Debdale wharf - what’s it like for mooring?

[starman]

Thinking about a mooring here - first on the diy jetties then on the main ones. 
What do people think of the place? Friendly? 
And how dog friendly? Are the jetties metal gridding - that’s always bad news for a K9. 

[Richard T]

Assuming your boats name indicates where you live whats wrong with mooring on the Soar? Sileby allow work on boats, not certain about Leicester Marina. Then there is Meadow farm at Barrow where liveaboards are allowed and work is done on boats. There are also other smaller set ups like MGM at Thurmastoon and Boons at Mountsorrel. The Soar is a great river - it does flood but so what!!

[starman]

11 minutes ago, Richard T said:

Assuming your boats name indicates where you live whats wrong with mooring on the Soar? Sileby allow work on boats, not certain about Leicester Marina. Then there is Meadow farm at Barrow where liveaboards are allowed and work is done on boats. There are also other smaller set ups like MGM at Thurmastoon and Boons at Mountsorrel. The Soar is a great river - it does flood but so what!!

Good thought ... except we live in Suffolk😏

(Debdale is about as close as you can get to us on the canals.)

[droshky]

We got on well there, friendly boaters, useful staff there for the odd job

[Neil2]

From what I can remember Debdale is awful if you have dogs as it's metal pontoons and you could be a long way from the main jetty.

 

I seem to recall there is a paucity of water points too.

 

Plus it's a pain to get to (by road).

 

The positive side is state of the art hull maintenance on site.  And a well respected shell builder operates from there too (Andycraft). 

[Proper Charlie]

Debdale is good. We've moored there for about 10 years but are actually moving soon (for a change of scenery, nothing anti Debdale). The guys at Debdale are skilled and helpful, and the regulars are pleasant, but the pontoons are long so it depends on whereabouts you can get a mooring. There aren't that many water points but I think there's always one at or close to the landward end of each pontoon. Might need a long hose though (depending on where you are on the pontoon). I can confirm that the pontoons are metal. Our dog doesn't actually like it but puts up with it.

[Tuscan]

Debdale is friendly was there for quite a few years. Pontoons pretty narrow and metal you want to be close to the bank. Also have a look at nearby north kilworth , fibre based pontoons , good dog walks, exercise areas. 

[Tracy D'arth]

You can put a fat boat in North  Kilworth.

 

Debdale is remote, if you are doing work, getting stuff to there is not going to be easy.  Its 13 miles from Leicester centre.

Andicraft boat builders on site may be useful though.

 

[starman]

Thanks all - we’ve had a look at Calcutt and the dog voted with his feet: the wooden staging was fine but he wouldn’t even step on the metal stuff. Very scenic and quiet and space for dog walking. 
 

If the dog is happy Starwoman is happy and if she’s happy I’m happy so Calcutt it is.