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Windiest Marina Table....


robtheplod

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Does such a thing exist?  The two Marinas we've been in (Overwater & Yelvertoft) have really bad sidewinds - certainly on the moorings we had and it got me wondering do ALL marina suffer with this or just the exposed ones?  Any Marina that pushed the 'not as windy as the rest' would get folks flocking due to more suitable cruising days?  :)

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When we moored in Barton Turns there was always a cross wind which made reversing on to our mooring interesting. It does improve your boating skills though as you learn to use the wind to your advantage.

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Just now, Rob-M said:

When we moored in Barton Turns there was always a cross wind which made reversing on to our mooring interesting. It does improve your boating skills though as you learn to use the wind to your advantage.

This is true. At Yelvertoft Marina, when coming back, the wind always blows sideways onto the pontoon, so I line the boat up as a 'sail' and let it blow me along the marina before I put reverse on when aligned to our pontoon - have to be quick before the front of the boat continues!  I do watch with envy those that have simple in/out pontoons - they must have done their research more than I  :)

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2 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

When we moored in Barton Turns there was always a cross wind which made reversing on to our mooring interesting. It does improve your boating skills though as you learn to use the wind to your advantage.

It went a bit pear shaped on me at Barton Turns, so that has to be the worst.  In reality it was probably just very windy.  It's not exactly good for wind in Meadows marina at Calcutt, it sits well above the surrounding fields.

 

I think a better question is, are there any marina that do not suffer when it is windy.

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11 minutes ago, john6767 said:

I think a better question is, are there any marina that do not suffer when it is windy.

It's not the wind, it's the audience.  If the marina was completely empty of onlookers it would be fine in a hurricane ...

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57 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

When we moored in Barton Turns there was always a cross wind which made reversing on to our mooring interesting. It does improve your boating skills though as you learn to use the wind to your advantage.

Getting off their diesel point can be a challenge with the prevailing wind blowing cross half a mile of open water. Reverse turn at about 2000 revs worked for me but very entertaining for the gathering crowd.

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Had this at Yelvertoft. Had to fill up the day before travelling as limited opening times so moved the boat when maybe I shouldn't have.... Filled up with diesel and then couldn't get off the pontoon for 2 hours!

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I think the problem stems from the space requirement for building a marina. The very size of them, particularly the newer larger ones means they tend to get built in wide expanses of open countryside. (There will of course be exceptions). 

 

Shelter from the wind is therefore going to be scarce. Its just one of them things.

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35 minutes ago, PaulD said:

Getting off their diesel point can be a challenge with the prevailing wind blowing cross half a mile of open water. Reverse turn at about 2000 revs worked for me but very entertaining for the gathering crowd.

Cropredy can be very entertaining unless you own one of the boats on the north side of the big pond!

 

But haven't come across any marina service dock that isn't affected by the prevailing wind

 

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Brinklow marina, no protection at all from the South through to NW winds. They even have a couple of berths as you come in where you can moor until you can get in to your pontoon.

Not helped by having 2 boats end to end, each side of each pontoon to brave your way past if you are nearest the bank!

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1 hour ago, robtheplod said:

Had this at Yelvertoft. Had to fill up the day before travelling as limited opening times so moved the boat when maybe I shouldn't have.... Filled up with diesel and then couldn't get off the pontoon for 2 hours!

Try using a spring line next time. If attached at the stern put boat into reverse and bow will swing out. The wind would have to be unbelievably strong to withstand the power of a modern diesel engine. 

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17 minutes ago, Phil. said:

Try using a spring line next time. If attached at the stern put boat into reverse and bow will swing out. The wind would have to be unbelievably strong to withstand the power of a modern diesel engine. 

You assume the pontoons are well built/maintained enough to assist this ......I can assure you, some arent!!

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1 hour ago, rustynewbery said:

Cropredy can be very entertaining unless you own one of the boats on the north side of the big pond!

 

But haven't come across any marina service dock that isn't affected by the prevailing wind

 

South West corner of Cropredy main basin (about 4 pontoons along West roadway) can be quite interesting in anything around a North, North Easterly. Especially reversing out with a boat that's rubbish in reverse. ?

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34 minutes ago, matty40s said:

You assume the pontoons are well built/maintained enough to assist this ......I can assure you, some arent!!

Agreed, but i was giving the advice to a boater who had problems getting off the diesel dock at Yelvertoft which is robust.

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1 hour ago, Phil. said:

 

 

Deleted as point already made.

 

38 minutes ago, Phil. said:

Agreed, but i was giving the advice to a boater who had problems getting off the diesel dock at Yelvertoft which is robust.

The problem is an inexperienced boater may assume that technique could be applied anywhere, and not consider the potential to cause damage.

Edited by The Happy Nomad
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Burton Waters is incredibly windy but we have learnt to use that to our advantage as we have a wind on mooring, in that the prevailing wind direction blows us onto our mooring.

 

It isn't uncommon to see lower powered boats especially narrowboats struggling to turn against the wind to get back to the fuel berth which is located very unhelpfully right next to the flood gates.

2 hours ago, Phil. said:

Try using a spring line next time. If attached at the stern put boat into reverse and bow will swing out. The wind would have to be unbelievably strong to withstand the power of a modern diesel engine. 

We use a similar technique on the odd occasion the wind is blowing off our mooring. We get the stern line onto the rear pontoon cleat and put the boat gently in forwards gear and it pulls the boat into the pontoon. Leave it in gear and it will hold itself there while you sort the ropes out.

 

Let the boat do the hard work.

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4 hours ago, Rob-M said:

When we moored in Barton Turns there was always a cross wind which made reversing on to our mooring interesting. It does improve your boating skills though as you learn to use the wind to your advantage.

Agree, Barton Turns can be bad.

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3 hours ago, Ray T said:

Nice and blowy at Kings Bromley, Ventnor and Wigrams.

 

 

Wigrams is blowy but the 'herring bone' pontoons make it easy to come in bow first in a strong wind ie you are not turning 90 deg (only 30 degrees). More difficult though to do it stern first when windy.

 

Far more windy is Dunchurch pools as the south to northwest wind has miles of flat open fields to come over before accelerating up a 20 ft bank and combining to give a force 9 blow just when you are about to moor up.

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The entrance to Calcutts can be tricky if entering from the adjacent lock in a strong wind. Best done with a lot of throttle. Also, we used to moor at the west end where the pool is enclosed by a high bank. Certainly windy there. Nice Marina though, we enjoyed our time there.

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I moored at Saul with Ripple, 62 foot narrow boat with a lot of cabin side (semi-trad) and four right angle turns to get out of the marina followed by a 180 degree turn if you wanted to go to Gloucester.

 

The winds could get up a bit and I once proudly came in after doing the full monty - U turn, right into the Stroudwater Canal, right into the marina, left towards my pier and then right turn onto it without incident in the crosswind.

 

Then I realised I was on the wrong pier, mine was four boat widths away...  

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