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Motor Boat Forum

Poole, Southampton or Portsmouth mooring/storage

by Ianfs » 29 Jul 2015, 19:07

I'm in two minds where I keep my next boat, I am keen on Southampton because of all the area's you can visit from it, both East and West as well as the IOW. Portsmouth offers great storage with Trafalgar undercover and is a little closer for me. However Poole has always attracted both of us as an area and the Harbour is delightful.

Centaur's new boat is kept at Poole, which for him from Rutland is a 3.5 hour trip, not bad! :) Mark in Stourbridge is 2.5hrs to Southampton, not bad either!
I live in West Sussex , 30mins from the coast, however there is not much in terms of cruising except for Coastline and English channel.

I takes me 2hrs to Southampton (I'm closer than Mark by a fraction) and the Google Map timings say 2hrs 30mins to Poole, we have done it in that time so fairly accurate on a good day, but on an average day its 3hrs (but Centaur is miles further). Roads eh, just shows you....Loacation, Location, Location!

When we were young we used to do Norfolk and back in a day and some boating and on the odd occasion from Middlesex and the coast in a day or a few days easily, but then the roads were clearer.

What we are mulling over is usage i.e. up at 6:30, off at 07:00, at boat at either 09:00 or 10:00, breakfast on way or on the boat then all day boating and either overnight or back the same day.

All offer great boating, but Poole and Southampton are ahead at the moment.

Which area do you think?
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by mark101 » 29 Jul 2015, 19:20

Ianfs wrote:
I takes me 2hrs to Southampton (I'm closer than Mark by a fraction)

I'm not admitting that I have done Southampton in under 2 hours

Which area do you think?


I know I sound indecisive but, I think I may end up in Southampton again instead of Salcombe. Rationale; Salcombe is beautiful but moorings have no electricity (for when I trade up to a sleep aboard cruiser) and walk ashores are tidal and limited plus besides Salcombe itself and the odd trip to Plymouth or Torbay, you are limited to where you can go. Also it is a minimum of 4 hours each way.

As you have said, Southampton has so many places you can visit including IOW, the Jolly Sailor, Rising Sun, the Hamble, Solent etc. that will probably get my vote plus, I can get away with working around Southampton during the week and get some mid week boating in


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by Xboatboyx » 29 Jul 2015, 19:31

Both have their Advantages & Disadvantages. I like the Solent because of its easy access to various rivers/harbours and its closer to home. The downside we find is that if its a bit windy and you can't get out of Southampton water then there isn't that much to do apart from go up the Hamble. Also the Solent seems a bit more industrial than the very scenic Poole Harbour and because of the massive harbour you can go somewhere most weekends either round the back of brownsea or up to Wareham.

I like the ability to do both but if we had to keep the boat permanently on the coast then it would be in Poole as it feels like a holiday every time we go down there. I can only say try both and see which one you prefer? If you went with MDL then you can move around as you please with freedom berthing.
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by shibbs » 29 Jul 2015, 20:11

I can't comment on Poole, but know both Southampton, Portsmouth and the journey you will be making well.
As you know, I live fairly near Portsmouth so only 20 mins from boat and given the berth I have it's a no brainier for me.
But, given the option between the 2, for the sake of an extra hour, I think I'd choose Southampton. Reasons being, IMO, there is so much more to do and reach that much further to the west in the solent, and a few more options if the weather is against! Additionally, I think it's worth bearing in mind that from port Solent / trafalgar, it's a good half hour 40 mins to the solent, I know it is from many places in Southampton, but at least it can be opened up once in Southampton waters.
Again, on the flip side, trafalgar does look a great place to keep a boat!
Good luck with the decision.
Let me know if you fancy a look round Portsmouth harbour! :D
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by annageek » 29 Jul 2015, 20:44

Portsmouth offers great storage with Trafalgar undercover


Just a thought, but Southampton Dry Stack offer undercover dry stacking, too... provided you don't mind the 30 minute bimble up/down the not-so-scenic Itchen.

Not sure where you're coming from, but if it involves the A34/M3 then that part of Southampton is very quick to get to by road. We can get from Junction 11 of the M3 to SDS / Saxon Wharf area in 20 minutes on a good day, and usually no more than 30 minutes even on a Sunny bank holiday. Excepting the increased distance, I couldn't imagine the realative journeys to Portsmouth / Hamble being anywhere near as easy on a busy day... as for Poole on a bank holiday... I can't imagine that journey taking less than 6 years on a the same 'sunny bank holiday' (whatever one of those is)!

As it happens though, we're thinking of moving (ourselves and our boat) to the Poole area, as I've just moved jobs and we both now commute that way every morning. We quite fancy the idea of what the area has to offer boat wise... but the problem would be that the Solent is a bit of a slog for our little boat.
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by annageek » 29 Jul 2015, 20:46

Ha.. just seen under your forum name bit you're based in Sussex and I have a vague feeling you may have previously been based at the MDL dry stack, making 99% of everything I just said irrelevant!


Oh well... won't be the last time! :)
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by ian h » 29 Jul 2015, 21:10

Just a thought how about Chichester harbour area ??

I used to boat out of Littlehampton but as you say not many places to go.

Poole would be worth going to for a year I think but getting there on a sunny day may be another matter.

On a good day I can get from Reading to Saxon in 60 minutes. but as we all know the M3 on a sunny weekend becomes a carpark. Luckily i know the country lanes and can bypass most of the traffic , But then takes about 1.15 .

I do not mind the trip up and down the Itchen as it gives the engines time to warm up gently on way out and then cool down slowly on the way back, Saxon Wharf to Southampton Water is 2 miles .

Looked at Portsmouth but the harbour entrance can get very choppy, Yes Trafalgar is inside but many restrictions on how boat can be stored,
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by ColinR » 30 Jul 2015, 09:18

I would not go east of Southampton because past Portsmouth you are limited in places to go and Portsmouth is the enemy (for a Southampton lad)

Poole is very nice but a long run through the harbour if you pick a marina the wrong side of the bridges.

Poole Quay is very busy and noisy.

I'll stick with Southampton, being MDL I can go to Poole for free or east to Sparks. There are loads of places to visit within easy reach ans the stack at Saxon just does it all for me. Hamble is too pricey (50% more for me to move to and of the MDL marinas there).

If the weather is bad and I'm desperate I can just potter up past the docks and pick up a buoy near Redbridge and pretend to fish.

A bit off the wall bt Christchuch is lovely. No dry stack but a very pretty location. Hell in the summer for traffic though. Again a long run through the harbour but it's pretty and a nice way to unwind on the way in. Good fishing just outside the harbour too. Have to watch the tides through the race.

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by ColinR » 30 Jul 2015, 11:49

Strange, I just replied to a post by shibbs, edited it and my post has disappeared, as has shibb's one :shock:

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by ChrisH » 30 Jul 2015, 13:59

If it helps, I'm at Trafalgar, but stored on a trailer.
I'm pretty sure it only takes me about 25 mins to get to the harbour entrance, but 10 kts is a tricky speed to get to and even then to maintain. I plane at about 12.
On a day with lots of raggies about they are doing perhaps 6kts so you have to decide whether to over take or poodle along with them. It's not a bad trip through the harbour though and the guys at Trafalgar so far have been very friendly and helpful.
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