onboard barbies for your use. Chatham marina just to see the most ostentatious ablution block ever built in the middle of the pontoons. Access to naval dockyard etc. Medway bridge good welcoming marina.

Crouch - Wallasea, Burnham is actually quite buzzing of a night now and works for me just popping across the river. Shedloads of seals up the roach if you're in to that sort thing.

Blackwater - Maldon barge festival, Mersea for oysters at the world famous shack, Bradwell was a good barby night but seems to have lapsed, Lawrence Bay Ski Racing.

Harwich - Well guess you know that.

Deben - good picturesque anchorages with dinghy into pub or up to Woodbridge for the night.

Ore and Alde - up to Aldeburgh for night and short walk into town for beers etc.

Southwold - traditional fishing village

Lowestoft - yacht station quite pleasant, lock through to Oulton Broad, do it on a Thursday and you can moor up right in the middle of the racing, Head in 20 mins for Burgh St Peter. One hour down river for Reedham Ferry Inn. Out on Breydon Water and through Great Yarmouth just to say you done it.

Ramsgate, Deal, Folkestone, Calais, Dunkerque.


Sure there's more but that's of the top of my head.

All within 60 miles or 2 hours of you. Now compare that to Brighton.

Oh and don't forget what Brighton is renowned for
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Old 04-05-2010, 01:17 PM   #14
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Lowestoft - yacht station quite pleasant, lock through to Oulton Broad, do it on a Thursday and you can moor up right in the middle of the racing, Head in 20 mins for Burgh St Peter. One hour down river for Reedham Ferry Inn. Out on Breydon Water and through Great Yarmouth just to say you done it.
20 mins from Oulton Broad to BSP? Not if you're only doing 5mph!

Good post. Makes me homesick.
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Old 04-05-2010, 04:18 PM   #15
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20 mins from Oulton Broad to BSP? Not if you're only doing 5mph!

Good post. Makes me homesick.
It is only 2 miles from the head of the broad. Would it be wrong to quote the time we done it in the revenger in 2 mins or so when late for the racing one night

Oh how we all laughed whilst chatting with the harbour master that evening

Or to quote the HM at Wroxham with the silly grin stating "blimey you made good time, didn't you stay in Beccles last night?"

I'm a firm believer that the broads is an idyllic place and you should do your utmost to see it all in one day to experience the full impact of the scenery
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