Tell me if I am boring you with trying to find a place to keep the boat this winter.
Having been sailing around the UK for ten years now I have been into a lot of harbours. Some I have visited for a short while as I hop around the coast. In other places I have spent months - three months in Chichester harbour, two winters in Wells, a summer in Wisbec, a whole year on the Humber.
Out of necessity I have had to become a keen student of harbour politics. I In some places it is a few old blokes with small boats argueing among themselves about where they are going to find £200,000 to repair the harbour wall. Sometimes, such as in the Solent or Chichester harbour they are multi-million operations with well funded harbour boards.
Sometimes they are well run and harmonious - just a load of people knuckling down and getting things sorted. Sometimes though, as in the case of Cromarty, they can become almost poisonous. I will say no more on poor old Cromarty. She should be a lesson to us all.
However, to the Fal and its suitability for winter sailing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Fal
There are four main places in the Fal area that offer pontoons that are viable for the winter sailor to use. The bare necessity is power and a shower otherwise cold weather sailing becomes too much of a challenge for a 60 year old bloke and his missus
At the top of the river by the bridge there is the Falmouth Yacht Brokers which owns some serviced pontoon spaces.
http://www.falmouthyachtbrokers.co.uk/
They are well sheltered and surrounded by the very heart of the boat industry in the area. Some great yards and some lovely boats up here and people who know how to nurture an old vessel. The road is close so there will be a relentless background thrum - no worse than Port Edger with its rattling Forth bridge I assume.
FYB have made me a great offer for a pontoon with power but for the whole six months.
Then there is Premier Marina - it is one of, probably the nicest, of a large chain of well run, well respected marinas
https://www.premiermarinas.com/UK-Marina-locations/Falmouth-Marina
It is on a lovely bend in the river - you will get some road noise there but the facilities are always brilliant. Bogs and shower in Premier Marinas are always, always immaculate, pontoons well looked after, the staff are lovely
Then there is Falmouth Haven
http://www.falmouthhaven.co.uk/
which is right in the middle of town - in the very heart of the whole system. The Navy is often around, there are working docks, Britains best maritime museum, the historic town, shops, bustle and boats. A fantastic place to spend some time with the camera.
It would be brilliant for Christmas and New Year. The place is in transition at the moment.
Finally there is Mylor - which is Jill's favourite
and if I am to indulge the inner twitcher then it is better for me. It is so beautiful with acres of bird rich mud flats all around it. They have also come back with an extremely attractive offer - but also for six months.
As a sailor and husband of Jill I know that I should take it - but I also know that the films will be much better if I can film from several bases.
I am in touch with the decision makers in all four places now. Jerry, Barry, Tristran and Mark all run good media operations. The websites are smooth and well made. Contacting them and their staff is easy and clear. They function beautifully.
Some of them could do with a few more images - maybe some moving images as well. Site specific good quality content is always useful.
I always offer anyone anywhere freedom to lift and use any of the images (stills and moving) that I generate. They have allowed me to film there so the least I can do is to offer them the pictures I have taken. The website at Wells benefited immensely from my output. The frame grabs from the films are 1080 x 1920 - an ideal size for web images.
I assume they have all had a look at the films and stills and this website and have seen my work.
The moon on a stick would be two months at Mylor, six weeks in the Haven, Two months at Premier and then a month to six weeks at HYB. The films will be great though even if I base myself and Mylor and just visit the other places for the occasional night.
what do you think chaps?
Dylan
this is an unlovely film with links of the marinas around the area
I think it depends on three things.. The feelings of SWMBO, the prices you can negotiate and the availability of funds. The ‘moon on a stick’ plan sounds great but clearly it will be more costly. MOBs await your decision with bated breath. I will be thinking of you trundling northward on Friday as I cross your path on my way from Windermere to Whitby. P.
Splendid pitch, Dylan………………… how could they possibly refuse??
with ease
It depends on the pontoon owners and if they think it would be good for the film, good for their area and good for them for me to film and blog at all four locations. I am assuming there is a degree of rivalry – or at least they might be unused to co-operating.
The four are
Falmouth Council trying to raise its game
Local up market one off owners
big professional, polished corporate operator
small local boatyard
It would be a hard group to bring together
Always open to suggestions as to how to make the moon on a stick option work.
6 months at Mylor then use it as the excuse to spend more time at the boat as you travel more within teh harbour to visit the other areas
Will the others do a week in exchange for a portfolio of pictures? They always have short term berthing when someone gets lifted for antifouling as long as your flexible
Gill happy means everyone is happy!
I don’t know how they will react. It is rather odd conducting all this in the open on the website – but I share nearly everything sailing related with you guys.
and they get the advantage of the links back to them
http://www.falmouthyachtbrokers.co.uk/
https://www.premiermarinas.com/UK-Marina-locations/Falmouth-Marina
http://www.falmouthhaven.co.uk/
which at the very least improves their google ranking even if it does not generate a load of clicks on their websites.
I do know that a night in a harbour lets you know what it looks like, spending a week there lets you know what it feels like – spending a month or more there allows you to understand a place a little
of course it is not you guys I have to convince but four different marina managers – all with their own agendas.
You’ll do whatever Jill says, in the full knowledge when she finally says “you decide, you know what will work best” that it’s a delicately spun trap.
They all look a bit pretty to me, I’d feel out of place. You might need new wellies.
The day I buy myself a pair of Dubs is the day you guys need to stop hitting that button because my paypal sailing account is full
and yes…. I am very likely to end up doing what Jill tells me to
Mylor is lovely but it is a long way from the shops. Long taxi ride, no buses, not easily cyclable and pretty hilly.
But perhaps Tesco would deliver?
Great place for walks. Very sheltered. You could stay on the pontoons on the river and just use the showers at Mylor? Or just stay there there when Jill is with you and float about the rest of the time.
Falmouth Marina does not get road noise but does have a tidal cill for half the moorings.
Challenger Marine dries out. Not something we are used to in deep water Cornwall.
I know that Jill, the boat and I would be really happy there. I am worried about looking a gift horse in the mouth as they have made a great offer for the winter months but I am reasonably convinced that the films will be all the better if I film in different locations.
I will not be living permanently on the boat. When winter sailing I am usually on the boat for around ten days and nights a month – basically every day it does not rain or blow hard. When the weather goes bad then I head for home.
What you propose can only to be to the advantage of all concerned-they best make their minds up before SWMBO comes to a final decision!
Stay in the place that makes you and SWMBO happiest. Feature the other spots too as you’ve described – I’m sure there are a few of us who will benefit from your ‘cruiser guide’ to the Falmouth. Based on what you’ve already said, any of those spots would suit me fine, especially those that don’t dry out and your introduction of them makes me feel like I know someone there already.
The value of what you’ve already assembled here goes far beyond simply sharing some excellent sailing ground with us. This collection is one of the best most comprehensive focused cruising guides available. When I get Trinity across the pond one day I intend to cover some of your ground because of what you’ve shared – for whatever that’s worth.
I do look forward to some excellent starling footage too, so there’s that…
You’ll do the right, best thing, I’m sure.
Keith
that was laid on in a nice thick slick there Keith
However, I agree, it is best to do the thing that will maximise the time Jill spends on the boat with me – both cuisine and hygiene are immensely improved
Don’t force me to ask you to hand in your ManCard! Keep the boat at the place/s you want to, and it that happens to coincide with what SWMBO likes then all well and good, but if not then too bad. It’s your venture not your wife’s, your idea, your “baby” as it were. You have worked hard in your life, brought up your kids, put bread on the table and, you should now be doing what makes you happy in your sailing and filming. If that means you have to cook your own dinners at home for six months as penance then so be it! But I doubt your lovely wife is that vindictive :-)
I surrendered the man card about 30 years ago.
Ha ha. Ok, she wins!
But didn’t you want to at least stand up and start singing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ like that guy from The Goodies after reading my stirring comments…
Happy houses are run by women
There speak’eth an unmarried man :-)
Except for Parliament House when Thatcher was in charge.
Dylan, “Happy wife, happy life” as the saying goes. The rest is just details……… What you end up doing I for one are looking forward to the Fal series.
I’ve only stayed at Falmouthhaven , so really can’t comment or make a comparison. It’s just really what the Winters want from a winter , and only Jill can tell you that……………… ;)
Mylor is a lovely spot & what’s even better, it’s close to the wonderful & very active Restronguet Sailing Club (& the Pandora Inn). Very friendly people & many Firefly sailors :-) might be worth asking RSC if they have temporary winter membership that gives cheaper access to the marina?
Mylor have come back with a very good discount for the winter rate – because they like the films and one of the locals has been bending their ear about the project.
I know that Jill and I will be very happy there. Lovely walks, great cycling, peaceful, yet pleanty fo boat activity, brilliant woodlands alongside the water, foreshores for birds.
I can always just visit the other places – but I know that I will get a much better feel for Falmouth as a town and the upper part of the Penryn arm of the estuary if I spend some time there rather than riding upwith the tide, spending the night and then rising out again.
I encounter places two ways – some I just do the one overnight. In which case I film the entrance, the harbour and as much of the town as I can cycloe round in an evening – it is easier in the summer because there are more evenings.
Covering them feels like a job – I have to be efficient and quick.
The other places- such as Wells, Wisbech, Brightlingsea, Winteringham, I have got to know by spending some time there. With winter sailing is that the weather is the boss. There are not often two good sailing days in a row. You have to catch the weather between depressions – so you might hang on in Cornwall for a bad weather day for the promise of one good day tomorrow. Then on your wet day on the pontoon the sun suddenly breaks through and the light changes everything.
The films are better if I spend at least a month in a location
This weekend I am moving the trailer sailer home so I will re-address the issue of a place to keep the boat next week once Katie L is safely in the garden.
Some parts of the Fal remind me of Chichester Harbour
You titled this as “Harbour Politics” but ended with “Domestic Politics” ummmmmmm ;-)
it might be a continuum – everything is linked to everything
D
I think you should go with whichever marina has the fastest WiFi………… So you can finish publishing the first round of your Scottish Centaur adventures KTL8!
D
You are dead right – a winter night without the web and you lot would be a sad long thing.
As for the films – it is the time in making them rather than uploading them – I have not yet got a laptop powerful enough to edit video but rtest assured they will be going up this winter when sailors really need them – no point in putting them up in the summer time – most sailors are sailing then
Weather looking good for the weekend – one last sail?
I reckon we are getting there about mid night Friday – recover the boat on the evening tide on saturday – the boats only float in and out at high water at Nairn
so not possible to get a sail – rudder off, outboard off, rig stowed inside at the moment. I did toy with the idea of loading the duck punt onto the trailer and having one last fling in the Lovely Moray waters – but that is one more complication
On practical note, there was a handy McDonald’s a stones throw from the Premiere Marina, which was much appreciated when I arrived late by train one night back in May?
Macdonalds….. Jill would slay me if she thought I was eating in MaC Ds
I think I would be staying at Mylor. I am up at Penryn but spend a lot of time in the river, this means that you have to go up and down Carrick Roads. That’s two hours out of the day. There is the issue with the shops not being there but to be honest it is not that long a walk to flushing.
Falmouth haven not very sheltered over winter months if you leave boat unattended
Talk to locals,very rough in southeast gales! Much more sheltered up the penryn river
Good bus service to centre of falmouth
thanks Dave – very useful advice – I think it ill be Mylor
It looks as though the haven is one to visit rather than stay
thick end of £900 for the six months – but worth it I hope. It is in a stunning location.